NAHB Now's Latest Posts
New FEMA Risk Rating 2.0 to Determine Flood Insurance Rates
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which oversees and implements the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), has initiated a long-term effort to transform the program to make it more consumer friendly and better reflect the actual risks properties face.
NAHB Opposes Portman-Shaheen Energy Bill
Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today introduced the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, legislation opposed by NAHB because it would mandate overly costly and aggressive energy efficiency requirements in model building energy codes, which harms housing affordability.
Fed Chair: Home Builders Feel Like They’ve Been Hit by a ‘Perfect Storm’
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome M. Powell told the Senate Banking Committee today that the nation’s home builders are facing several supply-side challenges that are hindering housing affordability and “feel almost like they have been hit with a perfect storm here.”
Louisiana Landowners Score Property Rights Win in Dusky Gopher Frog Case
In a victory for property rights, a Louisiana family earlier this month reached a settlement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in which the federal government agreed to drop its efforts to designate a critical habitat designation for the dusky gopher frog on their land.
Small Companies Dominate NAHB Membership
NAHB’s recently published 2018 membership census reveals that the typical builder member today is a 57-year-old small business owner with a median number of five employees and a median six housing units started in 2018.
Trump Signs Bill Into Law that Abolishes VA Loan Limits
President Trump has signed a veterans health bill into law that also abolishes the conforming loan limits on VA loans beginning Jan. 1, 2020 for veterans who do not have an outstanding loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Bipartisan Codes Bill Promotes Affordability, Energy Savings
Reps. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), Bill Flores (R- Texas), Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.), Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Lou Correa (D-Calif. today introduced bipartisan legislation that would foster the development of energy efficiency baselines for buildings while ensuring that home builders and home owners are not burdened by unreasonable regulations.
Harvard Study Shows U.S. Housing Production is Lagging Far Behind Demand
Despite a solid economy, rising wages and household growth that is now back from post-recession lows, new home construction remains depressed, due to supply-side challenges that are making it increasingly more difficult to build at affordable price points.
Labor Department Omits Construction Sector in Proposed Apprenticeship Expansion
The U.S. Department of Labor omitted the construction sector when it announced a proposed rule that would establish a process to develop industry-recognized apprenticeship programs.
NAHB Guide Available if ICE Visits Your Job Site
With President Trump announcing increased enforcement actions by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the near term, NAHB has a guide to remind members what they should do if federal officials visit their job sites.
