State and Local Reporter - 12/21/2006 (Plain Text Version)

Andrew Chaban, Chair
Lowell, Massachusetts

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In this issue:
Tucker Carlson Political Wrap-up, Katrina Clean Up Highlight Largest SLGA Conference on Record
Builders May Have Seen the Worst of Current Downturn
Florida HBA Wins Big at Mid-term Elections, Amendment 3 Passes Decisively
Democrats Win at the Polls: A Look Back at the 2006 Mid-term Elections at the Federal and State Leve
2006 Critical Ballot Measures Wrap-up
Home Builders Gearing Up for 2008
NAHB Addresses Affiliated Business Arrangements with Republican Attorney Generals
2007 State & Local Issues Fund Applications Now Available
Deadline to Submit an Application to the Legal Action Fund Approaching
Cities Still Struggle to Meet Local Housing Needs
Stable Revenues, But Declining Optimism
Dell for the Holidays: Double Discounts Through Dec. 31

Tucker Carlson Political Wrap-up, Katrina Clean Up Highlight Largest SLGA Conference on Record

The NAHB State and Local Government Affairs Conference, held November 9-11 at the Sheraton in New Orleans , boasted an all-time attendance high at the 23rd Annual event. Three-hundred-and-twenty attendees gathered for breakout sessions on issues affecting the home building industry, including impact fees, green building, and inclusionary zoning.

Panels on immigration reform, eminent domain and fire sprinklers kicked off this year’s conference with remarks from various NAHB and state and local home builder association staff. Other presentations included a panel on leveraging philanthropy to promote government affairs. National, state, and local experts debated how Smart Growth is bubbling up again in the state-level political landscape. McMansions and PAC development, as well on environmental trends and affordable housing, closed this year’s panels. In all, more than 22 sessions were offered during this year’s conference, providing attendees with solid strategies for implementing effective government affairs programs.

In addition, longtime magazine and newspaper journalist Tucker Carlson entertained conference participants with his wrap-up of the recent midterm elections, while highly recognized pollster Frank Luntz advised on the home building industry and public relations.

Finally, the conference ended with a group of attendees participating in rebuilding New Orleans with a voluntary community service project at the Lakewood Beacon of Hope, a grassroots organization taking pro-active measures to rebuild neighborhoods from massive clean-ups to providing guidance and creating a hospitable environment to encourage home owners to return to New Orleans.

We want to thank this year’s attendees who made the conference an overwhelming success.

Please join us for next year’s conference — Nov. 8-10, 2007— in Austin , Texas .

For more information about the conference, e-mail Alex Strong in NAHB’s State and Local Government Affairs department, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8279.