Arkansas Home Builders Association

 

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...

One of the biggest member benefits offered by the Arkansas Home Builders Association is without a doubt the Member Rebate Program. The Rebate program rewards Builders and Remodelers for using over 50 participating manufacturers, and the process is SIMPLE! On average, the participating Builder/Remodeler received $1,176.00 in rebates for 2015 ( more than double the cost of local membership dues ). Although there are numerous benefits to membership in the Arkansas Home Builders Association, the Rebate program ALONE is enough! Many participants in this program say they use the extra money to fund their vacations every year or use it for extra Christmas money. Whatever you use it for, who can argue with free money $$ for products you probably already use! We have scheduled a webinar to learn more about this awesome program. It will be held on September 27 at 12:30 pm (central), and you can register at www.hbarebates.com/ahba.html . You can participate on your own, or if yo...

Associates and Affiliate Members, As we enter into Spring and move through the month of April 2016, the season and time for growth in all aspects of our lives is upon us.  Last month I discussed NAHB’s Bringing Housing Home Legislative Conference.  The 2016 Bringing Housing Home Legislative Conference took place between March 7th and 11th.  For those that participated in this event and reached out to their respective Senators, sharing their opinions regarding the importance and impact that it will have within the building industry, I would like to personally say THANK YOU for being an active participant!!!! I also shared our NAHB federal legislative director’s information for the State of Arkansas, Alex Strong which he can be contacted regarding legislative affairs via email at astrong@nahb.org or by calling 800-368-5242 ext. 8279.  I hope that if you had any questions, you were able to make contact with Alex and that he was able to be of assistance. Our voices nee...

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...

September if free registration month for IBS 2016 * But Beware! NAHB notified us of several companies sending out unauthorized solicitations regarding housing during the Builders’ Show, please check the list of housing pirate companies that they are aware of. If you have any questions please contact: Sanetra Payne Marketing & Customer Experience Manager Marketing& Business Development Group National Association of Home Builders 1201 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 D 202 266 8179 F  202 266 8193   T 800 368 5242 x8179 spayne@nahb.org www.nahb.org 2016 NAHB International Builders’ Show ® Discover the Building Universe!   Register now! Everything you need to know about building is @ nahb.org .

When you wonder what the HBA can do for you; why your company should be a member, the answer is simple. Voices of a like industries; as in this example the United Farm Workers, Landowners and the National Home Builders Association come together as one strong voice and make differences. Collectively these groups worked hard to stop a new federal rule on jurisdiction of waterways. Support the industry that supports you. Join your local Home Builders Association today.

Faulkner County Home Builders Association 501.269.9558 fchba10@gmail.com P.O. Box 1228 Conway, AR  72033 www.faulkner countyhomebuilders.com                                                                                                  August 6, 2015 Press Release The Arkansas Dream Center was presented with a $50,000 check today on behalf of the Faulkner County Home Builders Association from the Home Building Industry Disaster Relief Fund of the National Association of Home Builders to assist in rebuilding homes in Faulkner Co...

On Thursday, August 6th, the Arkansas Home Builders Association was the guest speaker at the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce Luncheon at the Greens at North Hills. Ron Harris, AHBA Executive Vice President, spoke on the impact of housing in Central Arkansas as a whole and also broke down the statistics for the Sherwood housing market. Harris shared his personal story and the new vision for the AHBA. The AHBA would like to give a special thank you to our friends at Centennial Bank for sponsoring the Sherwood Chamber Luncheon! To have Ron Harris speak at your next event please contact Ron at: 501-258-2877

The Arkansas Dream Center was presented with a $50,000 check today on behalf of the Faulkner County Home Builders Association from the Home Building Industry Disaster Relief Fund of the National Association of Home Builders to assist in rebuilding homes in Faulkner County for uninsured and underinsured residents whose homes were destroyed in the 2014 tornado that devastated major areas of Vilonia and Mayflower, Arkansas. Faulkner County Home Builders Association Christina Galloway, Executive Officer P.O. Box 1228 Conway, AR  72033 Faulkner County Home Builders Assn. Board of Directors President, Greek Miller, Greek Miller Construction Vice President, Bruce Hendricks, Hendricks Construction, Inc. Secretary/Treasurer, Kim Tyler, Tyler Group Past-President, Mike Wallace, Mallard Contractors AHBA Representative, Herb Evans, Greenbrier Custom Homes AHBA Representative, Camille Turchi, Ridout Lumber Luke Porter, Luke Porter, Inc. Patrick Moix, Moix and Moix Construction Kevin Watson, Wat...

If you have a stake in home building, then you know that every day Congress makes decisions that affect the home building industry and your bottom line. When we reach out to members of Congress, we have an impact on the decisions they make. BuilderLink , NAHB’s national grassroots program, advances the housing industry by connecting members of Congress to the people who matter most – their constituents. Register now to speak up for housing and take action through CapitolConnect™, BuilderLink’s legislative activation tool .

•  Please join me in welcoming Lea Ann Bullington as the new Executive Officer for Cleburne County HBA.  She will be at the helm in that region and also works for FL Davis Lumber in Heber Springs. She has been associated in prior years with AHBA and now is accepting another round of service in our industry. Please give her a warm welcome. •  Save the new date October 30th for AHBA Board meeting and new location this time will be Pulaski Tech Business and Industry Center at 3303 East Roosevelt near Airport. Time and agenda coming later. •  EVP Chatter,  Holy Cow!!!!! after attending the Association Leadership Institute in Pittsburgh I would like to inform our members I am just now settling in realizing the magnitude of housing and the responsibility we have to maintain and grow our membership.  Members thank you for allowing your local EO's that attended. The opportunity allowed for us to attend as many sessions as we could such as: Managing the Membersh...

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2015, - The board of directors of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) elected Emily Rucker of Alma, to be a Life Director at the Association’s 2015 Spring Board of Directors’ Meeting in Washington, DC., on June 6.  “The success and scope of NAHB is largely due to the dedication and hard work of members of its board of directors such as Emily,” said NAHB Third Vice Chairman Randy Noel. “By giving up time with their own businesses and families, NAHB’s Life Directors are instrumental in helping further NAHB’s work to advance housing opportunities for all Americans.”  Emily Rucker is the Owner of Rucker Fine Homes Inc in Alma. She has been a member of NAHB for 17 years, and has served as a voting director for 10 years. In order to be eligible for election as a Life Director, NAHB builder and associate members must have served as a voting director for more than 10 years, have attended at least two board meetings each year, and be recommende...

Upcoming Webinar Provides Details on WOTUS Regulations This post was updated with information about NAHB’s comment letter on July 23. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released a final rule defining “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The rule contains new regulatory definitions and terms that define the scope of federal jurisdiction and Clean Water Act permitting. As a benefit to members, NAHB is hosting a free informational webinar on July 28 at 2 p.m. EST describing the new rule and how to comply with the Clean Water Act when the regulation becomes effective on Aug. 28. EPA has not yet indicated how it plans to put these new definitions in place, and that’s one reason why NAHB CEO Jerry Howard has asked EPA officials to delay the final rule by at least three months. “To avoid unnecessary unpredictability, inconsistency, increased project costs and delays and ever ...

  As the NAHB Fall Board Meeting and the International Builders' Show approach, exhibitors and attendees often receive unauthorized solicitations from hotels or third-party housing agencies which are not affiliated with NAHB. These unaffiliated third parties typically advertise a lower rate than NAHB's official hotel block rates. However, the lower rates may be a reflection of the lower quality of the rooms offered, and/or of significantly less favorable terms that apply to the reservation. For example, cancellation polices imposed on guests who book with such third parties are often harsh and unforgiving. And in other cases, these groups turn out not to have any rooms available on the relevant dates at the low rates they advertise. For these reasons and to support NAHB's efforts to give you the highest quality meeting experience, we strongly encourage you to book your housing accommodations using the reservation tools provided by NAHB. Only Officia...

June 25, 2015 — The Home Builders Association of Greater Little Rock (HBAGLR) proudly presented $2,500 to Habitat for Humanity of Pulaski and Lonoke Counties. HBA-GLR named Habitat for Humanity as the beneficiary of the 2nd Annual HBA Trap Shoot that took place on Saturday, April 11th at the Arkansas Game and Fish Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville. “With the success of our previous year, the Special Events Committee knew our future shoot could make a significant donation to a charity. As a fellow non-profit and in the home building industry, Habitat for Humanity felt like the right fit for our event beneficiary,” said Bill Ross, the Special Events Committee Chair and Senior Account Representative at ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings. “Steve and his team at Habitat do amazing work in the counties they serve and that really hits home to our organization. The HBA strives daily to improve the home building industry in Central Arkansas and Habitat for Humanity will be able to use o...

Congratulations to Dale Lee of Twin Lakes Home Builders Association for 50 years of active participation in our industry and association.  His years of service were honored Tuesday night by current President Bryan Bell during their monthly meeting held at El Chico in Mountain Home.  Just a great group of our industry leaders in North Central Arkansas.  Twin Lakes Home Builders Association is affiliated with the Arkansas Home Builders Association and the National Home Builders Association. Membership with the local HBA also includes membership at the state and national levels. For more information on the organization, please contact our volunteer director, Karen McKee, at North Arkansas Electric Co-op, or by Email .

Closing on your new home is an exciting time — but it also can be an overwhelming process. Home buyers are usually required to sign a seemingly endless pile of documents, most of which are written in terminology that can be difficult to understand. Fortunately, the process is about to get easier. Under new rules required by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, four closing documents will be merged into two new documents: the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure form. The design of the forms and their terminology will be more consumer-friendly to help home owners better understand this complex process. The existing Good Faith Estimate and Truth in Lending disclosures will be eliminated and combined into a single Loan Estimate form. The Loan Estimate must be delivered to the buyer no later than three business days after receiving the application. In addition, the final Truth in Lending Disclosure and HUD-1 Settlement Statement are being replaced by the Closing Disclosur...

AHBA members : Please let it be known a dear friend to us all Max Freeman has lost his battle with Cancer this morning while in Hospice care.   He served as one of our State AHB Association President’s during some really tough times in our housing industry.  His kind heartedness for our members and the home building industry was certainly noticed by many members. Please keep his family in thoughts and prayers.  More details will be forthcoming when made available.