HOUSING ALERT
January 28, 2021
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) questions HUD Secretary Nominee Marcia Fudge (D-OH) about manufactured housing.
Manufactured Housing Front and Center
During Nomination Hearing
for HUD Secretary Nominee Fudge
Senators from both sides of the aisle questioned President Biden’s Nominee for HUD Secretary, Representative Marcia Fudge, about manufactured housing today during her nomination hearing. Testifying before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Fudge called manufactured housing an “outstanding option,” and she touted its affordability and efficiency. She told the Senate Committee that she is “100% supportive” of looking at incorporating manufactured housing into the Department’s affordable housing strategies.

Fudge also told the Committee that addressing exclusionary zoning is a priority. She testified that “we have to get rid of the idea of “Not in my Backyard.” While acknowledging as a former mayor that this will be difficult, she discussed the need to find incentives for home builders to work with HUD and local lawmakers to change zoning laws.
 
In advance of today’s hearing, MHI worked with members of the Senate Banking Committee to have manufactured housing a key topic of discussion. MHI also recently met with Fudge to discuss the role that manufactured housing serves in addressing the affordable housing shortage in the country and encouraging her to ensure HUD facilitates the availability of manufactured housing for all Americans, as required by law. 

To view the hearing, click here.

Manufactured Housing Highlights at the Hearing
 
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) called on Fudge to prioritize manufactured housing to “make homeownership more possible for more Americans.”
 
  • Senator Scott (R-SC): “The definition of manufactured housing is no longer the trailers that come to mind. Manufactured housing has a diversity within its construct, and I would love to hear that you have an interest and perhaps even a passion for making sure that we continue to prioritize manufactured housing as one of the ways for us to lower the cost and make homeownership more possible for more Americans. Have you done any homework on manufactured housing? I would love to hear your thoughts on using that to meet some of the needs we have throughout the community.”
 
  • HUD Secretary Nominee Fudge: “Yes, I have Senator and thank you for the question. I have done research and have had conversations with those who build manufactured housing. I think it is an outstanding option. The cost is about $78,000 to $100,000 a home. It is affordable. It is something we can do rapidly. I am 100 percent supportive of looking more into how we incorporate manufactured housing.”

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) asked about the backlog of changes to the HUD Code that have been passed by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee but have yet to be acted on by the Department.
 
  • Senator Tillis (R-NC): “Do you recognize the backlog of the pending HUD Code changes passed by the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee as things that need to be fixed?”

  • HUD Secretary Nominee Fudge: “Yes, sir I do.”
 
Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV) called on Fudge to quickly implement the requirement that localities consider manufactured housing as a part of their comprehensive housing affordability strategies and community development plans.
 
  • Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV):Let me associate myself with some of the comments that Senator Scott brought forward with respect to manufactured housing. He and I both co-chaired a bill - the Manufactured Housing Modernization Act. It was passed into law a year ago. And, to my understanding still has not been implemented by HUD. As a result of that, he and I sent a letter to then-Secretary Carson on February 4 asking for the quick implementation of the new law. And really what it does is it issues guidance for the inclusion of manufactured housing in states and local governments’ consolidated plans. I would look forward to working with you on the implementation of that particular law.”

If you have any questions, please contact MHI's Advocacy and Communications Department at MHIgov@mfghome.org or 703-558-0675.  
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