NAHB TO REVEAL NEW VOTER POLL

NAHB TO REVEAL NEW VOTER POLL; PREVIEW ECONOMIC, LEGISLATIVE OUTLOOK FOR HOUSING IN 2012

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The login information and time have been updated from a previous media advisory. Below is the correct login information and details for the webcast.]

WHEN:

Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012

2:00 p.m. ET

WHO:

· Jerry Howard, CEO, National Association of Home Builders

· David Crowe, chief Economist, National Association of Home Builders

· Jim Tobin, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, National Association of Home Builders

· Neil Newhouse, partner and co-founder, Public Opinion Strategies

· Celinda Lake, president, Lake Research Partners

WHAT:

On Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 2:00 p.m., the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) will reveal the results of a new national poll of 1,500 likely voters looking at the value Americans place on homeownership, while discussing what lies ahead for housing in 2012, both economically and politically.

The poll was conducted by Neil Newhouse, partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies, a leading Republican polling company, and Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, one of the Democratic Party's leading strategists.

During the teleconference, the pollsters will analyze the survey results, while NAHB CEO Jerry Howard will discuss its implications on the future of the American Dream. NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe will provide his 2012 economic forecast, while NAHB Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Jim Tobin will discuss how the upcoming elections will shape the policies that affect homeownership and the housing industry.

Members of the media will be given the opportunity to ask questions at the conclusion of the call.

TO PARTICIPATE:

1. Direct your web browser to http://eventcenter.commpartners.com/se/NAHBLogin.

2. Under "Enter a Webinar" in the blue box, enter the meeting number 816024 and click on "Enter."

3. In the "Display Name" box, type in your first and last name and click on "Enter Meeting."

4. The primary means of listening to this webinar is via audio streaming (your computer speakers).

Slides will also be posted following the presentation at:
www.nahb.org/homeownershippoll.

Please contact Liz Thompson at ethompson@nahb.org with any questions.

Statement From NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen on Proposal to Raise Mortgage Fees to Pay for the Payroll Tax Extension

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 - Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev., today issued the following statement on a congressional plan to raise fees charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and use them to help pay for an extension of this year's payroll tax cut through 2012:

"Congress is essentially proposing to raise taxes on millions of potential home buyers in order to pay for a payroll tax cut and other non-housing legislative initiatives. With the housing market struggling to regain its footing, such a short-sighted move would be extremely counterproductive and threaten the fragile economic recovery.

"The guarantee fees (g-fees) that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge lenders to protect against credit-related losses should not be used for purposes unrelated to the safety and soundness of the housing finance system.

"Just as we are beginning to see modest signs of improvement in scattered housing markets across the nation where employment is gaining and consumer confidence is rising, Congress is tampering with g-fees and needlessly raising the cost of buying a home. This will jeopardize the tenuous rebound and is the last thing this economy needs."

Statement from NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen on the Need to Reinstate Loan Limits

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 - Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev., issued the following statement regarding the need for Congress to pass legislation to reinstate the higher loan limits for the Federal Housing Administration that expired on Sept. 30:

"Legislation pending in the House and Senate will restore the higher mortgage loan limits for the Federal Housing Administration and is essential to help stabilize the nation's housing financial markets.

"The FHA program is fully self-supporting, and a great example of a public-private partnership with lending institutions. Restoring the loan limits will provide millions of potential consumers in markets throughout the nation access to safe, affordable mortgage financing.

"To help mend the struggling housing market, stabilize home values, provide constancy while private investors re-enter the market and ensure that millions of creditworthy home borrowers can access the best possible mortgage rates, Congress must support this bill to help American families and get the lackluster economy moving forward."

Chamber Reports Michigan Tax Plan Penned

On Tuesday, April 12^th,   Governor Snyder, Senate Majority Leader Richardville, and House Speaker Bolger reached an agreement on Tax Reform.

The following elements are part of this plan based on the original framework as proposed by Governor Snyder:

·         Repeal the MBT while honoring commitments to those with “certificated” credits.

·         Individual Income Tax Rate will be frozen at 4.35% and roll-back to 4.25% on 1/1/13.

·         Corporate Tax of 6%

·         Flow-through entities will continue to pay Individual Income Tax (4.35% until phase-down to 4.25%)

Retirement/Pension Tax Changes:

·         Seniors/Retirees over 67 years of age as of January 1, 2012 will NOT lose their exemptions on pensions and other retirement income (grandfathered)

·         People 60-66 years of age as of January 1, 2012 will receive an exemption for all Social Security income PLUS a $20,000 for single filers or $40,000 for joint filers retirement income exemption. (Retirement income includes public pensions, private pensions, 401ks, IRAs). When people born between Jan. 1, 1946 and Dec. 31, 1952 turn 67, they’d qualify for a senior income exemption of $20,000 for a single filer and $40,000 for joint filers, regardless of income source. 

·         People 59 years of age and under as of January 1, 2012 will be part of the new program.  When this group turns 67 years old they will receive a $20,000 single filer or $40,000 joint filer special senior exemption against all types of income.  This is regardless of income source and can be taken instead of the Social Security and personal exemptions if it would result in more generous tax treatment to the individual. 

Homestead Property Tax Changes

·         The Homestead Property Tax Credit will go from 60% to 100% for people with household incomes between $0-$20,000 

·         For household incomes between $20,001 - $30,000, the Homestead Property Tax Credit will be phased down from 100% to 60%

·         For household incomes greater than $30,000, the Homestead Property Tax Credit would be 60%

·         The credit for persons with disabilities would remain at 100%.

·         The maximum credit would remain at $1,200 and would be phased out for income between $41,000-$50,000

Doug DeYoung, Senior Director of Government Relations

Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce

Statement from NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen on President Obama's Plan to Reduce Long-Term Deficits

WASHINGTON, April 13 - Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev., issued the following statement regarding President Obama's speech today at George Washington University on deficit reduction: 'President Obama today reiterated the importance of tax policy in promoting homeownership but endorsed limiting itemized deductions, including the mortgage interest deduction. Home owners cannot afford higher taxes at a time when the housing market is struggling to recover and contribute to economic growth. 'The President also suggested that many middle-class taxpayers do not benefit from the itemized deductions. In fact, the middle class is the primary beneficiary of the mortgage interest deduction. The reason most taxpayers itemize is because they are home owners, so it is not surprising that nearly 70 percent of the tax benefits associated with this vital tax incentive goes to households earning less than $200,000 a year. Any attempt to chip away at the mortgage interest deduction would represent an attack on middle-class families.'"

HOME BUILDERS APPLAUD CONGRESSIONAL PASSAGE OF 1099 REPEAL

WASHINGTON, April 5 - The Senate today approved legislation supported by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to repeal a burdensome tax paperwork requirement that could cost small businesses thousands of dollars each year. The bill now goes to President Obama for his approval.

"During the past several months, NAHB has led the effort along with other industry groups to strike all new expanded IRS Form 1099 reporting requirements for small businesses and owners of rental real estate," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. "In testimony before Congress and in 'key vote' letters to House and Senate leaders, we have spelled out how failing to overturn these rules would kill jobs and place a major paperwork and cost burden on home builders. We applaud Congress for acting to rectify this situation and urge the President to quickly sign this measure into law."

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act approved last year, starting in 2012 businesses would have to file an IRS Form 1099 for each vendor from whom they purchase more than $600 in goods over the course of the year.

The annual $600 threshold applies to all vendors, so that businesses could find themselves sending out 1099 forms for such mundane purchases as coffee, fuel and office supplies. Rather than hiring additional workers to expand and grow, small businesses would be spending money on accountants and bookkeepers in order to keep up with these new requirements.

To prevent small businesses from drowning in these onerous paperwork requirements, the Senate by a vote of 87 to 12 passed the Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011 (H.R. 4), legislation previously approved by the House. In addition to repealing expanded 1099 requirements in the healthcare law, H.R. 4 also repeals an unfair provision in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 stipulating that independent landlords as of Jan. 1, 2011 must submit 1099s to firms to which they give more than $600 for services.

Going forward, businesses will still have to comply with long-standing reporting requirements for the purchase of services.

Friends of Housing Golf Outing

Spring has sprung and it will soon be time to swing those golf clubs! It's hard to believe this is our 10th year on the links. Friends of Housing will again be spending the day at Hawk Hollow Golf Course raising money so we can support those legislators who are taking the tough votes needed to turn Michigan around.

This year's outing will take place on Monday, June 20, 2011. Mark your calendar and get your foursome together. The early bird rate is $99.00, so don't delay and register today!

Sponsorship opportunities are available and you can contact Dawn Crandall at crandall.dawn@mahb.com or at 517-646-2567. We look forward to seeing you on June 20th!

Save the Mortgage Interest Deduction - Get Involved

NAHB has set up a website, www.SaveMyMortgageInterestDeduction.com that features the latest reports, analysis and news on the benefits of preserving the MID, and encourages visitors to sign up to receive important updates.

We urge you to visit this site, sign up for alerts and encourage your members, consumers and friends of the industry to sign up as well and join us in this important campaign.

Here are some suggestions and resources to help you get the message out:

1. Encourage your members and consumers to call on Congress to support the MID, including sending an urgent request for cosponsors on House Resolution 25.

2. Add a button to your website directing people to the SaveMyMortgageInterestDeduction.com site.

3. Submit a Letter to the Editor to your local newspaper encouraging readers to support saving the MID.

4. Familiarize yourself with the MID talking points so you can respond to questions from the media.

5. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter updates. Go to www.facebook.com/SaveMyMID and click “Like,” and follow our Twitter updates at www.twitter.com/SaveMyMID.

6. Add the SaveMyMID Twitter box to your website. Go to https://twitter.com/about/resources/widgets/widget_profile, type in “SaveMyMID” into the box, grab the code and place it on your website.

STATEMENT FROM NAHB REGARDING PROPOSALS TO ELIMINATE THE ROLE OF THE GSES IN THE U.S. MORTGAGE MARKET

WASHINGTON, March 29 - Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Reno, Nev., today issued the following statement on legislative proposals by Congressional leaders to effectively eliminate the role of the GSEs in the U.S. mortgage market:

"The National Association of Home Builders strongly supports efforts to modernize the nation's housing finance system, including reforms to the government sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. We can't go back to the system that existed before the Great Recession, but it is critical that any reforms be well-conceived, orderly and phased in over time.

"Proposals announced today by key Republicans in Congress represent a piecemeal approach to reform that would disrupt the housing market and could push the nation back into a deep recession. These proposals, along with similar plans announced by the Obama Administration in February, show that many policy makers have clearly forgotten housing's importance to the economy.

"America's home builders urge the Administration and Republicans in Congress to consider the potential consequences of their proposals. Congress needs to develop a workable housing finance system before it moves forward with policies that would further destabilize a housing market that is already struggling. Housing can be the engine of job growth this country needs, but it can't fill that vital role if Congress and the Administration make damaging, ill-advised changes to the housing finance system at such a critical time."

Your Action is Needed Today!

Unemployment Insurance Reform – Your ACTION is needed TODAY.

The Michigan Association of Home Builders worked with a coalition of job providers to pass what we view as a win-win for those in need of extended unemployment benefits and those who pay (job providers) into the fund. This would not have been possible without the leadership of and help of the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House and the Governor. House Bill 4408 was passed in the Senate with 24 votes and in the House with 65 votes.

House Bill 4408, which was introduced by Representative Jim Stamas, is a win-win for job providers hoping to create jobs and individuals struggling to find work because it:Your ACTION is needed TODAY. The Michigan Association of Home Builders worked with a coalition of job providers to pass what we view as a win-win for those in need of extended unemployment benefits and those who pay (job providers) into the fund. This would not have been possible without the leadership of and help of the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House and the Governor. House Bill 4408 was passed in the Senate with 24 votes and in the House with 65 votes.

House Bill 4408, which was introduced by Representative Jim Stamas, is a win-win for job providers hoping to create jobs and individuals struggling to find work because it:

• Reduces state weekly benefit duration from 26 to 20 weeks for new claimants beginning in January of 2012. This change is expected to produce $300 million in annual savings.
• Requires the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) to more aggressively pursue fraud an abuse in the UI system, which totaled over $143 million in 2009 alone. This change is expected to save $50-$80 million in the first year.
• Fulfills a promise made by Congress to allow displaced workers to continue receiving weeks 79 to 99 of benefits through 2011.

While this bill is significant in starting Unemployment Insurance reforms, there is more work to be done to solve the state’s UI crisis; mainly that the UI Trust Fund has borrowed more than $3.9 billion from the federal government to continue paying benefits.

Others do not see this as a win-win situation. The National Employment Labor Project (NELP) has sent out an email to their members urging them to call Governor Snyder and TELL him to veto the bill, REJECT the cuts to the state UI benefits, and SUPPORT a clean Extended Benefits measure. The Michigan Association ofHome Builders OPPOSES their actions.

Your ACTION is needed – TODAY. Contact Governor Synder’s office at 517-373-3400 and thank him for his leadership on this issue and urge him to SIGN THE BILL that was sent to him by the Michigan Legislature.

On the last page of this update is the record roll call vote showing who supported HB 4408 – please let them know you appreciate their leadership on Unemployment Insurance Reform.

Special Message from Gov. Rick Snyder

Throughout my term as Governor, I will deliver Special Messages on policy issues that are vital to Michigan’s future. They will be delivered to my partners in the Michigan House and Senate so that we can initiate discussion and action on innovative reforms that best serve the people of Michigan. Today, I am offering the first such message.

READ MORE

Builders Urge Congress to Restore the Flow of Credit to Housing

March 21, 2011 - At a crucial juncture for the nation's emerging housing recovery, restoring the flow of acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) lending to sustain new housing activity took center stage on March 16 as 500 builders from across the country converged on Capitol Hill for the annual NAHB Legislative Conference.

"Our message to Congress is simple and straightforward," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen. "Unless we resolve the ongoing credit problems for home builders - the vast majority of whom are small business owners who employ less than 10 workers - the industry will lose even more jobs, resulting in longer-term economic damage."

NAHB members who were unable to attend the day-long conference participated by calling the Capitol Hill offices of their representatives and senators to deliver the same message.

In the current economic climate, lenders have basically stopped making AD&C loans and many are calling existing loans, even when the borrower's payments are current. Financial institutions are also requiring additional equity for existing loans, and are refusing to modify loans to give borrowers an opportunity to regroup.

Overly conservative appraisals are presenting further challenges by limiting home sales and refinancing opportunities and exacerbating pressure on outstanding mortgage and housing production loans. Lenders are often citing regulatory requirements or pressure from bank examiners to reduce AD&C loan exposure as the rationale for their actions.

"As a result of this regulatory pressure, the home building industry is having extreme difficulty in obtaining credit for viable projects," said Nielsen. "In short, the credit window seems to have been slammed shut for builders all over the country."

Starting off the day, Reps. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) and Patrick Tiberi (R-Ohio) addressed the builder delegation at the National Housing Center and pledged to work with NAHB to help restore credit for housing production and get the industry back on track. (For a related story in this issue of NBN, click here.)
During the day-long conference, builders met with key leaders from both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate, including:

• Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
• House Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.)
• House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.)
• Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee
• Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.)
• Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee
• Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)
• Senate Republican Policy Chair John Thune (R-S.D.)
• House Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.)
• House Democratic Caucus Chair John Larson (D-Conn.)

In 250 individual meetings with their representatives and senators, builders urged their members of Congress to become an original cosponsor of legislation by Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) designed to end the lending crisis.

The measure proposes a legislative fix to specific instances of regulatory excess to allow the banking industry to restore lending for viable home building projects and discourage lenders from curtailing or calling construction loans where payments are current.

As the nation's housing finance system undergoes comprehensive reform in the aftermath of the collapse of government sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, builders also called on Congress to ensure that the federal government continues to provide a backstop for a reliable and adequate flow of affordably priced housing credit under all economic and financial conditions.

On the issue of tax reform, NAHB urged lawmakers to oppose any changes to the tax code that would increase taxes on home owners, renters or home builders.

Curtailing or eliminating the mortgage interest deduction, the capital gains exclusion, the deduction for property taxes, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and other housing tax incentives would further depress home prices, leaving countless more home owners owing more than their homes are worth and triggering a new wave of foreclosures, they said.