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21st Century ROAD to Housing Act would lift 1974 chassis mandate
The proposal would eliminate a 1974 requirement for manufactured homes to be built on a permanent steel chassis, a change industry groups say could reduce costs and broaden design options.
HousingWire reports that the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes a provision that would remove a 1974 mandate requiring manufactured homes to be built on a permanent steel chassis.
According to the article, industry stakeholders expect the change to lower costs, while also providing more design flexibility that could help homes qualify for new treatment as real property, depending on upcoming HUD code updates.
The piece adds that manufactured housing costs 50% less per square foot than traditional site-built homes, and notes the U.S. has 7.2 million occupied manufactured homes, or nearly 5.5% of occupied housing stock.
Still, the article says new shipments have fallen from earlier peaks, with just over 100,000 new manufactured home shipments in 2025 versus about 373,000 in 1998 and roughly 600,000 annually in the early 1970s. HousingWire also quotes Manufactured Housing Institute CEO Lesli Gooch saying producers have been improving building systems and envelopes for years, and that removing the chassis requirement could accelerate innovation and support broader acceptance.