Congress Vote Could Raise Mobile Home Energy Bills

The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Friday to approve a bill that would remove the Department of Energy (DoE) from regulating energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes. This legislation would return sole authority to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which has not updated its relevant standards since 1994.

Proponents of the bill, including the Manufactured Housing Institute, describe it as a necessary step to reduce regulatory overlap and lower upfront housing costs. Conversely, energy advocates and some lawmakers argue that the change will benefit builders while leaving residents with higher utility bills. The bill passed with a coalition of 57 Democrats and 206 Republicans and now heads to the Senate.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation on Friday that fundamentally changes how manufactured homes are regulated regarding energy efficiency. The bill aims to eliminate rules finalized by the Department of Energy in 2022 and transfer all regulatory responsibility back to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Supporters of the measure argue that the current system creates confusion and delays. Lesli Gooch, CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute, characterized the bill as a process bill designed to remove bureaucracy. "The paralysis is because you have two different agencies that have been tasked with creating energy standards," Gooch said. "You can’t build a house to two different sets of blueprints."

Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) echoed this sentiment, calling the move "common-sense regulatory reform" in a letter urging colleagues to support the bill. Ultimately, 57 Democrats joined 206 Republicans in voting for the measure.

Critics of the bill warn that removing DoE standards will result in less efficient homes, leading to higher long-term costs for residents. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), who grew up in a manufactured home, opposed the bill on the House floor. "This is not about poor people. This is not about working people," Stansbury stated. "This is about doing the bidding of corporations."

According to Johanna Neumann, senior director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy at Environment America, manufactured home residents face unique financial challenges. The average income of a resident is around $40,000, and they "already face disproportionately high energy costs and energy use."

The DoE rules established in 2022 were projected to have significant financial benefits. Estimates suggested the changes would reduce utility bills in double-wide manufactured homes by an average of $475 a year. Even accounting for higher upfront construction costs, the government predicted approximately $5 billion in avoided energy bills over a 30-year period.

The regulatory landscape for manufactured homes has shifted over several decades. Starting in 1974, HUD was tasked with setting building codes. However, HUD did not update relevant energy efficiency standards after 1994, causing them to lag behind modern insulation practices. In 2007, Congress assigned this task to the Department of Energy, though it took 15 years and a lawsuit before the Biden administration finalized new rules in 2022.

Currently, compliance with the 2022 DoE rules is not yet in effect, as both the Biden and Trump administrations have delayed implementation. If the new bill becomes law, the only operative benchmark would be the outdated 1994 HUD code. Mark Kresowik, senior policy director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, expressed skepticism about a quick fix. "I have not seen this administration lowering energy bills," he noted, suggesting it could take years to establish new standards.

The bill now moves to the Senate, where its prospects remain uncertain.