NAHB Provides Funds to Support State and Local HBA Advocacy Issues

Associations across the country face residential construction challenges that hamper the home building process and jeopardize housing affordability for all. To help HBAs overcome roadblocks, NAHB's State and Local Government Affairs Committee approved financial assistance for associations through the State and Local Issues Fund (SLIF). The funds were approved during NAHB's 2022 Spring Leadership Meeting in Washington, D.C.

The committee approved $180,000 for nine local and state HBAs. Fund recipients include the BIA of the Bay Area, HBA of Greater Knoxville, HBRA of Massachusetts, Oklahoma HBA, Nevada HBA, Southern Nevada HBA, HBA of Greater Baton Rouge, HBA of Central Ohio, and the Northshore HBA.

Fighting Anti-Growth Measures

In east Tennessee, a local county commission enacted a moratorium on planned unit developments (PUDs) even though the area is experiencing a housing shortage. The HBA of Greater Knoxville will use the funds to launch a public awareness campaign to highlight the issue during the upcoming county elections.

The Northshore HBA in Lacombe, La. reported that the local government proposed a moratorium that would mandate a density of one unit per acre, and ban PUDs and neighborhood development districts. The funds will support the association’s grassroots outreach, lobbying, economic research, and public relations campaign.

Also, in Louisiana, the HBA of Greater Baton Rouge is fighting ordinances such as impact fees, density requirements, stormwater issues and lot definition in multiple parishes. The fund will support a public relations campaign to educate regulators, policymakers and the community about how each policy affects housing affordability.

Battling Zoning and Rent Control Proposals

According to the Oklahoma HBA, even the local municipal league has admitted the state’s zoning and platting laws need a legislative fix. The fund will help support the association’s lobbying efforts and help launch a campaign to create a legislative remedy for local zoning challenges.

In Ohio, a group of Columbus residents submitted a petition for a proposed ballot initiative that would establish rent control in the city, require rental registration and create new agencies to oversee the local housing market. The HBA of Central Ohio will use the funds to oppose this effort through research, polling and a public relations campaign.

Seeking Sustainability Solutions

Nevada passed legislation that established greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and required state agencies to complete a statewide inventory of all GHG emissions. The funds will help the Southern Nevada HBA (SNHBA) retain a firm specializing in energy to combat policy measures related to townhome misclassifications and various reimbursements. SNHBA also received funds to update studies related to land and water scarcity issues in the state as it relates residential construction.

The HBRA of Massachusetts teamed up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to research and make policy recommendations to advance climate policy and housing affordability. The funds will help move the study forward and promote the findings of the research proposal.

Overcoming Transportation Challenges

BIA Bay Area is receiving funds to hire a transportation services consulting firm that will help develop a policy and provide legal, efficacy, cost, equity, and governance analysis about adopting a regional Vehicle Miles Traveled mitigation policy. The effort is in response to a developer requirement in California to meet specific VMT reduction thresholds.