Codes and Regulations
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.
‘Public Charge’ Rule Finalized
The Trump administration last week finalized its “public charge” rule. The term refers to a person who is primarily dependent on the government for support. The new rule broadens the definition of who is considered a public charge to include immigrants who receive substantially less government assistance through programs such as housing assistance, food stamps or public health insurance.
Final ESA Rules will Streamline the Permitting Process
In a victory for NAHB, the Trump administration today released final rules updating the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 Consultation requirements and new regulations governing the designation of critical habitat that will improve the overall efficiency of the ESA’s permitting process and make compliance less onerous for home builders and developers.
New Rules to Raise Investment Amounts for EB-5 Investors
The Department of Homeland Security has published new rules to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor program that will increase the amount of money for foreign-born investors seeking to take part in the program.
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.
No Alterations to Lead-Based Paint Rule with Final EPA Dust-Lead Standards
On July 9, EPA issued a final rule to revise the current dust-lead hazard standards for floors and window sills. This revision does not make any changes to the EPA lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting (RRP) rule. The dust-lead hazard standards are used when lead-based paint risk assessments or abatement are performed.
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.
Builders and Consumers Weigh in on Resiliency of New Homes
The increasing number of significant natural disasters occurring over the past few years, along with ongoing concerns regarding the effects of climate change, have prompted discussions at every level of government on actions to increase the resiliency of communities, infrastructure and buildings.
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.
