NBN Online for the week of June 19, 2006

(Plain Text Version) for full graphical version, click here.

In This Issue:

Front Page
Supreme Court Rules Against Excessive Regulation
Harvard Predicts Continuing House Price Appreciation
Share Nation's Building News With Your Staff — It's Free
Home Builders Blitz Builds 400 Habitat Homes in One Week
Layouts for Living
Floor Plans: Luxury Townhomes, Affordable Rentals Rub Elbows
Coast to Coast
Less Housing for Residents of Average Pay, Report Says
Politics & Government
Pressure Grows to Rein in Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
U.S.-Canada Accord Would Put Lumber on Shaky Ground
House Bill Appropriates $35.3 Billion for HUD
$19.8 Billion Added for Hurricane Recovery
Housing Priorities Discussed With Howard Dean
Economics & Finance
Slowing Market Sends Builder Expectations Lower
Eye on the Economy: Housing Wealth Effect Will Weaken
Tips
Builder’s Tip: A Free Caulk-Finishing Tool That Works
Business Management
Business Plans, Exit Strategies Explored at Builder Symposium
For a Better Bottom Line: Read ‘BoB’
Remodelers
To Merge or Not to Merge: The Parable of the Carpenter
Design
Enter the BALA Competition, Registration Deadline Is July 15
Education
Want to Know More About Designations? Ask an Expert
Education Calendar
Green Building
Building Museum Exhibits Sustainable Modular House
Voluntary Guidelines Promote Water Conservation
California Green Builder Program Meets State Goals
Building Quality
Job Readiness and Cycle Time Key to Profits
Application Deadline Nears for EnergyValue Housing Awards
Regulation
Cluster Boxes Replacing Door-to-Door Mail Delivery
Construction Safety
Workers Can Avoid Back Injuries by Lifting Safely
Katrina Recovery
Public Housing Rebuilding Accelerated in New Orleans
Almost 1.2 Million Homes Damaged in 2005 Hurricanes
Labor
HBI Leads Efforts to Promote Careers in Home Building
Building Products
Software Services Include Coordinating Supplier Rebates
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on HGTV & DIY This Week
Endowment
HELP to Target College Grads for Residential Construction
Association News
Avoid Credit Card Processing Rate Increases With Solveras
GM $500 Exclusive Offer for NAHB Members
BuilderBooks.com Offers Free Shipping on Books This Month
Find Key Employees Through NAHB Online Career Center
Calendar of Events
NAHB Career Center

Enter the BALA Competition, Registration Deadline Is July 15

2005 BALA Home of the Year: Artisan Lofts on Central, Phoenix — built by Artisan Homes and designed by William Hezmalhalch Architects, Inc.

Builders, interior designers, architects, developers, marketing and real estate professionals, the registration deadline for entries for the 2006 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) is July 15. Entry notebooks are due by July 31.

BALA is the foremost residential design competition in the country. The awards program includes 41 categories — from single-family attached and detached in a variety of sizes to rental developments and custom homes plus categories for interior design, communities and neighborhoods, affordable housing, smart growth, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary's Award for Excellence and others.

Special HUD Award for Excellence

The HUD Secretary's Award for Excellence recognizes design excellence produced through cooperative public/private efforts that expand homeownership opportunities for underserved families. For details on the HUD category and to download the HUD award’s application, visit www.huduser.org/research/secaward.html.

Homes completed or for which the first model opened between May 1, 2005 and July 15, 2006 are eligible for this year’s competition.

Entry Dates Near:

  • Entry registration forms and fees due: July 15
  • Entry notebooks due: July 31


Several categories in the competition are limited to homes built for sale. Check the BALA/Housing Zone Web pages for details.

Co-sponsored by Professional Builder magazine and NAHB, winners will be announced at the 2007 International Builders’ Show to be held Feb. 7-10 in Orlando, Fla.

Winning entries will also be posted on the Professional Builder Web site, HousingZone.com, for up to one year after the announcement.

For additional information and to download a BALA entry form, click here, or contact Judy Brociek, Professional Builder, at 630-288-8184, or Michelle Persinger Matuga, NAHB, at 800-368-5242 x8343.

Past Winners

A total of 92 award winners in 41 categories were chosen from more than 390 entries in last year's competition. Winners were featured in the January 2006 issue of Professional Builder. To view the winners as posted in an e-book on the Professional Builder Web site, click here. One 2005 winner is pictured below.

2005 BALA Best in Region and Best One-of-a-Kind Custom Home: Thompson Custom Homes, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.


 

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> Custom Builder Symposium - Oct. 27-29
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> State & Local Government Affairs Conference - Nov. 9-11