In December of 2000 former President Bill Clinton signed into law the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act. With this act came a 21 member consensus committee. The committee is divided into three categories: manufacturers and retailers, consumers and general interest and public officials. This committee provides the Secretary of HUD with recommendations for revisions and interpretations of the standards and procedural enforcement regulations. Terry Nelson was appointed to the committee about 3 years ago to represent consumers, which allows Illinois homeowners/consumers a front row seat. Nelson was also active in the passing of this federal legislation in 2000.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) puts in place standards and regulations that are passed on to the state level. Procedures such as a dispute board to deal with issues regarding defects in the home or installation are addressed by the consensus committee. Addressed by the committee is upgrading of safety issues involving how the home is built, natural weather disaster issues, and enforcement of requirements put in place. It is from this program that each state will have a model of guidelines. It is from these guidelines that states, in our case the Illinois Department of Public Health, puts in place programs such as the state installation act.

Because of weather disaster issues in recent years this committee has and still is addressing changes needed regarding wind and load (snow) zones across the nation.

HUD is responsible for inspections of the manufacturing plants where homes are produced and involved with recalls when needed. The next Consensus Committee will take place in Washington DC on June 17 through June 19 in Arlington, VA.