Next Step: Nomination Process Testimony Before Full Senate
The Senate Banking Committee approved Scott Turner with a 13-11 vote to serve as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The vote went along party lines, with a small number of members voting against the nomination because the nominee’s FBI background check was pending.
Turner was asked for his thoughts about manufactured housing during the hearing.
The Manufactured Housing Institute, the national advocacy group for the industry, worked with senators on the committee, as well as with Turner, to ensure that manufactured housing was raised as a topic during the hearing. As a result, Turner’s opening remarks and written statement included references to manufactured housing and the senators asked about the industry.
“As a country, we’re not building enough housing,” Turner stated. “We need millions more homes of all kinds, single family, apartments, condos, duplexes, manufactured housing — you name it — so individuals and families can have a roof over their heads and a place to call home.”
During the hearing, Committee Chair Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) talked about updating the definition of a manufactured home in federal law to remove the requirement that all manufactured homes must be built with a permanent chassis. The chairman called this update to the law “incredibly important” and, in response, Turner committed to looking at how HUD can reduce regulatory burden and make it less cumbersome to build manufactured homes.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) cited the HUD rulemaking finalized last year that would impose “extreme climate standards” on HUD-financed properties as driving up costs. Turner said that he will review any regulation that proves burdensome to the development of affordable housing.
In response to a written question for the record from Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) about manufactured housing, Turner said he will commit to reviewing the process for updating the HUD Code to ensure that it is efficient and transparent. He emphasized the importance of a streamlined HUD Code to maximize the availability of manufactured housing as a source of attainable housing across the country.
“If confirmed, I will prioritize the availability and affordability of manufactured housing, including eliminating costly delays and undue regulatory burdens,” Turner said. “I will also commit to meeting with the builders who run factories across the country that produce this important source of affordable housing.”
Turner’s nomination process continues when he is called before the Senate for investigative questions and a majority vote.
MHI joined 22 housing organizations to express strong support for Turner to serve as HUD Secretary. Turner served in the first Trump administration as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, and has a background in housing and community development.
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