NAHB Holds First Women’s Summit
The Women’s Council hosted the first-ever Women’s Summit on May 24 at NAHB’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The meeting was sponsored by the Merillat Corporation.

The gathering of like-minded organizations representing women in the building and construction industries was an idea born during the Women’s Council’s annual planning meeting in March 2005. The council leadership discussed creating a consortium of similar organizations that advocate for women in the building industry. The NAHB Women’s Council hosted the meeting.

“It was great to have all of these important organizations representing women in the building and construction industries gathered together,” said Nicole Goolsby, Chair of the NAHB Women’s Council. “I felt like we all learned a lot about each other’s organization and learned that even though we are separate entities, we’re all fighting for many of the same issues.”

During the meeting, the group resolved to create a collective platform from which the coalition can take shape. Once that is completed, they hope to create a Web site that will celebrate the careers of women in the building industry, include profiles of exemplary women and provide links and resources for young women who are considering a career in the field.

The organizations that participated include Women Construction Owners and Executives, National Association of Women in Construction, Women’s Council of Realtors, Chicago Women in Trades and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Also participating were representatives from Roger Carson Enterprises, Inc., Whirlpool Corporation and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

“We hope to turn this into a yearly meeting with dialogue taking place among the coalition partners between the face-to-face interactions,” said Goolsby. “We have much in common and I am energized to amplify the voice of women in our industry.” [return to top]

Women’s Council-Sponsored Coloring Book Available in Late June
One of the Council’s missions is to educate young children about home building and their environments. To provide that information, the Council has developed the "Homes of Our Own" coloring book, poster and related materials demonstrating how a house is built and the many ways that builders contribute to the environment during the building process. 

The coloring book also serves as an early introduction to the different trades and professions that are a part of homebuilding.  Children learn about the role played by land developers, builders, landscapers, electricians, plumbers and other tradespeople during the different stages of construction.

The coloring book and its materials are part of NAHB’s educational program, Homes of Our Own. Other materials include an online coloring book and guides for facilitators and teachers.  NAHB’s Building Homes of Our Own program focuses on older children and students pursuing careers in the industry.

The Women’s Council’s program for young children has been funded with the support of:

• The California Building Industry Association
• The California Building Industry Foundation
• The Northern California Home Builders Association Women’s Council.

The council would like to extend special thanks to Sheri Micheltree (Region E Trustee) and Lee Terry (Past Chairman, 2003) for their fundraising efforts.

The coloring book will be available in late-June and will be free of charge to Women’s Council members when ordered in bulk. For more information and to order additional copies of these materials, please contact Petra Beane-Moore with the NAHB Women’s Council at 800-368-5242 x8433. [return to top]

Immigration Reform Takes Center Stage
Immigration reform that makes good sense for the building industry was passed by the Senate on May 25. The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act aims to protect and secure our borders, establish a guest worker program that will keep the economy moving forward, help employers verify the legal status of their employees and create a legal path for foreign workers to apply for citizenship. Sponsored by Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Mel Martinez (R-FL), the legislation would create a tiered system for the nation's illegal immigrants, dividing them into three categories:

1. Those who have lived in the U.S. for at least five years
2. Those who have lived here for two to five years
3. Those who have lived here less than two years

Illegal immigrants in the first group would be offered eventual legal residency without having to leave the country after passing national security and criminal background checks, paying a fine and proving they have paid all federal and state taxes.

Those in the second group would have to travel to a U.S. border crossing and apply for a temporary work visa. They would have to meet all requirements for temporary workers, and could apply for permanent residency and citizenship after a certain time.

Those in the third group would have to return to their native country and apply for a temporary work visa from there, with no guarantee of acceptance. NAHB supports this fair approach as a way to ensure an appropriate labor supply at a time when more than 20% of the residential construction workforce is made up of foreign-born employees.

The next step will be to ensure that critical parts of the Senate bill are included in final legislation hammered out between the House and Senate. Read more about this in Nation's Building News, or contact Jenna Hamilton at x8407.

Click here for a brief summary explaining the benefits of NAHB's efforts on immigration reform to our members. [return to top]

Sales of New Homes Increase in April
Sales of new single-family homes were up 4.9% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.198 million units, following a substantial downward revision to sales for the first quarter of the year, the U.S. Commerce Department reported today. Year-to-date, new-home sales for the first four months of the year were down 11.2% from the same period last year.

“The rebound in sales in April, as reported by the government, was somewhat surprising but not that unrealistic considering the downward revisions that accompanied it,” said NAHB President David Pressly. “Indeed, builders are seeing a tapering off of demand and NAHB’s Housing Market Index survey of builders fell to a level of 45 in May, the lowest reading since mid-1995.”

“The reported rebound in new-home sales for April certainly is welcome news, although the substantial downward revisions for the first quarter of the year left the sales pace well below 2005 on a year-to-date basis,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders. “We continue to believe that the housing market is cooling down in an orderly fashion from the record pace last year, largely because of a pullback by investors/speculators. NAHB’s current forecast shows about a 13% decline in new-home sales for 2006 as a whole.”

Three of four regions across the country posted increased sales of new homes in April. Sales were up in the Northeast by 8.2%, in the South by 7.8% and in the West by 2.0%. Sales in the Midwest were down by 1.1%. All regions were down substantially on a year-to-date basis.

The inventory of new homes for sale rose to 565,000 units at the end of April, a 5.8 months’ supply at the current sales pace. All of the increase was for-sale units that were not yet started, which represented 20% of the inventory level.

Units still under construction were almost 57% of the inventory, and completed homes for sale were 23% of the total ― about the same as a year earlier. The median length of time that completed homes for sale were on the market was four months in April, compared with 4.4 months a year earlier. [return to top]

BuilderBooks Offers Free Shipping on Books that Build Your Business
Start your summer off with super savings. BuilderBooks, the publishing arm and official bookstore for NAHB is offering free shipping for the month of June when you order online.

Free ground shipping is available on all sales over $25. This is a great opportunity to buy in bulk and save even more.

Stock up on these great titles to give your customers — “Your New Home and How to Take Care of It," “Residential Construction Performance Guidelines, Consumer Reference” and “How to Find a Professional Remodeler.” Not only will you receive special bulk pricing, but the shipping is free.

Free ground shipping is available only when ordering on the BuilderBooks.com Web site through June 30. Orders must be at least $25 or more.

This offer is not good on prior purchases and does not apply to express shipping. International orders are excluded.