New Website Helps Protect Homeownership

America’s home owners and home builders celebrate National Homeownership Month in June, bringing attention to the more than 75 million Americans who own their homes, and the millions more who aspire to achieve the American dream of homeownership. But it is also important for American families to know that homeownership is under attack. Legislative and regulatory proposals now under consideration by government policymakers would greatly harm home owners, home buyers, the housing market and the nation's economy.

To educate Americans about the threats to homeownership and to provide opportunities for current and future home owners to take action to protect it, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has launched a website, www.ProtectHomeownership.com. The site features expert economic analysis and reports, data from homeownership surveys and polls, and the answers to many frequently asked questions about housing and homeownership.

ProtectHomesownership.com highlights the threats to homeownership by describing how tax, legislative and regulatory policies currently under consideration would scale back or eliminate the mortgage interest deduction and make mortgages and small business loans unaffordable and difficult to obtain. It tells how finance and credit-related issues are making it difficult for creditworthy, financially responsible families to buy a home and threaten to ultimately prevent millions of families from ever becoming home owners.

The site documents homeownership's importance to individual households and to local, state and national economies. It shows how new home construction and remodeling presently account for about 15 percent of the nation's total economy, and how the financial issues are impeding production of new homes. The economic impact of home building includes construction of single-family and multifamily homes, remodeling and the countless products and services that are related to those activities. 

Protecthomeownership.com also empowers the American public to take positive action to support and protect this very important aspect of American life. Visitors are encouraged to sign an online petition urging Congress to keep housing a national priority, and to join social media communities on Facebook.com/ProtectHomeownership and Twitter.com/4Homeownership.

Information is provided about how to participate in Homeownership Rallies that are being held in a number of communities in 2012. The first rally, in Columbia, S.C., drew almost 1,000 people to the statehouse grounds to voice their support and focus the government’s attention on critical housing issues.

For more information on the impact of housing and homeownership, go to www.hbagta.com or www.ProtectHomeownership.com.  

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.