Building Codes Bill Championed by NAHB Introduced in House

Reps. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) and Dina Titus (D-Nev.) have introduced NAHB-supported legislation that would help jurisdictions preserve local control over the building code adoption process while also encouraging communities to take positive steps to withstand and recover from extreme events.

“NAHB commends Reps. Edwards and Titus for introducing the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act,” said NAHB Chairman Carl Harris. “Edwards championed this legislation in the 118th Congress because he opposes needless regulatory mandates that raise housing costs. By preserving local control over the code adoption process, this legislation will reduce housing costs and help builders build more homes.”

The Promoting Resilient Buildings Act addresses an issue that has become a serious concern for local governments and home builders across the country.

In 2018, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act’s pre-disaster hazard mitigation program defined “latest published editions” of building codes to include the latest two published editions of relevant codes, specifications and standards. This definition sunset in October 2023, but this legislation would remove the sunset, permanently codifying the current definition of “latest published editions” for the pre-disaster hazard mitigation program.

Without a definition of “latest published editions” for this program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will only consider whether a jurisdiction has adopted the very latest editions of building codes. This will put jurisdictions in a difficult position, pressuring the adoption of the very latest building codes without a thorough vetting and amendment process, resulting in costly code changes that do not contribute to meaningful safety and resiliency improvements.

This legislation passed the House in the 118th Congress and was approved by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs but was never approved by the full Senate.

The early reintroduction of this legislation in the new congressional session signals that lawmakers are prioritizing this important bill. NAHB is committed to working closely with the House to ensure its passage and will also focus on advancing companion legislation in the Senate.