The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is looking to update the definition of
Under the proposed rule published in the Federal Register Friday, the new definition of a manufactured home, as mentioned in the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, also known as the HUD Code, would allow upper floor sections to be transported and constructed without a permanent chassis.
"America needs more housing, and manufactured housing is part of the solution," HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a press release. "We are removing unnecessary barriers, encouraging innovation and helping American manufacturers deliver more affordable housing options for American families."
The expanded definition explains the permanent chassis requirement for a manufactured home could be met by building only the lowest level transportable sections of a manufactured home on a permanent chassis, excluding the upper floors from the requirement. The new definition would support multistory construction of manufactured homes and give manufacturers greater flexibility to design and construct homes to meet growing consumer demand while lowering costs.
"The permanent chassis requirement reflects a legacy conception of manufactured housing that no longer aligns with the realities of today's market," Manufactured Housing Institute CEO Leslie Gooch said. "Allowing multilevel manufactured homes to be built with or without a permanent chassis is a critical step toward modernizing HUD Code housing and expanding consumer choice."
From a construction standpoint, removing the fixed steel frame from the upper floors breaks down major design barriers, leading to more flexibility, reduced costs and material waste and expanded options, Gooch added.
The proposed rule would also make corresponding updates to the definition in the Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards and the Manufactured Home Installation Program regulations, HUD said in the release.
With the housing market facing affordability and supply struggles, HUD has turned its attention to manufactured homes. Turner deemed manufactured housing the
HUD has continued to support the manufactured housing industry through the ROAD to Housing Act. The agency also
More than 20 million Americans reside in manufactured homes, according to the release, and the need for affordable housing is ever-increasing.
"Removing the chassis allows for more design flexibility, such as lower profiles, better integration with site-built neighborhoods and improved energy efficiency," Gooch said. "This change broadens the appeal of manufactured homes to consumers who might otherwise be priced out of homeownership."
