Pressly, along with Larry Gotlieb, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs and Associate General Counsel of KB Home, represented the interests of the association before Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin.

The policy discussion was entitled “Housing & Homeownership” and also featured speakers from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), and the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP). 

The Chairman of the DGA, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, opened the dialogue by asking Pressly to remark on the state of the housing market.  Supplying the governors with housing data from each of their respective states that exhibited the economic fundamentals of an orderly, expected cool down, Pressly used his time to temper the tone of some economic prognosticators that warn of a housing bubble. He also urged governors for reform in the areas of environmental preservation and infrastructure financing in order for workforce housing to become a more realistic possibility for citizens of their states.

Meanwhile, NAHB First Vice President Brian Catalde was a keynote speaker at the Republican Governors Association (RGA) Housing Policy Roundtable in Las Vegas, offering alternative approaches to infrastructure financing and answering questions about the strength of the current market.  Centex Homes Director of Government Affairs Kathy Weiss also participated in the panel. 

Governors from three states attended the event and listened to discussions about the current state of the housing market, infrastructure financing alternatives, storm water regulations, and the regulatory barriers to affordable housing.

Catalde opened the conversation with comments on the housing market, warning the governors not to get too caught up in the media hype regarding the slowing housing market. He also highlighted NAHB’s research on infrastructure financing alternatives, providing each governor with a copy of NAHB’s Building for Tomorrow publication.

Weiss outlined the regulatory irregularities of the storm water permitting and enforcement process and also described the regulatory barriers to affordable housing, with specific regard to inclusionary zoning laws.

The three sitting governors and two candidates exhibited great interest in the topics, especially the subject of infrastructure financing. Governors Owens and Guinn both commended NAHB for engaging in the research and encouraged each and every governor to study the material in order to provide the best infrastructure financing alternatives to their citizens. 

The NAHB is a member of both the Democratic and Republican Governors Associations.  The two groups periodically host policy discussions that allow for an effective forum to present policy alternatives to issues affecting state leaders nationwide. F

or more information e-mail Brooke Ransom, Director of Industry Relations, in NAHB's State & Local Political Operations department, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8584. [ return to top ]