Building Codes Bill Championed by NAHB Introduced in House

Codes and Standards
Published
Contact: Heather Voorman
[email protected]
AVP, Government Affairs
(202) 266-8425

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.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Environmental Issues

May 30, 2025

NAHB Members Provide Final Recommendations for New WOTUS Rule

NAHB members concluded their participation in multiple “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) listening sessions with strong showings in Washington, D.C., and Salt Lake City. In total, 12 NAHB members and four staff members from NAHB and state home builder associations (HBAs), representing 11 states, provided oral statements at listening sessions.

Workforce Development

May 30, 2025

Statement from NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes on DOL Decision to Pause Job Corps Center Operations

NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes issued the following statement after the Department of Labor announced it was pausing Job Corps center operations nationwide.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

May 30, 2025

Multifamily Absorption Moves Lower for New Apartments

The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months after completion continued to trend lower, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA).

Economics

May 29, 2025

Treasury Yield Increase Drives Mortgage Rates Higher in May

Mortgage rates continued their upward trend in May due to market volatility triggered by fiscal concerns and weaker U.S. Treasury demand. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.82% — a 9-basis-point (bps) increase from April. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage increased by 5 bps to 5.95%.

Economics

May 28, 2025

Aging-in-Place Remodeling Work Fell While Familiarity and Receptiveness Remain High

Only 56% of professional remodelers undertake projects designed to allow homeowners to Age-in-Place (AIP), according to results from NAHB’s Q1 2025 Remodeling Market Index (RMI) survey.