Congress Advances Major Housing Priorities and Manufactured Housing Reforms

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act updates outdated manufactured housing regulations, expands financing opportunities and supports efforts to increase housing supply while expanding access to affordable homeownership.

Congress has approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a housing package that includes some of the most significant updates to manufactured housing reforms in decades. 

The legislation comes as policymakers across the country continue looking for ways to address housing affordability and increase housing supply. 

One of the biggest changes in the bill updates the federal definition of a manufactured home. The bill removes the requirement that manufactured homes be built on a permanent chassis and establishes standards for homes built with or without a chassis in the future. 

The bill also updates Federal Housing Administration financing programs that help buyers purchase manufactured homes. These updates are intended to better reflect today’s housing market and improve access to homeownership. 

Additional provisions support housing innovation, modular housing production, offsite construction, manufactured housing communities and efforts to increase housing supply. 

“Addressing the nation’s housing shortage will require a range of housing solutions,” said Bill Boor, President and CEO of Cavco Industries. “Recent federal action reflects growing recognition of the role factory-built housing can play in expanding housing supply and creating more pathways to homeownership.” 

Together, the federal legislation and recent state reforms address several long-standing challenges affecting manufactured housing, including financing access, housing placement and outdated regulations. 

Across the country, policymakers are also updating housing policies as they look for new ways to increase housing supply and expand access to homeownership. 

Since 2021, at least 12 states have enacted zoning modernization or placement reforms affecting manufactured housing. 

Virginia is among the latest states to adopt significant reform. 

Beginning July 1, 2026, local governments may not adopt or enforce zoning, land-use, or development requirements that treat qualifying manufactured homes more restrictively than comparable site-built single-family homes in the same zoning district. 

Earlier this month, Cavco hosted Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger at its Rocky Mount manufacturing facility for the ceremonial signing of the legislation. 

Together, these federal and state actions reflect growing recognition of the role factory-built housing can play in helping address housing affordability and housing supply challenges. 

For Cavco, these developments align with broader efforts to expand access to homeownership, support housing innovation and increase housing availability for American families.