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.