Comprehensive Housing Legislation Includes MHI Priorities

Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) introduced the “Revitalizing America’s Housing Act,” on October 18. The bill, H.R. 10009, combines elements from several previously introduced housing-related bills with additional actions to create a package to increase housing supply, incentivize construction and address housing cost, among other housing solutions. In a press conference with local officials in Hudson Valley, New York, Lawler called for the construction of more single family housing and said, “The issues confronting our housing system are myriad and manifold and they require a comprehensive set of policy prescriptions to address.” A full summary of the extensive legislation can be found here.

The bill, containing 38 provisions, includes a number of MHI’s main legislative priorities, including language to prevent the Department of Energy from establishing energy conservation standards for manufactured housing and to restore HUD as the sole regulator for the construction of manufactured housing, including with respect to energy efficiency. The bill also removes the requirement in the law that manufactured homes are built on a permanent chassis, an important step toward allowing a broader range of home types to be built under the HUD Code.

The 209-page bill also requires HUD to annually report on significant regulatory barriers to affordable housing and how to reduce or remove them; enhances opportunity zones; bolsters the U.S. transformer supply chain; incentivizes localities to reform their zoning requirements; provides a business-related tax credit for certain development costs for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or remediation of qualified property; among other things.

The bill is cosponsored by Housing Subcommittee Chairman Warren Davidson (OH-8), Rep. Mike Flood (NE-1) and Rep. Andrew Garbarino (NY-2) and is the result of more than two years of work by the Subcommittee on policies to address the housing crisis. MHI has been engaged with the Subcommittee during this process and we are pleased that our priorities are included in Rep. Lawler’s comprehensive legislation.