Associations
Kansas Manufactured Housing Association
The Kansas Manufactured Housing Association (KMHA) is a nonprofit trade association representing all facets of the factory built housing industry, including manufacturers, builder/retailers, community owners and operators, suppliers, installers, insurers, financial service providers and transporters. The association was founded more than 50 years ago and is located in Topeka, Kansas.
Its stated work is to promote fair and equitable laws and regulations and to eliminate barriers to quality, affordable housing. The public side of the site carries a searchable directory of members by service or name, consumer material on placing a home on your own land or in a community, home ownership and financing explainers, and a membership brochure and application. Members log in to a separate section for event updates, newsletters and government issues.
The association's FAQ section is aimed at buyers and owners: it explains the HUD Code and how it differs from the codes modular homes are built to, who is responsible for installation, what manufacturer and retailer warranties cover, and how appreciation works. It also states the Kansas siting rule that since 1992 has barred cities and counties from excluding a residential design manufactured home from a residential district (K.S.A. 12-763).
Membership terms and dues are on the association's site, and the Topeka office invites calls at 785-357-5256 with questions about local placement requirements.
Best for
Kansas community owners, retailers, installers and lenders who want the state trade group's member directory and its plain reading of Kansas siting and HUD Code rules. It is an association, not a source of legal advice on a specific park.
What they do
- Trade association membership for the factory-built housing industry
- Searchable member directory of retailers, manufacturers and suppliers
- Members-only newsletters, event updates and government issues section
- Consumer education on manufactured home placement, ownership and financing
- Advocacy on state laws and regulations affecting manufactured housing
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Nonprofit |
What stands out
- Nonprofit trade association founded more than 50 years ago and based in Topeka, Kansas
- Represents manufacturers, builder/retailers, community owners, suppliers, installers, insurers, financial service providers and transporters
- Publishes the Kansas rule barring cities and counties from excluding a residential design manufactured home from a residential district (K.S.A. 12-763)
Common questions
- What is the difference between a manufactured home and a modular home?
- A manufactured home is built to the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act, the preemptive national building code administered by HUD, which no state or local government may vary from. A modular home is certified by its manufacturer as built to a nationally recognized building code, such as the UBC or IRC, adopted by the city or county where it will be sited.
- Can a Kansas city or county keep a manufactured home out of a residential district?
- Since 1992, Kansas law has prohibited cities and counties from excluding a residential design manufactured home from a residential district (K.S.A. 12-763). A residential design manufactured home means a home on a permanent foundation with a minimum dimension of 22 body feet in width, a pitched roof, and siding and roofing materials customarily used on site-built houses. KMHA advises calling the local planning department for specific requirements.
- Who is responsible for installing a manufactured home?
- Most states have laws governing installation, and the retailer or the subcontractor setting the home is responsible for installing it according to state regulations and the manufacturer's instructions, or to an installation designed and approved by a licensed, registered engineer. The proper method depends on the home's design and on site conditions such as climate and soil type, and the lender may add foundation requirements.
- Are manufactured homes covered by a warranty?
- Most manufacturers warrant quality, workmanship and major heating and cooling systems for a stated term, usually one to five years, and appliance makers provide their own full or limited warranties. Retailers have separate responsibilities for transportation and installation, which KMHA advises getting in writing. State implied warranties also require a new home and new appliances to perform properly.