42 U.S.C. § 5407 — Research, testing, development, and training by Secretary

(a) Scope. The Secretary^* must conduct the research, testing, development, and training needed for this chapter, including (1) collecting data from any source to determine how manufactured-home performance characteristics relate to (A) accidents and (B) deaths, injuries, or damage from those accidents; (2) buying experimental and other manufactured homes by negotiation or otherwise for research and testing; (3) selling or otherwise disposing of test homes and returning the proceeds to the current appropriation available for this chapter; (4) encouraging government-sponsored housing entities to develop and carry out secondary-market securitization programs for FHA manufactured-home loans and other appropriate loan programs, to make affordable homes more available and increase homeownership throughout the United States; and (5) reviewing FHA manufactured-home-loan programs and developing changes, including loan terms, amortization periods, rules, and procedures, to make homes more affordable.
(b) The Secretary may carry out this research, testing, development, and training through contracts with or grants to States, interstate agencies, and independent institutions.
(c) Definitions.
(1) “Government-sponsored housing entities” means HUD’s Government National Mortgage Association, the Federal National Mortgage Association, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.
(2) “FHA manufactured home loan” means a loan that (A) is insured under title I of the National Housing Act and finances alterations, repairs, or improvements to an existing manufactured home; the purchase of a home; the purchase of a home and its lot; or only the lot; or (B) is otherwise insured under the National Housing Act and made for or connected with a manufactured home.