Arkansas Home Builders Association

 

 

In a move strongly supported by NAHB, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced today that EPA will work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to solicit public input and craft a new regulation for the waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule that reduces red tape, cuts overall permitting costs and lowers the cost of business in communities across the country while protecting the nation’s navigable waters from pollution. “NAHB commends the EPA for moving to make changes to the WOTUS rule that will protect our nation’s waterways and provide builders and developers the clarity and certainty they need in the federal wetlands permitting process to help house America’s citizens,” said NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes. “Today’s action by the EPA will help alleviate federal permitting roadblocks that are exacerbating the nation’s housing affordability crisis.” EPA will also undertake a rulemaking process to revise the 2023 definition of WOTUS with a focus on clarity,...

NAHB is excited to introduce the newest Member Savings Program – Holman Fleet & Automotive Services . Save time, energy and money with efficient fleet management, including vehicle sourcing, flexible lease plans and maintenance. NAHB members receive a free first-month lease payment upon signing up. For details and to access this exclusive offer, visit the Holman Member Savings site or contact Sharon Salang .

                                                                                                    Take Action to Ensure a Future Workforce                                                        A Critical NAHB Jobs Training Program Hangs in the Balance.                                      You Can Help Save It A House appropriations subcommittee has eliminated the Job Corps program, the nation’s largest residential ca...

October 6, 2023 FROM YOUR STATE REP, Keith Wingfield, River Rock Builders You may not see what we actually do, but you will feel it in your markets soon! NAHB and all of the officers, state reps and national area chairman stay hard at work on the issues that affect you the most, usually working on codes, regulations and any other issue that affects the cost of housing. Remember that you elected officials are making these laws, regulations, codes, and other rule making……if you want to be a part of the process make sure that you answer every CALL TO ACTION so that your input is heard! Let me, your State Rep know what you need and what is affecting you the most. If I can help I will, if not I’ll send you somewhere to find the help you need! Your dues go a long way to fund this association and make sure we are not over-regulated and wiped out from codes that are not necessary. Moreover, your contributions to BUILD PAC help to ensure we elect the right people to vote the way we need them to...

  Sep 30, 2023  Alicia Huey, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala., issued the following statement after Congress approved H.R. 5860, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act, legislation that would fund the government and the National Flood Insurance Program for an additional 45 days: “NAHB commends the House for acting in a bipartisan manner to pass H.R. 5860, legislation that will fund the federal government and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for an additional 45 days. NAHB has worked tirelessly with lawmakers to make them aware that even a short-term disruption to the flood insurance program would force delays—and in some cases, cancellations—to home sales and multifamily transactions that require federal flood insurance under the NFIP. We urge the Senate to act quickly to keep the federal government open, including the vital NFIP. And moving forward, ...

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Alicia Huey, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala., today issued the following statement after the Senate passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval that would rescind the Biden administration’s waters of the U.S. rule: “Today’s bipartisan Senate vote to approve a resolution that would rescind the Biden administration’s waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule comes shortly after House Democrats and Republicans passed an identical measure, and sends a strong message to the administration and American people about the damaging effects of federal overreach. The Biden WOTUS rule does little to strengthen our nation’s water resources but it does radically extend the areas in which home builders are required to get federal wetlands permits by making human-made ditches and isolated ponds on private property subject to federal jurisdiction. Adding uncertainty an...

 

 Sign up before 9/30 and take advantage of the September Deals! About IBS Exhibitors & Home Builder Trends Back to Las Vegas The products, connections and experts you won’t find anywhere else. IBS exhibitors are all HERE at the in-person show in Las Vegas! Residential construction professionals look forward to the NAHB International Builders' Show® (IBS) each year. This premier event hosts networking, learning and discovery opportunities through: Product launches Education sessions Home builder trends You walk away with real ideas and the solutions you need to grow and strengthen your business.   Support the industry! The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) manages and organizes the Builders' Show. NAHB represents 140,000+ members and is the voice for housing policies to make housing a priority. When you attend IBS, you help NAHB support and shape the housing agenda and enrich communities across the United States. IBS 2023 w...

Vote for Owen Residence - LEED Project of the Year Owen Residence •  Little Rock, Arkansas Built by  River Rock Builders , the  Owen Residence  is a dream project for owners Ann and Rick Owen, who wanted to build the healthiest and most sustainable home possible. In March 2018, their home achieved LEED Platinum status with sustainability features like 42 PV solar panels, which provide all the energy needed to power the 2,662-square-foot house and two vehicles, greatly reducing the home's carbon footprint. On June 20, US Green Building Council  announced the recipients  of the 2018 LEED Homes Awards, which celebrates residential projects, developers and builders using  LEED  to improve quality of life and create healthier and more resilient communities. The Owen's Residence by River Rock Builders is one of 14 homes. This year, for the first time, USGBC is opening up voting for the Project of the Year—the winner will be selected as "peo...

In a victory for state home builders and NAHB, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson earlier this week signed SB 170 into law, which will prevent cities and counties from regulating building design that would needlessly raise the cost of housing. The Arkansas Home Builders Association (AHBA), along with realtors and other trade groups and consumers, lobbied aggressively for this legislative remedy after the city of Springdale proposed changes to its Residential Design Standards for new homes that would prohibit exterior finishes such as vinyl, wood and aluminum siding that are otherwise permitted under all editions of the International Residential Code. Other proposed changes such as roof pitch, front facing garages and wrought iron fencing would collectively increase building costs and price entry-level buyers out of the market. With Arkansas and the rest of the nation already facing a housing affordability crisis, the AHBA argued that the proposed standards are a form of exclusionary...

Four new people have joined   the NAHB Field Representative Program   and are ready to fan out across the country to help state and local HBAs throughout the Federation. Let’s meet them. Morgan Giovannucci Region A: Morgan Giovannucci.   Morgan comes to NAHB from Toledo, Ohio where she worked at the financial advisory firm Savage & Associates. Morgan worked to educate clients on the importance of saving, building retirement, portfolio diversification and more. She has a Bachelor of Business degree in Finance with a focus in wealth management from the University of Toledo. Morgan now lives in Falls Church, Va. Alex Martindale Region C: Alex Martindale.   Alex, member of a home building family, comes to NAHB by way of South Carolina, where she served as a public relations intern for two different HBAs. She has a strong background in strategic communications. Alex is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in Public Relations....

Three new NAHB field representatives are off and running this month, ready to bring assistance from National and share best practices from across the Federation to HBAs all over the country. They join a program that totals 12 staff members and a record of great meetings, good ideas and better connections for NAHB members who need a leg up to help their locals run a little better – or have great success stories to tell. Let’s meet them. Samantha Davis   comes to NAHB from Frederick, Md. where she served as a meetings associate for the   Biophysical Society . She has a nonprofit background from her work with the Equine Protection Department of the Humane Society of the United States. She has a bachelor’s in English literature from the University of Maryland and resides in Dallas, where she will work with her fellow Region D field rep   Justin Reyes . Ashley Wucher   comes from the   National Association of Realtors , where she served as the governmen...

Associates and Affiliate Members, As we enter into the beginning of our third month of 2016, time is passing by ever so quickly.  Last month I discussed the importance of growth, being active and participating on all levels within our local, state and national HBA’s. Spring is just around the corner and building activities on the rise, the expectation of becoming busier and organizing our time by strategically planning and scheduling becomes extremely important.  There are only so many hours in the day and how wisely we choose to spend our time as ambassadors for the very industry that supports our economy, ourselves, as well as our families is critical.  We must be engaged and focused on the direction we are headed and truly understand our collective goals as associate members.  I would like to bring to everyone's attention this month the NAHB’s Bringing Housing Home Legislative Conference.  The 2016 Bringing Housing Home Legislative Conference is taking plac...

Work in Attics, Crawl Spaces and Ducts Targeted At the request of NAHB, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) just announced a decision to further delay enforcement for residential construction of the new Confined Spaces in Construction Standard , this time for an additional 60 days. The agency would have resumed issuing citations for rule violations today. Why is this important to remodelers? Under the new Confined Spaces in Construction Standard, work in attics, crawl spaces and even HVAC ducts could be subject to a host of permit, hazard monitoring and training requirements. What work is covered by the delayed enforcement? The temporary stay applies to construction and remodeling projects in single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses in federal OSHA jurisdictions. What are a remodeler's responsibilities in the meantime? OSHA has said that any employer making good-faith efforts to comply ...

Good news for members whose development plans were in danger of being derailed by  new regulations regarding the Northern Long-Eared Bat: This FWS map shows the bat’s range. Last week, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) published a final rule that eases some of these restrictions. NAHB received several calls and emails from members after FWS listed the bat as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act, touching off a series of new protections that could drive regulators and builders, well, batty. The “interim rule” restricted the removal of certain trees between April and September — the bats’ migration season — in the Eastern and North Central United States. NAHB submitted comments, and in the final rule, the original quarter-mile buffer around known-roosting sites has been reduced to 150 feet. That gives builders more room for tree-clearing operations to construct homes. The quarter-mile buffer around hibernation habitat — such as caves and mi...

The House Energy and Commerce Committee today approved NAHB-supported energy legislation that will reform the role of the Department of Energy (DOE) in the development of energy codes and encourage meaningful savings for residential construction that are achievable and cost-effective. Of note to the housing community, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015 included a provision that would promote energy efficiency in buildings while ensuring that home builders and home owners are not burdened by unreasonable regulations. Specifically, the provision would: Improve affordability by requiring any DOE-supported code proposal has a payback period of 10 years or less, meaning that these higher costs will be paid back through utility savings. Increase transparency in the development of model building energy codes by ensuring that all DOE code change proposals are made available to the public, including calculations on costs and savings. En...