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U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02) is leading a bipartisan Alabama Congressional delegation in pushing back on “burdensome energy mandates” on manufactured homes.

Moore, an Enterprise native, represents Alabama’s second congressional district, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County along with the entirety of Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Elmore, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike Counties.

All seven of Alabama’s congressional representatives, Republican and Democrat, signed a joint letter to the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Energy (DOE). Moore and fellow Alabama representatives Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Mike Rogers (AL-03, Terri Sewell (AL-07), Gary Palmer (AL-06), Jerry Carl (AL-01) and Dale Strong (AL-05) requested those departments rectify what the delegation refers to as “conflicting government energy standards that could impose financial burdens on residents of manufactured homes.”

The letter asks the departments to delay new DOE standards from its May 2023 effective date until requirements are aligned with HUD code and to ensure both HUD and the DOE’s energy standards for manufactured housing are not contradictory and are reflective of the manufactured housing – or mobile homes – building process. According to the letter sent to HUD and DOE, 15 percent of occupied housing units in Alabama are manufactured homes, making up about 296,000 total homes.

“When bureaucratic decision makers in Washington impose harmful regulations and mandates without understanding their real-world consequences, it is up to the American people’s representatives to defend their interests,” Moore said in a statement. “I appreciate my colleagues in our Alabama delegation standing together on behalf of thousands of Alabamians who would face financial and regulatory burdens from contradictory government energy mandates, and I will continue taking what actions I can to ensure this matter is resolved favorably for Alabamians.”

In May 2022, the DOE released new manufactured home energy standards that are estimated to add thousands of dollars to the average price of new manufactured homes. As stated in the Alabama delegations letter, these standards are scheduled to go into effect this May. These standards were put into place without the input of HUD, which already has energy standards in place for manufactured home construction. The DOE said that rules would require new manufactured homes to meet standards based on the size of the home and the climate in which it will be located.

Some of these rule changes include new insulation and sealing requirements, which is expected to drive the cost of homes up but the DOE estimates will also save residents up to $450 annually in utility bills.

“The significant cost increases to actual manufactured homebuyers far exceed the speculative energy savings the rule claims will take place,” Manufactured Housing Institute CEO Lesli Gooch said last year.

The Alabama delegation’s letter to HUD and DOE can be read in its entirety at, https://tinyurl.com/mn2yzc7.