Nation's Building News Online: August 15, 2005Print All Articles Text Version |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NAFTA Ruling Should End Canada Lumber DutiesA unanimous decision last week by a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panel paves the way for the elimination of a hidden tax that has cost American home buyers and consumers more than $4 billion. The ruling by the NAFTA Extraordinary Challenge Committee should end a drawn-out, three-year legal battle to overturn punitive tariffs on Canadian lumber shipments, said NAHB President David Wilson. However, Wilson expressed concern over a statement from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative suggesting that it might not comply with the ruling. "We urge the Administration to allow this final verdict to be implemented without further delay," he said, "and to immediately rescind the tariffs and return to Canada more than $4 billion in deposits that have been collected." The U.S. government imposed anti-dumping and countervailing duties totaling 27% on softwood lumber in May of 2002, charging that Canadian imports represented a "threat" to domestic lumber producers. The percentage was subsequently reduced but remained above 20%. Canada filed appeals to overturn the duties before NAFTA and World Trade Organization panels, which repeatedly ruled that the duties on lumber were inconsistent with international agreements and with U.S. law. Last August, a NAFTA panel cleared the way for removing the burdensome tariffs on Canadian lumber when it unanimously ruled that there was no evidence to support the contention that Canadian lumber shipments threaten the domestic industry. Last year's NAFTA verdict found no threat of injury from Canadian imports, which is the legal justification required for the duties to be imposed. It also stipulated that the U.S. was required to refund the billions of dollars that Canada had paid. A NAFTA ruling carries the weight of law in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. The domestic lumber lobby convinced the U.S. Trade Representative to file an "extraordinary challenge" under NAFTA, using that unusual procedure to keep the case alive so that duties would remain in effect. This last-ditch effort was unanimously rejected by the bi-national Extraordinary Challenge Committee last week. Nearly 50 members of Congress have signed a letter to President Bush calling on the Administration to implement the NAFTA Extraordinary Challenge Committee ruling and to adhere to the international agreements that the U.S. has signed. The letter states that the "current duties, which have been found illegal under both the WTO and NAFTA, deprive Americans of affordable housing, the first step in the American dream. The border taxes should be stopped at once, and past payments given back." "Now that the legal challenges have run their course, it's time for the Administration to live up to its international obligations and stand up for American families seeking to become home owners by moving quickly to roll back the tariffs and refund all duties paid out by Canadian firms," said Wilson. For more information, e-mail Michael Strauss at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8252. Subscribe Your Employees — You Could Win a Digital CameraSign up three or more of your employees for Nation's Building News and you automatically will be entered in a contest to win a Sony digital camera. There have been five winners already — the most recent winner is Robert Poole, of Poole's Plumbing, Inc. in Raleigh, N.C. — and you could be next. To subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News and be entered in the "Make Your Business Click" contest, visit our contest subscription page by clicking here. Subscribe your employees and they will begin receiving timely, valuable industry and business news at their desktops beginning with the very next issue. News that can help increase your company's profitability and efficiency. And all it takes is a few mintues of your time. Nation's Building News is NAHB's free, online newspaper. Inside, you'll find the latest lumber prices, industry news, builders' tips, lumber prices, problem-solving floor plans and more. For more information or to sign up your employees, click here.
Make your connection to the latest housing industry news and information with www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. Log in today to register for educational seminars, meetings and networking events; find important economic and housing data; and learn the latest developments in NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. It’s all available 24 hours a day at www.nahb.org. Just click the "Log In" button to get started. Once you log in, personalize the site to reflect your interests. Simply go to the My NAHB>My Profile page and click the “Edit Content Preferences” link. To learn more about how you can customize My NAHB — including how to customize the links that appear on the Home page ― visit the How to Use www.nahb.org section. Pay Raises Remain Weak as Housing Prices SurgeThe wages of many public servants — policy officers, teachers, fire fighters and nurses, among others — are not keeping pace with the cost of housing, according to a new study from the Center for Housing Policy, the research affiliate of the National Housing Conference. The study finds that as housing prices rise across the country, a growing number of working Americans cannot afford housing in the communities where they work. The median price of a home in the U.S. rose 20% in just a year and a half, during a time when raises for key community workers remained weak, even stagnant, by comparison, according to the study. “This study makes it clear that meeting the housing needs of our nation’s working families is a tough challenge,” said NAHB President David Wilson. “We have an imbalance between demand for housing and supply, and that is driving up prices, especially in the hottest markets. This problem will only get worse unless communities find a way to better match supply and demand.” The study, “Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in America,” found that from the fourth quarter 2003 to the first quarter 2005 the cost of a median priced home increased from $186,000 to $225,000, or 20%. At the same time, the annual income needed to qualify to purchase a home grew from $54,855 to $71,354. Yet, the wages for key community workers such as elementary school teachers, police officers, licensed practical nurses, retail salespersons and janitors in the majority of cities nationwide remained flat and, in some metropolitan areas, significantly below the amount needed to purchase a home. In addition to the national assessment of housing affordability, the study also compares homeownership and rental affordability findings with median community wages for 63 occupations in 183 metropolitan areas. To access this information on an interactive database, click here. The 10 least affordable markets are all in California, according to the study, but housing affordability problems are fast becoming a concern across the county. “Across the nation we are seeing a growing disparity between the skyrocketing home prices of recent years and the minimal increase, if not flattening, in wages for our nation’s community workers,” said Barbara Lipman, the center’s research director. “Additionally, the disturbing trend of retail salespersons and janitors, and those in similar wage groups, paying in excess of what is considered affordable in order to rent a one- or two-bedroom apartment continues in metropolitan areas throughout the country.” For more information about workforce housing and other housing affordability issues, e-mail Blake Smith at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8583. Home Builders Fear Increase in Speculative BuyingIn a disturbing trend for builders in north Idaho’s hot housing markets, “For Rent” signs are becoming commonplace in many new subdivisions where investors have been snapping up homes with the expectation of re-selling them for a profit in a year or two and are looking for renters to help pay the monthly mortgage in the meantime. “We know of subdivisions in Coeur d’Alene where more than 50% of the new homes are rentals,” said Jim Frank, president of Greenstone Corp. “We think it’s very bad for home purchases.” Frank said he started noticing the phenomenon about a year ago and that investors had approached him offering to buy 30 new homes at a time in his subdivisions. Last year, he began requiring buyers to sign an affidavit that they intended to live in the home, and after that was found to be unenforceable, buyers must now sign a sales contract under which they agree to sell the home back at its purchase price if it is sold within 12 months. Speculative buying creates a “hidden market” that can potentially whiplash builders, said NAHB economist Michael Carliner. If investors cash out when home appreciation starts slowing, they could create a sudden glut of homes on the market that would be competing with new-home sales and drag their prices down, he said. (www.spokesmanreview.com)
Builders Brace for MoratoriumDevelopers and real estate agents are predicting that home prices will rise and that first-time home builders will face a tougher housing market as the result of a six-month moratorium on new subdivisions in Thurston County, Wash. County commissioners imposed the moratorium in response to a state ruling finding that many of the county’s planning policies violate the state’s Growth Management Act, including urban growth areas that are too large, sometimes allowing the development of more than one unit per five acres of rural land and not setting aside enough land for farming. The county’s median home price was a record $228,500 in July. Glen Amendala, president of the Olympia Master Builders and owner of Horizon Home Builders, said that builders with new homes on the market will now probably get an artificial bump in the selling price. “That builder is drooling right now,” he said. “Their houses just went up $5,000 to $10,000 apiece.” He added that, “Every time you add a percentage to the price of a home, you knock out another percentage of first-time home buyers.” Smaller builders who are sitting on property they can’t develop could be driven out of business, Amendala said. And some builders will be forced to turn customers away. “I have six clients who want me to build and I don’t have any land to build on,” he said. (www.theolympian.com)
Multifamily Housing Ban EndsThe U.S. Justice Department is investigating a moratorium against the construction of two-family and multifamily housing in east New Orleans that the city council allowed to expire on July 21. In March, Steven Rosenbaum, who is the chief of the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section of the department’s Civil Rights Division, wrote that his office was looking into complaints that the city had violated the federal Fair Housing Act through its restrictive measure. The council had been warned by the city attorney that moratoriums on permits for multifamily housing are most likely to affect poor people “who cannot afford to rent or own single-family homes.” Although a law discriminating against the poor is not necessarily illegal, she said, it is a violation of the Fair Housing Act if the effect of applying the law is to discriminate against minorities or people with disabilities. (www.nola.com)
A Roof Garden? It’s Much More Than ThatLandscapers have been installing a 35,000-square-foot green roof at Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, Queens, N.Y., where parts of the HBO series “The Sopranos” are filmed, in a design that aims to reduce air pollution, control heating and cooling costs, and absorb storm water runoff. Some 1,500 planters are putting 20 different species on the roof in soil that has been engineered to weigh only one-fifth as much as typical dirt. Data collected from the project will be used to convince commercial property owners and developers that green roofs can benefit the bottom line as well as the environment. A 2003 study in Chicago found that a green roof was able to absorb nearly half the water occurring during a downpour and that temperatures were 19%-31% cooler during the hottest hours of the day in July compared with a conventional roof. Low-rise, flat-roof buildings performed best. Green roofs typically cost $8-$10 a square foot, compared to $4-$6 for a regular roof, and local government involvement is critical, proponents say. “Isolated green roofs are expensive insulation,” said Leslie Hoffman, executive director of Earth Pledge. “But when you have a whole community of green roofs, it changes the microclimate of the area and reduces demand for energy.” (www.nytimes.com)
Ordinance Produces Bland Residential ArchitectureA county hillside development ordinance in western Riverside, Pa. will lead to “banality and sameness,” according to local architect Bill Warkentin, who has helped prepare these ordinances in the past and is a founding member of the county’s General Plan Advisory Committee. With the preservation of mostly flat agricultural lands and more than 500,000 acres for multi-species habitat, the hillsides are a “suitable and environmentally appropriate venue for development,” he writes. But the ordinance randomly excludes two-story entries, large glass areas and large chimneys, Warkentin complains, “when such features may be exactly what the owners are seeking to capture the view, accommodate the hillside grade and achieve energy conservation.” The ordinance also stipulates that the colors of homes within 500 feet of a protected ridge must blend into the natural color of the hillside. “However, as to whether summer brown, wintergreen or rock gray ought to be selected, the ordinance is silent. Elsewhere, all homes shall be in earth tones as though Riverside County residents had voted and determined that every hillside home should be the color of a mud hut.” (www.pressenterpriseonline.com)
Housing Gives Offices a New Lease on LifeObsolete offices in the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy are being converted into apartments sought after by the “cappuccino” society that is embracing a return to city living. Realizing that there was a surplus of old office space that might be put to better use, local authorities in London amended the Central Government Planning Policy in January to make it easier to convert offices into apartments. According to the estimates of King Sturge, a real-estate advisory firm, about 30% of the new housing supply in the London borough of Westminster, where Parliament is located, is coming from the conversions of offices, many of them built in the 1960s and 70s. An affordable-housing policy requiring 25%-50% of housing in any new development to be affordable to workers such as teachers and nurses could squeeze developers’ profits and in turn slow down the number of conversions. (www.realestatejournal.com)
No Place Like (Upgraded) Home; Remodels Rise With EquityThanks to the rampaging real estate market, while property values multiply, millions of home owners are remodeling to protect their investment and improve their living space. Remodeling activity accounts for about 2% of the total U.S. economy, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, and in 2003, home owners and rental property owners spent $233 billion on home improvements — a 52% increase over eight years. People are now renovating with an eye on recouping their costs when they sell. Remodeling magazine’s 2004 Cost Vs. Value Report shows that a home owner can recover about 93% of the $15,000 they spend on a minor kitchen remodel, for example. Some home owners are just trying to keep up with the Joneses and others figure that if their houses are worth double or triple what they paid, their kitchen and baths should match. (www.usatoday.com)
In Outer Suburbs, Lighting Up the NightIn the Washington, D.C. region’s Calvert County, Md., measures to regulate outdoor lighting are at the center of a fight to limit urban sprawl. To some lifelong residents in the region, light pollution is just one more symptom of the transformation of rural outposts into bedroom communities. Growth for them means light from new subdivisions is obscuring the stars in the night sky. For newcomers who are accustomed to city lights, the main problem is that there isn’t enough light at night. A retired aeronautical engineer who moved to the county from Baltimore said that he wasted more than 2 ˝ hours lost on the county’s unlit rural roads one night last winter after he was diverted from a major thoroughfare by a traffic accident. “I found it easier to navigate the California desert than make my way through the pathetically dark roads of Calvert County,” he said. Proposed county regulations would require light fixtures to be aimed down, prevent light from trespassing onto neighboring property and forbid neon-bright commercial lighting after 11 p.m. At least 11 states have adopted similar measures aimed at reducing light pollution. (www.washingtonpost.com)
Put Down the Battle Helmet, Pick Up a Hard HatPhilip M. Dana What are the necessary tools that separate the successful from the mediocre in corporate America? What is particularly important for success in residential construction? A strong work ethic, integrity, structure and organizational habits, a yearning for learning, a need for challenges, superior customer service skills and last but certainly not least, a terrific attitude that reflects a results-oriented mentality and the thrill of dealing with a diverse audience on a daily basis. This list is not comprehensive, but after being in the business for more than a year, I can say that it reflects the most important characteristics of the talent the industry is looking for. And where do recruiters or hiring managers focus their efforts to find these characteristics? Personally, I believe military leadership is a good source for our growing manpower needs in the construction industry. Centex Homes is a team builder, and as a team builder, it focuses on diversity in recruiting and hiring. As Eric Belsky writes in the July issue of Big Builder magazine, “As population and home buyers diversify, builders’ challenges include a more diverse management mix.” An ongoing shift in our industry from “construction professional” to “business professional” requires us to be innovative in how we approach our construction teams. In the Las Vegas market, we generally build with a four-person construction team. The four positions are distinct and defined by experience and job responsibilities. The following is an outline of the job requirements:
By watching and studying our own division’s performance, I am reminded daily of just how much the tools for success in the military match up with the tools for success in the construction industry. Our division started with only 5% of personnel with military experience a year ago, and as of last month we had reached 25%. This talent strategy is directly reflected in our division’s ability to focus on the key strategic elements of organizational productivity, reducing construction costs by holding subcontractors accountable, improving our customer satisfaction scores and continuing to build on Centex Homes’ culture of pride with performance. We have recently received our corporate award of performance, the Centexcellence Award, and are on the cusp of breaking into the top five in market share in our area. With this superior team of talent, we will be able to grow into one of the largest and most productive construction teams in the country. Philip M. Dana is director of construction development for the Las Vegas Division of Centex Homes and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy's Class of 1998. To e-mail him, click here. Dallas-based Centex Homes is one of the nation’s leading home builders, operating in more than 90 U.S. markets in 25 states. Its brands include Centex Homes, entry-level builder Fox & Jacobs Homes, on-your-lot builder Wayne Homes and resort/second home builder Centex Destination Properties. Centex Homes delivered 33,387 homes in the U.S. in the fiscal year ending March 31. The company is a subsidiary of Centex Corporation (NYSE: CTX), a Fortune 250 company. Centex Corporation, founded in Dallas in 1950, is one of the nation’s premier companies in home building, financial services, home services and commercial contracting. Centex ranks No. 1 in its industry on FORTUNE magazine’s 2005 list of “America’s Most Admired Companies.” Letter to the Editor: Housing Bubble ConclusionsWhile I try not to subscribe to an extremist view on any matter that is open to interpretation, I base a lot of business decisions on common sense and a gut feeling after consuming as much information about the matter as I can. In that light, I do agree with some of Neil Barsky’s points in his Aug. 1 article (“What Housing Bubble?”) However, I believe that there are several important points that should not be ignored or discounted:
Common sense tells me that auto leasing and gimmicks to lower upfront mortgage payments only serve to entice the average consumer to spend more than he or she probably should, and will eventually come back to haunt the consumer. Victor Lohmann
Eye on the EconomyBy David F. Seiders, NAHB Chief Economist Benchmark revisions to the national economic accounts for the 2002-2004 period show slower growth of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), slower growth of labor productivity, stronger growth of unit labor costs and higher rates of inflation. While these are all negatives for the U.S. economy, the economic recovery/expansion since the 2001 recession still looks quite healthy and there’s still plenty of room for growth. GDP growth for the first quarter of this year still stands at a highly respectable 3.8% pace, but the Commerce Department’s “advance” estimate for the second quarter shows a slowdown to 3.4% (a bit below our projection). This estimate may very well be revised upward but, in any case, the composition of second-quarter GDP has set the stage for a solid rebound in the third quarter of the year. The labor market continues to expand and compensation strengthens … The labor market report for July was quite upbeat, showing strong growth of payroll employment, a pickup in the labor force participation rate and maintenance of a 5% unemployment rate. The report also showed a significant increase in average hourly earnings, good news for workers but a factor that may feed into unit labor costs and inflation down the line (depending on the pace of productivity growth). Growth of labor productivity in the nonfarm business sector slowed to a year-over-year pace of 2.3% in the second quarter while hourly compensation (including benefits) grew at an elevated 6.7% pace and labor cost per unit of output was up by 4.3 percent ― the fastest rise in five years. These developments definitely kept concerns about core inflation on the front burner. Energy prices surge again but 'core' inflation remains under control … Crude oil prices have been hitting record highs in recent weeks and the price of gasoline at the pump has climbed to new records as well. Even so, spending by businesses and individuals has moved ahead nicely, a least partly reflected in record sales of SUVs and other light trucks in July. We’re betting that energy prices will not seriously weaken the U.S. economy during the 2005-2006 period, although there’s certainly the risk of a major supply shock in an already tight market. The core components (excluding prices of food and energy) of the Producer Price Index (PPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) decelerated to some degree in June. The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge — the core price index for Personal Consumption Expenditures ― showed a year-over-year rise of 1.9% in June, down from other recent readings, and the market-based version was up by only 1.6 percent. Even so, both versions were up by 2% on a year-to-date basis, at the upper end of the Federal Reserve’s apparent comfort zone for both 2005 and 2006, and the recent increases in unit labor costs suggest additional upward pressure on core inflation down the line. The Fed continues to raise short-term rates at a 'measured' pace … Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan delivered the Federal Reserve’s semi-annual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress on July 20 (Senate) and July 21 (House of Representatives). Greenspan’s testimony displayed a good deal of optimism about the economic outlook, noting that policymakers expect “sustained economic growth and contained inflation pressures.” In the process, Greenspan stressed that the Fed’s baseline outlook “will require the Federal Reserve to continue to raise short-term interest rates." As expected, the Federal Reserve hiked short-term rates by another 25 basis points at the conclusion of the Aug. 9 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), raising the federal funds rate target to 3.5% and pushing the bank prime rate to 6.5%. The FOMC continued to describe monetary policy as “accommodative” and suggested that upward rate adjustments will continue “at a measured pace.” The FOMC’s assessment of recent economic activity, as well as the characterization of risks to the near-term outlook, reinforced the Fed’s concerns about core inflation and highlighted the Fed’s “obligation to maintain price stability.” Long-term rates firm up but only moderate increases lie ahead … Greenspan devoted a large part of his July 20-21 monetary policy testimony to the substantial decline in long-term interest rates that’s accompanied the Fed’s progressive increases in short-term rates since mid-2004 — a pattern he described as “without precedent in our recent experience.” Back in February, Greenspan characterized the behavior of long rates as a “conundrum,” but he now seems much more confident about the fundamental factors at play. He cited four key factors that are restraining long-term rates: low inflation expectations, smaller risk premiums for inflation uncertainty, smaller term premiums for holding long-term securities (because of lessened volatility in the economy), and a global excess of intended saving over intended investment. Despite these fundamental restraints, long-term rates have moved up significantly in recent weeks, aided and abetted by a surprise revaluation of the Chinese currency that provoked questions about the future of Chinese central bank investment in dollar-denominated assets. The 10-year Treasury yield now is close to 4.4%, up from 3.94% at mid-year, and we expect this rate to exceed 5% by mid-2006. The long-term home mortgage rate should show a similar pattern of change. The housing market charges through mid-year … The housing market turned in another strong performance in the second quarter, and the third quarter started out on a high note as well. Total housing starts held firm in June at a 2.004 million pace and starts averaged more than 2 million units for the second quarter as a whole. The housing production component of GDP (residential fixed investment) grew at a robust 9.8% pace in the second quarter, a bit above the first-quarter rate. Home sales maintained strong forward momentum through June. Sales of existing single-family homes and condo/co-op units both hit new records on a national basis, and all regions but the Midwest posted record numbers. In the new-home market, sales were a record 1.37 million units in June. Surveys of home builders and home mortgage lenders show that strength in the single-family sector extended into July. NAHB’s Housing Market Index was 70 in July, within the elevated range that’s prevailed for the past year, and the index of applications for mortgages to buy homes (Mortgage Bankers Association series) gravitated upward to a new record during the month. House price appreciation strengthens further in the second quarter … Home price appreciation has been unusually strong for the past five years and truly exuberant for the past two years. The most recent repeat-transactions data from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) showed a 10.26% year-over-year gain in the purchase-only measure for the first quarter (excluding refinancings). Other sources of data suggest that the rate of home price appreciation accelerated further in the second quarter of the year. Price appreciation was quite rapid in the existing-home market during the second quarter, and prices of both single-family homes and condo/co-op units were up by about 15% in June (year-over-year basis). The median price of new homes sold in June was down a bit from a year earlier, but this decline reflected shifts in the regional composition of sales and in the mix of home sales by price range. In this regard, there’s no evidence to suggest that builders are cutting prices to maintain sales volume. Fannie Mae’s analysis of its own portfolio data (a major input to the OFHEO system) suggests that national home price appreciation accelerated in the second quarter ― at least in the “conforming” market financed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie’s analysis shows a year-over-year price advance of 14.1% (excluding refinancings), a figure that suggests OFHEO’s second-quarter estimate will turn out to be a cyclical high. Compositional changes are underway in the housing sector … Despite record home sales, the nation’s homeownership rate has lost some ground recently while vacancy rates for rental apartments have fallen significantly. Indeed, the absolute number of home owners has stagnated following a strong uptrend while the number of renters has been on the rise following years of serious erosion. These are early signs of fundamental adjustments to the volume and composition of housing market activity in the U.S. Healthy employment growth is fueling strong growth of renter households while rapid rates of house price appreciation are eroding the affordability of homeownership, particularly in the high-priced Northeast and West regions. Furthermore, a historically high vacancy rate for single-family homes suggests that a significant portion of recent record home sales has gone to investors that are holding units vacant prior to resale in pursuit of capital gains. The changing balance of affordability between renting and owning, along with the large number of vacant single-family homes, should lead to some erosion of home sales and single-family housing starts before long, and the upper price ranges are likely to be affected the most. We expect this process to be encouraged by a rising interest rate structure as well as by more discipline in ARM lending and some fall-off in speculative home buying. Housing is headed for a 'soft landing' in 2006 … NAHB’s forecast continues to project gradual erosion of home sales and housing starts, along with a slowdown in house price appreciation, before the end of this year. We anticipate a “soft landing” for the housing sector in 2006, followed by an extended period of housing production around our long-term forecast level — an annual average of about 2 million units (including manufactured homes). NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders analyzes the economy from the point of view of the housing market every other week in the free e-newsletter, “Eye on the Economy.” The preceding is a reissue of his Aug. 11 edition. To subcribe to “Eye on the Economy,” click here.
"HousingEconomics Online" is a new online publication from the NAHB Economics Group that provides the latest housing economic data, trends and key events shaping the economy. NAHB’s leading economists analyze and synthesize the housing and economic information to provide in-depth analysis of the niches and nuances of the home building market. "HousingEconomics Online" combines unique scientific research with practical applications providing insights that are original, useful and written in terms that builders, manufacturers and housing finance professionals can understand and apply to their own businesses. To order, visit the www.housingeconomicsonline.com detail page. This interactive Web site at the executive level provides critical data and information quickly, easily and frequently and includes the following features:
See what's on the horizon for the housing industry at the semi-annual gathering of the country's premier economists and finance experts. Get the latest forecasts on housing starts, project budgets and other economic bellwethers at the Fall Construction Forecast Conference on Oct. 19 at the National Housing Center in Washington, D.C. Visit www.nahb.org/conference for more information. Builders’ Tip: How to Easily Expand Circular Holes
Because hole saws rely on a pilot bit to guide them, it’s pretty tough to enlarge an existing hole. There’s no wood for the pilot bit to bite. But there are ways to get around the problem.
The plug won’t fall off because the twist of the pilot bit tries to screw its way further into the plug. By the time it does, the larger saw has established its own kerf. ― Don Reinhard, via e-mail Tips & Techniques provided by Fine Homebuilding.
To request a reprint of this feature, e-mail Mary Lou von der Lancken at Fine Homebuilding.
BuilderBooks.com is your source for training and education products for the building industry. The official bookstore for NAHB, BuilderBooks.com offers award-winning publications, software, brochures and more available in both English and Spanish. To view these publications online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.
Subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News Online. It’s free, easy and NAHB members who sign up three or more employees will be entered into the "Make Your Business Click" contest to win a digital camera. To learn more or sign up your employees, click here. Registration, Immobilization Help on Equipment TheftsThe perpetrators attempted to flee the area by driving their vehicle into the patrol car and then setting off for the freeway, which they entered against oncoming traffic. The pursuit ended when pieces of stolen equipment fell off the truck, and the Bobcat was recovered. The home owner was able to inform NER about her actions from an NER registration decal on the truck, and she received a reward for her contribution to its recovery. The loader was owned by a national equipment rental chain whose entire fleet is registered with NER. The register collects information on selected equipment thefts and recoveries, and provides the following theft prevention tips involving anchoring and immobilizing equipment:
Aging in Community ― Cohousing for the 55 and Over MarketCohousing is gaining in popularity among seniors. Elder cohousing is collaborative housing specifically targeting those 55 and over and offers a close-knit community lifestyle that many older adults are seeking. In an AARP/Met Life Mature Market study, 22% of respondents indicated they would be interested in “building a new home to share with friends that included private space and communal living areas.” Cohousing communities are designed to promote opportunities for neighbors to chat and interact. Automobiles typically are parked on the perimeter of the cohousing neighborhood. Much like multigenerational cohousing, elder cohousing typically includes a common house for optional group meals that community members help prepare several times a week. There also are common vegetable and flower gardens that community members tend, and courtyards and pedestrian pathways that draw residents together. While private spaces and communal living areas are important elements of many traditional senior living facilities as well, unlike those facilities, the members of an elder cohousing neighborhood own their own home and a piece of the community property. They also keep their estates and bank accounts intact. Managing Their Own Neighborhoods With elder cohousing, as with cohousing in general, residents manage their own neighborhood ― a process that also improves community relations and fosters communication and friendship. Lifetime skills are shared and utilized. Friends can live next door to one another and spend time together. Several major medical studies conducted by Harvard and Yale have shown that people who have strong social connections with others live longer, healthier lives. Housing options are being introduced to promote social connections — and to allow long-term care. Elder cohousing communities include studio apartments and suites in shared common houses, a multi-use clubhouse, space for an aging-in-place assistant to live onsite and space in a common house for more care. A Collaborative Lifestyle That Works Largely because of the efforts of the Elder Cohousing Network (www.ElderCohousing.org), at this year’s White House Conference on Aging in December elder cohousing will be one of the 11 proposed solutions to “respond to the urgent need for increasing housing choices for aging in place by 2010.” I believe elder cohousing holds particular promise for multifamily builders and fills a need for baby boomers seeking housing alternatives that provide both autonomy and the support of neighbors and friends who really care about them. As a developer, I am aware of the financial aspects of cohousing. Our company, the Wonderland Hill Development Company in Boulder, Colo., has completed 15 multi-generational cohousing projects in Arizona, California, Colorado and Washington. We charge a developer’s fee and receive a substantial percentage of the profit on the project. Because cohousing projects are typically at least 70% pre-sold before construction begins, finding financing from lenders is relatively easy. I also have set up Wonderland Hill to support and partner with other developers and builders who are interested in becoming part of this growing niche market. Cohousing is a lifestyle that works. After a decade of building cohousing, my wife, Brownie, and I have decided to live in a cohousing neighborhood, so for the first time I am developing the community I will be moving into ― Silver Sage Village (www.SilverSageVillage.com), a 16-household mixed-income neighborhood in Boulder. As group members we are enjoying building friendships with our future neighbors and designing how we will be using our common facilities. We discuss how we want to continue to live fully and be engaged in social and civic life. We even talk about how we want to age and die. Elder Cohousing Resources To help other builders and developers understand the elder cohousing concept, an Elder Cohousing “Getting Started” workshop will be held in Boulder on Sept. 22-25. For more information, visit the workshop Web site or e-mail the workshop sponsors at info@eldercohousing.org, or call 303-413-8066. Jim Leach is president of Wonderland Hill Development Company based in Boulder, Colo., the nation’s largest cohousing developer with 15 communities in Arizona, California, Colorado and Washington. His company has won numerous awards for energy-efficient construction and innovation in community design and he is developing Colorado’s first elder cohousing neighborhood, Silver Sage Village. For more information, visit the company Web site at www.whdc.com, or call him at 303-449-3232.
Seniors Housing Publication Set Available at BuilderBooks.com Save 15% when you purchase “The Seniors Housing Publication Set” through BuilderBooks.com. Receive one copy of “Boomers on the Horizon: Housing Preferences of the 55+ Market,” “Marketing Seniors Housing” and the “Best of Seniors’ Housing News.” This publication set is a must-have for anyone serving the active adult market. To view or purchase this publication set online, click here, or call 800-223-2665. Forum to Focus on Preserving Affordable Housing StockPreservation of the nation’s affordable housing stock is the topic of a Sept. 7 Issues Forum that will be presented by NAHB’s Housing Credit Group (HCG) in Reno, Nev. in conjunction with the association’s fall board of directors meeting. HCG is a group of builders, developers, lenders and syndicators who are involved in using Low Income Housing Tax Credits to build affordable housing. At this year’s forum, Housing Credit Certified Professional Sara Newsom, president of Compliance Consulting Services, will be discussing preservation challenges such as the difficulty of combining housing managed under one program (project-based Section 8) with housing managed under another (Section 42) that has different requirements for certifying resident eligibility. While in most cases Section 8 residents meet eligibility requirements for housing under Section 42, making certain that they do requires a full application, verification and certification process. And since Section 42 also requires annual recertification — in all likelihood on a different schedule — the community’s managers may be facing two sets of recertifications every year. Experts recommend recertifying everyone at once at the next Section 8 due date, even if it’s not yet required for the original Section 42 residents. That changes the Section 42 effective date, which is flexible, to the Section 8 date, which isn’t. Other fine points involved in such situations can trip up managers of tax-credit properties, producing serious financial consequences. But with the right information, provided by experts in the field, everything works out. For more information about the HCG Issues Forum on Affordable Housing Preservation, including an agenda and online registration, click here. Can You Make a Living at Aging in Place?Aging in place is a growing trend. But is the market for this kind of specialized remodeling deep enough to build an entire business model upon it? David Dickinson, CAPS, of In Your Home of Portland, Ore., believes so. He and his partner founded In Your Home two years ago so they could work solely with aging adults who want to remodel their homes so they could age in place, and also to work in situations in which aging adults move into the homes of family members who then remodel their homes accordingly. “We started specifically to address aging-in-place needs and do more than just straight-forward remodeling,” said Dickinson. They provide bathroom and kitchen aging-in-place modifications as well as larger remodeling projects. But In Your Home also offers minor repair and maintenance work. “In our experience, when the health of one spouse declines — especially the man — ongoing household upkeep becomes a problem,” Dickinson explained. “When seniors sell their homes, they get less than their money’s worth because they couldn’t maintain the house and small problems like roof issues became large ones.” Explore Non-Traditional Marketing While many older adults want to age in place, only a small percentage proactively seek out home modifications while they are healthy. Marketing is a challenge. “Beyond traditional advertising, we speak at fraternal organizations and offer talks on aging,” said Dickinson. “Another thing we do is buy homes in 55-plus communities and redo them with a current view on aging in place requirements.” In Your Home recently completed a home that now has two accessible entrances, upgraded lighting, a rehabbed bathroom with a low-threshold shower and other improvements. “We made it like a new house,” Dickinson said. “People like the idea that the home is already done and ready for them to move in.” Ready-remodeled homes also help potential customers better visualize some of the changes they are considering for their own homes. Dickinson said these homes, “clearly convey that it’s ok to think about these things and that it’s wise to think about these things.” Customers can clearly see that “planning for the future doesn’t mean turning your home into a nursing home.” Network With Other Aging-In-Place Services Davidson also works with other aging-in-place services including insurance agents, estate planners and home health providers. He gets valuable information that helps him with his customers. It also lets the other service providers know that he is available to offer aging in place solutions to some of their clients. Davidson strongly recommends networking with other, complementary providers. Focus on Education and Sensitivity Davidson believes that educating the client is the key to growing this segment of your business. “We often get ‘Oh I don’t need that,’ when really, it’s something they should have,” he said. Sensitivity and client relations are especially important. “If you’re the kind of person who’s easily frustrated by demanding clients or you are not that good at customer care, aging in place is probably not the right niche,” said Dickinson. “There’s an above average amount of handholding. Sometimes you need to make decisions for them.” So while Davidson does not recommend aging-in-place work for every remodeler, there is a growing need for aging-in-place solutions that can become a healthy part of your business — if not your whole business.
The NAHB University of Housing Offers Designation Programs for Remodelers The NAHB University of Housing offers CAPS, CGR, CGB and a variety of other professional designation programs and business management courses that set builders and remodelers apart from the competition. To learn more about NAHB’s designation programs, visit www.nahb.org/designations. For a complete list of all current education offerings, click here.
Who Will Be the Next Remodelor™ of the Month? The Remodelor™ of the Month (this link is accessible to Remodelors™ Council members only) award program is underway. Don't miss your opportunity to be named the Remodelor™ of the Month.
"How to Find a Professional Remodeler," available at BuilderBooks.com, promotes the professionalism of your remodeling business by offering valuable advice to your customers on the process of selecting a remodeler. The brochure guides consumers from the dream to the reality of having their homes remodeled by skilled and trained professionals. Sections include what to look for in a professional remodeler, what questions to ask and signs of a professional remodeler. To view or puchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665 to order.
Teaching Industry Classes Brings Added RewardsHundreds of home builders, remodelers and others in the industry are serving as NAHB instructors in a variety of industry-oriented continuing education courses. And while it’s true that teaching costs most of these instructors time away from their businesses and leisure activity, they teach because they find it rewarding. “Each time I instruct a class, there is a spark that has the potential to light a candle inside one of my students,” said Gian Hasbrock, MIRM, CMP, of WOWISM, a sales and marketing division of Sanderling Homes based in Duck, N.C. Hasbrock began teaching in 1999 and is now a full time instructor. “I realized that the fulfillment I get from helping others is the best job I could ever have,” he said Jud Motsenbocker, CGR, CAPS, teaches as many as 30-40 seminars annually. Teaching enables him to network with industry peers across the country. It has also allowed him to improve his own business. He now knows his own company has all the proper business systems in place and that this has given him the flexibility to adapt to any industry trends and changes quickly, if needed. Hal Von Nessen, MIRM, and the president of RESH Marketing in Columbia, S.C., finds teaching a rewarding challenge. “I know of no better way to challenge yourself than to teach,” he said. “I cannot imagine not teaching.” How to Become an NAHB Instructor The first step in becoming an instructor is to take the course you’re interested in teaching and fulfill all the requirements. The next step is to take NAHB’s Train the Trainer course. This intensive program specifically addresses effective presentation skills and helps prospective instructors develop a comprehensive set of teaching techniques. For the final step, you will be required to submit a written explanation of your expertise. Depending upon past experience, however, all of these steps may be waived by an evaluation committee. For more information, e-mail Tara Occhipinti at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8153. Education Calendar
Whether you’re new to the industry, hope to make your next career move or want to improve your company’s bottom line, The NAHB University of Housing can assist you in your education pursuits. Visit www.nahb.org/education for a comprehensive listing of courses throughout the country. Be sure to visit often in order to view the most up-to-date information in your area.
Subscribe Your Employees to Nation’s Building News — and Earn a Chance to Win Digital Camera Subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News Online. It’s free, easy and NAHB members who sign up three or more employees will be entered into the "Make Your Business Click" contest to win a digital camera. To learn more or sign up your employees, click here.
Make your connection to the latest housing industry news and information with www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. Log in today to register for educational seminars, meetings and networking events; find important economic and housing data; and learn the latest developments in NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. It’s all available 24 hours a day at www.nahb.org. Just click the "Log In" button to get started. Once you log in, personalize the site to reflect your interests. Simply go to the My NAHB>My Profile page and click the “Edit Content Preferences” link. To learn more about how you can customize My NAHB — including how to customize the links that appear on the Home page ― visit the How to Use www.nahb.org section. Judges Provide Feedback to EnergyValue Award ApplicantsSix judges have been named by the NAHB Research Center for the 11th annual EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) program, which honors builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency into the design, construction and marketing of their new homes. This year’s awards will be presented at the 2006 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando. Categories include affordable, custom/demonstration, factory-built, production and multifamily housing in hot, moderate and cold climate regions. The judges — who specialize in the fields of engineering, construction, design and marketing — provide those entering the competition with valuable feedback from the review of their applications.
On this year's judging panel are:
The winners will be announced at the awards presentation in Orlando. The EnergyValue Housing Award program is coordinated by the NAHB Research Center in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and NAHB. For more details on the program and previous winners, click here. Or e-mail Dr. Kevin Mo, EVHA program manager, or call him at 800-638-8556 x6210. Online Program Designs Basement WallsAn engineering program on the Concrete Foundation Association's (CFA) Web site allows users to design a basement wall using CABO 95, IRC 2000, UBC, BOCA 97 or ACI-318-99 codes. This service is free for the association’s members and costs non members $25 per visit.
If engineering approval is required, the user can access economical engineering by faxing the design to the company that designed the software. It will be reviewed within 24 hours and returned with an approved design and engineering stamp on it. CFA members can receive this service for $125, non-members for $250. “What we are very close to unveiling at the present time, through final revisions to the format, is a similar application for retaining walls,” says Jim Baty, technical director of CFA, which is headquartered in Mount Vernon, Iowa. “Retaining walls would be designed exclusively to ACI-318, the general design code for the concrete construction industry.” Since all retaining walls contain reinforcement, the program just tells the user the degree to which reinforcement is required. It provides parameters indicating what the configuration of the retaining wall and its footing design must look like. Color indicators show the user which requirements have not been met. The primary strength of these two programs is their ease of application, says Baty. “Users are impressed with how easy it is to manipulate, design or investigate a multiplicity of designs,” he says. To use the system successfully, users do have to provide accurate information about soil conditions, which can be obtained through soil testing or soil classification. “If a user makes an incorrect assumption as to their soil conditions, then it can grossly affect the performance of the wall,” says Baty. CFA provides its members with access to a network of companies with a common interest in continually improving the quality of foundations, their businesses and industry technology.
Join NAHB’s Building Systems Councils for the 20th anniversary of SHOWCASE, the ultimate NAHB resource for the systems-built housing industry, from Nov. 6-9 in New Orleans. For presidents, CEOs and other decision makers from the nation’s leading concrete, log, modular and panelized home building companies, SHOWCASE features education sessions, networking, exhibits and more. Visit www.nahb.org/SHOWCASE to register or for more information. CRAFT Students Complete Pre-Apprenticeship TrainingSeven students enrolled in the Home Builders Institute's (HBI) Project CRAFT training at the South Pines Academy in Pembroke Pines, Fla. received their Pre-Apprenticeship Training Certificates (PACT) and graduated from the program last month, three with their GEDs. Project CRAFT (Community, Restitution, Apprenticeship-Focused Training) is an industry-sponsored construction trades, skills training and job placement program for adjudicated youth.
Among the well-wishers attending the commencement ceremony was state representative Matthew Meadows, who spoke eloquently about a young boy who worked in the orange groves on weekends, going up and down a ladder, dumping oranges in boxes from a canvas bag. When the boy returned home on Sundays, he would give his mother his $45 in earnings, and she would let him keep $5. “This young boy,” said Meadows, “was me. If I could make it, so can you.”
In recognition of the example he set for other students, his leadership abilities, his skills attainment and his kindness to classmates and staff, one of the graduates, Steven, earned the “HBI Gold Shirt,” which is the highest recognition an HBI trainee can receive at the South Pines Academy and one that conveys increased responsibilities instead of privileges. Steven also spent his time at Project CRAFT successfully studying for his GED test.
Steven thanked the South Pines Academy and HBI for their support in helping him make it through the program. Using sign language, he also thanked “the woman who means the most to me,” his mother, who is hearing impaired, and thanked his instructors for their encouragement.
Steven will start work with a garage door installation company in Port St. Lucie later this month.
“Some of you may be going back to school or may just not know what you want to do just yet,” Bill Paul, an HBI trustee and a Tampa builder, told the graduates. “One thing you should take away today is the knowledge that if you decide to go into the building business some day, you have learned the basics here with HBI.”
“And with more than one million new jobs forecast for the next decade,” Paul added, “your skills, talent and ambition will be welcome by our industry.”
Project CRAFT is funded in Florida by the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) at the Avon Park Youth Academy, the Thompson Academy and the South Pines Academy in Pembroke Pines. The award-winning program also operates as a DJJ community-based initiative in Orlando and Tampa, with another soon to open in Clearwater.
HBI, the workforce development arm of NAHB, has offered trades education, training and placement programs for the residential construction industry for more than 30 years.
For more information on Project CRAFT, e-mail Dennis Torbett at HBI, or call him at 800-795-7955 x8908.
Carpentry Abilities Tested at SkillsUSA CompetitionMore than 4,600 of America’s most promising young career and vocational students competed for national recognition at this year’s competition. Sponsored by HBI, the carpentry contest at SkillsUSA recognized the abilities of 51 champions representing each state and Puerto Rico at the secondary level and 27 winners from the post-secondary category. For the past 10 years, Keith Albright, HBI’s vice president for Job Corps operations, has chaired the Carpentry Technical Committee, which is responsible for designing the competition and recruiting vendors to supply building materials and awards for the winners. Among the generous donors was Lowe’s Home Improvement, whose ongoing relationship with HBI has given many young people a head start in the building industry. The hard hats worn by students during the assembly process were donated by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City. Competitors were provided with blueprints; precisely rationed materials, including nails and screws; and six-and-one half hours to construct a project with wood and steel partitions, rafters, stairs, interior finish and a concrete column form. Mark McGill from Walpole, N.H. placed first among the secondary competitors and William James of Newark, Del. earned top honors in the post-secondary contest. For more information on HBI and the SkillsUSA competition, e-mail Keith Albright at HBI, or call him at 800-795-7955 x8911. Companies Support SkillsUSA Training EffortsBoth companies are members of the National Council of the Housing Industry — the Supplier 100 of NAHB. At the SkillsUSA National Championship in Kansas City, Mo. in June, Bosch served as the main sponsor for the building–oriented Team Works competition, donating more than $100,000 to this year’s event. Participating in the competition were more than 30 student teams of four from across the country at both the high school and college level. Working on building a portion of a house, students collaborated to demonstrate their skills in residential carpentry, plumbing, electricity and masonry. In addition to being judged on the construction results, the teams received points for safety practices and procedures, a written and oral presentation, timeliness of work and how they managed the ordering and inventory of tools and materials. USG Corporation has been partnering with SkillsUSA for a fifth year with a three-day “Construction Solutions: Building America’s Construction Workforce” training program for building trades instructors. In two sessions last month, 40 instructors affiliated with SkillsUSA through vocational schools and community colleges participated in a comprehensive product-training course focused on advanced drywall installation and finishing. More than 160 educators have completed the course since 2001, and they have shared their skills with more than 6,000 future contractors. The teachers receive a variety of resources and information to teach proper drywall techniques, including “The Gypsum Construction Handbook.” This feature is solely for educational and informational purposes. Nothing on this page should be construed as policy, an endorsement, warranty or guaranty by the National Association of Home Builders of the featured product or the product manufacturer. The National Association of Home Builders expressly disclaims any responsibility for any damages arising from the use, application or reliance on any information contained on this page. NAHB-Produced Shows on HGTV & DIY — This Week"I Want That!" on HGTV
"Dream Builders" on HGTV
"Rock Solid" on DIY
"Assembly Required" on DIY
The NAHB Production Group is a full-service, self-contained, media production unit creating programming for cable television, broadcast television, non-profit, museum and corporate clients. Productions range from magazine format shows for general audiences to museum-installation videos for specialized use. The production group includes award winning journalists, writers and photographers with experience in broadcast, documentary and corporate television.
Make your connection to the latest housing industry news and information with www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. Log in today to register for educational seminars, meetings and networking events; find important economic and housing data; and learn the latest developments in NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. It’s all available 24 hours a day at www.nahb.org. Just click the "Log In" button to get started. Once you log in, personalize the site to reflect your interests. Simply go to the My NAHB>My Profile page and click the “Edit Content Preferences” link. To learn more about how you can customize My NAHB — including how to customize the links that appear on the Home page ― visit the How to Use www.nahb.org section. Media Training, Presentation Skills Offered at RenoLeaders of local and state home builders associations and their members have an opportunity to learn the latest interviewing and public speaking techniques through NAHB’s Spokesperson Training program. “I now know how to handle the unexpected calls,” said Autumn Frank, vice president of Stewart Title of California and a Spokesperson Training graduate. “I learned several techniques and strategies to better handle press interviews and respond to questions about the housing industry,” said Bruce Hancock, of Hancock Construction in Nashville, Tenn. and the president of the Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee. “Almost immediately following the training, I had an interview with a local newspaper and was able to put the skills I learned into action. I would absolutely recommend the training to anyone who speaks to the media or deals with the general public.” Offered during the fall board of directors meeting in Reno, Nev. and the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., Spokesperson Training is an on-camera training program created to help members effectively develop positive industry messages and employ strategies to convey those messages in media interviews, testimony and other public speaking engagements. The program includes two different one-day seminars:
The fee for the Interview Skills class at the fall board of directors meeting is $425 per person for each one-day seminar. There will be a price increase beginning with the seminars to be held at the builders’ show. This increase will be announced after the fall board of directors meeting. More than 15,000 NAHB leaders have taken Spokesperson Training since the program was strted in 1979. It is available to any NAHB member who wants to learn the ins and outs of using the news media to carry a message to the public. Registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve space, e-mail Niki Clark at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8061. Subscribe Your Employees to Nation’s Building News — and Earn a Chance to Win Digital Camera
Subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News Online. It’s free, easy and NAHB members who sign up three or more employees will be entered into the "Make Your Business Click" contest to win a digital camera. To learn more or sign up your employees, click here.
Make Your Connection With www.nahb.org
Make your connection to the latest housing industry news and information with www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. Log in today to register for educational seminars, meetings and networking events; find important economic and housing data; and learn the latest developments in NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. It’s all available 24 hours a day at www.nahb.org. Just click the "Log In" button to get started. Once you log in, personalize the site to reflect your interests. Simply go to the My NAHB>My Profile page and click the “Edit Content Preferences” link. To learn more about how you can customize My NAHB — including how to customize the links that appear on the Home page ― visit the How to Use www.nahb.org section. Help Tsunami Survivors Rebuild Their HomesNAHB and the National Housing Endowment have established the Home Builders Care/National Housing Endowment-Tsunami Shelter Fund to raise desperately needed funds to build permanent shelter for the victims of the tsunami disaster in South Asia last year. The fund currently has raised more than $360,000. NAHB has designated Habitat for Humanity® International and Shelter for Life International to be the recipients of the fund. Through NAHB donations, Habitat for Humanity will create a Disaster Response Technical Center in one of the affected countries it is serving. Shelter For Life will build a “Home Builders Care Village” of starter homes in Sri Lanka with NAHB funds. Please Help Please help by making a tax deductible donation to the Home Builders Care/National Housing Endowment-Tsunami Shelter Fund. Please direct your donation check to: National Housing Endowment
Checks should be made payable to the National Housing Endowment and, in the memo section, please note the "Tsunami Shelter Fund." The NAHB Senior Officers have selected Past President Bob Mitchell to oversee and guide this fundraising effort. For more information, contact Troy Patterson at the National Housing Endowment at 800-368-5242 x8483 or Kym Kilbourne in NAHB Public Affairs, x8447. NAHB Fall Board Meeting in Reno Sept. 7-11
The following schedule of events is a partial listing provided as a notice for the upcoming NAHB Fall Board of Directors Meeting, which will be held in Reno, Nev. on Sept. 7–11, 2005. Meetings will be held at the Hilton Reno Resort and Casino. The fall board program will identify the exact time and place of each scheduled meeting. Wednesday, September 7
Committees, Subcommittees and Councils Meetings
Friday, September 9
Save on Dell™ Computer ProductsDell, the world's leading computer systems company, offers discounts to NAHB members on an array of products designed to meet the technology needs of your company. Discounts are available on:
Contact the Dell Association Sales Representative at 888-577-3355, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (CT) and Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (CT). Other Member Advantage Discounts For the most up-to-date details on the Member Advantage discount program and all of the participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/ma.
Subscribe Your Employees to Nation’s Building News — and Earn a Chance to Win Digital Camera Subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News Online. It’s free, easy and NAHB members who sign up three or more employees will be entered into the "Make Your Business Click" contest to win a digital camera. To learn more or sign up your employees, click here.
Make your connection to the latest housing industry news and information with www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. Log in today to register for educational seminars, meetings and networking events; find important economic and housing data; and learn the latest developments in NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. It’s all available 24 hours a day at www.nahb.org. Just click the "Log In" button to get started. Once you log in, personalize the site to reflect your interests. Simply go to the My NAHB>My Profile page and click the “Edit Content Preferences” link. To learn more about how you can customize My NAHB — including how to customize the links that appear on the Home page ― visit the How to Use www.nahb.org section. Calendar of Events
To view more meetings and events information on the NAHB Web site, click here.
Subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News Online. It’s free, easy and NAHB members who sign up three or more employees will be entered into the "Make Your Business Click" contest to win a digital camera. To learn more or sign up your employees, click here.
Make your connection to the latest housing industry news and information with www.nahb.org — the official public and members-only Web site of NAHB. Log in today to register for educational seminars, meetings and networking events; find important economic and housing data; and learn the latest developments in NAHB’s efforts to promote housing. It’s all available 24 hours a day at www.nahb.org. Just click the "Log In" button to get started. Once you log in, personalize the site to reflect your interests. Simply go to the My NAHB>My Profile page and click the “Edit Content Preferences” link. To learn more about how you can customize My NAHB — including how to customize the links that appear on the Home page ― visit the How to Use www.nahb.org section. |