NAHB Now's Latest Posts
Treasury Releases Final Rules for 20% Pass Through Entities
The Treasury Department released final regulations for the 20% pass through entity deduction under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The final regulations concern the deduction for qualified business income under Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code.
DHS Blocks Certain Foreign Nationals from H-2B Visas
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that residents of the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia and the Philippines will no longer be able to enter the U.S. on temporary work visas. The decision could affect builders who utilize H-2B programs, which give visas to seasonal workers in construction and other industries.
At NAHB’s Urging, IRS to Waive 2018 Withholding Penalties for Most Filers
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that it is waiving the tax penalty for many home builders and other small businesses that pay estimated quarterly taxes but whose 2018 federal income tax withholding and estimated tax payments fell short of their total tax liability for the year.
Government Shutdown is Affecting Housing
A long-term shutdown, lasting several weeks or a month or more, could have significant impacts on mortgage accessibility and reduce housing demand.
Small Rise in Home Prices and Mortgage Rates Has Big Effect on Affordability
It only takes a small uptick in home prices and mortgage rates to price more than 1 million potential home buyers out of the market for a median-priced home. For example, $1,000 might sound insignificant when compared to the overall price of a new home. But that relatively small amount has a surprisingly big impact on affordability.
Shutdown Impacts Multifamily Housing Programs
The partial government shutdown, now well into its third week, is having an impact on HUD multifamily programs, as the agency’s spending authority expired on Dec. 21, 2018.
Affordability Tops the Agenda in the Year Ahead
Addressing housing affordability concerns will be a top issue for NAHB in 2019 and we will be working with Congress and the administration to achieve this goal.
How the Government Shutdown Could Affect Housing
The government shutdown will affect housing and home builders. In most cases, the short-run impacts will be minor. A long-term shutdown, lasting several weeks or a month or more, could have significant impacts on mortgage accessibility and reduce housing demand.
Congress Extends Flood Insurance Program Through May 31
Although Congress and the White House failed to avert a partial government shutdown, NAHB achieved a significant victory when lawmakers agreed to extend funding for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through May 31, 2019. Absent congressional action, funding would have expired for the program last night.
Trump Signs First Step Act into Law
President Trump signed into law the First Step Act, NAHB-supported legislation that will provide vocational training for prisoners in an effort to reduce recidivism rates. In a letter of support sent to lawmakers earlier this year, NAHB cited the benefits of similar training programs administered through the Home Builders Institute (HBI), the association’s educational arm.
