NAHB State and Local Issues Fund: Fighting for the Housing Industry
During IBS 2008 in Orlando, Fla., NAHB awarded grants to HBAs fighting industry battles with national implications. NAHB's State & Local Issues Fund (SLIF) supports state and local home builder associations (HBAs) by providing financial assistance so that HBAs may successfully deal with legislative, regulatory, or ballot issues that have national significance to the housing industry or are a common industry problem whose resolution could be precedent-setting and might not succeed without NAHB’s financial support.
As a result of action at the IBS board of directors meeting, SLIF assistance will be provided for:
• Immigration. During the 2007 legislative session, the Arizona Legislature passed an employer sanctions law (HB 2779) that is the most severe and draconian in the nation which became effective January 1, 2008. It requires a number of extreme and complicated measures for an employer who has hired an illegal alien, primarily the loss of ALL your business licenses (10 day suspension on first offense, revocation on second offense or for “intentionally” violating the law) causing companies to cease all business operations and legal workers to be displaced.
A lawsuit has been filed in federal court. It has not been successful in the lower court and an appeal is expected to the 9th circuit. Two initiatives have been filed, one on behalf of the business community and another by anti-illegal immigration groups)that is more severe than HB 2779 (one strike and you lose your license). In addition, legislation has been introduced this year that would cause greater economic issues for Arizona (i.e. making HB 2779 retroactive to “any” hire prior to Jan 1, 2008) and cause difficulty for businesses.
The Central Arizona Home Builders Association was awarded funding to assist the passage of an amendment package to HB 2779.
• Ballot Box Zoning. No-growth supporters have gained nearly 4,000 of the 6,770 signatures needed to place 6 charter amendments on the November 2008 City of Daytona Beach ballot. The main amendment of concern is a “mini-hometown democracy” amendment, which would put all future comprehensive plan changes needed for any development’s approval on the ballot for a vote of the people. The STAND group has collected their 4000 signatures in less than 4 months, and is well financed. The other 5 amendments would lower water/sewer rates by 33%, outsource the city attorney’s office, prohibit corporate entities from donating to campaigns, require any expenditure of over $1,000 to be voted on individually by the city commission, and terminate certain city employee positions within the City of Daytona Beach.
The Volusia County Home Builders Association (FL) was awarded funding to assist with their campaign to the fight a proposed charter amendment that would subject all future comprehensive plan changes to a vote of the people.
The deadline for SLIF applications that will be reviewed at Spring Board is April 6, 2006.
For more information on the State & Local Issues Fund and to request an application, e-mail Alex Strong in the State & Local Government Affairs department or call him at 800-368-5242 x8326. [ return to top ]
[
return to top ]
|
