HUD study of off-site construction

(a) Definitions In this section: (1) Off-site construction housing The term off-site construction housing includes manufactured homes and modular homes. (2) Manufactured home The term manufactured home means any home constructed in accordance with the construction and safety standards established under the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.). (3) Modular home The term modular home means a home that is constructed in a factory in 1 or more modules, each of which meets applicable State and local building codes of the area in which the home will be located, and that are transported to the home building site, installed on foundations, and completed. (b) Study The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on the cost effectiveness of off-site construction housing, that includes— (1) an analysis of the advantages and the impact of centralization in a factory and transportation to a construction site on cost, precision, and materials waste; (2) the extent to which off-site construction housing meets housing quality standards under the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate, or other standards as the Secretary may prescribe, compared to the extent for site-built homes, for such standards; (3) the expected replacement and maintenance costs over the first 40 years of life of off-site construction homes compared to those costs for site-built homes; and (4) opportunities for use beyond single-family housing, such as applications in accessory dwelling units, two- to four-unit housing, and large multifamily housing.