Arkansas Home Builders Association

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.

WASHINGTON, May 12 - The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today commended the House for passing legislation that would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from vastly increasing federal jurisdiction over the nation's waterways and wetlands without going through the proper rulemaking process. "This legislation would prevent a federal land grab that would raise housing costs and harm conservation, water quality, job growth and economic development," said NAHB Chairman Tom Woods, a home builder from Blue Springs, Mo. Approved by a bipartisan vote of 261 to 155, H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act, would require EPA and the Corps to withdraw their proposed rule and develop a new plan in consultation with state and local governments and other affected stakeholders, including the small business community. The bill also stipulates that such a plan must be based on sound economic and scientific analy...

A Home Builder is: ·        An economic stimulus for local, state, and national communities, ·        A benevolent contributor to others in need, ·        A concerned conservationist, ·        A professional businessperson with licensing requirements and access to a comprehensive continuing education program, ·        A major participant in the free enterprise system, ·        A builder of the American Dream – “The Home”, Having the opportunity to visit our NAHB headquarters in Washington DC along with about 35 other new executive officers across our United States really does drive home to me what you have just read above.  WOW, I have been in the industry for some 20 years and the last four months have been eye opening when one is allowed to carry the torch for housing...

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the Senate yesterday would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing a proposed rule that could result in millions of acres of private property to be regulated as wetlands under the Clean Water Act. “NAHB strongly supports this legislative fix championed by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) that would prevent the agencies from greatly expanding the federal government’s role in regulating our nation’s waters,” said NAHB Chairman Tom Woods. “If this rulemaking were to go into effect, it would do little to help the environment and lead to a more costly permitting process, drive up the price of housing, infringe on states’ rights and hurt job growth.” EPA and the Corps’ proposal to significantly expand the definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act is so broad that it could be interpreted to include almost any water body, such as ditc...

National Association of Home Builders Urgent Message From NAHB Chairman     Urge a "Yes" vote on H.R. 1732 As part of its full throttle effort to prevent an unprecedented federal land grab, NAHB is calling on members to contact their members of Congress and urge a "yes" vote on H.R. 1732.     If the Environmental Protection Agency gets its way, millions of additional acres of land could be regulated as wetlands under the Clean Water Act. H.R. 1732, the Regulatory Protection Act, would prevent this expansion of federal authority. In a videotaped message to members, NAHB Chairman Tom Woods, a home builder from Blue Springs, Mo., notes that the Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732) would stop the land grab in its tracks. As he points out, the EPA proposal would expand federal authority to include ditches, man-made canals and even puddles on low-lying land. It also would require even more property owners to ge...

United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposing special rule under Endangered Species Act (ESA) to provide maximum benefit to northern long-eared bat. January 16, 2015 – proposal appeared in Federal Register opening 60 day public comment period March 17, 2015 – final day public comments accepted April 2, 2015 – final decision due by USFWS Final Decision options List species as endangered List species as threatened List species as threatened with 4(d) rule Withdrawal the proposal Conservation Measures if Rule put into effect: Local Ecological Services Field Office (USFWS – Conway) to determine specific locations of “known hibernacula” and “known maternity roosts” Locations will be informed by records in each State's Natural Heritage database, Service records, other databases, or other survey efforts Hibernacula Buffer Zone – 0.25 Mile Radius (128 acres) Buffer will provide basic protection for the hibernacula and hibernating bats in winter from direct impacts, such as fi...

By Robert Dietz on April 7, 2015 • ( 0 ) The number of open, unfilled construction sector positions increased noticeably in February. Overall, the construction labor market has been characterized by relatively higher levels of turnover over the last few months, with an increase in hiring and quits at the end of 2014 and an upward trend in job openings. According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) and NAHB analysis, the number of open construction sector jobs for February (on a seasonally adjusted basis) increased to 166,000 from an upwardly revised count of 137,000 in January. The February 2015 estimate of unfilled construction jobs is the highest total since July of 2007. On a three-month moving average basis, the open position rate for the construction sector increased slightly to 2.27% in February. Over the last year, the open construction jobs rate has typically been higher than the rates that...