Local Code Officials Have Until March 8 to Apply For or Renew ICC Voting Privileges
The International Code Council’s 2024-2026 code development cycle is officially underway. This year marks the beginning of a reorganized three-year cycle that will culminate in voting on all code changes at Public Comment Hearings and Online Governmental Consensus Vote in 2026.
To be eligible to vote in this cycle, local government offices such as building departments, inspection departments, and planning commissions must be active ICC governmental members or have an initial or renewal application submitted by Friday, March 8.
NAHB members are encouraged to speak with their local building officials over the next week to make sure they have renewed their membership if necessary or have applied for a new membership.
Builders serving on local boards of appeal, zoning boards and similar commissions should check if those entities are ICC governmental members, as builders serving on such entities are eligible to be designated as voting representatives.
Code officials from smaller towns and counties are especially underrepresented on the roster of ICC voters, and their views on building codes typically align with builders. NAHB created a guide to help you talk to your local officials about joining ICC as voting members.
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The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the third quarter, posting a reading of 62—up one point compared to the previous quarter.
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Mortgage application activity declined as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, decreased 7.7% month-over-month in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were lower by 35.4%.
Mortgage rates rose sharply in September as multiple factors applied significant upward pressure on the U.S. treasury yields. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.86% in September, up nearly 20 basis points (bps) from August.
In 2025, around a quarter of new homes were built with a two-story foyer, slightly up from 2024, according to data obtained from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and tabulated by NAHB.