| May 18, 2009 |
By Joe Robson
NAHB Chairman and
Jerry Howard
NAHB President and CEO |
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HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan will speak to NAHB's Directors
in a special session of the Board to be held on Friday, May 29.
 NAHB got word this week that the Secretary has accepted the invitation to appear before our Board that was extended by Chairman Joe Robson at a meeting between Donovan and the NAHB leadership on May 5. In addition to delivering prepared remarks to our Board members on the day of his visit, the Secretary also plans to take some questions from the audience before he departs. We look forward to having the honor of hosting the Secretary, as this should be a great opportunity for our Board members to meet him and learn more about his priorities in office. The special session of the Board is tentatively scheduled to take place in the Thurgood Marshall room of the Marriot Wardman Park hotel at 10:00 a.m. on May 29. (This time may change, however, so stay tuned for further updates.) Contact: Deb Malone, x8256.
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The withdrawal of a proposed RESPA rule
by the Department of Housing and Urban Development
 this week marks a significant victory for NAHB members. The rule in question, which was proposed in the waning days of the Bush Administration, would have prohibited builders from offering incentives for buyers to use the builder’s affiliated title and mortgage services. This would have eliminated an extremely valuable selling tool for many home builders. NAHB and a coalition of our members therefore initiated court action against the proposal in December 2008, and that action forced HUD to delay implementation of the new rule and sparked a public process in which the agency received over 1,200 comments. At the end of the comment period last week, HUD decided it should withdraw the proposed rule, thereby allowing builders to continue to provide incentives for use of affiliated services. One important note: HUD may still come back in the future and conduct a new rulemaking on the "required use" definition that was at the heart of this issue. Contacts: Duane Desiderio (x8146); Bill Renner (x8597)
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Helping first-time buyers use their $8,000 tax credit at closing
 is the goal of new guidance anticipated to come from HUD in the near future. HUD is looking at allowing FHA-approved lenders, federal, state and local government agencies, and FHA-approved non-profit organizations to supply home buyers with short-term "bridge loans" for up to the full amount of the credit. The guidance is also expected to address longer-term, second lien programs that a number of state housing finance agencies have tied to the home buyer tax credit. NAHB publicly commended HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan for his willingness to consider such actions this week, which would go a long way toward helping potential buyers over the single biggest hurdle most of them face – lack of a sufficient downpayment. Currently, first-time buyers who are eligible for the new tax credit are unable to put it to work until after they have filed their next annual tax return or an amended 2008 tax return and received their refund from the IRS. NAHB leaders recently discussed the need for such guidance in a meeting with the HUD Secretary. Stay tuned to this report and NBN Online for the latest news on this potentially very significant government action. In the meantime, for more information about the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit, please visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com or contact Rob Dietz, x8285.
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National Membership Day is Tuesday, May 19,
 and HBAs and their membership chairmen across the country have activated their super-hero powers (and NAHB is offering some terrific prizes) to help ensure a great turnout. This year's membership drive has been facilitated by a fun cast of characters that exemplify the strength and significance of our federation. HBA recruiters should call in their May pledge numbers between the hours of 12 noon and 5 p.m. eastern time, using the toll-free hotline at 800-899-6242. Though there will be no live Webcast this year, you can view hourly updates and new member pledge numbers online at www.nahb.org/membershipday09 throughout the afternoon. PLUS, each hour, one caller will receive a fantastic prize such as an iPod Shuffle, a four-night stay in Las Vegas for the IBS, or a $300 AmEx gift card. Get more information on this vitally important event by calling the NAHB Membership Team at 800-368-5242, x8440.
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Get acquainted with great NAHB resources to help you sell homes
in this week's very special edition of Nation's Building News Online. Published on the evening of May 18, the latest NBN Online has a very specific mission: To make sure our members are aware of the
 many fantastic resources NAHB has developed to help you move your homes in today's challenging marketplace. If you're already an NBN subscriber, be sure to check your e-mail on the morning of May 19; if you're not, you can still access the issue once it's published at www.nahb.org/nbn. Remember that the vast majority of marketing, PR, consumer communications and other resources profiled in this publication are accessible to members-only, so you do have to be logged into NAHB.org with your username and password to view them. Contact: Tim Ahern, x8405.
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More than 100 case studies on AD&C credit problems
 have now been compiled by NAHB using specific examples that our members have provided through our online portal at www.nahb.org/adccasestudy and other channels. We are using these case studies to provide compelling and specific evidence to policymakers about how the credit crisis is undermining efforts to restore the health of the nation's economy. A number of these studies were recently showcased in NBN Online. In markets across the country, builders and developers are consistently reporting excessive credit restrictions, where lenders are cutting off loans for viable new housing projects and producing unnecessary foreclosures and losses on AD&C loans. Pointing to the case studies, NAHB Chairman Joe Robson noted that "We cannot get the economy back on track until we restore the flow of credit that is vital for the production of housing." Read more in NBN Online, or contact John Dimitri, x8529.
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Tangible improvement in the residential remodeling market
 seems to have taken place in this year's first quarter, according to NAHB's latest Remodeling Market Index (RMI), released May 14. The RMI revealed significant growth in all of its components, with the current market conditions measure rising 9 points from the previous quarter and the component gauging future expectations up more than 11 points. Said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe, "Remodelers say things are looking up from the doldrums of the fourth quarter. While conditions remain below average and are down slightly from this time last year, the gains over the last quarter, and improvement in market expectations, suggest a spark to the start of recovery in the remodeling market." Read our press release announcing the RMI results, or check out the official RMI tables online. Contact: Gopal Ahluwalia (x8480).
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More news from the green building front...
 The NAHB National Green Building Conference drew a near-record crowd this Mother's Day weekend. Read more here.
A new National Housing Endowment scholarship was announced at a dinner honoring winners of the NAHB National Green Building Awards. Read more here.
National Green Building Awards presented in Dallas last week celebrated the best in green residential design and outstanding advocacy efforts. Read more here.
The New American Home 2009 was named Green Home Project of the Year in the Dream Home Awards annual competition. Read more here.
A May 14 Webinar will discuss how concrete home building technologies can be used to meet National Green Building Standard requirements. (Note, there is a $30 charge per phone site.) Read more here.
HBI is working with NAHB's National Green Building Program to pursue a variety of green efforts in its Job Corps training programs. Read more here.
Contact: Calli Schmidt, x8132.
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The Monday Morning Briefing will take a two-week recess
 due to the federal Memorial Day holiday on May 25 and Spring Board of Directors meeting activities immediately thereafter. Look for our next issue to appear in your inbox on Monday, June 8, complete with coverage of what happened at the Board meeting and all-new resources for your benefit. Have a great Memorial Day weekend, and we hope to see you in Washington soon!
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