September 2018 Building Connections Magazine

T H E E - M AG A Z I N E O F T H E H B R A O F FA I R F I E L D CO U N TY - S E PT E M B E R 2 0 1 8

FEATURES

UPCOMING

HBRA Clambake Night at the Ballpark Build a Better CT New Trainings & Seminars

Oct 3 - October GMM& CEU Oct 16 - Digital Marketing Simplified Oct 18-19 - OSHA10 Oct 23 - Builder, Brews & Bowling

MEMBER BENEFITS mynpp.com NAHB Benefits MunnCo

T H E E - M AG A Z I N E O F T H E H B R A O F FA I R F I E L D CO U N TY Building Connections is a monthly digital magazine produced and published by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Fairfield County. Inside you will find the latest association news, legislative updates, upcoming events, and featured articles about the industry.

Editorial Staff

Find Us On Social Media

Jackie Bertolone Executive Officer Sarah Iannarone Membership & Events Coordinator Clare Michalak Marketing & Graphics Coordinator

hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com www.buildfairfieldcounty.com

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IN THIS ISSUE HBRA NEWS • Message from the Executive Officer p.6 • Upcoming Events p.7 • HBRA Clambake p. 8 • Yankee Game p.10 • Building for Millennials p.11 • Professional Women in Building p.11 • HBRA Welcomes Steven LoParco p.12 • JM Wright Career Fair p.13 • HBRA Trainings & Certifications p.14 • HBRA Job Bank p.17 • Sunshine Floors Grand Opening p.17 • New Members p.18 BUILDER NEWS • Construction sector embraces apprentices • Millennials are marrying later • 19 candidates for state office make case to realtors, home builders • Associate Appreciation Month

p. 20 p. 20 p. 21 p. 21

NAHB NEWS • Reported Shortage Hits Record 90 Percent • Regulations Account for Nearly One- Third of Multifamily Costs • 2019 IBS Registration Open What You Need to Know About the 20% Pass-Through Deduction • Statement from NAHB Chairman on Trump Tariff Threat • Need for Housing Finance Reform • NAHB Members Call for Increased Recruiting Efforts • Housing Starts Rise Amid Ongoing Affordability Concerns

p. 24 p. 24 p. 25 p. 25 p. 26 p. 26 p. 27 p.27

STATE NEWS • Connecticut’s Fiscal House is Falling Apart Let the Residential Construction Industry Fix it.

• Build a Better CT Advertisers: Acadia Elevator Service Company DiMatteo Group Fairfield County Bank Tooher Ferraris

p. 5 p. 13 p. 16 p. 20 p. 22

p.28 p.30

County TV & Appliance Ed’s Garage Doors Interstate Lumber Marlin Electric Ridgefield Supply

p. 23 p. 25 p. 28 p. 29 p. 32

United Bank Hocon Gas CTC&G Ring’s End

p. 28 p. 33 p. 34 p. 35

2018-19 OFFICERS President Anthony DeRosa DeRosa Builders

Sr. Vice-President Kim DiMatteo DiMatteo Group

Vice President John Hertz

Hertz Construction

Secretary Rob Michaud

The Michaud Group

Immediate Past President Chris Steiner Steiner, Inc.

2018-19 DIRECTORS Propane Pete Battaglio Hocon Gas

Max Bender Bender Supply

Steve Berko

Four Square Build & Design

Michael Church

William Pitt Sotheby’s

Ken DeLeo

Doherty & DeLeo

Brian Kurtz

Interstate Lumber

Steven Roth

Elevator Service Company

Alex Shook

Pella Commercial

Michael Wood

gas

Wood Builders

LIFE DIRECTORS Joanne Carroll JMC Resources

Peter Fusaro Preferred Builders

Jerry Effren The Greyrock Companies

Maureen Hanley United Bank

Gary Fanali City Carting

Michael Palumbo ERI Building & Design

Peter Gaboriault Bear Paw Builders

MEDIA SPONSOR

Thank you to the following VIP Associate Members for their support in 2018. Due to their generosity the Association greatly benefits - from developing new events and educational opportunities for the membership, to keeping our lights on!

HBRA NEWS

Happy Fall to the HBRA! Yesterday we kicked off our first event in a series of seminars and trainings we organized for the fall. The topic—Building for Millennials—peaked the interest of builders, architects, designers, real estate professionals and suppliers to join us for an enlightening conversation on millennials entering the market place, utilizing social media and what millennials are looking for in their new homes.

We hope you will join us for some of the other upcoming seminars over the next few months. If you have an idea for a topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We as an association value education and keeping our members up to date and on trend.

Next week our GMM will be at Ridgefield Supply Company. There will be a free CEU class on Large Opening Doors for architects and builders. The GMM will immediately follow outdoors with interactive vendors, great food and refreshments. We hope to see you there (and don’t forget to register).

October will be a busy month as we will host our next seminar titled Digital Marketing Simplified, OSHA10 and our 2nd annual bowling night—Builders, Brews & Bowling—bring your crew for a fun night out.

As always, if you have any questions, concerns or feedback I would love to hear from you. We are looking forward to a fun fall season with the HBRA! Best,

Jackie L. Bertolone Executive Officer

6 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

MARK YOUR CALENDARS UPCOMING EVENTS

October GMM & CEU Class on Large Opening Doors October 3, 2018 | Ridgefield Supply Company Register

Builders, Brews & Bowling: Bring your crew for a fun night out.

October 23, 2018 | Nutmeg Bowl Register

November GMM & Building Code Changes November 7,2018 | Gault Stone Register

Holiday Party December 5, 2018 | O’Neils Irish Pub

UPCOMING MEETINGS Associates Council October 9, 2018

Membership Committee October 17, 2018

PWB Council October 18, 2018

Interested in joining the newly formed Government Affairs Committee or any of the other committees?

Email Jackie at jackie@buildfairfieldcounty.com SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 7

HBRA NEWS

H B RA E V E N TS

HBRA Clambake SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

8 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

HBRA Clambake We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful night at Penfield Pavilion to enjoy a clambake dinner.

Members and guests enjoyed a full lobster dinner, a raw bar - made possible by Maritime Chevrolet and Ingersoll Auto of Danbury - and several lawn games including cornhole sponsored by Interstate Lumber and Giant Jenga sponsored by Ring’s End. We would like to extend a very big thank you to Marlin Electric for sponsoring the clambake again!

You can see photos from the night below and at the link here.

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 9

HBRA NEWS

H B RA E V E N TS

Yankee Game Thank you everyone who joined us for a wonderful evening at the ballpark! Great people, lots of laughs and a fun time for all! Thank you to our Grand Slam Sponsor, Eastern Metal Works, and our Take Me Out to the Ballgame Sponsor, Ed’s Garage Doors

10 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

Building for Millennials HBRA members and guests including builders, architects, designers and real estate professionals joined us for an exciting panel to discuss Millennials. Carl Bulgini of Fenwick First, Chris Quinn from BK Builders and Denise Walsh of Denise Walsh & Partners, led an enlightening conversation on millennials, the impact they are having on the housing market and what it means for home buying. Also discussed was the use of social media and finding new ways to reach a younger audience. This event was the first in a series of educational trainings and seminars provided by the HBRA.

Professional Women in Building Deane Inc. hosted the September Professional Women in Building Council meeting. The group spent a half hour networking and touring the beautiful show room and then listened to a presentation from Dana Drugo from Daigle & Travers.

Dana was able to present on what you should know about insurance for your home and your business through story telling that made it fun and enjoyable. Another great meeting for the PWB, the newest HBRA council, that now has 38 members in just 9 months. This group has great energy and passion for our industry. For information about joining contact our office.

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 11

HBRA NEWS

DIGITAL MARKETING SIMPLIFIED COURSE DESCRIPTION:

- Simplify your digital presence - SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - why aren’t you doing it!?

- How to use Google advertising - What is the importance of optimizing local listings?

Complimentary Evaluation of website, listings and SEO. A Google AdWords Partner since 2006, Hibu Inc. is a leading provider of digital marketing solutions to local businesses across the US. Through a comprehensive portfolio of services including listings management, website development and management, search engine marketing and optimization, online and mobile display, social campaign creation and management, and directories, Hibu helps businesses compete and succeed online.

REGISTER

HBRA Welcomes New Board Member, Steven LoParco Steve started his own construction firm in 1992, after beginning his real estate career working in Manhattan real estate development. His home building career began with the construction of homes in Putnam County New York in 1993, and then the Fairfield County Connecticut markets in Redding, Newtown and Westport. His first home in Greenwich was built in 1995. Following the tendency of the Greenwich marketplace, his product grew in both size and sophistication. In addition, with the recognition of the Brokerage, Banking and Architectural community, his firm shifted focus from a spec home business to a custom home business. At this time, LoParco Associates focuses on the single family custom home market for both new construction and renovations. Steven has been a HBRA member since 2001.

12 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

PRESENTERS: John May - Hibu Scott Terrizzi - Hibu Shawn Farra - Hibu

DATE:

October 16, 2018 8:00 - 9:30AM

ADDRESS:

Hilton Garden Inn 560 Main Ave Norwalk, CT 06851

PRICING:

HBRA Members: $10 General Admission: $30Based on Availability

Career Fair at J.M. Wright Technical High School HBRA Members in the trades are invited to participate in the annual Career Fair at J.M. Wright Technical High School. Make connections, meet future employees, and learn more about the school!

Schedule: 11:30am - 12:00pm: Participant’s Luncheon, hosted by Culinary Arts and Hospitality 12:30pm - 1:15pm: Career Fair with the senior and freshman classes 1:15pm - 2:00pm: Career Fair with the junior and sophomore classes To RSVP please contact Dean of Students Justin Cosell at 203-674-5846 or justin.cosell@ct.gov.

WE ARE NEW TECHNOLOGIES

IN MOTION As the elevator and lift industry experts, Elevator Service Company is dedicated to finding the prefect product for your application. We offer the most reliable and efficient lift solutions in the industry. Our products come in every finish and option imaginable, so you can add your personal touch.

203-757-5000 www.ElevatorServiceCo.com CT Lic.# ELV. 400105 R1 ~ RI Lic. # 21 MA Lic.# EC-000093 Providing not one, but all Major Manufacturers Equipment

H B R A T R A I N I N G S & C E R T I F I C AT I O N S CEU Class: Centor Large Opening Doors October 3| Ridgefield Supply Click here to register

Digital Marketing Simplified October 16| Hilton Garden Inn Click here to register

OSHA10 October 18 - 19 | Ridgefield Supply Click here to register

Changes to the CT Building Code 2018 November 7| Gault Stone Click here to register

Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS I, II, & III) November 28 - 30 | Rings End Click here to register

Don’t Pay For Your Sub’s Negligence Contractual Risk Transfer Seminar December 7, 2019 Click here to register

CAPS I, II and III Designation (Certified Aging in Place Specialist) Millions of Americans are living longer and more active lives. Because they are embracing newly found and changing lifestyles, they need to revitalize their home environment.

Identifying this burgeoning opportunity and then developing the skills to interact with this market can help you grow your business dramatically.

The Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation is the result of the work of NAHB Remodelers, in conjunction with the NAHB Research Center, 50+ Housing Council. and AARP. The training program equips graduates with the technical, customer service and marketing skills required to effectively service the burgeoning market for aging in place home modifications.

Instructor: Alan Hanbury, CGR, CAPS, CGP, GMR, MBA House of Hanbury, Inc.

COURSE INFORMATION 14 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

Ridgefield Supply Company 29 Prospect Street Ridgefield, CT October 3, 2018 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

CEU for Builders & Architects 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

General Membership Meeting $20 HBRA Members $50 General Admission

Attention builders & architects - join us for a free CEU class, Large Opening Doors: Function, Control, and Integration, presented by Centor. All attendees are welcome to stay after for the GMM. Preregistration is required.

The GMM will feature four special vendors outdoors for an interactive and educational event featuring special new products and trends. Click here to read more about the vendors.

The October GMM is hosted by Ridgefield Supply Company. Food & beverages will be provided by Fairfield County Bank.

Looking for Building Material Donations

JM Wright Technical High School is looking for building material donations for our E-House project to be built and maintained by students. Any donation large or small is greatly appreciated. We specifically need anchor bolts, lumber, nails and screws Please contact: Mike Buonocore, CAD Instructor, 203-324-7363 x5717 or Phil Bodey, Carpentry Instructor/ Dept. Head, 203-324-7363 x57

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 15

16 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

HBRA RESOURCES JOB TITLE: Front End

Hours: Full Time Start Date: ASAP Job Description: Greet customers, ring sales, answer the phone, keep on top of supplies and need to be able to multi task! 5 days a week, including at least one weekend day.

Contact: Maureen Rooney Lillian August 203-847-1596, ext. 6043

JOB TITLE: Cafe

Hours: Full Time & Part Time Start Date: ASAP Job Description: Staff the cafe, ordering, balance out at night, keep on top of new items, etc.

Contact: Maureen Rooney Lillian August 203-847-1596, ext. 6043

HBRA JOB BANK

GRAND OPENING PARTY

Thursday October 18th 3pm-6pm 147 Selleck Street Stamford, CT. 06902

Food Drinks Friends Entertainment

www.shwfloors.com

Please RSVP to office@shwfloors.com

HBRA NEW MEMBERS Johnny Schwartz Able Construction

Johnny started his career in the financial industry and joined Able ten years ago. Johnny has established a stellar reputation as a considerate and thorough leader among both our clients and contractors. Johnny is known for a hands-on approach with all of his projects... READ MORE

Todd Director

Connecticut Lighting Centers Inc. Connecticut Lighting Centers was established in 1972 in Hartford, CT by Arthur Director along with a staff of six employees. The store was the first in the area to promote the “lighting center” concept – a store solely committed to the sale of lighting fixtures, decorative tables, floor lamps, paddle fans, and accessories... READ MORE

James Sweeney

HomeTronics Lifestyles For over 30 years, Hometronics Lifestyles has been designing and installing custom home electronic systems for our customers. This includes home automation, lighting control, wholehouse audio/ video systems, and home theater systems. All of this tech give our clients control, convenience and luxury at their home... READ MORE

Peter Olsen

Olsen Built Homes LLC Olsen Built Homes, LLC has been providing quality residential building services to New Haven and Fairfield counties of Connecticut since 1986. Owner and customer builder, Peter Olsen, has been involved in the construction business since he was a young man... READ MORE

18 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

Tammy Crosby

The House Designers The House Designers represents the leading residential architects and designers in the country offering the most popular, construction-ready and builder approved house plans in America.

Be confident that you are buying from a trusted source as satisfied clients have built homes from our plans in every state in the U.S. and in 56 countries around the globe... READ MORE

Antonio Stella

Vanderblue Team; Higgins Group Consumer-centric to our core, The Vanderblue Team focuses on increasing and enhancing the value we bring to our many buyers, sellers, renters and investors. This is achieved by collaborating our efforts in order to provide a higher level of skill and experiential knowledge... READ MORE

Valentin Lopes

Valentin Construction & Development LLC Valentin Construction & Development LLC is a Professional Contractor Company serving Fairfield County, New Haven County and Greenwich. We are a family owned & operated Company. Fully Bonded, Licensed and Insured. Our past projects include both new construction and repairs/restorations. Occupied and fully operational job sites are never a problem. We also plan, manage, and build multi-phase jobs..... READ MORE

Welcome new affiliates:

Jeff Bickel Anthony Capua

Rich Greenawalt, Brenda Neufeld

Carla Snowdon

Connecticut Lighting Centers Inc.

Northeast Builders Supply & Home Centers

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 19

BUILDER NEWS Millennials are marrying later, but that’s not exactly bad for homebuilders, Toll Brothers CEO says Millennials may be frequently blamed for destroying industries like brick-and-mortar retail, but their habits aren’t exactly bad for homebuilders like Toll Brothers, the luxury construction company’s CEO told CNBC on Tuesday.

Construction sector embraces apprentices Connecticut, like many other states, is experiencing a shortage of carpenters, brick masons, steelworkers, electricians, heating, air conditioning and ventilation installers, and other residentialconstruction skilled tradespeople.

And, as it has partnered with its manufacturers to create and enhance skills development through apprenticeship training, Connecticut’s labor overseer offers an ongoing apprenticeship development program to the building trades.

Connecticut’s building-trades employment routinely oscillates, according to the season and often in step with the state and national economies, observers say.

The 2008 near-global financial collapse, and the subsequent U.S. Great Recession greatly eroded demand for new homes and buildings here and in other states.

The result was “you lost a generation of workers entering into the construction field,” says Ellington home builder Eric Santini, who is president of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Connecticut.

Filling that construction-skills gap will take time, but the state Department of Labor says such training is underway in both the public and private sectors.

According to Todd Berch, who is the state Department of Labor’s apprenticeship manager, there are between 5,000 and 5,500 men and women enrolled in two- to four-year construction apprentice training programs. Those who successfully complete the training, Berch said, are then eligible to apply to take the state’s journeymen licensing examination Read More 20 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

“We know they’re marrying later, so they’re buying homes later, but that also means they’re wealthier when they buy,” CEO Douglas Yearley told “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer in an interview.

CNBC reported in July that today, just 57 percent of firsttime homebuyers are married, compared with 75 percent in 1985.

That trend could lead to more millennials being able to afford Toll Brothers’ higher end homes, a boon for the company, Yearley told Cramer.

“If not, they’re going to buy the homes from our buyers, because ... while we’re not selling the starter home, that’s in our food chain. We need that to be healthy,” the CEO added.

Read More

19 candidates for state office make case to realtors, home builders

Associate Appreciation Month

Norwich — Nineteen candidates for the Connecticut General Assembly on Wednesday morning addressed a meeting of the Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors and the Home Builder and Remodelers Association of Eastern Connecticut, each giving a twominute plea for why people should vote for him or her.

Since 1981, September has been designated as NAHB’s Associate Member Appreciation Month — an annual celebration of Associate member contributions to the NAHB Federation and the home building industry. Designating September as Associate Appreciation Month is just one way of providing the muchdeserved visibility and recognition to our invaluable Associate members.

The lineup included 15 Republicans and four Democrats. The 15 races represented are for seats currently held by eight Republicans and seven Democrats.

Recurrent messages included stressing the need for workforce development, decrying tax and toll proposals, and calling for an end to regulations that hold back businesses.

“The people in power spend too much, they borrow too much, they tax too much,” said Rep. Doug Dubitsky, R-Chaplin. “We need to change that.”

Both Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, and John Scott, the Republican hoping to retake the 40th House District seat he held before losing to Christine Conley in 2016, spoke in favor of rolling back the conveyance tax and against implementing tolls.

Read More

What are the Goals of Associate Member Appreciation Month?

To honor and thank Associate members for their contributions to the association Read More

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 21

Because you need the solution before the problem.

Your business is one that deserves to be protected, and our job is to minimize risk.

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From general contractor construction liability and workers compensation, to commercial automobile insurance, subcontractor risk transfer, and OSHA compliance assistance, our high-touch service is delivered with honesty, integrity, and dependability.

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Did you see our most recent mailing?

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 23

NAHB NEWS Regulations Account for Nearly One-Third of Multifamily Costs, Builders Tell Congress Layers of excessive regulation translate into higher rents, reduced affordability for consumers and on average, account for almost one-third of a multifamily project’s development and building costs, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Congress today.

Reported Shortage of Rough Carpentry Contractors Hits Record 90 Percent Labor and subcontractor shortages became even more widespread in July of 2018 than they were a year earlier, according to single-family builders who responded to special questions on the survey for the NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index.

The July 2018 survey asked builders about shortages in 15 specific occupations that were either recommended by Home Builders Institute or other key stakeholders. Shortages of labor directly employed by builders were at least fairly widespread for each of the 15 occupations, ranging from a low of 47 percent for building maintenance managers to a high of 83 percent for rough carpenters.

However, on the typical home building project, three-fourths of the construction cost represents work performed by subcontractors. For that reason, it is particularly significant that, in the 2018 survey, the incidence of shortages was higher for subcontractors than for labor directly employed by builders in 14 of the 15 occupations.

At the bottom of the charts, the shortage incidence was the same (47 percent) for building maintenance managers, whether subcontracted or directly employed by builders. For weatherization workers, the spread was 2 percentage points (50 percent for subcontractors vs. 48 percent for labor directly employed). For the other 13 occupations, the incidence of the shortage was 4 to 9 percentage points higher for subcontractors.

Read More 24 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

Testifying on behalf of NAHB before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, Steve Lawson, chairman of The Lawson Companies based in Virginia, said that overregulation of the housing industry is felt at every phase of the building process.

“It results from local, state and federal mandates,” said Lawson.

“It includes the cost of applying for zoning and subdivision approval, environmental mitigation, and permit, hook-up, impact and other government fees paid by the builder. In many cases, these projects become financially infeasible and, therefore, are not built.”

The congressional hearing on regulatory burdens on multifamily housing development was spurred in large part due to a new study

by NAHB and National Multifamily Housing Council called Multifamily Cost of Regulation that details how regulatory costs account for 32 percent of the cost of developing new multifamily properties.

Read More

2019 International Builders’ Show Registration What You Need to Know About the Open 20% Pass-Through Special Registration Discounts Offered Through September Deduction The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) officially opened online registration today for the 2019 NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS), the largest annual light construction trade show in the world.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the show will return to the Las Vegas Convention Center, Feb. 19-21, after a two-year stint in Orlando, Fla. The 2019 IBS will again co-locate with the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA) Kitchen & Bath Industry Show® (KBIS) for the 6th annual Design & Construction Week® (DCW). The two shows are expected to host more than 2,000 exhibiting brands spanning over a million net square feet of exhibit space, for the largest annual gathering of the residential design and construction industry.

“As we kick off our 75th anniversary of the International Builders’ Show, we are thrilled to bring even more exciting offerings to our attendees than ever before,” said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel, a custom home builder from LaPlace, La. “There is truly nowhere else that you can find such an array of innovative products, education sessions, special events and networking opportunities all in one place.

Read More

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed into law late last year created a new section of the tax code that provides a 20% deduction for “qualified business income” generated by pass-through entities such as LLCs, partnerships and S-corporations.

The law went a long way to help small business owners compete, but lefty a bevy of unanswered questions.

Though some questions remain, the IRS provided significant clarity last month when it published proposed regulations and a related notice regarding the 20% pass-through deduction.

Read More

B E A U T Y. ELEGANCE. STRENGTH. Our Aluminum Doors Will Surprise You. Ed’s Garage Doors offers a broad selection of aluminum doors that are the perfect complement to your home.

Visit our showroom to see many exclusive aluminum doors on display, and talk with a design expert about our countless in-stock and custom options.

Showroom Hours: Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Evenings: Sunday:

By appointment Closed 136 Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06854 203-847-1284 edsgaragedoors.com

®

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 25

NAHB NEWS Statement from NAHB Chairman Randy Noel on Trump Tariff Threat

Need for Housing Finance Reform

Randy Noel, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder from LaPlace, La., today issued the following statement after President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on an additional $267 billion worth of Chinese goods:

With Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now marking their tenth year of conservatorship, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today called on Congress to make it a priority to enact comprehensive reform to the nation’s housing finance system.

“Though well-intentioned, President Trump’s threat to slap an additional $267 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods will be counterproductive by raising costs for millions of American consumers and businesses that rely on these products, including home builders.

These tariffs would be in addition to $200 billion worth of proposed tariffs that are already in the pipeline and could act as a tax increase of up to $2.5 billion on the residential construction industry.

“Currently, tariffs on steel imports and Canadian lumber shipments into the U.S. are needlessly increasing the cost of building materials and exacerbating the housing affordability crisis. Rather than escalating the situation, NAHB respectfully urges the administration to move quickly to resolve these trade disputes in a manner that won’t tax American workers and consumers.”

Read More

“To ensure a stable housing finance system that will support the future of homeownership and affordable multifamily housing in America, Congress must fix the structural flaws inherent in Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s government charters that contributed to the housing finance crisis.”

Read More

Register in September for free admission!

The NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) is the largest annual light construction show in the world. The 2018 show welcomed 60,000 visitors from 100 countries. As a member of the HBRA you can register for free.

Register for IBS Once you register, the site will direct you to hotel options, monorail passes and additional events. Discounts on hotels, airfare and car rentals are provided for HBRA members.

The official hotel for the HBRA of CT is the MGM Grand. There are many other options you can view here.

26 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

With a Dearth of Women in the Construction Industry, NAHB Members Call for Increased Recruiting Efforts to Help Address the Labor Shortage According to labor force statistics from the Current Population Survey and analyzed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the share of women in the construction industry is currently at 9 percent, although women make up almost half—47 percent—of the total working population. While female construction employment slowly picked up to around 970,000 in 2017 after the Great Recession, it is still below the pre-recession level of 1.1 million in 2007.

In recognition of Professional Women in Building (PWB) Week from Sept. 17 – 21, members of NAHB are calling for an increase in recruiting efforts to attract women to the home building industry. As the residential construction industry continues to grapple with a severe labor shortage, PWB members say bringing additional women into the construction labor force represents a potential opportunity for the future Read More

Housing Starts Rise Amid Ongoing Affordability Concerns Total housing starts increased 9.2 percent in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.28 million units, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department.

The August reading of 1.28 million is the number of housing units builders would start if they maintained this pace for the next 12 months.

Within this overall number, singlefamily starts increased 1.9 percent to 876,000 units. Meanwhile, the multifamily sector—which includes apartment buildings and condos— increased 29.3 percent to a total of 408,000.

5 3/4"

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View and download profiles at interstatelumber.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 27

STATE NEWS Connecticut’s Fiscal House is Falling Apart.

Let the Residential Construction Industry Fix it.

By Jim Perras, CEO of the HBRACT On September 12th, I conducted a short presentation before a joint meeting of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Eastern Connecticut and the Eastern Connecticut Realtors Association (HBRAECT/ECAR). In attendance at the meeting were 20 area candidates vying for various state senate and state representative seats to our General Assembly. My message to these candidates was a simple one. Connecticut government must unshackle our industry by freeing us from burdensome regulations and counterproductive land use laws that act as barriers to development. By doing so our industry will help raise Connecticut out of its fiscal calamity.

How is this possible you ask? Simply put, “Housing starts are a leading economic indicator”. This short yet meaningful statement cannot be over stated. A healthy housing industry can pull a sluggish economy out of a recession. On the flip side, a lethargic housing industry can strangle an otherwise healthy economy.

We need not look further than our own backyard to see a glaring example of this economic truth revealed. Nationally, housing has enjoyed a boom cycle in recent years and the economy has been chugging along. Conversely, in Connecticut, single family housing starts have remained at recession levels since the bottom fell out in 2009. As reported by Census.gov, single family housing starts have hovered just under 2500 annually since 2009. In a healthy economic climate our industry should be producing around 9500 homes a year in our state. During this same time Connecticut has suffered from a shrinking population, an anemic economy and falling home prices.

When the next General Assembly begins its work in January it will be facing a $2 billion dollar deficit in the first year of the biennium alone. If our industry was currently building at pre-recession levels of around 9500 homes a year, we would: •

Create 31,730 jobs annually;

•

Generate $2.8 billion in wages annually; and

•

Produce $447 million in tax, fees and charges.

Our industry could help to cure what ails our state government. The new governor and legislature can clear the way to a revival of our industry and consequently a more stable and fiscally sound state government by: •

Ensuring adequate and affordable financing for developers;

•

Reforming our arcane and counterproductive land use laws;

•

Reducing permitting times and burdensome regulations;

•

Providing for municipal property tax relief for homes under construction; and

•

Aiding with workforce development.

Connecticut’s budget chief famously stated in 2015 that Connecticut finds itself in a, “permanent fiscal crisis”. Not much has changed since he made that statement. The home builders of Connecticut are here to say that Connecticut’s lagging economy does not need to be in a state of permanence. Our state economy and our housing market are intrinsically linked. As one suffers so does the other. As such, it stands, that one can lift the other. Help us fix Connecticut’s economy by creating an environment that our businesses can thrive and build in. Together we can remodel Connecticut’s fiscal house.

28 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

September 27, 2018 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM 5 Churches Brewing 193 Arch Street New Britain, CT The three candidates for Governor will join us to present their plan for Connecticut and what they see for our state’s future. Each candidate will address the membership and then take questions. Enjoy the fresh craft beer of 5 Churches Brewing and be part of the most important election in Connecticut’s history.

$50 per person includes fresh craft beer, food and souvenir glass

REGISTER

SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 29

STATE NEWS

Build A Better CT

Senate Republican President Pro Tempore, Len Fasano, and legislative leaders of relevant housing committees joined the HBRA of CT for a fundraising event to help elect pro-business candidates this fall. Members from all four local Home Builders Associations in Connecticut were in attendance to support these efforts. This fundraiser does not mean the HBRA is aligning with one party – rather it is an admission that the status quo that has left CT behind the rest of the country is not good enough. While neighboring MA has recovered 400% of their jobs lost during the great recession, our state has only recovered 86%. Connecticut is in need of new leadership that will put an emphasis on growing the economy which will allow businesses to succeed. Our industry can be a big part of that growth.

State elections for Governor, Lt. Governor, Treasurer, Comptroller, Secretary of State, Attorney General and the state senate and house will be held on Tuesday, November 6th. To get involved, or for more information please contact Jackie.

30 HBRA of Fairfield County | SEPTEMBER 2018

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& BOWLING BUILDERS, BREWS

Bring your crew for a fun night out!

50/50 Cash Raffle!

OCTOBER 23, 2018

Last year the winner walked away with $250!

Nutmeg Bowl Fairfield, CT 6 - 8:30PM

Basket Raffle

Brew Sponsor: $750

- Official beverage sponsor for the evening - Logo on cups for all attendees - Logo on screens at each lane - Company logo on e-blast and registration page - 12 raffle tickets - Team of 6 bowlers with shoe rental - Food and 2 pitchers of beer for your team

Dessert Sponsor: $375

- Delicious Donut Crazy Donuts for all guests to enjoy after bowling - Signage at the event - Logo on registration page - A company rep may hand out donuts to the teams

Awards Sponsor: $250

- Signage at the event - Logo on registration page - A company rep may hand out awards to the winners

Team Sponsor: $375 - Shoes and lane for 6 bowlers - Food and 2 pitchers of beer - 6 raffle tickets - Company name on tv screen

Individual Bowler: $40 (will be matched with other guests)

Raffle Sponsor

- Donate raffle prize - Draw winning ticket & hand out prize - Signage at the event SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 35

- Lane & Shoes - Food and 2 pitchers of beer in your lane

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SEPTEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 36