Notice of Deadlines for Installers' Licenses Under the HUD Manufactured Housing Installation Program

Edward L. Golding
Department of Housing and Urban Development
October 14, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 198 (Wednesday, October 14, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61838-61840]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-26143]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5893-N-01]


Notice of Deadlines for Installers' Licenses Under the HUD 
Manufactured Housing Installation Program

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing--Federal Housing 
Commissioner, (HUD).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety 
Standards Act of 1974, as amended, is intended to protect the quality, 
safety, durability, and affordability of manufactured homes. In order 
to accomplish those objectives, the Act requires HUD to establish and 
implement manufactured home installation programs for States that 
choose not to operate their own installation programs. Among other 
things, HUD's installation program for these States includes the 
training and licensing of manufactured home installers. HUD has 
recently begun providing the training that would qualify individuals to 
apply to obtain a manufactured home installation license. As a result, 
this notice advises that installers wishing to install manufactured 
homes in States where HUD administers their installation program that 
they will be required to apply for and obtain a HUD Installer's 
License.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Beck Danner, Administrator, 
Office of Manufactured Housing Programs, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street SW., Room 9166, Washington, DC 
20410, telephone 202-708-6423 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons 
who have difficulty hearing or speaking may access this number via TTY 
by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 800-877-
8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards 
Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5401-5426) (the Act) is intended, among other 
things, to protect the quality, safety, durability, and affordability 
of manufactured homes. The Act was amended on December 27, 2000 
(Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000, Title VI, Pub. L. 106-
659, 114 Stat. 2997) to require that HUD establish and implement a 
Federal manufactured home installation program that includes 
installation standards, the training and licensing of manufactured home 
installers, and the inspection of the installation of manufactured 
homes.
    On October 19, 2007 (72 FR 59338), HUD began implementing these 
requirements with the publication of its Model Manufactured Home 
Installation Standards final rule. The Model Installation Standards, 
which are codified at 24 CFR part 3285, establish the minimum 
requirements for the initial installation of new manufactured homes. 
Under these standards, States that choose to operate an installation 
program for manufactured homes must implement installation standards 
that provide protection to its residents that equals or exceeds the 
protections provided by part 3285.
    The Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards are, however, 
one component of HUD's efforts to implement the Act. The second 
component, HUD's Manufactured Housing Installation Program, establishes 
requirements for training and licensing manufactured home installers. 
HUD published its Manufactured Housing Installation Program 
regulations, codified at 24 CFR part 3286, on June 20, 2008 (73 FR 
35292). Together parts 3285 and 3286 establish requirements that 
implement Section 605 (42 U.S.C. 5404). Under Section 605, HUD is 
required to implement an installation program to enforce the 
Installation Standards in States that do not have installation programs 
approved by HUD.

II. Installer Licensing in HUD-Administered States

    HUD's Manufactured Home Installation program is designed to apply 
minimum standards to the installation of new manufactured homes and 
ensure that qualified persons install the homes properly. Manufactured 
homes that are properly installed provide safe and durable quality 
housing that can also be highly affordable, since proper installation 
can mean fewer repairs and longer home-lives. Recognizing that the 
quality of the installation work on a manufactured home depends 
primarily on the installer, the training and licensure of individual 
installers is a central feature of HUD's Manufactured Home

[[Page 61839]]

Installation program. Any individual or entity that engages in the 
business of directing, supervising, or controlling initial 
installations of new manufactured homes in a state without a qualifying 
installation program must have, or must employ someone who has, a valid 
manufactured home installation license, pursuant to Sec.  3286.203.
    Under Sec.  3286.205, an individual must meet at least one of the 
following minimum experience requirements in order to obtain an 
installation license to perform manufactured home installations under 
the HUD-administered installation program:
    (i) 1,800 hours of experience installing manufactured homes;
    (ii) 3,600 hours of experience in the construction of manufactured 
homes;
    (iii) 3,600 hours of experience as a building construction 
supervisor;
    (iv) 1,800 hours as an active manufactured home installation 
inspector;
    (v) Completion of one year of a college program in a construction-
related field; or
    (vi) Any combination of experience or education as described in 
paragraphs (i) through (v) that totals 3,600 hours.
    In addition, initial applicants for an installation license must 
complete 12 hours of training, at least 4 hours of which must consist 
of training on the federal installation standards and HUD's 
installation program regulations. In order to qualify for renewal of an 
installation license, the licensed installer must complete 8 hours of 
continuing education during the 3-year license period, including in any 
particular subject area that may be required by HUD to be covered in 
order to assure adequate understanding of installation requirements. 
This training, however, must be conducted by HUD approved trainers.
    HUD was, for various reasons, unable to make the training available 
to implement these requirements after publishing its Manufactured 
Housing Installation Program regulations. Beginning in Fiscal Year 
2015, however, HUD has taken a number steps to ensure that individuals 
wishing to obtain a manufactured home installation license had access 
to the training required to obtain a license. Specifically, HUD awarded 
a contract to SEBA Professional Services (SEBA) in September 2014, to 
assist in administering the installation program. Since this time, HUD 
and SEBA developed procedures for implementing the installation program 
in the 13 states that do not have a HUD approved installation program, 
established a Web site for information dissemination, and prepared sets 
of test questions for the installer training program. Since June, 2015, 
HUD and SEBA have conducted pilot installation programs in Maryland and 
Nebraska to determine and develop program procedures. HUD has approved 
in-person and online training programs for installers to meet the 
required 12 hours of training and has approved 3 installation training 
programs. In July, 2015, HUD and SEBA, using an approved training 
program and trainer, conducted an in-person 12 hour training for 
installers and inspectors in Maryland. HUD has also approved an online 
training program which is currently available, and is working with 
approved installation program providers to plan regularly scheduled in-
person training programs for individuals wishing to take the training 
required to obtain a HUD Installer License. Additional conference calls 
will be conducted with specific groups and individuals as needed.
    Finally, to disseminate information regarding HUD's implementation 
of the installation program, SEBA provided program overviews at the 
April 2015, State Administrative Agency and Third Party Inspection 
Agency training conference and at the August 2015, meeting of the 
Manufactured Housing Consensus Committee. The Manufactured Housing 
Educational Institute (MHEI) is also developing an on-line training 
course for home inspectors. HUD will hold a retailer webinar on October 
20, 2015, to assist retailers in understanding their responsibilities 
under the program. SEBA has posted all pertinent information associated 
with installer licensing requirements and other related information on 
their Web site at www.manufacturedhousinginstallation.com.
    As a result, HUD is now able to implement the licensure 
requirements as provided by Sec.  3286.203. As described below, HUD is 
implementing these requirements on a rolling basis based on the date on 
which HUD implemented the State's installation program.

III. Deadlines for Obtaining Installer's License

    HUD conducted an initial conference call on July 14, 2015, with 
Maryland State officials, code officials, installer and retailers to 
introduce the program and outline the requirements and schedule for 
full implementation of the program. Participants were advised during 
the call, that any installers wanting to continue to install 
manufactured homes in Maryland must obtain a HUD Installer's License by 
November 1, 2015. This is the date when full compliance with the 
requirements of HUD's installation program will be implemented in 
Maryland. Similarly, HUD conducted a conference call with Nebraska 
State and local officials, installers and retailers in Nebraska on 
September 1, 2015. Installers wanting to continue to install 
manufactured homes in Nebraska must obtain a HUD Installer's License by 
December 1, 2015, when full compliance with the requirements of HUD's 
installation program will be required.
    HUD plans to conduct conference calls or meetings to introduce its 
installation programs in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode 
Island, and Vermont, on December 1, 2015. Again, installers wishing to 
continue to install manufactured homes in these states, must obtain a 
HUD Installer's License by May 1, 2016, when full compliance with HUD's 
installation program will be required.
    HUD also plans to conduct conference calls or meetings to introduce 
its installation programs in Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Montana, South 
Dakota, and Wyoming, on January 1, 2016. All installers wanting to 
continue to install manufactured homes in Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, 
Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming must obtain a HUD Installer's 
License by June 1, 2016, when full compliance with HUD's installation 
program will be required.
    More information on obtaining a HUD Installer's License may be 
obtained online at http://manufacturedhousinginstallation.com/, or by 
writing to the Office of Manufactured Housing Installation Programs, C/
O SEBA Professional Services, LLC, 1325 G Street NW., Suite 500, 
Washington DC 20005, or via email at Hudinfo@sebapro.com.

IV. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection requirements contained in this rule have 
been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and assigned OMB 
control number 2502-0578. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information, unless the collection 
displays a currently valid OMB control number.

V. Environmental Impact

    This notice provides operation instructions and procedures for 
training and licensing manufactured homes installers as required by 24 
CFR part

[[Page 61840]]

3286, which was previously subject to an environmental review. 
Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(4), this notice is categorically 
excluded from environmental review under the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).

    Dated: October 8, 2015.
Edward L. Golding,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Housing.
[FR Doc. 2015-26143 Filed 10-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P