[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5020 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 5020
To require a study on manufactured homes in areas at high risk of
natural hazards and weather extremes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 16, 2026
Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require a study on manufactured homes in areas at high risk of
natural hazards and weather extremes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Housing Performance Act''.
SEC. 2. STUDY ON MANUFACTURED HOMES IN AREAS AT HIGH-RISK OF NATURAL
HAZARDS AND WEATHER EXTREMES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) High risk areas.--The term ``high risk areas'' means
geographic locations that are susceptible to heightened
frequency of natural hazards and extreme weather events,
including floods, wildfires, tropical storms and hurricanes,
tornadoes, earthquakes, and extreme heat.
(2) Manufactured home.--The term ``manufactured home'' has
the meaning given the term in section 603 of the National
Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of
1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402).
(3) Performance.--The term ``performance'', with respect to
a manufactured home, means the ability of a manufactured home
to keep individuals safe and to reasonably withstand natural
hazards and weather events, including floods, wildfires,
tropical storms and hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and
extreme heat, over time.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(5) Standards.--The term ``Standards'' means the Federal
Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards established
under section 604 of the National Manufactured Housing
Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403),
as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Study Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall commission an independent,
third-party study in accordance with subsection (d)(2) that--
(1) shall be made available in accordance with subsection
(d); and
(2) evaluates data and other evidence about the performance
of manufactured homes that are--
(A) built and installed in accordance with the
Standards; and
(B) located in high risk areas.
(c) Research Objectives.--The study required under subsection (b),
and the report required under subsection (d), shall--
(1) make recommendations on how to improve the Standards
that shall inform future updates to the Standards considered by
the Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee established under
section 604(a)(3) of the National Manufactured Housing
Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C.
5403(a)(3)) and adopted by the Secretary; and
(2) include substantive sections relating to--
(A) establishing clear, data-driven criteria for
identifying high risk areas;
(B) an evaluation of the best available data and
other evidence about the performance of modern
manufactured homes in high risk areas, and the
identification of improvements to the Standards,
building materials, and design, construction, and
safety standards that could improve manufactured home
performance;
(C) an evaluation of the best available data and
other evidence about the performance of manufactured
homes in high risk areas based on the requirements of
the Standards regarding installation of such homes, and
the identification of potential updates to
installation-related Standards that could improve
performance;
(D) the effects that improved building materials
and design, construction, and safety standards,
respectively, are expected to have on the cost and
affordability of developing and living in manufactured
homes in high risk areas, to the extent that industry
is already developing manufactured homes with such
improvements;
(E) the extent to which the manufactured home
industry is already developing manufactured homes to
performance standards that exceed--
(i) the Standards; and
(ii) the improvements recommended under
subparagraph (B); and
(F) the identification of deficiencies in data
available as of the date of the report regarding the
performance of manufactured homes in high risk areas.
(d) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate
and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives, and make publicly and permanently available on
the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development,
a report that includes--
(A) findings from the study required under
subsection (b);
(B) recommendations for legislative or regulatory
changes to improve the performance of manufactured
homes, including estimated implementation timeframes;
(C) an analysis of the effects of implementing the
recommendations described in subparagraph (B) on the
overall performance and affordability, respectively, of
manufactured homes, including the upfront costs to
produce and install the manufactured homes, as well as
the long-term costs of owning, renting, or operating
the manufactured homes in high risk areas; and
(D) a strategy for improving data collection on
manufactured home performance during and after natural
hazards and extreme weather events.
(2) Commission and preparation of report.--The report
required under paragraph (1) shall be prepared by not less than
1 independent and non-partisan research organization with
expertise in the performance of manufactured homes and the
Standards relating to natural hazards and extreme weather
events.
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