NAHB Now's Latest Posts
House Bill Prohibits Pre-Dispute Arbitration in Consumer Contracts
Acting against the strong objections of NAHB, the House today approved the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (H.R. 1423), legislation that would prohibit two parties from including in a contract a pre-dispute arbitration agreement. NAHB strongly supports the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including binding arbitration, in consumer contracts.
NAHB Builder Urges Congress to Promote Green Initiatives
NAHB told Congress today that it wants to work as a partner with officials at all levels of government to encourage energy efficiency, but also stressed that it is urgent that housing affordability is not jeopardized in the process.
House Passes Bill Extending National Flood Insurance Program Through Nov. 21
To prevent a government shutdown at the end of September, the House has approved a continuing resolution that will keep the government funded until Nov. 21. The Senate is expected to pass the measure shortly.
FHFA Restructures Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Multifamily Lending Caps
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that multifamily lending caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be $100 billion for each enterprise for the five-quarter period from the final quarter of 2019 all the way through 2020. The new caps apply to all multifamily business, with no exclusions.
Big Gap Between Home Prices and Buyers’ Expectations
New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, combined with recent NAHB survey data, show a mismatch between the actual prices of new homes and the prices buyers expect to pay.
EPA Repeals Obama-Era WOTUS Rule
In a positive development to resolve years of uncertainty over where federal jurisdiction begins and ends, the Environmental Protection Agency today rescinded the Obama-era waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.
House Passes NAHB-Supported Appraiser Bill
The House yesterday passed NAHB-supported legislation that would allow state licensed appraisers to perform Federal Housing Administration (FHA) appraisals.
Huge Wealth Gap Between Home Owners and Renters
A recent report by the U.S. Census Bureau on household wealth reveals that the gap between home owners and renters is striking: The median net worth of home owners is 80 times larger than the median net worth of renters.
The Case Against Exclusionary Zoning
A new policy paper by Michael Stegman, a senior housing policy fellow at the Milken Institute Center for Financial Markets, makes the case against exclusionary zoning and land use controls.
Georgia Judge Sinks Obama-Era WOTUS Rule
In an important win for NAHB and the housing community, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia recently filed a carefully worded 85-page decision that dismantles the Obama-era 2015 waters of the U.S. rule. This is the first court to find that the substance of the 2015 rule violates the Clean Water Act.
