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The Department of Energy (DOE) has published a proposed rulemaking on energy standards for manufactured housing which, if finalized will eliminate manufactured housing as an affordable housing option for hundreds of thousands of potential homebuyers. The current DOE proposal is fundamentally flawed and must be completely rewritten to ensure manufactured homes remain an available option for American families. The DOE proposal would dramatically increase the costs of manufactured homes, and in some areas of the country, will make the construction and transportation of homes nearly impossible. The proposal uses the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which was developed for commercial [...]

The Wisconsin Housing Alliance Annual Conference is scheduled to be back in-person this year on Tuesday, November 9th and Wednesday, November 10th at the Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. This two-day event is filled with meetings both days, an Exhibitor Reception followed by dinner and presentations, plus plenty of time to network with exhibitors and other members. Registration is open! EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNT ENDS OCTOBER 26TH. For more details, check out the event online!

Freddie Mac’s Multifamily Division announced it will require all future manufactured housing community (MHC) transactions to include a series of tenant protections, as defined by the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) Duty to Serve (DTS) regulation. These protections will include renewable lease terms, written notice of rent increases, grace periods for late rental payments, and rights governing the sale of a manufactured home at an MHC. While MHI had worked with consumer groups and proposed standards for consumer lease protections through the DTS process, the intent was for such protections to accompany secondary market support for the financing of homes [...]

The Biden Administration announced it is taking immediate steps to increase affordable housing supply across the country including specific actions to boost the supply of manufactured housing. Specifically, the Administration is looking to expand financing for manufactured housing and is calling on state and local governments to reduce zoning and financing barriers to manufactured housing which “allows families to achieve homeownership and build wealth.” In outlining its planned activities, manufactured housing was the second action listed demonstrating the Administration’s prioritization and commitment to manufactured  housing. Click here to read more. During a call with HUD, FHFA, and Treasury, senior agency [...]

The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new targeted nationwide eviction moratorium which applied to counties in the U.S. experiencing “substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of COVID-19” which covers more than 90% of all renters in the U.S. The Supreme Court ruling only applies to the federal eviction moratorium and any state or local moratoriums remain in effect. In its decision, the Court stated, “The moratorium has put the applicants, along with millions of landlords across the country, at risk of irreparable harm by depriving them of rent payments with [...]

Cavco Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVCO) (“Cavco” or the “Company”) announced today that it has signed a binding offer to acquire the business and certain assets and liabilities of The Commodore Corporation (“Commodore”), including its six manufacturing facilities and two wholly owned retail locations. Commodore is the largest independent builder of manufactured and modular housing in the United States, operating under a variety of brand names such as Commodore Homes of Pennsylvania, Commodore Homes of Indiana, Colony Homes, MidCountry Homes, Pennwest Homes and R-Anell Homes. Commodore has over 1,200 employees and operates across the Northeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, with wholly [...]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new federal eviction moratorium which replaces the previous order that expired on July 31. This new order will expire on October 3, 2021 and applies to counties in the U.S. experiencing “substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of COVID-19.” This covers more than 90% of all renters in the U.S. At a White House press conference this afternoon, President Biden announced the CDC order was imminent and acknowledged that the action will likely be challenged in court. Click here to read the order. CDC County Transmission Rate [...]

The Dept. of Safety and Professional Services has updated the Manufactured Home Offer to Purchase form with the suggested changes recommended from the Wisconsin Housing Alliance. Changes includes: Offer Expiration Date Acceptance of Counteroffer Section Added Financing Contingency Time Frame Addition of Unable to Obtain You can download the new form on the HUD Code Housing Info page under Retailers and Installers in the Members Only section. The new form has a 7/2021 revision date at the bottom of each page.

Developers with innovative affordable housing projects designed to spark community revitalization and promote resident well-being are urged to apply for a new round of federal 9% housing tax credits allocated by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority. The application period for this special round of housing tax credits is now open and will run until Sept. 3, 2021. The Innovation Housing Tax Credit application can be found on WHEDA’s website here. A free webinar to highlight the launch of the innovation round and to provide information on the application process will be offered at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July [...]

Do your residents need help paying for broadband? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a program to help families access the internet.  The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. Eligibility is relatively broad including anyone whose children are approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch [...]