Entries Tagged as Members
NYSBA membership a benefit of CRBRA membership
Did you know that your membership in Capital Region Builders & Remodelers Association actually provides 3-in-1 benefits? By being a member of CRBRA, you are also a member of New York State Builders Association (NYSBA) and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). This ensures that your interests are being represented and served at the local, state, and national levels.
Membership in NYSBA means that you receive timely news and updates on legislative activity affecting the building industry. Through the affiliated New York State Builders Association Research and Education Foundation (NYSBA REF), members can benefit from a wide array of educational programs to enhance their businesses and further their understanding and application of housing industry changes, such as NYS energy codes. The New York State Builders Management Services LLC was established in 2004 to offer you, as a member, exclusive access to a wide range of programs that help meet your business needs, such as Builders Risk Insurance, Workers’ Comp Safety Group, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, Long Term Care Insurance, USA Payroll Services and Health Insurance. With these programs, you can rest assured that NYSBMS has done the due diligence on your behalf, and that NYSBMS is also committed to continually searching for new programs.
Be sure to leverage the NYSBA website as an additional resource for education on information, especially as pertains to the New York ENERGY STAR® Homes Program announcements and updates. Your log-in to the website will also provide you with access to archived editions of the NYSBA Legislative Update & Weekly Newsletter (also available as emailed content).
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: August 22, 2011 | In: Members | No Comments
Participate in the grassroots effort to support the Home Construction Lending Regulatory Improvement Act of 2011
With Congress adjourned this month for its summer recess, NAHB continues to urge every member of the association to contact their lawmakers in their home districts to help build support for the Home Construction Lending Regulatory Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R. 1755), which represents a significant advancement in efforts to solve the AD&C lending crisis. Association members are encouraged to contact their representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the bill and to ask their senators to introduce and co-sponsor a Senate companion bill. When they are contacted, representatives should also be asked to co-sponsor H.Res.25, which expresses the sense of Congress that the mortgage interest deduction should not be altered in any way. Click here to find out how to participate in this important grassroots effort.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: August 22, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Politics · Members | No Comments
Bipartisan legislation being introduced to extend current maximum conforming loan limits
In a positive development for the nation’s housing markets, Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last week introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the current maximum conforming loan limits through the end of 2013. In a press release announcing the introduction of the Homeownership Affordability Act of 2011, Menendez said that “allowing these limits to expire would be bad medicine for our economy at a time when we need a booster shot.” The Senate bill is similar to legislation (H.R. 2508) introduced last month in the House by Reps. John Campbell (R-Calif.) and Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) that would provide a two-year extension. NAHB continues to urge lawmakers to support keeping the current level of loan limits for government backing.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: August 22, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Politics · Members | No Comments
NAHB applauds EPA decision on ELGs
The Environmental Protection Agency's decision on August 17th to reconsider the imposition of a nationwide cap on how much sediment can be part of the stormwater draining from a construction site is a nod to the importance of sound science, and a big victory for home buyers, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
The agency's announcement comes more than 18 months after NAHB sued EPA over its first proposal to develop a numeric limit for the turbidity--or cloudiness--of stormwater discharges, which the EPA voluntarily withdrew recognizing that it was not legally defensible.
In addition, NAHB estimated that attempting to comply with the regulations would carry a $10 billion annual price tag, stunting new home production and forcing costs up for home buyers.
Today, the agency announced that it still couldn't justify any specific limit and will start over again. EPA will talk to home builders, environmental scientists and other members of the public to gather better data, a solution that NAHB has advocated for more than three years.
"EPA set a numeric limit for water cloudiness that was based on flawed analyses," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a builder in Reno, Nev.
Both the Small Business Administration and the federal Office of Management and Budget had warned EPA that the regulation would not hold up, joining NAHB in voicing concerns about the monitoring and sampling requirements.
"In its calculations, EPA relied on questionable data, including figures obtained from the vendors that would have supplied the expensive systems home builders would have been required to use. That's no way to come up with national policy," he said.
Because terrain, geography and rainfall vary significantly in most regions of the country, NAHB has long held that a nationally applicable numeric limit is neither defensible nor practicable. "It's our hope that EPA's research will take that fact into account," Nielsen said.
In the meantime, NAHB is redoubling its efforts to collect turbidity data from its members' construction sites to help ensure that the eventual ruling makes good scientific sense.
"Stormwater management must be straightforward, affordable and workable," Nielsen said. "That's the only way we can continue to make progress. NAHB supports responsible development and the goals of the Clean Water Act. The association will continue to work with state and federal regulators to keep our waterways clean," Nielsen said.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: August 22, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Members | No Comments
NAHB actions in light of credit crunch and housing downturn
The following is a summary of recent NAHB actions to mitigate the credit crunch and address the housing downturn:
NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen authored a letter to the editor of the Seattle Times, rebutting the false assertion that the mortgage interest deduction primarily benefits the rich (published in its August 9th online edition). The letter stated that limiting the deduction is an “anti-family, anti-middle-class and regressive approach to dealing with our deficit challenges", and that tampering with the deduction would raise home owners’ taxes and keep badly needed jobs for construction workers and other Americans in short supply. - NAHB CEO Jerry Howard conducted an interview with Politico on how the Obama Administration is addressing issues related to the housing sector.
- NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe was quoted in The Daily, an online publication affiliated with the Wall Street Journal, about Standard and Poor’s downgrading of the nation’s credit rating. “The sense of nervousness over what’s happen next has more to do with the world economy than the creditworthiness of the United States,” said Crowe. Click to view video of David Crowe's analysis and explanation of July housing starts.
- In a positive development for the nation’s housing markets, Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last week introduced bipartisan legislation to extend the current maximum conforming loan limits through the end of 2013. In a press release announcing the introduction of the Homeownership Affordability Act of 2011, Menendez said that “allowing these limits to expire would be bad medicine for our economy at a time when we need a booster shot.” The Senate bill is similar to legislation (H.R. 2508) introduced last month in the House by Reps. John Campbell (R-Calif.) and Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) that would provide a two-year extension. NAHB continues to urge lawmakers to support keeping the current level of loan limits for government backing.
- NAHB has created new resources located at www.nahb.org/midresources to help members to get the word out about the threat to the mortgage interest deduction.
- With Congress adjourned this month for its summer recess, NAHB continues to urge every member of the association to contact their lawmakers in their home districts to help build support for the Home Construction Lending Regulatory Improvement Act of 2011 (H.R. 1755), which represents a significant advancement in efforts to solve the AD&C lending crisis. Association members are encouraged to contact their representatives and urge them to co-sponsor the bill and to ask their senators to introduce and co-sponsor a Senate companion bill. When they are contacted, representatives should also be asked to co-sponsor H.Res.25, which expresses the sense of Congress that the mortgage interest deduction should not be altered in any way. Click here to find out how to participate in this important grassroots effort.
- The lead story in the 8/8/11 issue of Nation’s Building News focused on August 1st comments from NAHB on the Credit Risk Retention rule proposed jointly by six federal agencies in March. NAHB suggested that the regulators should go back to the drawing board to come up with a plan for mortgage lending that would not hinder the housing recovery that is slowly beginning to materialize.
- Homeownership is under attack, and it will take more than sound bites to ensure that it remains an attainable goal for all Americans. At a time when lawmakers are debating the merits of key housing policies, it is more important than ever to remind the American people of the value of homeownership, citing it as a core American value and a key job creator and economic driver. Homeownership is under attack on several fronts, including policy proposals to eliminate the mortgage interest deduction, abolish Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, mandate minimum 20 percent downpayments, deny credit for new housing production, and the failure to resolve a faulty appraisal process. Our common voice must be heard to call stakeholders to action and keep attention focused on the housing economic outlook.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: August 22, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Politics · Members | No Comments
CRBRA raffle provides chance to win dream trip for 2!
Purchase raffle tickets for $25 between now and December 2011, for a chance to win the vacation of a lifetime!
Choose your ideal escape, valued up to $4,000, for travel completed by December 1, 2013, and booked through Wood Travel of Niskayuna.
Sample itineraries include:
Option 1: 7-Night Royal Caribbean Cruise
- Southern Caribbean tour aboard Adventure of the Seas, departs from San Juan, Puerto Rico and makes stops at St. Croix, St. Maarten, St. Johns, St. Lucia, and Barbados
- Superior ocean-view stateroom with balcony
- Includes onboard dining, entertainment, and round-trip airfare to San Juan
Option 2: Breckenridge Ski Adventure
- Deluxe lodging at the Beaver Run Resort for 7 nights
- Lift tickets for 6 days of skiing at Breckenridge and Keystone
- Round-trip airfare to Denver, plus ground transfers or car rental
Option 3: Design your own getaway!
- Valued up to $4,000
Purchase your raffle tickets today!
- Click here to purchase online; or
- Call CRBRA at 518.690.0766; or
- Email CRBRA at deedee@crbra.com
This raffle is sponsored by Capital Region Builders & Remodelers Association. Drawing is open to all adults, age 18 years and older, including non-CRBRA members. A minimum of 160 tickets must be sold for raffle to take place. Drawing will be held at the CRBRA holiday dinner, scheduled for December 2011. Winner need not be present. One winner will be selected at random from all raffle entries. Winner can choose any vacation package valued up to a maximum of $4,000 including taxes, fees, and other charges. Package must be booked through Wood Travel, for travel completed no later than December 1, 2013. Itineraries shown above are examples only, for travel during March 2012.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: August 08, 2011 | In: Members | No Comments
NAHB pushes for extension of conforming loan limits
NAHB and its industry colleagues continue to press both houses of Congress for a 1-year extension of the current conforming loan limits that are set to expire on October 1st.
While NAHB continues to increase pressure on both the authorization committee’s and appropriators to support such an extension, it now seems as if the Administration will support the extension if it is sent to them. While the Administration has still not officially indicated its support, the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank, has indicated that the Administration will be pushing for this change shortly. This would mark a shift in existing policy from the Administration’s housing finance proposal earlier this year.
While this is a good sign, and should give us some momentum in our advocacy efforts, an extension is still far from certain at this date. Significant opposition from conservative lawmakers still exists in Congress for such a change, and the issue of likely legislative vehicle and active Hill leadership support for such a change is still a problem. Nevertheless, NAHB will continue to press for the 1-year extension and work with its supporters on and off the Hill to press for such a change in the final weeks leading up to the fiscal year cutoff date.
Background
A drop in some mortgage loan limits for the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration scheduled to occur on Oct. 1 will reduce housing demand and place downward pressure on home prices in major housing markets, according to a new study from the Economics and Housing Policy Group at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
When they come up for sale, the homes that will become ineligible to be purchased and securitized by the GSEs or to be purchased with FHA-insured financing as a result of the lower limits "would likely require financing with higher mortgage interest rates and other less favorable loan terms, such as higher required downpayments and more stringent credit history thresholds," according to the report.
"The lower limits will place a constraint on home buying in high-cost housing markets, such as those along the coasts and in California. It is the last thing we need in a housing market that is still struggling to get back on its feet," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev.
The downward pressure on prices could extend beyond the homes directly affected by the lower limits, the study warns, because first-time and trade-up home sales are interrelated.
The size of "conforming" mortgages for the GSEs is currently limited to $417,000 in general, but that ceiling can rise to as high as $729,750 using a statutory formula based on local median home prices.
Unless Congress acts to extend these levels, they will revert to the lower permanent criteria for high-cost areas under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
The base limit will remain at $417,000, but the formula for establishing limits for high-cost areas will change from 125 percent to 115 percent of the area median home price, and the national ceiling will drop from $729,750 to $625,500.
Purchasing homes that go above the GSE ceiling will require non-conforming loans that currently have been about 60 basis points (0.6 percentage points) higher than conforming loans, the study finds, and based on a report by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) the non-conforming mortgages are expected to be 50 to 75 basis points higher.
Looking at limits published by the FHFA, 204 counties — or 6.5% of the 3,143 counties in the U.S. — will see a decrease in their high-cost conforming loan limit. These counties represent relatively dense concentrations of population and housing and contain 20.7 million owner-occupied units out of the 75.3 million nationwide, or 27%.
In the counties facing a decline, the average decline in the loan limit will be $67,018, down 11% from current levels.
Under present law, 3.63 million owner-occupied homes are priced above the conforming loan limits. Under the changes set to take place on Oct. 1, an additional 1.38 million owner-occupied homes will be above the limit, leaving a total of 5 million homes that will not be eligible for GSE funding.
Lowering the limits will take an even bigger toll on homes eligible for FHA-insured financing, the study finds.
As with the GSEs, the national ceiling for FHA loans will drop to $625,500 on Oct. 1, and for counties whose housing is priced somewhere between that amount and the lowest ceiling of $271,050, the FHA mortgage loan limit will also decline from 125 percent to 115 percent of the area median.
According to the limits published by the FHA, 620 counties — or 20% of the total — will see a decrease in their FHA loan level. The affected counties contain 44.3 million owner-occupied housing units, or 59% of the owner-occupied housing stock in the U.S.
For counties facing a decline, the average drop in the FHA loan limit is $58,060, down 14% from current levels.
Under present law, 8.32 million owner-occupied homes are priced above the existing FHA loan limits. Under the changes set to take place on Oct. 1, an additional 3.87 million owner-occupied homes will surpass the limit, bringing the total number of homes ineligible for FHA-insured mortgages to 12.2 million.
The report, "GSE and FHA Loan Limit Changes for 2011: Scope of Impact," is available at: www.nahb.org/loanlimit2011.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: July 25, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Members | No Comments
State omnibus legislation contains a nice surprise for multi-family and mixed-use builders
A new tax abatement for multifamily mixed-use buildings was signed into law last week thanks to State Senator Cathy Young who is the chair of the Senate Housing Committee. This exemption (421-m) allows a city, town or village (Section 421-a or 421-c are not applicable) by local law to provide a real estate tax exemption for the construction or substantial rehabilitation of multiple dwellings where at least twenty percent of the units are affordable units.
The addition of 421-m to the Real Property Tax Law is one more incentive communities that may not previously have had benefit of such an exemption program, may now encourage the creation of more affordable housing within their borders. NYSBA feels that this legislation could be beneficial to its members in localities that do not have the 421-a tax abatement. For more information, contact Lew Dubuque at NYSBA.
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: July 25, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Members | No Comments
Housing production regains some strength in June
Nationwide housing starts rose 14.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 629,000 units in June, according to figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department on July 19th. This was the best pace of housing production since the beginning of the year, and was attributable to significant gains registered in both the single-family and multifamily segments as well as every region of the country.
"Today's numbers are an encouraging sign that builders are responding to improving consumer interest in new homes and apartments by gradually replenishing their extremely thin inventories in places where demand is evident," said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev. "That said, the lack of access to construction credit remains an impediment to starting new projects and getting building crews back to work in markets that are improving."
"The latest housing production figures show broad-based gains on both the single-family side and in multifamily apartment construction, where we know that demand has been increasing due to the influx of renters in the market," said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "Going forward, we expect to see a gradual upward trend in new-home production through the end of this year as consumers begin taking advantage of the buyers' market, though not without some bumps along the way."
Single-family housing starts posted a 9.4% gain to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 453,000 units in June, their best pace since November of 2010. Meanwhile, multifamily starts, which tend to display greater volatility on a month-to-month basis, gained a dramatic 30.4% to a rate of 176,000 units, their best pace since January.
Starts activity improved across every region of the country in June, with the Northeast posting a 35.1% gain, the Midwest posting a 25.3% gain, the South posting a 10.6% gain, and the West posting a 5.4% gain.
Issuance of building permits, which can be an indicator of future building activity, also improved in June. Overall permits posted a 2.5% gain to 624,000 units, their highest level since December of 2010. Single-family permit issuance held virtually even with the previous month, with a 0.2% gain to 407,000 units. Multifamily permits gained 6.9% to 217,000 units, their highest level since October of 2008.
Permits were up in three out of four regions in June. The Northeast was the only part of the country to report a decline, of 10%, while the Midwest registered a 5.2% gain, the South posted a 5.5% gain, and the West posted a 1.4% improvement.
Watch video of NAHB economist on the analysis of June starts data
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: July 25, 2011 | In: Members | No Comments
EPA rejects renovation clearance testing requirements
In good news received by NAHB on Friday afternoon, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it was rejecting a proposal to add third-party clearance testing to requirements under the Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule.
In an official statement applauding the move, NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bob Peterson said, "We're pleased that the EPA listened to the concerns of remodelers about the extreme costs and lack of safety improvements that the proposed clearance testing would have entailed."
Currently, the lead rule applies to homes built prior to 1978 and requires renovators and their firms to be certified in EPA's lead-safe practices, perform so-called "visual clearance" following renovation work, and comply with EPA record-keeping requirements. The proposal that EPA has just rejected would have required contractors to hire EPA-accredited dust samplers to collect several samples after a renovation and send them to an EPA-accredited lab for lead testing -- at a cost of more than $260 per room. By EPA's own estimates, the annual cost of this rule to the remodeling industry would have been more than $400 million.
The cost considerations, as well as the waiting period for test results and the limited number of accredited labs nationwide, made professional remodelers very concerned about home owners' willingness to undergo the process. NAHB Remodelers Council members and staff met repeatedly with both EPA officials and representatives from the Office of Management and Budget to express these concerns and urge the agency to reconsider the proposed regulation. Strong Congressional support for this has come from Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Reps. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and Bob Latta (R-Ohio). And with NAHB's urging, the regulation was accepted for review per a Presidential Executive Order aimed at reducing the impacts of federal rules on small business and job creation.
Thankfully, this review has resulted in the right outcome for remodelers and their customers.
CRBRA provides opportunities for area building professionals to learn about and become certified in lead-safe renovation. Contact us for more information. Next scheduled lead RRP certification class: July 20, 2011. Register online today!
Author: CRBRA Admin | On: July 18, 2011 | In: Government Affairs · Members | No Comments
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Phone: 518.690.0766 | Fax: 518.690.0767
