The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) and the mobile home industry are firing surveys at each other showing conflicting public views over the quality of American's manufactured housing, with legislation currently before Congress being the real target of the debate.

Congress is considering strengthening the Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974, giving a greater voice to consumer groups such as the AARP in making necessary changes to the HUD Code. HUD regulates construction and safety standards for manufactured housing under the 1974 law. The Act requires manufacturers to notify homeowners and make corrections to manufactured homes if they have certain kinds of defects or imminent safety hazards.

The legislation would ensure that changes to the Code be made in a timely manner, giving owners of manufactured homes access to the latest building technologies and safety features. The AARP, however, argues the new changes do not go nearly far enough -- and that manufacturers must provide enforceable warranties with all of their homes.

A week ago the Manufactured Housing Institute produced an upbeat survey showing that an average of 90 percent of manufactured homebuyers would either recommend a manufactured home to their friends and family or would themselves buy another manufactured home.

An MHI statement trumpting the statement added, "In general, they found older homeowners are the happiest. They also found that homeowners believe their residences don't require an inordinate amount of maintenance, with 65 percent of those surveyed expressing satisfaction with maintenance requirements."

MHI President Chris Stinebert applauded the finding but pledged, "We will not be satisfied until we reach our goal of 100 percent customer satisfaction."

The following day, however, the AARP issued its own survey putting mobile homes in a much different light.

The AARP, which did a phone survey of 933 mobile home owners, said 75 percent reported serious structural problems and a third said they ended up paying for repairs -- an average of $1,300 -- themselves. The survey also found that 57 percent of homeowners reported multiple repairs problems.

"These structures are not covered by building codes that protect standard housing," AARP President Joe Perkins. "Significant out of pocket expense is being incurred because warranties are not mandatory and enforceable for manufactured housing."

Mobile home owners reported to AARP some 75 different types of problems that were particularly troublesome, with only four in ten being under warranty.

The AARP says roughly 44 percent of all mobile homeowners are over age 50.

The AARP is asking Congress to make five-year warranties mandatory along with seeking a larger consumer role in making changes to national standards.

For its part, the MHI issued a statement asking to see how the AARP survey was conducted but also promising to work with the AARP and other groups to improve the situation.

"The manufactured housing industry is committed to consumer satisfaction," the statement said. "The future growth and success of the industry is dependent on consumers having confidence in the quality of their homes."

Published: July 29, 1999

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