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New Updates
Click
here to read out about New Manufacturer moves to Rabun County
June 9, 2009
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Home Builders Association of Georgia |
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Dear HBAG Member,
We know that health insurance is an issue of
major concern for many of our members. Having
access to good health insurance at fair prices
is critical to our members and their employees.
One of the biggest drawbacks for smaller
companies is that even if you can obtain
competitive health insurance initially, one
expensive claim can make your company plan
unaffordable.
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We are pleased to announce that we are working with
a national organization to provide a true group
health insurance plan for members of HBAG. This is
not a discount on an existing company's plan. The
plan will be designed to offer medical benefits you
expect from the best plans available today, with an
estimated premium reduction of 10% to 15% off
current market pricing. Perhaps even more
importantly, the fact that it is a true group plan
with a large pool of insured lives means that your
company will be less affected by one large claim.
The concept was presented to the HBAG Board of
Directors at the May meeting in Augusta, and they
authorized us to move forward with the plan design
and proposal process. We need to determine if this
proposal has sufficient serious interest by our
members. Now is where we need your help. The next
step is to gather census information in order to
design a plan and pricing proposal.
Please
click here to complete the census form which
will allow us to collect the information needed.
This in no way obligates you or your company to
enroll or be a part of the plan. This information
will be used simply for design and pricing purposes.
The information gathered will remain in strictest
confidence and will not be shared outside this
process. |
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To meet our timelines, we ask that you complete
the census
form and return to the HBAG office at 3015
Camp Creek Parkway, Atlanta GA 30344 or by
clicking on the submit button in the
census form no later than Friday,
June 26th.
This is an exciting opportunity to help solve
our HBAG members' need to provide excellent
health insurance for their families and
employees. If you have any questions or need
additional information please email or call me
at 404-763-2453.
Sincerely,
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Kelly Lass
Kelly C. Lass
Executive Vice President
Home Builders Association of Georgia |
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Legislative Update
House Bill 261, signed into law by Gov. Perdue on May
11, authorizes a limited state income tax credit for the
purchase of an eligible single-family residence.
In an effort to help HBA members and local associations
promote Georgia's Homebuyer Tax Credit to consumers,
HBAG has set up a Web page that answers basic questions
about the tax credit, provides links to additional
resources and has an informational flyer that members
can download and share with potential homebuyers. The
Web site will be updated as we receive more information.
Regulatory Issues
The Dawson County Board of Commissioners voted to
suspend collection of impact fees for new construction,
effective May 21, 2009.
Meeting Date: June 3, 2009
Deron Hicks attended the June meeting of the Georgia
Board of General and Residential Contractors, on behalf
of the Association. The Board meets the first Wednesday
of every month, in Macon. The meeting commenced with a
cease and desist hearing arising from a complaint filed
against an unlicensed contractor. The unlicensed
contractor had advertised a wide range of home repair
services on the Internet, but did not hold a residential
contractor's license, a plumbing license, an electrical
license or an HVAC license (although he advertised
services within the scope of each of those licenses).
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) met June 3.
The Board approved the department's Long-Term and
Short-Term General Fund Investment Policies, as well as
a Bond Fund Investment Policy. DCA funds a number of
low- to moderate-income housing projects and provides
rental and mortgage assistance.
June 2009
The Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District
met June 4, 2009.
Georgia is out of drought conditions. Only a small
portion of Northeast Georgia is listed as very dry.
However, EPD will not lift the official declaration and
watering restrictions until there are four consecutive
months of non-drought conditions. An announcement from
EPD is expected later this month.
The main issue of concern at the May Board of Natural
Resources (www.gadnr.org) was the discussion of the
Water Conservation Implementation Plan (WCIP) to be used
by the Regional Water Council for Statewide Water
Planning.
The WCIP is meant to be a resource to guide major water
users to help sustain the state's water resources.
Membership
Election
Guidelines
It shall be the duty of
the nominating committee to qualify candidates, seek
potential candidates and report to the board of directors,
prior to the election, the names of people who qualify for
the positions they seek. The nominating committee shall
oversee the election and may set such rules as it deems
necessary to have an orderly election and fulfill the
requirements of the bylaws.
In accordance with the HBAG bylaws, a candidate for office
must make known to the nominating committee, in writing, his
or her intentions to seek that office, by a specified
time. Below is a list of offices and the required written
notice period.
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Office |
Notice Period |
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Vice
President/Secretary |
30 days prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
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Associate Vice
President |
30 days prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
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NAHB State
Representative* |
30 days prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
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NAHB Vice President,
Area IV** |
30 days prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
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National Director |
48 hours prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
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Alternate National
Director |
48 hours prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
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Associate Member
Director |
48 hours prior to the
annual meeting of the membership |
*Two-year term
**Two-year term every six years
Letters of intent should be mailed to Charlie Eison,
chairman, Nominating Committee, Home Builders Association of
Georgia, 3015 Camp Creek Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30344.
The fall board of directors meeting and annual meeting of
the membership are scheduled for Sept. 3. Meeting dates are
tentative and subject to change. Dates and times will be
finalized by the secretary of the association, 30 days prior
to the meetings.
HBAG welcomes all members to share ideas and serve on one
or more HBAG committees. Usually, the HBAG president
appoints interested members to serve during the summer
(July/August) every year. If you are interested, make sure
to contact any one of the HBAG senior officers or HBAG
staff.
There are 10 committees that members can serve on, including
Associates Council, B-PAC Trustees, Budget & Finance
Committee, Builder Action Fund, Bylaws Committee, Executive
Committee, Government Affairs Committee, Meetings Committee,
Nominating Committee and Regulatory Affairs Committee.
To learn more about the HBAG committee appointment process
and see a detailed description of each committee, please
click here.
The HBAG Senior Officers named
Kelly Lass
as Executive Vice President, during the HBAG Spring Board of
Directors meeting in Augusta. Kelly has served HBAG and the
local associations as the vice president of membership
services for 23 years, and has made many significant
contributions over these years.
Upcoming Events
NAHB News
June 4, 2009 - In contemplating the future status of
housing government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac, the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) told Congress yesterday that it is
critical for the federal government to provide a
backstop to the housing finance system, to ensure a
reliable and adequate flow of affordable housing credit.
Sales Still Low; Future Expectations Higher, But Modest
June 4, 2009 - Builders of single-family housing for the
mature home buyer market reported an increase in traffic
of prospective buyers during the first quarter of this
year, according to the 55+ Housing Market Index (55+ HMI)
released today by the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB). The component measuring traffic rose to
14, up from nine in the last quarter. The reported sales
component, however, dropped five index points, to 12
from the previous quarter's 17. The drop in the reported
sales component pushed the overall 55+ HMI down from 16
to 14.
May 29, 2009 - In a speech before the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Board of Directors,
HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan today unveiled new rules
that will help spur the housing market, by allowing
consumers to use the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax
credit to help cover the costs of closing on an
FHA-insured home.
As an NAHB benefit, members have access to discounts and
savings opportunities offered by many top companies. All
programs, rates and prices are subject to change without
notice.
Overview of all discounts.
When making contact, the companies request that callers
identify themselves as members of the National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB).
For more information about NAHB's Member Advantage, contact
Tiffany
Lindsley at 800-368-5242 x8273.
Do You Want To?
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Home Builders
Association of Georgia
3015 Camp Creek Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia 30344
Phone: (404) 763-2453
Fax: (404) 559-1531 |
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HBAG Home |
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Publications |
HBAG’s General Counsel Case Updates |
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Legislative Update
HBAG Vice President of Government
Affairs
Suzanne Williams attended the signing of
Metals Theft Legislation into law by Gov. Perdue on
May 5. This bill strengthens Georgia law in the
regulation of theft of metal property. The metals
included in
SB 82 are copper, aluminum, catalytic converters and
scrap vehicles.
Regulatory Issues
Get the latest news on:
*Actions Taken by the Georgia State Licensing Board
for Residential and General Contractors
*Rules Revisions
*Complaints Process and
*Other Frequently Asked Questions
The burning ban went into effect May 1 and lasts
until Sept. 30. No outdoor burning of construction
debris, including tree limbs or any trash, is
allowed in 45 North Georgia counties.
Bettie Sleeth reports that the DNR (Department of
Natural Resources) Board voted to adopt new rules
for the Georgia Conservation Tax Credit Program at
its April 2009 meeting.
On April 30, the EPD Solid Waste Rule Change
Stakeholders Group met to discuss proposed changes
to existing inert landfill rules. Deron Hicks
attended the meeting on behalf of HBAG. Inert
landfills are regulated by EPD under a "Permit by
Rule" provision. Solid waste consisting of earth and
earth-like products, concrete, cured asphalt, rock,
brick and land clearing debris - such as stumps,
limbs and leaves - may be disposed of in an inert
landfill. In the April 30 meeting, representatives
from EPD discussed one possible approach to changing
existing rules. Only inert material such as
concrete, brick, rock and other non-organic material
would be allowed in inert landfills.
At the May 6 DCA Board meeting, Commissioner Mike
Beatty announced a Business & Housing Expo to be
held in three South Georgia locations - Albany,
Hinesville, Warner Robins - on June 12 and three
North Georgia locations on June 13 - Atlanta, Athens
and Calhoun.
Commissioner Beatty told Bettie Sleeth that expos
were very important for builders to promote and
attend. Job opportunities for builders and
contractors using federal stimulus funds will be
discussed.
Also, lenders and staff from DCA housing programs
will discuss ways to move housing inventory and talk
about participating in the DCA programs.
Membership
Don't forget, HBAG is sponsoring a statewide
membership drive! Earn your chance to win a
three-night hotel stay at the fall board meeting in
Amelia Island, Fla. The awards are as follows:
Overall Individual Member Recruiter Award
The member recruiting the most members in the entire
state will win a complimentary registration and
three-night hotel stay at Fall Board in Amelia
Island.
Overall Local Association Award
For the local association that achieves the highest
percentage increase, the executive officer will win
a three-night hotel stay at Fall Board in Amelia
Island. In addition, HBAG will honor the local
association achieving the highest percentage
increase with the esteemed HBAG Membership
Achievement Award, to be presented during the
Installation and Awards Banquet at Fall Board.
2009 HBAG Spring Meeting
May 12-13, 2009
Augusta Marriott Hotel and Suites
Augusta, Ga.
The
HBAG Spring Meeting is a two-day event open to
all HBAG members. Remember, a
fraction of your HBA dues pays for your local, state
(HBAG) and national (NAHB) membership.
The first day's activities include various committee
meetings and a Lunch and Learn.
The second day of the spring meeting includes other
committee meetings and the board of
directors meeting, which is open to all HBAG
members. You can register at the hotel.
Upcoming Events
NAHB News
NAHBTV brings important video information about
homes and home building to a consumer and professional
audience. From green building to the latest in
residential tax credits to news about upcoming
conferences and activities, NAHBTV offers up short
videos that inform and educate. As our library of
featured videos expands over the coming months, we
invite you to return to this site. If you have ideas
on content, please feel free to
email
NAHB.
Also, we invite you to visit our
channel on YouTube.
NAHB members can download a
free Webinar discussion on how home builders and
developers can negotiate with lenders in this difficult
market.
The Webinar, "Negotiating with Your Lender," features
a panel of builders, a banker and a legal expert
discussing how lenders are open to renegotiating and
what practices builders and developers should follow
when renegotiating with lenders.
The Webinar, sponsored by
Builders CoPilot and
NAHB's Business Management & Information Technology
Committee, was held April 29.
Members can also
download the slide portion of the Webinar.
Both links will be available through June 29. For more
information, e-mail
Agustín
Cruz at NAHB, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8472.
Do You Want To?
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HBAG Home |
Calendar |
Publications |
HBAG’s General Counsel Case Updates |
Briefing |
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Legislative Update
Brian Kemp, an Athens-area HBA past president and former
state senator, is scheduled to be the featured speaker
at the lunch and learn on May 12 at Spring Board.
Because of our long involvement in code development, HBAG
was invited to participate in the proclamation signing by
Gov. Sonny Perdue to recognize Building Safety Week.
DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty (far left); Ted Miltiades, DCA
director of construction codes; Tom Carty, president of
Building Code Officials of Georgia (BOAG); Morgan Wheeler,
president of Region 8 of the International Codes Council (ICC);
Bettie Sleeth, HBAG codes consultant; and Brent Morgan,
Bonded Builders Warranty with Midwest Georgia HBA (far
right) were present, along with numerous code officials from
around the state.
Regulatory Issues
Derrick Williams from Georgia EPD is scheduled to speak
about proposed changes to the rules on inert landfills
in Georgia, at the Regulatory Affairs Committee meeting
on May 12.
Regional Water Planning Council Meetings
The
Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District is
recruiting individuals to serve on the Basin Advisory
Councils (BACs). BAC members provide input in the planning
process for the district.
It is very important that basin advisory councils have
balanced representation. The work and plans of the North
Georgia Water District have major influence on the rest of
the state.
The BAC
membership application and the
operating procedures are available for viewing.
Applications are due by May 29.
A report from the Georgia Environmental Protection
Division (EPD) offers a comprehensive look at Georgia's
natural resources and gives citizens an overview of
future environmental challenges.
The Georgia Clean Energy Property Tax Credit includes
two general types of income tax credits: 1) investments
in "clean energy property" and 2) the value of "wood
residuals" delivered to a qualified renewable biomass
facility.
U.S. Housing Market Conditions (Fourth Quarter 2008)
Interim Report on Causes of Foreclosure Crisis
Membership
After research and discussion with professionals in the
insurance industry, HBAG believes a Mulit-Employer
Welfare Association (MEWA) plan is the best solution for
members' long-term health insurance needs. Essentially,
this is a self-insured plan, and will most likely
require 2,000-plus lives covered to make financial
sense. The creation of this program will take time and
committment from the HBAG, local associations and
members. The creation of a MEWA will also require a
significant contribution of capital.
If you haven't already, please take this survey to help
us determine interest level and whether there is a
strong enough commitment to invest the staff and member
time required to establish a self-insured program in
Georgia.
Don't forget, HBAG is sponsoring a statewide membership
drive! Earn your chance to win a three-night hotel stay
at the fall board meeting in Amelia Island, Fla. The
awards are as follows:
Overall Individual Member Recruiter Award
The member recruiting the most members in the entire
state will win a complimentary registration and
three-night hotel stay at the fall board in Amelia
Island.
Overall Local Association Award
For the local association that achieves the highest
percentage increase, the executive officer will win a
three-night hotel stay at the fall board in Amelia
Island. In addition, HBAG will honor the local
association achieving the highest percentage increase
with the esteemed HBAG Membership Achievement Award, to
be presented during the Installation and Awards Banquet
at fall board.
HBAG Executive Vice President Kelly Lass attended a
ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Westside Home Builders
Association. Pictured from left to right are: WHBA Chaplain
Max Caylor, Don Moore, Bobby McMillan, WHBA President Joe
Colombo, Douglas County Commissioner Mike Mulcare, HBAG
Executive Vice President Kelly Lass, Jackie Watson and Chris
Collier, Westside HBA's executive officer.
The Westside Home Builders Association hosted a
ribbon-cutting ceremony on Earth Day, Wednesday, April
22, for the first of three EarthCraft-certified homes to
be constructed in Douglas, Carroll and Haralson
counties. Under the "Westside Goes Green" program, the
three "showcase" homes will demonstrate energy-efficient
and environmentally-friendly features found in
EarthCraft-certified homes.
2009
HBAG Spring Meeting
May 12-13, 2009
Augusta Marriott Hotel and Suites
Augusta,
Ga.
The HBAG
Spring Meeting is a two-day event open to all
HBAG members. Remember, a fraction of your HBA
dues pays for your local, state (HBAG) and national (NAHB) membership.
The first day's activities include various committee
meetings and a Lunch and Learn.
The second day of the spring meeting includes other
committee meetings and the board of directors
meeting, which is open to all HBAG members.
 Augusta
Marriott Hotel and Suites
Two Tenth Street
Augusta, GA 30901
Make your reservations by calling:
Phone: 1-706-722-8900
Toll-free: 1-800-868-5354
OR
To reserve your room online:
Click here.
The HBAG Group rate is $135 per night.
Group code: HBAHBAA
***Hotel Reservation Cut-off
Date Is Monday, April 20***
Directions to the Augusta Marriott Hotel and Suites
BA of Metro
Augusta
Welcomes HBAG
Members to its Annual Fish Fry
Location: Julian Smith
Casino
When: Tuesday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m.
Menu: Fried fish,
hush puppies, banana pudding, sweet tea &
adult beverages
(Optional baked chicken for the
health-conscious)
Price: $20 per person by check, Visa or
MasterCard
Upcoming Events
May 12-13, 2009
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HBAG Spring Meeting
Augusta Marriott Hotel & Suites
Augusta, GA |
May 27-31, 2009
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NAHB Spring Board of Directors Meeting
Washington, DC |
June 4-6, 2009
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2009 Southern Building Show & Conference
Cobb Galleria
Atlanta, GA |
Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2009
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HBAG Fall Meeting
Amelia Island Plantation
Amelia Island, FL |
Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 2009
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NAHB Fall Board of Directors Meeting
Chicago, IL |
NAHB News
April 22 - Joe Robson, chairman of the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder
from Tulsa, Okla., issued the following statement on the
need to expand the current net operating loss carryback
law...
The NAHB Nominations Committee has certified Rick Judson
of Charlotte, N.C., as a candidate for NAHB Third Vice
Chairman for 2010.
Do You Want To?
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Home Builders
Association of Georgia
3015 Camp Creek Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia 30344
Phone: (404) 763-2453
Fax: (404) 559-1531 |
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HBAG News
Building Georgia One Home at a
Time
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In this Issue
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To read more about a specific topic
click on one of the headings below: |
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 Government
Affairs Update |
2009 Georgia General
Assembly-Week 2 Session Report, Days
6-10
by Stephanie Carter,
Manager, Troutman &
Sanders Strategies |
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Notables for HBAG:
Bills Introduced:
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HB 43 Requires the
identity of non-licensed
sellers of scrap metal to be
verified by photo
identification
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HB 169 Requires the
Department of Natural
Resources to notify
affected property
owners and local governments
whenever the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
provides legal notice that
any new or revised
flood elevations are
proposed for any property
located in this state
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HB 177 Expands the
transaction records of
secondary metals recyclers
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HR 1
Freezes the valuation of
residential and
nonresidential real property except
for increases no greater
than 3 percent
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SB 31 Georgia Nuclear
Energy Financing Act
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SB 52 Creates a
registry for persons
convicted of metal theft
crimes
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SB 53 Allows the
Governor to appoint special
officers for the purpose of investigating
metal theft crime
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SB 55 Makes area
foreclosures one of the
factors to be considered in
determining fair
market value of real
property
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SB 57 Amends the
Georgia Fair Lending Act
Committee Action:
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HR
1 Freezes the valuation of
residential and nonresidential
real property except for
increases no greater than 3
percent-PASSED House Ways and
Means Committee on 1/28/2009
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SB 31 Georgia Nuclear
Energy Financing Act-HEARING
ONLY in Senate Regulated
Industries and Utilities
Committee on 1/28/2009
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SB 55 Makes area
foreclosures one of the factors
to be considered in determining
fair market value of real
property-HEARING ONLY in Senate
Finance Committee on 1/29/2009
General Topics:
Highlights:
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House
takes up major tax issues
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Trauma care funding ideas
introduced
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Senate Transportation committee
approves T-SPLOST
Schedule:
This week, the legislature worked in
session Monday through Friday, days
6-10, respectively.
The legislature will reconvene on
Monday, February 2nd for the 11th
legislative day.
Politics:
House votes on property tax measures
On Friday, the House approved HB
143, which would preserve the
current state-funded tax break of
$200 to $300 which most homeowners
currently receive, but would make
future funding subject to revenue
triggers. The bill was adopted by
a vote of 117-55. Gov. Sonny Perdue
originally suspended the
reimbursements last fall has
proposed eliminating them entirely
to help avert a $2.2 billion budget
shortfall. HB 143 would restore that
money for the current tax year while
leaving future such grants subject
to having the cash on hand.
Also scheduled for debate on Friday
was HR 1, a constitutional amendment
that would limit residential and
commercial assessment increases to 3
percent each year or 9 percent every
3 years. It would require voter
approval in 2010. Individual
counties could opt-out of the
limitation by holding a referendum.
However, no vote was taken on the
legislation on Friday.
Rep. Austin Scott to run for
governor
On Tuesday, Rep. Austin Scott
(R-Tifton) announced his plans to
run for governor in 2010. Scott
becomes the fourth Republican
elected official in the contest to
succeed Gov. Sonny Perdue. He joins
Secretary of State Karen Handel,
Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine
and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.
Healthcare:
Trauma care funding introduced
On Tuesday, Rep. Austin Scott
(R-Tifton) and Rep. Ron Stephens
(R-Savannah) introduced HB 148, a
bill that would add a new $10 fee on
car tags above the annual
registration fee. The fee would
raise an estimated $85 million per
year for the Georgia Trauma Trust
Fund.
Also introduced this week by Rep.
Harry Geisinger (R-Roswell) was HB
183, which would impose a fee on all
telephone and wireless service
subscribers for the funding of new
trauma center development and
equipment for existing trauma
centers.
Gov. Sonny Perdue has also weighed
in on the issue. His floor leader,
Rep. Jim Cole (R-Forsyth),
introduced HB 160, the
"super-speeder" legislation. The
law would charge a $200 extra fine
on motorists driving more than 85
mph on any highway and more than 75
mph on a two-lane road. Perdue
estimates the super-speeder fines
would generate $23 million per year.
The governor has also proposed a fee
on hospitals and health care
providers to contribute money to
Medicaid and to pay the rest of his
proposed $60 million for trauma care
this year.
Prompt pay requirements pass out of
committee
The Senate Insurance and Labor
committee met on Thursday to
consider SB 62. This bill requires
that Third Party Administrators,
acting on behalf of ERISA health
plans, shall be required to adhere
to a requirement that claims to
physicians be paid writing 15 days
if submitted electronically and 30
days for paper claims. The Georgia
Chamber of Commerce testified
against the bill as well as the
American Association of Health
Insurance. However, the bill passed
out of the committee.
Medicaid shortfall woes
The Department of Community Health
continues to push for a 1.6% tax on
commercial health insurance products
to fill the Medicaid shortfall.
Additionally, they seek to impose a
provider fee on hospitals to be used
for the Medicaid shortfall, trauma
care funding, and higher
reimbursement rates for nursing
homes, physicians, hospitals, and
other providers. The hospital and
business communities continue to be
outspoken in their opposition to the
taxes. The Georgia Chamber of
Commerce Healthcare Committee met
and took an "Oppose" position on the
tax.
General Business:
T-SPLOST Passes Senate
Transportation Committee
On Wednesday, the Senate
Transportation Committee approved SR
44, which allows local governments
to ask voters for a 1 percent local
option sales tax increase. The
measure is sponsored by the
committee chairman, Sen. Jeff Mullis
(R-Chickamauga) and includes the
constitutional amendment (SR 44),
which will need a two-thirds vote in
both chambers as well as
ratification on the ballot in
November, 2010, and SB 39, which is
the enabling legislation.
As drafted, the 10-county metro area
would be one taxing district of its
own. Outside that area, counties
could seek voter permission to
impose the tax on their own or could
band with other counties for
cross-jurisdictional road
improvements. In the case of
multi-county tax proposals and the
Atlanta region, there are opt-out
provisions which allow individual
jurisdictions to decline
participation before a vote if local
officials decide, once the projects
to be funded are identified, that
the package is not beneficial to
their voters. However, if they
choose not to opt-out, they are
bound by the decision of voters
should it pass region-wide but fail
in their own jurisdictions.
The House is expected to approach
the issue with a statewide one
percent sales tax increase.
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State
Codes Advisory Committee |
by Deron Hicks, HBAG General
Counsel |
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On January 22, the State Codes
Advisory Committee ("SCAC") had
its first meeting of 2009.
Bettie Sleeth attended on behalf
of the Home Builders Association
of Georgia. An update on the
Gray Water and Rain Water
Guidelines was presented at the
meeting. The appendices in the
plumbing code were adopted last
year, but the committee has been
working on guidelines with EPD
so that plumbers, builders,
inspectors, and suppliers will
know exactly what to do. The
guidelines are expected to be
posted on the DCA website March
3 and out for a 60 day public
comment period. SCAC also
appointed a subcommittee to
review proposed amendments to
the current codes. DCA has
received about sixty proposed
amendments to the various codes.
No subcommittee meeting dates
have been set yet. New rules
were approved for modular or
industrialized buildings. Under
these rules, certain categories
of these buildings must have the
seal of a registered architect
such as classrooms, health care,
dorms and apartments. Finally,
it was announced at the meeting
that DCA/SCAC will delay any
review of the 2009 editions of
the codes until at least
2010. The 2009 IRC contains the
mandatory sprinkler provision.
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Update
on Membership Health Insurance
Program |
Clarification of Coventry's Service
Area Map
by Kelly Lass, Interim EVP |
To clarify Coventry's service area
map which is included in the
Information Packet that was emailed
to you on Thursday, January 29, the
highlighted counties are those areas
in which Coventry's Premier and
Premier Plus networks are currently
available. These apply to the POS,
HMO, and Choice 1500 plans.
The entire state of Georgia can
access Coventry's National Network
which is the network for the PPO
option that will be offered.
See the Sample Plan options sheet
that was included in the
packet for instructions on how
to determine which doctors and
hospitals are in each network.
Also, Coventry is constantly
expanding their Premier and Premier
Plus networks. Columbus is
coming into those networks on
5/1/09, and Tift and surrounding
counties are coming into the
networks later this year. |
|
Lewis
Cenker Scholarship |
|
DEADLINE FOR 2009-2010
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS IS
MARCH 1ST!
by Jan Royals, HBAG Scholarship
Coordinator
|
Lewis Cenker Scholarship Fund
is a non-profit organization
created in 1977 by the Home
Builders Association of Georgia
to honor the late Lewis B.
Cenker--an outstanding Georgian
and a national industry leader.
He was an Atlanta builder and
lawyer who served as President
of NAHB in 1974. He is the only
Georgian to have served in that
position to date. He was a
founding member of HBAG in 1955
and served as its president in
1969. He was President of the
HBA of Atlanta in 1960.
For more information about the
Lewis Cenker Scholarship Fund
please contact HBAG at
800-248-2453 or visit the HBAG
website at
www.hbag.org or email
Jan Royals .
Click here to download the
application. |
|
HBAG
Superheroes Membership Drive |
|
You Are a Recruiter!
by Kelly Lass, HBAG Interim
Executive Vice President
|
 HBA
Superheroes Membership contest
Phase Two will be kicked off at
the Winter Board Meeting in
Atlanta. We are looking for
Recruiters & E.O.'s to come to
our Recruiter training Session
at 3:00 PM at the Marriott
Marquis. We also want YOU or
your member recruiter to dress
up like a Superhero for the
Kick-off Reception. Yes, you
read that correctly! You can
dress like Superman, Spiderman,
Aquaman, Wonder Woman, or
whoever! You get the picture.
You want to know why? We are
having a contest for the best
dressed Hero! Representatives
from Energy Star will judge this
entertaining event. We will
have door prizes too! Make sure
not to miss this great
opportunity for a little fun!
To learn more about the HBAG
Membership Drive
click here.
|
|
2009
HBAG Winter Meeting and Legislative
Luncheon |
| |
|
2009
Winter Meeting
February
17 and February 18, 2009
Marriott Marquis Hotel Downtown
Atlanta, Georgia
To register for the
2009 Winter Meeting and/or
purchase your tickets for the
Legislative Luncheon click
here
|
|
Hotel Information |
| |
 Atlanta
Marriott Marquis
265 Peachtree Center Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
|
|
Mark
Your Calendars! |
2009 Calendar of Events
|
February 17 - 18,
2009 HBAG
Winter Meeting -Marriott Marquis
February 18,
2009 Legislative
Luncheon
Atlanta,
GA
May 12 - 13,
2009 HBAG
Spring Meeting*
Augusta
Marriott Hotel & Suites
Augusta
GA
May 27 - 31,
2009 NAHB
Spring Board of Directors
Meeting
Washington,
D.C
June 4 - 6,
2009 2009
Southern Building Show &
Conference
Atlanta,
GA
August 31 - September 2,
2009 HBAG Fall
Meeting*
Amelia
Island Plantation
Amelia
Island, FL
September 30 -October 4,
2009 NAHB Fall
Board of Directors Meeting
Chicago,
IL
|
|
NAHB's
Monday Morning Briefing
Letter--2/2/2009 |
by Joe Robson, NAHB Chairman and
Jerry Howard, NAHB President and
CEO
|
The
indomitable spirit of the
American home builder
was on display last
week as more than 60,000 housing
professionals turned out for the
2009 International Builders'
Show in Las Vegas.
Despite the challenging state of
today's economy, the show was an
unequivocal success. Thanks to
your participation and that of
our 1,600 exhibitors, the IBS
continues to be the building
industry's premier event.
Building professionals noted the
importance of attending the
show, especially in the current
down market, seeing it as an
opportunity to re-tool their
businesses and educate
themselves in order to be ready
when the housing market turns
around. Exhibitors indicated
that IBS once again demonstrated
its strength and value as the
center point of the building
industry. NAHB members were
also able to connect with new
career development resources and
other educational opportunities
through the 250 education
sessions that were offered, and
many said they were already
looking forward to a return trip
to Vegas for the 2010
IBS. Meanwhile, the IBS meeting
of NAHB's 2,000+member Board of
Directors on Jan. 22 had a
packed agenda that resulted in
important actions noted
immediately below and elsewhere
in this report.
Senior
Officer Elections
NAHB's four top leadership
positions were filled by
separate elections held during
the Board meeting. Our 2009
Senior Officers are as follows:
Chairman of the Board - Joe
Robson, Tulsa, OK
First Vice Chairman - Bob Jones,
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Second Vice Chairman - Bob
Nielsen, Reno, NV
Third Vice Chairman - Barry
Rutenberg, Gainesville, FL
Immediate Past Chair -Sandy
Dunn, Point Pleasant, WV
President & CEO - Jerry Howard,
Washington, DC
New
NAHB Logo
Having previously adopted a
sophisticated new branding
strategy for NAHB at our fall
meeting in San Diego, the NAHB
Board of Directors voted on a
new NAHB mark
in Las Vegas. The board was
presented with a choice of four
possible logos, including the
option of retaining the NAHB
eagle logo. Each of these
options was previously
circulated to the Board of
Directors and made available for
member comment on nahb.org by
the Branding Task Force. The
logo you see at right was the
overwhelming favorite of board
members, and was ultimately
chosen to represent our
association going forward.
Implementation of our new logo
scheme will be a gradual and
systematic process, however,
and the eagle logo will remain a
proud part of NAHB's history and
culture. More information on the
implementation process will
be provided in the
near future. Contacts:
Brett Diggs (x8453) and Rob
Pflieger (x8403).
Resolutions
Passed by the Board
The NAHB Board of Directors
approved four resolutions to
become official NAHB policy at
its lengthy meeting in Las
Vegas. Copies of the individual
resolutions that were approved
are online
here. They include: 1)
Evolving Housing Credit
Conditions and Federal Housing
Support; 2) Temporary Change in
the Treatment of Selected
Outstanding Mortgages Under
Bankruptcy Laws; 3) Climate
Change Mitigation Strategies;
and 4) Exempt Loan Restructuring
From Income Taxation. Four
proposed recommendations were
withdrawn prior to the Board's
consideration. Contact:
Jay Shackford, x8406, for
more information on the
resolutions process.
NAHB
continues to push hard for
substantial housing incentives
to be included in the economic
stimulus package that is now
being developed in Congress for
President Obama's expected quick
signature. This past week, the
stimulus package passed a
crucial milestone with House
approval of a measure that
includes the elimination of
payback requirements for the
$7,500 first-time home buyer tax
credit, but otherwise falls
short of NAHB recommendations to
make the credit a truly
substantial stimulus for housing
demand. The Senate Finance
Committee also approved its
own version of the economic
stimulus package this week,
which includes an extension of
the home buyer tax credit
through Sept. 1 and
eliminates the payback
provisions, but likewise fails
to enhance the credit to the
necessary degree. Next stop is
the full Senate, which is
expected to vote on its version
of the bill on Wednesday.
Home Builders Converging
on Congressional Field Offices
NAHB's grassroots
network went into high gear
ahead of the most recent
votes, conducting a targeted
phone- and write-in campaign to
lawmakers' offices. Following up
on these efforts with an even
more
assertive strategy, NAHB
members are now being asked by
their local and state
associations to visit
the district offices of each of
their federal lawmakers en
masse on Monday and
Tuesday, Feb. 2-3. Our
three-fold message is extremely
clear:
1)The eligibility period
for the tax credit should be
extended to Dec. 31, 2009;
2) The amount of the credit
should be increased beyond the
current $7,500; 3) The credit
should be able to be used as
part of a down payment at the
closing table.
Such expansion of the tax credit
would have a substantive impact
on buyer demand, thereby putting
a floor under declining home
values, bolstering consumer
confidence and generating real
economic recovery. Resources to
help you participate - including
a set of talking points,
economic data, press documents
and other resources - are
available at
www.nahb.org/congressionalvisits.
To find out how you can be
involved in local congressional
office visits, contact
Molly Murray, x8282.
Calling
on All Members to Help
To further keep up the
pressure, NAHB is calling on all
members of the housing community
to weigh in again with your
federal lawmakers by clicking
here and urging them to
support any amendment to expand
and enhance the home buyer tax
credit. We also urge you to call
your members of Congress at
1-866-924-NAHB (6242) and
deliver the same message.
Congressional Testimony
In related news, on Jan. 13,
NAHB Chairman Joe Robson
testified before the House
Financial Services Committee on
the critical need for
substantial government action to
stimulate housing demand. Joe
also focused on concerns
regarding the use of TARP funds
to date, and urged greater
accountability for use of TARP
funds that banks receive. For
more information on Joe's
testimony, see our
press release.
Media Teleconference
And, keeping up the pressure for
Congress to develop the
right stimulus package, NAHB's
Fix Housing First coalition
also held a teleconference on
Wed., Jan. 28. This media
event put a spotlight on home
builders' efforts and challenges
in today's market, and the
overwhelming need for Congress
to wake up to the reality that
reviving housing demand is key
to reviving economic growth.
Nearly 40 participants listened
in, including representatives
from Dow Jones Newswires,
Consumer Reports,
The Hill and
American City Business Journals. For
more info on this event,
contact Paul
Lopez, x8409.
GREAT
news about the National Green
Building Standard...
NAHB and the NAHB Research
Center learned on Jan. 29 that
the National Green Building
Standard™ for single-family
homes, apartments and condos,
residential remodeling and
renovation has been
approved by the American
National Standards Institute
(ANSI). The
approval signals a new era for
the nation's builders,
remodelers and developers and
also provides an extra measure
of reassurance for home buyers.
It means that the National Green
Building Standard is now the
first and only ANSI-approved
green building rating system,
making it the benchmark for
green homes. Home builders and
remodelers now have a much more
expansive third-party rating
system that they can use with
NAHBGreen, the voluntary,
market-driven
NAHB
National Green Building Program.
As part of the stringent process
required by ANSI, NAHB and the
International Code Council
gathered a fully inclusive and
representative consensus
committee composed of a broad
spectrum of builders,
architects, product
manufacturers, regulators and
environmental experts. This
group deliberated on the content
of the standard for more than a
year, held four public hearings
and evaluated 2,000 public
comments before submitting the
draft standard to ANSI in April
of 2008. Approval of the
standard is nothing short of a
landmark event for our industry,
and congratulations are
definitely in order for those
who have worked so hard to
achieve it.
NAHB members can pre-order the
NGBS at BuilderBooks.com for
a discounted cost of $31.95;
retail price is $35.95. For
technical questions about the
standard and how HBAs can
implement it as part of their
green building efforts, contact
Kevin Morrow
(x8375). Builders can
direct questions about how the
standard works to Chad
Riedy (x8225). For
media-related inquiries, contact
Calli Schmidt (x8132).
The
latest economic data provides
further evidence
that the nation's housing market
continues to worsen and that
substantive government action is
required to put a floor under
declining home values. All of
the latest data are at historic
lows:
NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market
Index - Concerns about the
faltering economy and reluctant
home buyers pushed our builder
confidence index down further in
January to its lowest reading on
record. Read more
here. To see the HMI
tables, visit
www.nahb.org/hmi.
Housing Starts and Permits -
Production of new homes and
permit issuance declined by
double digits in December,
also falling to their lowest
levels on record, according to
U.S. Commerce Department figures
released on Jan. 22. Read more
here.
New-Home Sales - In the
latest clear evidence of
worsening distress in the
housing market, the U.S.
Commerce Department reported on
Jan. 29 that sales of newly
built single-family homes slid
14.7% to the lowest monthly pace
on record in December of 2008.
Read more
here.
Free
business survival tips for NAHB
members
will be available under an
exciting new program effective
Feb. 16-March 13. This great
member benefit is designed to
help answer questions and
alleviate some of the financial
pressure that builders are
experiencing during these very
challenging times. As NAHB CEO
and President Jerry Howard
announced at the Board of
Directors Meeting in Las Vegas,
the law firm Gardere Wynn Sewell
LLP has agreed to provide a free
consultation to NAHB members in
the following three areas:
1)
Bankruptcy/Reorganization -
including matters related to
bankruptcy,
reorganizations,
out-of-court workouts,
restructuring, foreclosures and
deficiency judgments
2) Business Structures -
including director/officer
issues, partnership issues,
personal guarantees and
business divorces
3) Operational -
including liens, developer
disputes and subcontractor
disputes
To take advantage of this NAHB
member benefit, be sure to visit
http://www.nahb.org/legalconsultation
between Feb. 16 and March
13. You will be directed to a
page with Frequently Asked
Questions in the three areas
above. For questions not
answered by this information, a
post may be sent to the law
firm, which will be responded to
via e-mail or phone. Contact:
David Jaffe, x8317
NAHB's
Quick Issues Index
documenting the latest
advances on our top Advocacy
issues was updated for the Board
of Directors meeting in Las
Vegas this January, and it's now
available to you online. This
document is meant to give you a
quick summation of issues on
which there has been recent
movement, as well as
directions on where to go for
more information. It is viewable
by members only (note: you must
be logged onto the NAHB Web site
with your username and password)
at
www.nahb.org/issuesindex.
Contact:
Samantha Silver (x8450).
Builder
confidence in the market for
age-restricted housing
is the subject of a
newly developed NAHB Housing
Market Index (HMI) that was
released at the IBS this
January. Over the past two
decades, "active adult" and
service-enriched communities
have become an important segment
of the housing market, and this
new index will help NAHB gauge
the health of that niche. For
the fourth quarter of 2008, the
55+ HMI debuted at 18, with all
three of its component indexes
reading well below the midpoint
of 50. Since NAHB's original
Wells Fargo/HMI was at an
all-time low of just 8 in
January, the 55+ survey appears
to indicate that this market
sector is holding up better than
the market in general, though
that's little consolation.
Active-adult customers are
usually in a good position to
buy homes because they have
spent years accumulating wealth.
But in the current market, they
can't find buyers for their
existing homes and many are
delaying retirements altogether.
Read more in our
press release. Contact:
Ann Marie Moriarty, x8350.
A
$2 million gift to the National
Housing Endowment
was announced with
great fanfare at NAHB's Board of
Directors Meeting during the
International Builders' Show in
Las Vegas. This extremely
generous donation - which
represents the largest financial
commitment ever made to the
Endowment - came from Jim
and Bobbie Knuppe, who were
present for the announcement on
the board floor and received
a standing ovation for their
efforts. A licensed contractor
since 1960, Jim Knuppe
is a pioneer of the self-storage
business whose family-owned
company, AAAAA Rent-A-Space,
owns and operates properties
across California and
Hawaii. National Housing
Endowment Chairman and NAHB Past
President Gary Garczynski
personally presented the Knuppes
with a Baccarat crystal eagle
symbolizing their commitment to
helping provide the American
Dream for generations to come.
Contact:
Bruce Silver, x8274.
For more information or to
contact us directly, please
visit
www.NAHB.org ©2009, National
Association of Home Builders |
|
NAHB's
Eye on the Economy--1/28/2009 |
|
The Economy Is Faltering
Badly
The U.S. and global economies
downshifted substantially in the
final quarter of 2008 and a lot more
ground is being lost in the first
quarter of this year.
We're expecting real GDP in the
U.S. to contract at an annual
rate of about 5.8% in the fourth
quarter of 2008, the weakest
reading since the early 1980s.
Consumer spending, including the
auto market, put a heavy hit on
first-quarter GDP growth, and
large negatives also came from
housing, business capital
investment and net exports.
We expect GDP to contract by
roughly 4% in the first quarter,
reflecting further hits from
consumer spending, housing and
nonresidential fixed investment,
and there is likely to be a
rundown in business inventory
investment as well.
The job market took very heavy
hits during the final quarter of
2008, and we're expecting a
similar degree of damage in the
first quarter of this year.
Indeed, job losses accumulated
throughout 2008 and the national
unemployment rate climbed
aggressively in the process,
reaching 7.2% by December.
Furthermore, state unemployment
reports released yesterday by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics
show that labor markets
deteriorated markedly across
virtually all parts of the
country in both November and
December.
Housing Demand Still Is
Fundamentally Weak
Ordinarily, the new-
and existing-home markets work
pretty much hand-in-glove,
forming different parts of the
traditional housing ladder and
moving essentially in tandem
(aside from the normal time lag
between contract and closing).
But things are really different
now, with record foreclosures
putting people out of their
homes and dumping those homes
onto glutted markets at deeply
discounted prices that only make
builders' lives more difficult.
Indicators of demand in the
new-home market have been
uniformly weak. The Commerce
Department's estimates of
new-home sales moved down
substantially in both October
and November, NAHB's proprietary
survey of large single-family
builders showed ongoing weakness
of gross and net sales in
December, and NAHB's broad-based
Housing Market Index slipped to
a record low in January (8) as
builders continued to mark down
their perceptions of buyer
traffic, current sales and
expected sales volume.
On the other hand, sales of
existing homes have been
relatively flat during the past
year, at least on a quarterly
average basis, and sales of both
single-family and condo/co-op
units actually bounced up in
December - reducing inventory
levels as well as months'
supplies in both components of
the market.
The stark differences from the
new-home sales picture obviously
are traceable to the rising
foreclosure wave that feeds
existing-home sales at fire-sale
prices while detracting from the
new-home sales side.
Furthermore, we don't know how
many of the foreclosure sales
are to first-time buyers or to
investors, or how long the
latter category may stay off the
market.
Housing Production
Downshifts to New Record Lows
Home builders retrenched
dramatically in December, faced
with abrupt weakening of
economic conditions, turmoil in
financial markets, flagging
consumer confidence, rising
competition from
foreclosure-related sales and
sharply falling house prices.
Total housing starts ran at a
record-low seasonally adjusted
annual rate of just 550,000 in
December, down by 15.5% from
November, down by 45% from a
year earlier, and down by 76%
from the cyclical peak posted at
the beginning of 2006. Major
declines occurred in both the
single-family and multifamily
components of the market, and
permit issuance also shifted
down abruptly -particularly for
single-family housing.
The December collapse of housing
starts and building permits was
far worse than "consensus"
expectations (including NAHB),
and experience tells us that
volatility in the government's
monthly housing numbers suggests
a "wait-and-see" attitude for
coming months. But the breadth
and depth of this shocking
report strongly suggests that
builders' views of the market
and their plans for 2009
deteriorated badly at the end of
2008. The deepening recession,
the pervasive tightening of
credit conditions and tumbling
house prices apparently have
taken their toll.
Housing Price Declines
Are Accelerating
Weakening home buyer demand and
heavy oversupply that continues
to be fed by the rising
foreclosure wave are combining
to put increasingly intense
downward pressure on house
prices across more and more
areas of the country.
Prominent repeat-sales house
price measures (controlling for
compositional shifts) posted
record rates of decline last
November (latest data
available). The national
monthly House Price Index,
that's produced by the Federal
Housing Finance Agency (formerly
OFHEO) and based on loans held
or securitized by Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, was down by 8.5% on
a year-over-year basis in
November and fell at a 19.2%
seasonally adjusted annualized
rate for the month - well
outside the boundaries of
recorded experience.
The 20-city composite Home Price
Index, produced by
S&P/Case-Shiller and based on
repeat-sales methodology, fell
at a record 18.2% last November
on a year-over-year basis and
stood 25% below its peak level
in mid-2006. This measure fell
at a seasonally adjusted annual
rate of 20.6% in November,
similar to the rapid rates of
contraction recorded in
September and October.
The median price of existing
homes sold (not adjusted for
compositional shifts) fell by a
record 15.3% in December
(year-over-year), as
single-family home prices
declined by 14.8% and
condo/co-op prices were off by
18.3%. The most stunning
declines were in the West
region, where median sales
prices were down by more than
30% in both components of the
market.
There's no doubt that house
prices now are under strong
downward pressure in many parts
of the country, and the number
of geographic exceptions has
been dwindling fast. Distressed
foreclosure-related sales at
discounted prices are up to
nearly half of all existing home
sales (according to NAR), and
many builders are being forced
to drop prices below production
cost as they attempt to get some
inventory off their hands.
Downward price momentum is bound
to continue for quite some time
under these extremely difficult
and virtually unprecedented
market conditions. And although
falling prices have boosted
standard measures of housing
affordability, they also have
created expectations of further
decline and have helped
perpetuate the vicious feedback
loop (falling mortgage quality,
tighter lending standards,
falling house prices...) that
can easily drive house prices
well below sustainable value.
Bring on Economic and
Housing Policy
The performance of the economy
beyond the first quarter of this
year will depend very heavily on
economic policy in three
critical areas. First, use of
unconventional policy tools by
the Federal Reserve to
strengthen targeted components
of the credit markets. Second,
use of the remaining TARP funds
($350 billion) by the new
Administration to stabilize and
strengthen the financial system,
possibly supplemented by even
more funding and/or by creation
of a so-called "bad bank" to buy
toxic assets from financial
institutions. Third, enactment
of a huge ($825 billion) and
politically contentious fiscal
stimulus package now being
hammered out by Congress and the
Administration.
Measures to support the rapidly
deteriorating housing market
hopefully will be included in
all three policy areas. The Fed
earlier identified the mortgage
markets as a key area needing
support from its unconventional
balance-sheet policies, and that
message was reiterated in
today's FOMC statement (see
below). With respect to use of
TARP funds, the Administration
has indicated that high priority
should be given to limiting the
relentless upswing in mortgage
foreclosures. On the fiscal
policy front, strong tax credits
for home buyers and sizeable
federal buydowns of mortgage
interest rates by all rights
should be part of the mix,
although uncertainties on that
front currently are
considerable.
The Fed Employs New
Weapons
The Federal Reserve, led by
Chairman Ben Bernanke, has
effectively run out of
traditional monetary policy
ammunition since dropping the
federal funds rate target into
the 0.0 to 0.25% range at the
December 16 FOMC meeting.
At the conclusion of the January
29 FOMC meeting (today), our
central bank reaffirmed the 0.0
to 0.25% target range and said
that exceptionally low levels of
the funds rate are likely to be
warranted "for some time." In
this regard, the FOMC noted that
the economy (including housing)
has weakened further since
mid-December, that credit
conditions for households and
firms remain "extremely tight,"
and that inflation may be
heading too low for comfort!
The Fed committed to employ "all
available tools" to support the
functioning of financial markets
and stimulate the economy,
relying heavily on the power of
the central bank's virtually
unlimited balance sheet. In
this regard, the Fed reinforced
earlier statements regarding
support to mortgage and housing
markets via purchases of agency
debt and mortgage-backed
securities, and also noted that
the Fed will soon be
implementing a new Term
Asset-Backed Securities Loan
Facility (TALF) to facilitate
the extension of credit to
households and small businesses.
The FOMC also said it's
"prepared" to purchase
longer-term Treasury securities
if that would be effective in
improving conditions in private
credit markets. Such purchases
presumably would bring down
longer-term private rates, as
long as spreads to Treasuries
did not widen.
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Home
Builders Association of Georgia
404-763-2453 |
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Home Builders Association of
Rabun County
