[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]
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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.
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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 [email protected].
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]
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