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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

14.171:  Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards

Popular Name:  Manufactured Housing

Objectives:  To improve the safety, quality, and durability of manufactured homes and provide consumer protection through enforcement of the HUD design and construction standards for these homes, investigation of consumer complaints, and certifications, testing, in-plant inspections, and review of manufacturers' designs and Quality Assurance programs. HUD has no jurisdiction over the siting of the homes which is the responsibility of State or local government officials.

PROGRAM AND AWARD	FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS	FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.
APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS	INFORMATION CONTACTS
RELATED PROGRAMS	ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS
PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS	POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

14.171 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:  Any purchaser of a manufactured home built on or after June 15, 1976, for residential use is automatically covered by the program.

Beneficiary Eligibility:  Any purchaser of a residential manufactured home built on or after June 15, 1976.

Credentials/Documentation:  None required for the purchaser. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

14.171 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:  Not required. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:  Manufacturers must have designs for each manufactured home model to be produced, reviewed and approved by a HUD-approved third-party design inspection agency. Each home must be inspected during at least one phase of construction and every stage of manufacturing process inspected by a third-party in-plant inspection entity. A purchaser may file a complaint with HUD or a HUD-approved State Administrative Agency (SAA). This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular Nos. A-102 and A-110.

Award Procedure:  Unless defects or noncompliance with the standards are found in homes, manufacturers may label and retailers may sell the units. If a purchaser complains, HUD or an SAA may request an investigation by the manufacturer or the dealer, and may then initiate enforcement actions under applicable regulations (24 CFR 3282).

Deadlines:  Each manufactured home must bear a manufacturer's certification label, certifying compliance with the Federal Standards, before the home can be sold to a retailer or purchaser.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:  Not applicable.

Appeals:  A manufacturer may appeal a preliminary determination, and be granted a hearing or presentation of views by HUD or by a State Administrative Agency (SAA) whenever homes are identified as having "serious defects" or "imminent safety hazards," and notification or correction would be required under the regulations.

Renewals:  Not applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals:  Not applicable.

Examples of Funded Projects:  Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  Not applicable.

14.171 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

14.171 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Regulatory oversight of over 360,000 manufactured homes per year.

14.171 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency:  HOUSING, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Type of Assistance:  Dissemination of Technical Information; Investigation of Complaints.

Obligations:  (Salaries and expenses) FY 99 $15,164,000; FY 00 est $15,925,000; and FY 01 est $16,992,000.

Budget Account Number:  86-5271-0-2-376.

Authorization:  National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act, Title VI, Public Law 93-383; 42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq., as amended; Public Laws 95-128 and 96-399.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature:  Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards appear in the Code of Federal Regulations at 24 CFR 3280, et seq.; Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations appear at 24 CFR 3282, et seq.

14.171 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  None.

Headquarters Office:  Office of Single Family Housing (HS), Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (HSC), Manufactured Housing and Standards Division (HSCM), Room 9152, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC 20410-8000. Phone: (202) 708-6409. FAX: (202) 708-4213. Toll-free consumer hotline (leave message only): 1-800-927-2891. Internet address: mhs@hud.gov.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

14.171 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:  Not applicable.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:  Not applicable.

Uses and Use Restrictions:  Manufacturers who build "manufactured homes" as defined by the Act, for sale in the United States are subject to the Act and must comply with preemptive Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 CFR 3280). Designs of homes are reviewed for compliance, and homes are inspected during construction by HUD-approved third-party inspection agencies. Consumers receiving defective homes have recourse, ranging from the right to be notified that their home contains a defect, to correction by the manufacturer of serious defects and imminent safety hazards. Dealers are prohibited from selling homes which they know are not in compliance with the Federal Standards. The program only regulates design and construction of the factory-built home, and does not cover the siting or foundation of the home, or have jurisdiction over on-site improvements such as utilities, driveways, porches, foundations, etc.

14.171 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:  Not applicable.

Audits:  Not applicable.

Records:  A dealer is required, after selling a manufactured home, to fill out an information card listing the name of the purchaser and the home's location, and to send it to the home manufacturer. A manufacturer is required to maintain records relating to each home's production and service related work.