Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/672763
MAY 2016 25 THE JOURNAL The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) reports that as the post-production segment of the industry continues to suffer successive setbacks in the nation's capital on a range of issues, pressure has again intensified for the creation of an in- dependent national post-production association in Washington, D.C. On an array of issues affecting the financing, placement, installation and utilization of HUD Code manufactured homes, among other is- sues, the industry's post-production sector – and particularly its smaller businesses – have found themselves on the short end of the stick, faced with increasing and increasingly costly regulation and other roadblocks to growth and greater profitability. These issues include, but are not limited to the failed effort (thus far) to modify Dodd-Frank and SAFE Act restrictions on aspects of consumer financing (pursued at significant cost in time and resources, and at the expense of other initiatives, when it has been clear that no such changes could be achieved during the Obama Administration); the failed effort (thus far) to include manufac- tured home chattel loans within the Duty to Serve Underserved Markets (the subject of closed-door "mystery meetings" between MHI and FHFA officials); continuing discriminatory and exclusionary placement restrictions (ig- nored by the MHI-supported program Admin- istrator); extremely costly looming energy regulation (supported and facilitated by MHI); an outrageous HUD on-site construction rule that will undermine the industry's ability to compete with other types of housing in new emerging markets, and a steady stream of HUD installation directives from a lawless program Administrator as the Department seeks to ef- fectively federalize all aspects of manufactured home installation, among other things. The single unifying thread through each of these failures and missteps is that in each case, the resulting negative action (or inaction) – by Congress, HUD, or other Washington, D.C. agencies – disproportionately harms smaller in- dustry businesses, while they benefit industry competitors and either benefit, or do not neg- atively impact, the largest industry businesses which are effectively shielded from the worst ef- fects of over-regulation by a multi-billion- dollar corporate mega-structure. The question that needs to be asked, then, is how does any of this advance or even represent the interests of thousands of smaller post-production sector businesses (i.e., retailers, communities, fi- nance companies and others) that are struggling to survive in a climate of suppressed industry growth? While there are those in the industry who have sought to provide the basis for an inde- pendent, national post-production industry as- sociation (as has existed in the past) – and that work represents a good and positive start – "ed- ucation," seminars, networking and related ac- tivities in the field are not enough. Ultimately, the post-production sector needs – and will need – an independent presence in Washing- ton, D.C. to advance, protect and defend its specific interests. HWC M NEW HOME WARRANTIES Tifanee McCall 800.247.1812 x2149 sales@mhwconline.com www.mhwconline.com/Journal Wrien Insured Warranties 25+ Years of Experience New Home Warranties UNMATCHED HOME WARRANTY PROTECTION Unwavering Value No. 15 on Get It Quick Page Consumer Financing and Other Failures Re-Ignite Need For Independent Post-Production Association GOT NEWS? Send your company or association press releases to: news@journalmfdhousing.com Please send all press releases in Word Document format. If you have photos, please send then as individual files in .jpg, .tif, or .eps format. Photos should be 300 dpi.