Federal Law Drops Steel Chassis Rule for Manufactured Homes
In short
- This summer's ROAD to Housing Act removed a 1974 mandate requiring a nonremovable steel chassis on manufactured homes.
- Experts estimate dropping the chassis could cut costs by $5,000 to $10,000 per home.
- Pew estimates 30 states may need to change their own regulations to match the federal law.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
The chassis was heavy, costly and unused, and it made stacking homes hard. Removing it lets builders make taller, denser homes at lower cost. The change only helps renters and buyers once states align their own regulations.
From Next City
A mobile home park is seen in Bakersfield, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (Photo by Jae C. Hong / AP) This story was originally published by Stateline . For decades, manufactured home builders have been working to shed the old image of boxy trailer homes reserved for the outskirts of cities and suburbia. Now, a small change in federal regulations could open the door for architecture welcomed in more neighborhoods. This summer’s sweeping housing bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, removed a 1974 mandate that required every manufactured home to be built on a nonremovable steel...
