To require approval from the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for any Federal manufactured home and safety standards, and for other purposes.
Summary
H.R. 5263 aims to centralize authority over manufactured home construction and safety standards within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It requires any federal agency seeking to establish such standards to obtain approval from the Secretary of HUD. The bill also amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to include 'energy efficiency' in design considerations.
Expected Effects
The bill would shift control over manufactured home standards to HUD, potentially streamlining the regulatory process. This could lead to more consistent and potentially more cost-effective standards. However, it could also create a bottleneck if HUD's approval process becomes slow or overly restrictive.
Potential Benefits
- Streamlined regulatory process for manufactured home construction and safety standards.
- Enhanced energy efficiency considerations in manufactured home design.
- Potential cost savings if HUD approval leads to more efficient standards.
- Greater consistency in standards across different federal agencies.
- Clearer lines of authority and accountability for manufactured home regulations.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for bureaucratic delays in the approval of new standards.
- Risk of stifling innovation if HUD becomes overly restrictive.
- Possible increase in housing costs if HUD-approved standards are more expensive to implement.
- Reduced flexibility for other federal agencies to address specific safety concerns.
- Concentration of power within HUD, potentially leading to regulatory capture.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the Constitution, particularly Article I, Section 8, which grants Congress the power to regulate commerce. By setting standards for manufactured homes, the bill falls under this purview. The delegation of authority to the Secretary of HUD is a common practice and generally permissible as long as Congress provides clear guidelines, which this bill seems to do.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).