IBHIS Offers Manufactured Home Inspection Checklist

According to the U.S. Census bureau, nearly eight percent of the U.S. population lives in a manufactured home. If you inspect manufactured homes, you may share an interest in their vulnerability to wind damage with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHIS). IBHIS has developed a Manufactured Home Inspection Checklist to help residents gauge how vulnerable their home might be to wind damage, based on where it’s located, how well it’s anchored, and what type of foundation was used.

The map at the below, from the checklist, shows wind zones in the United States.

The Checklist is available on the Institute’s website, www.disastersafety.org.

Housing Market
HUD Launches First Fair Housing
App

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) unveiled the first housing discrimination mobile application (app) for iPhone and iPad. The app uses the latest technology to provide the public with a quick and easy way to learn about their housing rights and to file housing discrimination complaints, and inform the housing industry about its responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act.  

To get this app, visit the Apple App store.

National Mortgage Settlement Provides Over $45 Billion in Consumer Relief

The nation’s largest mortgage servicers have distributed $45.83 billion in direct relief to over 550,000 homeowners, or roughly $82,000 per homeowner as part of the National Mortgage Settlement, according to a progress report released by independent settlement monitor Joseph A. Smith of the Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight. Almost one year ago, the Department of Justice, HUD and 49 state attorneys general reached a landmark agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers to address mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure abuses.

To read the full report and see the state-by-state data map, visit www.hud.gov.

Code
Code Development Process for the Future Prepares for Debut
cdp ACCESS on track for testing at 2013 Public Comment Hearings

cdp ACCESS, an online initiative aimed at increasing participation in the International Code Council code development process, is being prepared for testing. The new process will allow for in-person and online participation while maintaining the high level of integrity ICC’s code development process is known for.

Several steps will be taken over the next few months to prepare for testing online voting on a handful of code changes in October at the Public Comment Hearings, formerly called Final Action Hearings, in Atlantic City, N.J. Testing also will include submitting code changes and public comments online, as well as collaboration tools for online submittals. The 2014 cycle for the development of the 2015 International Green Construction Code will be a binding Beta test for the entire cdp ACCESS process. The goal is to launch cdp ACCESS by 2015, in time for the cycle that will lead to the publication of the 2018 International Codes.

A flowchart illustrating cdp ACCESS is available at www.iccsafe.org/cdpACCESSFlowChart.

Health Care
Understand Changes to Health Care

A U.S. government website provides a wizard that can help you learn more about key provisions that may impact your business under the Affordable Care Act, as well as health care-related resources.

It’s simple to use. Answer a series of basic questions about your business, including how many employees you have and which state your business is in to learn about changes.

Go to http://business.usa.gov/healthcare.