Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/657319
APRIL 2016 8 THE JOURNAL No. 6 on Get It Quick Page tervene in the abandoned home removal process. Practically speaking most if not all lienholders ignore the notices if the homes have little or no value. HB 273 would remove an interpretation by sev- eral courts which requires lienholders to give ac- tual consent to the transfer of the abandoned home to the park operator in these limited cir- cumstances when lienholders are non-respon- sive. HB 273 will enhance the process of removing abandoned homes in a more practical and timely manner while protecting the" due process" of all involved parties. OMHA General Counsel Elizabeth Birch clarifyied several legal questions for the commit- tee members. The Ohio Manufactured Homes Commission's (OMHC) Executive Director Janet Williams also testified in support of HB 273 as omhc is the regulator and licensor of mh com- munities in Ohio. Further hearings will occur over the next sev- eral months in the house and hopefully the sen- ate as legislators carefully review this important legislation. OMHA will continue to work earnestly in the passage of the legislation in 2016. Industry Begins Year With Very Strong Production 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), the manufactured housing industry began 2016 with strong production growth in January. Just-released statistics indicate that HUD Code manufacturers produced 5,862 homes in January 2016, representing a 17.9% increase over the 4,969 HUD Code homes produced during January 2015. 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 January 2016 -- with cumula- tive, monthly, current year (2016) and prior year (2015) shipments per category as indicated -- are: State Cumulative Current Month (Jan. 2016) 2016 2015 1. Texas 55,045 homes 1,100 1,100 1,178 2. Louisiana 19,346 homes 277 277 291 3. Florida 15,851 homes 446 446 401 4. N.C 11,525 homes 283 283 209 5. Alabama 11,241 homes 188 188 175 6. Mississippi 10,528 homes 211 211 157 7. California 10,083 homes 262 262 204 8. Kentucky 9,983 homes 255 255 176 9. Tennessee 8,299 homes 196 196 138 10. Oklahoma 7,786 homes 147 147 133 The latest information for January 2016 results in no changes to the cumulative top ten list. Other states with strong shipment numbers in January 2016 (exceeding 100 homes) included: Michigan (278 homes); South Carolina (239 homes); Georgia (176 homes); Virginia (127 homes); Pennsylvania (119 homes); Arizona (114 homes) and Arkansas (114 homes). The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform is a Washington, D.C.-based na- tional trade association representing the views and interests of independent producers of federally- regulated manufactured housing. \ 6