MHARR Appeals to HUD Secretary - Dr. Ben Carson - Allow Private Sector to Boost Homeownership, Save Taxpayers, by Enforcing Federal Law

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - 03/20/2017 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

“We’re going to be in the promise keeping business.” - Vice-President Mike Pence.

“We're going to enforce the law of this country.” – Then VP candidate, Gov. Mike Pence.

“We're going to enforce the law…” – President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

“Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities. We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a Presidency representing all Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up.”

– Then President-elect of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

“I look forward to listening to the concerns of the American people in order to develop new solutions to age-old problems, especially increasing opportunity, and making America’s neighborhoods stronger.”

- Dr. Ben Carson, during a Senate confirmation hearing.

“I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met.”

- Dr. Ben Carson.

“…with a new Administration having now taken office in the nation’s capital, committed, as one of its core principles, to the “deconstruction of the administrative [i.e., regulatory] state,” the single most important national issue facing manufactured housing, as a federally-regulated industry, is the reform, reconstruction and reorganization of the federal manufactured housing program at HUD to fully implement – and fully comply with – the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000.”

– M. Mark Weiss, JD. President and CEO of Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR).

“Time for REAL Change at HUD … and Beyond…”

– M. Mark Weiss, JD. President and CEO of MHARR.

“Welcome to the inaugural issue of “MHARR -- Issues and Perspectives,” said M. Mark Weiss, President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR).

With those words, Weiss dives into the raison d'etre for MHARR’s new periodic publication, which he states will “offer analysis and opinion regarding the often complex issues facing the manufactured housing industry, its members” and manufactured home owners and prospective consumers in Washington DC.”

Weiss, who has previously cheered the nomination and appointment of Dr. Carson as HUD Secretary, now calls on him and President Donald J. Trump’s Administration to enforce the law regarding the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000.

“Under the 2000 reform law,” says Weiss, “HUD’s mission is not merely to regulate manufactured housing.  Its responsibilities go much further.  The law, for example, directs HUD to: (1) provide “funding for a non-career [program] administrator;” (2) “ensure that the public interest in … affordable manufactured housing is duly considered in all determinations relating to the federal standards and their enforcement;” (3) “facilitate the availability of affordable manufactured homes;” (4) “facilitate[e] the acceptance of … manufactured housing within HUD;” and (5) “broadly and liberally” construe federal preemption.”

“There is plenty more in the 2000 reform law, but these directives are sufficient to make the point.”

While the industry is recovering on its own since the bottom was hit in 2009, more can and must be done.

With the affordable quality housing crisis growing, and the Trump Administration signaling an intent to cut back at agencies such as HUD, the time is now for Secretary Carson to take steps to “drain the swamp” at the HUD program, without sacrificing the program itself.  That means new program leadership in accordance with the law -- i.e., an appointed administrator -- and an end to out-of-control regulation and out-of-control contractors.  “Maintaining reasonable federal regulation is essential,” Weiss said, “to preserving the fundamental affordability of manufactured housing. Sending the program back to the states would completely undermine the affordability of the nation's most affordable housing.”

Weiss has noted that the manufactured home industry has been producing its best quality homes ever, as HUD’s own records prove that only a tiny fraction – less than 1000^th of one percent - of new homes go into dispute resolution.

While another association is coming under fire for what an independent publisher has termed “weaponized news,” Weiss’ vision for “MHARR -- Issues and Perspectives” is to provide solid, fact-based reports and analysis. 

MHARR has – and will – cite third-party studies, such as the Small Business Administration (SBA) and George Washington University – whose independent reports have supported MHARR positions.  

“What has HUD done to stop the U.S. Department of Energy,” asks Weiss, “in a fundamentally-tainted rulemaking process, from singling-out manufactured homes and manufactured homebuyers for crushing energy standards (strongly opposed by MHARR) that will far exceed standards imposed on million-dollar site-built homes and devastate the HUD Code market – in a still pending rulemaking?  In a word, nothing.”

With an eye on affordable housing, Dr. Carson’s and the Trump Administration’s hopes of promoting more private sector options and solutions, Weiss focuses on key issues that Pam Danner, JD, the career administrator in charge of the HUD Code program, has largely failed to support, much less implement. 

Billions of taxpayer dollars annually might be saved over time, by following the intentions of Congress in giving manufactured housing broad preemption under federal law.

Weiss also cites HUD’s “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, to override local zoning ordinances that discriminate against affordable housing.”

“All of this [regulatory failure] hurts consumers and the industry’s small businesses the most,” said Weiss.

“Larger industry businesses, shielded by multi-billion-dollar corporate mega-empires, either do not care, or quietly applaud the disproportionate damage inflicted on smaller competitors while awaiting opportunities to corner an even larger share of the market. Warren Buffet himself alluded to this in his latest “Shareholder Letter” to Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. stockholders…” said Weiss.

“President Trump knows this. He knows that over-regulation strangles the smaller businesses that are the engines of higher employment and greater economic growth.”

“Now is the time, as President Trump said in his speech before Congress, to think boldly and act boldly,” MHARR’s president stated.

The full details of Weiss’ vision of applying the principles and promises of Dr. Carson and the Trump Administration in a fashion that:

• saves taxpayer dollars,
• can create thousands of private sector jobs annually,
• all by enforcing the law,
• freeing up independent producers and businesses to flourish, and
• thereby serve potentially millions of more Americans

are all found in MHARR Issues and Perspectives inaugural issue, found by clicking here, or at the link below. 

http://www.MHProNews.com/latest-news-from-mharr/13180-mharr-mharr-issues-and-perspectives ##

(Image caption – MHARR logo and MHARR-Issues and Perspectives collage by MHProNews/GraphicStock.)

MHARR is a Washington, D.C.-based national trade association representing the views and interests of independent producers of federally-regulated manufactured housing.

“MHARR-Issues and Perspectives” is available for re-publication in full (i.e., without alteration or substantive modification) without further permission and with proper attribution to MHARR.