“Trailerpalooza” Illustrations/Facts- Evolution Mobile Homes to HUD Code Manufactured Housing, Boomerang Facts & Analysis-MHARR v Manufactured Housing Institute

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., January 7, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Washington, D.C. based Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) released the following report on 1.5.2022. It was followed on 1.6.2022 with a “Trailerpalooza” report that illustrated the evolution of Mobile Homes to HUD Code Manufactured Housing, in what was dubbed a "Boomerang Facts & Analysis, as Manufactured Home Production Near 100,000 Home Annual Benchmark in November 2021."

Per MHARR:

The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) reports that according to official statistics compiled on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD Code manufactured housing industry year-over-year production increased again in November 2021. Just-released statistics indicate that HUD Code manufacturers produced 9,069 homes in November 2021, a 13.4% increase over the 7,996 new HUD Code homes produced during November 2020. Cumulative production for 2021 now totals 97,758 homes, a 12.6% increase over the 86,757 homes produced over the same period in 2020.

A further analysis of the official industry statistics shows that the top ten shipment states from the beginning of the industry production rebound in August 2011 through November 2021 -- with cumulative, monthly, current year (2021) and prior year (2020) shipments per category as indicated -- are:

Ranking & State | Totals 8.11 to 11.21 | Month (Nov 2021) | 2021 |2020
1. Texas | 135,986 homes | 1,611 | 17,004 | 15,281
2. Florida | 50,076 homes | 716 | 7,546 | 6,120
3. Louisiana | 45,930 homes | 583 | 5,185 | 3,832
4. N. Carolina | 35,370 homes | 508 | 5,642 | 5,095
5. Alabama | 34,189 homes | 493 | 4,755 | 4,180
6. Mississippi | 28,570 homes | 366 | 4,078 | 3,529
7. Michigan | 27,714 homes | 361 | 3,747 | 3,233
8. California | 27,427 homes | 294 | 3,102 | 3,018
9. Kentucky | 25,714 homes | 349 | 3,649 | 3,197
10. Tennessee | 22,464 homes | 314 | 3,338 | 2,904

The November 2021 data results in no changes to the cumulative top-ten shipment list.

In Washington, D.C., MHARR President and CEO, Mark Weiss, stated: “Notwithstanding the discriminatory zoning barriers and consumer financing challenges that continue to negatively impact the availability of affordable manufactured housing, 2021 industry production appears poised to surpass the 100,000 homes annual benchmark. If this comes to fruition it would mark the first time since 2006 that the industry has exceeded this historically-significant production level. While this is obviously a positive development that illustrates the strength and resilience of the HUD Code [manufactured home] industry as the premier source of non-subsidized affordable housing for lower and moderate-income American families, any celebrations must be tempered with recognition of the continuing headwinds that the industry and consumers face going forward, including not only zoning and financing issues, but other regulatory matters as well, including the threat of excessive, high-cost DOE energy standards.”

The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform is a Washington, D.C.-based national trade association representing the views and interests of independent producers of federally-regulated manufactured housing. -- 30 --

In contrast to the official data provided by MHARR, the Arlington, VA based Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) has not provided monthly data publicly for some time. Current manufactured housing production data, according to the MHI website on 1.6.2022, requires a member-only login. MHI's historic data download, which can be publicly accessed, has no published data since 2020. That is in contrast to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the National Association of Realtors (NAR), MHARR and other trade groups which provide updated information for the media and public monthly. MHI has declined explaining their public posture on this topic to MHProNews.

During a well publicized affordable housing crisis, there are questions that merit inquiry as to why the manufactured housing industry has been underperforming. That is an issue that Congress probed in 2011 and 2012, according to research found in the manufactured housing industry's largest known and most complete third-party resource center, found on MHLivingNews.com. It is specifically found on the "Media, Public, & Investigator Resources – Mobile Homes, Manufactured Homes" facts, trends, illustrations and resource page on Manufactured Home Living News (MHLivingNews.com).

That same resource-link also includes an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of HUD on a Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000 and related topics.

According to a letter by Democratic lawmakers involved in the passage of the widely bipartisan Manufactured Housing Improvement Act (MHIA) of 2000, Congress has "...given HUD the legal authority to preempt local requirements or restrictions which discriminate against the siting of manufactured homes (compared to other single family housing) simply because they are HUD-code homes.” That faxed letter by lawmakers to HUD officials used the phrase “enhanced preemption” to describe the legal authority Congress provided to HUD.

MHARR President and CEO, Mark Weiss, J.D., has said that: "baseless, outdated prejudices could and should have been addressed and overcome over the course of time – and the past two decades, especially. Certainly, the tools to address these issues have been available for that entire time, as MHARR has repeatedly observed and emphasized. With respect to zoning discrimination Congress, in the 2000 reform law, strengthened and enhanced federal preemption in order allow for the invalidation of state or local “requirements,” such as discriminatory zoning mandates, that have the effect of excluding mainstream manufactured homes."

Weiss pointed to the same letter by Congressional lawmakers referenced and linked above.

With such thoughts and concerns in mind, MHProNews.com's Masthead blog published a new report and analysis on 1.6.2022 that includes classic ads, historic data, mobile and manufactured housing production and shipment trends, illustrations, plus expert context to MHARR's latest information. Those illustrations include classic mobile homes in what has been dubbed a mid-1950s "trailerpalooza" as well as contemporary manufactured homes. ###

L. A. "Tony" Kovach
MHProNews.com/MHLivingNews.com
+1 832-689-1729
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