Green building and energy conservation are now more commonplace in the United States with State and Local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) adopting some version of the International Code Council’s (ICC) suite of...more
Builders and contractors often come to me with the same questions and concerns related to legal issues. Over the years I’ve noticed the following common legal questions from construction professionals. ...more
Absence of Private Activity Bonds from House Tax Proposal Could Hurt Affordable Housing - While a lot of people are discussing the ways in which the tax proposals coming out of Congress will impact personal and corporate...more
According to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, home builders have ratcheted up construction in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.135 million units. This is a 20.2% increase from March and...more
On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the National Association of Home Builders’ and three other associations’ (collectively, NAHB) challenge to separate settlements...more
In an interesting, but not really difficult, decision on Tuesday, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the National Association of Home Builders did not have standing to challenge a consent decree pursuant to which...more
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently released its Leading Market Index (LMI) on November 6th. The report revealed that out of 350 metros evaluated across the country, 59 housing markets have returned to...more
Companies and trade associations involved in setting industry standards should take note of a recent decision out of the Eastern District of Virginia this month. ...more
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released on July 16th increased to 53. That is up four points from the June figure of 49 and represents the first time since January that the...more
Good news for the homebuilding industry came earlier this week when the National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo released the housing market index. Its numbers showed that homebuilders’ confidence rose to 49 points...more
Following the increase of green buildings in the commercial real estate sector, green homes have become a hot trend among homebuilders. According to the “Green Multifamily & Single Family Homes: Growth in a Recovering Market”...more
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently released its Leading Market Index (LMI) on June 5th. The report revealed that out of 350 metros evaluated across the country, 56 housing markets have returned to or...more
Blocked streets, noisy construction and unwelcome trash can be just a few of the inconveniences that come along with a neighbor’s new home construction or home remodeling. However, a report released in early May by the...more
Recently, the Ninth Circuit sitting en banc issued a landmark decision regarding the consultation provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The consultation provisions require any federal agency that authorizes, funds or...more
Last Tuesday, April 20, 2014, Arizona’s Governor, Jan Brewer, signed HB 2018 into law. This bill closes a long-standing loophole that allowed commercial homebuilders to take advantage of Arizona’s anti-deficiency statute,...more
On April 15th, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), a widely followed gauge of the outlook for the U.S. housing sector. ...more
On March 6th, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its Leading Market Index (LMI). The report indicates that out of 350 metro areas evaluated across the country, 59 housing markets have returned to or...more
Daily Environment Report announced yesterday that EPA notified BNA that, late last year, EPA reached a settlement with the Utility Water Act Group and the National Association of Home Builders resolving litigation over EPA’s...more