The N.C. Building Code Council will be holding their regularly scheduled meeting on March 9-10, 2009, at 322 Chapanoke Rd., Raleigh, N.C.
The Public Hearing on the Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection Petition for Rulemaking (and others) will be held at the 1:00 Public Hearing portion of the Council meeting on Monday June 9. The Petition for Rulemaking passed at the December Council meeting, however, this fact alone does not guarantee it’s survival through the remainder of the process.
This will be the last opportunity that we will have to oppose this issue. NCHBA encourages all builders that are able to attend the Public Hearing to voice their support for the Arc-Fault Petition for Rulemaking that is before the Council to attend the Council meeting on the 9th. NCHBA would also encourage you to ask your electricians to attend as well.
The Petition for Rulemaking reads:
Item B – 4 Request by Dan Tingen, Chair, to amend the 2008 N.C. Electrical Code. The proposed amendment is as follows:
210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. (AFCI) (B) Dwelling Units: All 125-volt, single phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination-type installed to provide protection of the branch circuit.
Due to the inclement weather, the NCBI classes scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, will operate on a 2-hour delay. Registration will open at 9:30 a.m. and classes will begin promptly at 10 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. The lunch break will last 30 minutes. The schedule for March 4 and March 5 will remain as originally scheduled.
Sen. Harry Brown (R-Onslow) held a press conference Feb. 26 with State School Superintendent June Atkinson to announce a new bill that would require more Career & Technical Education (CTE) classes at high schools in the state with low graduation rates.
Statistics show that the graduation rate at schools without CTE is around 70%, while those students enrolled in CTE courses have a graduation rate of about 90%.
The bill will require high schools with a graduation rate of less than 60% for two years in a row provide more CTE classes.
NCHBA President Frank Wiesner spoke at the press conference to voice the industry's support of career and technical education classes. Buddy Hughes and Kep Paylor also attended.
The North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame Board of Governors is seeking nominations for the North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame. The primary purpose of the NCHHF is to honor men and women who have made significant and lasting contributions to housing in North Carolina, the building industry and to the North Carolina Home Builders Association. Nominees do not have to be active or a member of the North Carolina Home Builders Association.
If you know of an individual who has excelled in making a significant and lasting contribution to the building industry, please complete the nomination form and return it to the NCHBA office at the address below. All nominations must be postmarked by April 15, 2009.
The inductee(s) will be announced at the June 2009 NCHBA 2nd Quarter Board of Directors meeting. The induction ceremony will take place during the Installation Dinner at the 2009 NCHBA 4th Quarter Meetings on December 8, 2009.
Induction into the NCHFF is a prestigious honor. All nominations will be carefully screened and given thorough consideration by the NCHHF Board of Governors. If you have any questions, please contact Erin Jones at NCHBA at 1-800-662-7129 or by e-mail at .
North Carolina Home Builders Association
Attn: Erin Jones
P.O. Box 99090
Raleigh, NC 27624
The Rocky Mount Area Home Builders Association and the Rocky Mount Area Association of Realtors recently launched a new campaign to educate potential home buyers of the housing situation in Rocky Mount: that there never was a housing bubble and it's a great time to buy.
"Despite the grim national statistics regarding home prices plummeting 10.6% nationally last year, steep declines in new and existing home sales and rising foreclosures, the numbers are much better in our region than elsewhere in the country or even in our state," explained RMAR's President Doug Bullock during a press conference in February.
The two groups developed a detailed PowerPoint presentation that explains in detail why there was never a bubble in Rocky Mount to burst, with data to back up their claims. They also developed a handout, "6 Good Reason to Buy a New Home in Rocky Mount Right Now."
The North Carolina Home Builders Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. is now accepting nominations and applications for its college scholarships. The foundation awards scholarships based on a combination of need and merit to four-year college students entering their junior or senior year and technical school students entering their second year who have declared their major in a construction related field.
To be eligible a student must meet the following criteria:
Applicants must be nominated by a NCHBA member firm.
Nominees shall be immediate family members - related by blood, (i.e. children, step-children or grandchildren). Students related by marriage, (i.e. son-in-law, daughter-in-law, etc.) shall not be eligible.
Immediate family members of any current trustee of the NCHB Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. shall not be eligible.
Awards are for one year, but scholarship winners may submit a renewal application and be considered for renewal if they make satisfactory progress in their studies.
Only full-time students will be considered. NCHBA defines a full-time student as one taking a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
The deadline for entries is April 30, 2009. For a nomination form or an application packet, contact NCHBA at (800) 662-7129; (919) 676-9090 or e-mail: . Mail completed applications to: North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA), P. O. Box 99090, Raleigh, NC 27624.
The Lake Norman Homebuilders Association (LNHBA) is sponsoring an interactive seminar “Survive and Thrive in Times of Uncertainty” on Friday, March 6, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Duke Energy Customer Resource Center in Charlotte. Homebuilders and building trade professionals will benefit most from this seminar, addressing how best to adjust our business practices and actions to the current economic climate.
“With housing starts down, those with a more proactive and creative business plan will be the ones to prosper,” asserts Chris Ebel, President of LNHBA.
The morning kicks off with a continental breakfast and registration from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., followed by an address from keynote speaker John Evans, motivational speaker and author of Embrace the Tiger. Attendees will learn insightful tips on a variety of relevant topics including:
Advertising – where to get the best bang for your buck
Diversifying your business to include remodeling, commercial & green building
Financing / Bankruptcy
Mortgage – 10 ways to save the sale / how to get financing
Financial Planning – How to save taxes
Resume writing, Interviewing Skills
Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with experts in advertising, insurance, financial planning, green/energy efficiency, resume writing and how to interview. The cost to attend the seminar is $15.00 per person for Home Builder Association members and $30.00 for non-HBA members. Price includes continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments. The Duke Energy Customer Resource Center is located at 3201 International Airport Drive, Suite 100.
Seating is limited to the first 120 registrants. To register, visit www.lakenormanhba.com, or contact Larry Airey at (704) 664-5622, e-mail .
The Greensboro Builders Association is conducting a NAHB Verifier Training Seminar in Greensboro March 24 in conjunction with Don Carr at the NAHB Research Center. This class will cover the new ANSI National Green Building Standard. Approved or prospective verifiers must register online with NAHB by March 17; however, any HBA members that just want to AUDIT the class should use the registration form and register through GBA.
NAHB Legislative Day is scheduled for March 24. With so much happening on the legislative levels, participation is even more important this year.
Two "Green Building for Building Professionals" and "Business Management for Building Professionals" classes are currently scheduled. The Hickory & Catawba Valley Home Builders Association is offering the classes March 30-31 and April 1 at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. See flyer for cost, registration information and other information.
The High Country Home Builders Association is offering the classes April 1-2 and April 3 at the Builders Plaza in Boone. See flyer for cost, registration form and other information.
NAHB Chairman Joe Robson Statement on President Obama's Mortgage Interest Deduction Cut Proposal Joe Robson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), today issued the following statement on President Obama’s proposal to reduce the value of the mortgage interest and real estate tax deductions for home buyers and home owners in order to pay for an expanded health care initiative:
“With the housing market still reeling from its worst downturn since the Great Depression, this is not the time to talk about raising taxes on home buyers and home owners. This proposal will increase the cost of housing for many middle-class families, particularly in high-cost areas such as California and the Northeast, which will only further undercut the housing market, exert more downward pressure on home values and work against the President’s efforts to stabilize housing and turn this economy around.
“The proposed budget would also tax a ‘carried interest’ as ordinary income, which could significantly impact the multifamily and commercial real estate sectors at a time when they are already experiencing a severe downswing. At this critical point in the recession, we should be doing everything we can to stimulate demand in housing and avoid proposals that would reduce housing affordability and further destabilize prices.
“The notion of ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ just won’t work. Not when the stakes are so high with our economy. This week alone, existing home sales dropped another 5.3 percent and new homes sales plunged 10.2 percent. The month supply of unsold homes is at an all-time high. Financing health care reforms by chipping away at the mortgage interest and real estate tax deductions is certainly not the answer. This will only hurt the ailing housing market and U.S. economy.”
Sen. Harry Brown (R-Onslow) held a press conference Feb. 26 with State School Superintendent June Atkinson to announce a new bill that would require more Career & Technical Education (CTE) classes at high schools in the state with low graduation rates. 
