NCBIA February 2023 BUILDER Newsletter

North Coast Building Industry Association (NCBIA) BUILDER newsletter is the official newsletter of the NCBIA and is published monthly by the NCBIA. The NCBIA is an affiliate of the Ohio Home Builders Association (OHBA) & the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

NCBIA Office

5077 Waterford Dr. Suite 302 Sheffield Village, OH 44035 Phone: 440.934.1090

info@ncbia.com | www.ncbia.com

NCBIA Staff Executive Officer

Judie Docs | judie@ncbia.com

Executive Assistant

LaBreeska Bellan | labreeskancbia@gmail.com

Marketing Associate

Ashlyn Bellan | ashlynncbia@gmail.com

Advertising Policy - The North Coast Building Industry Association reserves the right to reject advertising in the Builder newsletter based on content. Acceptance of advertising does not imply endorsement of the product or service advertised.

NCBIA Life Directors

Bob Yost, Dale Yost Construction

Chris Majzun Jr., Majzun Construction Co.

Chris Majzun Sr., Majzun Construction Co.

Jack Kousma, Kousma Insulation

Jeff Hensley, Lake Star Building & Remodeling

Jeremy Vorndran, 84 Lumber

Jim Sprague, Maloney + Novotny, LLC

Liz Schneider Dollar Bank

Mary H. Felton, Guardian Title

Randy Strauss, Strauss Construction

Tom Caruso, Caruso Cabinets

Tom Lahetta, Tom Lahetta Builders, Inc.

2023 NAHB Delegates

These are our members who represent our local industry in Washington DC and Columbus:

Randy Strauss, Strauss Construction

Jason Rodriguez, The S.J.R Building Co.

2023 NCBIA Officers President

Tim King, K. Hovnanian Homes - Ohio Division Vice President

Mike Meszes, DRC Construction Co.

Associate Vice President

John Toth, Floor Coverings International Treasurer

Melanie Stock, First Federal Savings of Lorain Secretary

Mike Gidich, MDG Maintenance LLC.

Immediate Past President

Sara Majzun, Majzun Construction Co.

2023 NCBIA Board of Directors

Sam Hudspath, All Construction Services

Kevin Walker, Great Lakes Properties & Investments

Dave Linna, Linna Homes & Remodeling

Jason Rodriguez, The S.J.R Building Co.

Jon Sherer, Paraprin Construction

Brian Schwab, RestorePro, Inc.

Dave Weisenberger, Tusing Builders & Roofing Services

NAHB Senior Life Delegate

Randy Strauss, Strauss Construction

Ohio’s State Rep. to NAHB

Randy Strauss, Strauss Construction

OHBA Past Presidents

Randy Strauss, 1996

2023 OHBA Trustees

Tim King, K. Hovnanian Homes - Ohio Division

Sara Majzun, Majzun Construction Co.

Mary Felton, Guardian Title (alternate)

OHBA Area 2 Vice-President

Ric Johnson, CAPS Builder & Right at Home Technologies

Table of Contents

26 - Eye on the Economy: Higher Rates will Weaken the Strong Start for 2023

27 - Eye on Housing: Additional Declines for New Home Size

2023 NCBIA Home & Remodeling Show THANK YOU SPONSORS!

28 - Eye on the Economy: Fed Downshifts, But Inflation Risks Remain

29 - Eye on Housing: Custom Home Building Posts Small Gain in 2022

30-31 - NEW!! Speedway Credit Card Information & Flyer

32 - Eye on Housing: Market Share of All-Cash New Home Sales Hits 32-Year High

33 - New!! Lorain County JVS, Spring Career Fair

32 - Eye on Housing: OMB Proposes Standards on Building Materials Made in America

36 - NAHB Now: Boosting Housing Production is the Best Way to Ease the Affordability Crisis

37-452023 Marketing Guide

46State Rep's Report Randy Strauss

47-48March General Membership Meeting Flyer

49 - Thanks for Renewing! Sorry to See You Go! "What Members are Saying"

50 - Thank You Spikes!

51OHBA Executive VP Column

52NAHB Member Savings

53 - Sedgwick on: Stress in the Workplace

54 - NAHB Now: Final WOTUS Rule a Blow to Housing Affordability, NAHB Tells Congress

55 - Sedgwick on: Sedgwick Statewide Seminars Return in April

56 - New!! HBA REBATES!

57-Legislative Review

55 - Sedgwick on: Client Safety Webinars

HOW CAN WE HELP?

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Contact Ashlyn Bellan at ashlynncbia@gmail.com

NEED SOMETHING ELSE? JUST ASK!

For more information on any of these products & services, please contact the NCBIA Office at (440)934-1090 or email judie@ncbia.com

Save the Date!

Want to be a sponsor for any of these events? Let us know! Sponsor early to get maximum exposure!!!!!

Call or email Judie at judie@ncbia.com for marketing opportunities to help your bottom line!!!!!

Wednesday, March 15th March General Membership Meeting

5:00-7:00 PM

"What the Road Lies Ahead.... An NAHB Economic Forecast" Lorain County Community College John A. Spitzer Conference Center 1005 Abbe Road, Elyria

Do you have some business news to share? Business anniversaries, accomplishments, awards, publications, etc.? Send to judie@ncbia.com. We want to hear from you!

2023 Marketing Guide

Give Judie a call if you would like to meet and/or Discuss our 2023 Marketing Guide (440-934-1090, option 2 or email judie@ncbia.com)

2023 Marketing Guide

CLICK HERE

If you would like to participate in a committee, please email Judie Docs at judiencbia@gmail.com.

Check the website at www.ncbia.com for up-to-date changes, additions, and corrections to these events!

Congratulations to OHBA's Vince Squillace, named the National Association of Home Builders 2022 State Executive Officer of the Year!

$7.00 / ea contact judie@ncbia.com to order

Your New Home and How to Take Care of It has an inviting new look and continues to be a perfect customer handout at closing. Remember: customer care is the key to a builder’s warranty program.

2023 RECAP So Far

I hope you are all doing well. It has been a busy start to 2023 as February followed behind January with a couple big events.

First, our Home Show drew in a nice crowd of over 50 vendors. I want to thank our sponsors 84 Lumber, AMC Contracting Group, MDG Maintenance LLC, E.H. Roberts, US Bank and Floor Coverings International. Also, our home show committee (Sara, John, Jeremy, and Joe), the NCBIA staff, and all of the vendors. This event would not be possible without all of them. In addition to home show vendors this year, we included a booth made possible through our workforce development committee dedicated to Build Across America. There wereactivitiesforchildrenandinformationonCareersinConstruction. Kids got to build gingerbread houses, bird houses, bird feeders, butterfly houses and barns. Equipped with safety glasses and kid’s hammer they went to town, did a great job and we just may have some future builders. They left with their project and some goodies such as the book The House That She Built.Aspecial thanks to all of those that donated time to help with it (including Richard Bancroft, 2023 OHBA President) and to our sponsors 84 Lumber, First Federal Savings of Lorain, First National Bank, Floor Coverings International, K Hovnanian Homes, Reaser Construction, The Nelson Agency/Hastings Mutual, and Union Home Mortgage. It was a nice addition that received lots of recognition.

Tim King, K. Hovnanian Homes

Next,wastheOHBASpringBoardandOrganizationalMeeting.Itwasapleasuretomeetsomegreatpeople from around our industry and to see the local representation we have with OHBA. Richard Bancroft as president,JasonScottandRicJohnsonareavicepresidents,RandyStraussasNAHBstaterepresentative, Sara Majzun as membership chair, Judie Docs as executive officers rep (both appointed to the OHBA Executive Committee), and John Eavenson as developers co-chair. Some important takeaways I had from the meetings that I want to share. One, let’s not take for granted what the OHBA is doing for us at a state and national level for us locally. If you do not take the time to read the information on the battles that go on behind the scenes such as codes, environmental, utilities, or many of the senate bills they are watching on our behalf, know that they have our best interest in mind. We need to assure we continue to support what they are doing and get involved with any support we can provide. Second, was the importance of us engaging with and finding the next generation of members to keep these great associations prosperous for generations to come. Lastly, what can we do to assure that we take advantage of resources available to us through the NAHB and OHBA and how do we all work together We have to find a way to communicate better with our members and our leadership. I encourage you all to attend some state and national meetings where you will have the opportunity to learn and participate where you can. Here are upcoming NAHB and OHBA events: You are welcome to gather with NAHB leadership for the 2023 Spring Leadership and Legislative Conference June 6-10, in Washington D.C. OHBA Summer Board Meeting will take place at the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center, June 20-22. Information about both meetings is forthcoming and we will advise of the details and how to register to attend. Looking forward, we have the general membership meeting with an Economic Forecast presented by a NAHB economist on March 15th and in May the education committee is working to set up a day with several educational seminars. I hope to see many of you in attendance at these.

by Judie Docs, CSP, MCSP, MIRM, CMP, CGP

EXCITING But Exhausting

After a three-year absence, the International Builders' Show returned to Las Vegas from January 31 - February 2, 2023 and delivered as promised, "The biggest Builders’ Show since 2008", with lots of the latest cutting-edge products, services, inspiring education sessions, demonstrations, networking events and awards celebrations. Showcasing the latest and most in-demand products and services, the NAHB International Builders' Show is the largest annual light construction show in the world.

Bringing together top manufacturers and suppliers from around the world showcasing the latest and most in-demand products and services at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Featuring the co-location of the NAHB International Builders' Show (IBS) and NKBA's Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, Surfaces Show, Hardware Show and World Market, the 2023 Design & Construction Week drew nearly approximately 200,000 building industry professionals from around the globe and nearly 2,000 exhibitors occupying more than one million square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibits.

My trip started on Sunday, January 29 with many Executive Officer sessions including the sharing of new ideas from other local associations across the country, forums from like sized associations as the NCBIA, Executive Officers Installation and many more opportunities to learn new ideas & network.

Other education sessions are always an attendee favorite, as you walk away with the latest trends, newest techniques, forward thinking business strategies and actionable items you can apply to your business right away. Some of the featured speakers included:

Seth Hart, DTJ Design, Seth's two-decade career of architecture and planning projects across the nation brought a fresh perspective and passion for lifestyle living and artistic design. He is the recipient of numerous award-winning projects as a result of his forward-thinking approach to residential architecture and is an ongoing contributor to Professional Builder Magazine.

Chelsey Keenan, Digital Marketing Director, Group Two Advertising, a full-service ad agency for homebuilders across the country. She is a seasoned speaker on topics such as online sales and social media at IBS, Builder 20 group meetings, NAHB Association Management Conference and recently was a finalist in NAHB's Young Professional Award and was selected to Professional Builder's 40 Under 40.

Deana Vidal, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, a leader at the New Home Trends Institute, she and the NHTI team focus on design, consumer and trend tracking nationally

CR Herro, CEO AR Homes, leads an innovative custom home company that established bestin-class standards in luxury home building. He is on the RESNET ANSI Standard Development Committee, technical committee for Leading Builders of America, and an active member in the Housing Innovation Alliance. He speaks nationally to advance the industry regulations, and associated stakeholders in adopting credible improvements to the function, performance, and value of new homes.

EXCITING But Exhausting

Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, Zonda, the largest homebuilding tech company in North America. Ali manages and analyzes the content for Zonda, runs special research projects, strategizes with the nation's largest homebuilders, presents nationwide covering topics across the housing market and wider economy. Highly regarded as an industry expert, Ali is quoted frequently in national publications including CNBS, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Yahoo! Finance, has appeared on Bloomberg TV and Marketplace, and is an advisor to the White House, providing data and insights on the U.S. housing market. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from The Ohio State University in Economics and a Master's Degree from the London School of Economics in Real Estate Economics and Finance.

These sessions were fantastic, but I have to admit my favorite was Opening Ceremony speaker, Mike Rowe. He is known for his work on the Discovery Channel series Dirty Jobs and the series Somebody's Gotta Do It (originally developed for CNN). His mission is to close the skills gap (which is wider than it has ever been) by challenging the stigmas and stereotypes that discourage people from pursuing the millions of available jobs in the trades. There are more than 7 million jobs available across the country, the majority of which don't require a four-year degree. There is a misguided belief that a career in the skilled trades shouldn't be desired, and that has reshaped our expectations of a good job into something that no longer resembles work. The push for higher education (which is good for some) has resulted with the removal of vocational arts from high schools nationwide. The effects of this have laid the foundation for a widening skills gap and massive student loan debt. He talked about "Mike Rowe Works" and how this organization debunks the myths and misperceptions about the trade and helps close the skills gap. NAHB & HBI donated $100,000 to his worthwhile mission. Mike received a well-deserved standing ovation for his informative and engaging session.

I did leave before the Spike Concert featuring Sheryl Crow which I heard was great from those that attended.

That's a wrap for the 2023 International Builders Show and I am excited to see what the 2024 show will bring.

Build Across America Build Across America

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This Book was inspired by a team of women who came together from around the country to build a one-of-a-kind home in Utah

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Housing Production Lags

BY: ROBERT DIETZ

The missing middle construction sector includes development of medium-density housing, such as townhouses, duplexes and other small multifamily properties.

While townhouse construction has trended higher in recent quarters, the multifamily segment of the missing middle (apartments in 2- to 4-unit properties) has disappointed. For 2021, there were only 12,000 starts of such residences. This is flat from 2020, during a period of time when most construction segments expanded. For 2022, the total increased but to only 16,000. Nonetheless, this marks the best year for this type of multifamily construction since the Great Recession.

For the fourth quarter of 2022, there were just 3,000 2- to 4-unit housing unit construction starts. This is flat from a year prior.

As a share of all multifamily production, 2- to 4-unit development was only 2.2% of the total for the fourth quarter. In contrast, from 2000 to 2010, such home construction made up a little less than 11% of total multifamily construction. Construction of the missing middle has clearly lagged during the post-Great Recession period and will continue to do so without zoning reform focused on light-touch density.

NEW HOME SALES UP IN JANUARY but Higher Rates Signal Further Weakness

Declining mortgage rates and home prices in January, coupled with home builders use of sales incentives, helped boost new home sales last month. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated sales of newly built, single-family homes in January at a 670,000 seasonally adjusted annual pace, which is a 7.2% increase over upwardly revised December rate of 625,000 but is 19.4% below the January 2022 estimate of 831,000.

A new home sale occurs when a sales contract is signed or a deposit is accepted. The home can be in any stage of construction: not yet started, under construction or completed. In addition to adjusting for seasonal effects, the January reading of 670,000 units is the number of homes that would sell if this pace continued for the next 12 months.

New single-family home inventory declined in January but remained elevated at a 7.9 months’ supply. A measure near a 6 months’ supply is considered balanced.

BY: DANUSHKA NANAYAKKARA-SKILLINGTON

A year ago, there were just 34,000 completed, ready to occupy homes available for sale (not seasonally adjusted). By January 2023, that number increased 115% to 73,000, reflecting flagging demand and more standing inventory due to lower sales. Completed, ready to occupy inventory however remains just 16.7% of total inventory and homes under construction accounts for 62.6% of the inventory. Homes that have not started construction when the sales contract is signed accounts for 20.6% of new homes sold in January.

The median new home sale price declined for the third straight month after peaking in October at $496,800. In January the median price was $427,500, down 8.2% from December. The share of entry-level homes priced below $300,000 has been steadily falling in recent years. Only 14% of the homes were priced in this entry-level affordable range while 33% of the homes were priced above $500,000. The majority of homes (53%) were priced between $300,000-$500,000.

Regionally, on a monthly basis, new home sales fell in three regions, down 19.4% in the Northeast, 6.9% in the Midwest, and 7.3% in the West. New home sales rose 17.1% in the South.

IMMIGRANTS IN CONSTRUCTION: Post - Pandemic Trends

According to the most recent 2021 American Community Survey (ACS), the number of immigrant workers in construction, including self-employed, remained close to 2.8 million, on a par with the levels recorded by the ACS before the Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on labor markets. The share of immigrant workers stayed at 24% of the construction workforce, slightly below the 2016 record high share of 24.4% but on a par with the 2019 pre-pandemic reading. The share of immigrants remained higher in construction trades, reaching 30%. The annual flow of new immigrant workers into construction slowed to the lowest levels since 2012 despite ongoing skilled labor shortages exacerbated by a pandemic boost to housing demand.

The latest ACS data show that 11.5 million workers, including self-employed, worked in construction in 2021. Out of these, 8.7 million were native-born, and 2.8 million were foreign-born. Due to the data collection issues during the early pandemic lockdown stages, we do not have reliable estimates for 2020 and omit these in the chart below. Regardless, the construction employment levels, both for native- and foreign-born workers, were back to the pre-pandemic levels by 2021.

BY: NATALIA SINIAVSKAIA

In the past, the annual flow of new immigrant workers into construction was highly responsive to the changing labor demand. The number of newly arrived immigrants in construction rose rapidly when housing starts were rising and declined precipitously when the housing industry was contracting. The response of immigration had been quite rapid, occurring in the same year as a change in the singlefamily construction activity. Statistically, the link was captured by high correlation between the annual flow of new immigrants into construction and measures of new home construction, especially new single-family starts.

This connection first broke in 2017 when NAHB’s estimates showed a surprising drop in the number of new immigrants in construction despite steady gains in housing starts. The pandemic-triggered lockdowns and restrictions on travel and border crossings drastically interrupted flow of new immigrant workers and further damaged this link.

The fact that construction employment was back to the prepandemic levels while single-family starts increased 27% from 2019 to 2021 illustrates how incredibly tight the construction labor market was at that time.

Similar trends are observed in the rest of the US economy, with the share of immigrants in the labor force stabilizing at record high levels but showing no further gains in recent years despite very tight labor market conditions. Excluding construction, where the reliance on foreign-born workers is greater, the share of immigrants in the US labor force increased from just over 14% in 2004 to 16.6%, the highest level recorded by the ACS, in 2018. The share of immigrants stabilized at these record high levels with no further increases in the postpandemic market.

HIGHER RATES WILL WEAKEN the Strong Start for 2023

BY: ROBERT DIETZ

The housing market benefitted from retreating interest rates in January. Unfortunately, the recent rise in rates due to the last stages of Fed tightening, coupled with ongoing tight labor market conditions, will weaken housing demand in the coming weeks before stabilizing later in the year.

The 10-year Treasury rate started the year at 3.9% and then fell to 3.4%, as the bond market briefly adopted a dovish view of future monetary policy conditions. As a result of this move, mortgage interest rates declined from 6.5% to 6.1% by the end of January. Demand for mortgages increased 3% and refinance demand jumped 17% week over week at the end of the month. Additionally, home buyer traffic improved, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), helping to produce a second monthly gain for the index in 2023 — after 12 straight declines in 2022. The HMI’s rally to a level of 42 was also thanks to the rate decline and ongoing use of sale incentives.

However, those lower rates have given way in February. The 10-year Treasury increased to 3.9%, and the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage will rise to approximately 6.7% in the coming week. These higher rates are due to ongoing elevated readings for inflation, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) up 6.4% year over year in January. This is an improvement since the CPI peaked at approximately 9% in June 2022. Producer price growth remains elevated as well. For instance, residential construction material growth is up 5.1% from a year ago as of January, with concrete prices up more than 13% since the start of 2022. An NAHB survey of builders’ top challenges found building material costs were, for the second year in a row, the most significant concern for the prior year.

Higher rates and expanding construction costs mean the market is weak, despite the January uptick, and will likely remain so until later this year when a building rebound will take hold. Single-family starts decreased 4.3% in January to an 841,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate, down 27% from a year ago. The multifamily sector decreased 4.9% to an annualized 468,000 pace for 2+ unit construction in January. On a yearover-year basis, multifamily construction is down 8.1%, with additional declines forecasted. And a near-decade low for housing affordability, per the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index, means ongoing weakness for existing home sales, which saw its 12th straight monthly decline in January.

While the near-term outlook for interest rates — combined with additional rate hikes from the Fed — suggests weakness for sales and permits for at least the next two months, the uptick in the HMI and the steady, though modest, improvement for the inflation outlook suggest a turning point for single-family construction taking hold mid-year or in early fall.

ADDITIONAL DECLINES for New Home Size

BY: ROBERT DIETZ

An expected impact of the pandemic was a need for more residential space, as people use homes for more purposes including work. During the housing boom after covid, this led to a rise for new single-family home size. However, as the housing market weakens on lower affordability conditions, this trend has reversed.

According to fourth quarter 2022 data from the Census Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and NAHB analysis, median single-family square floor area declined significantly to 2,203 square feet (the lower level since 2011). Average (mean) square footage for new single-family homes fell to 2,472.

Since Great Recession lows (and on a one-year moving average basis), the average size of new single-family homes is now 4.7% higher, while the median size is 8.2% higher. However both measures will weaken in the coming months.

Home size rose from 2009 to 2015 as entry-level new construction was constrained. Home size declined between 2016 and 2020 as more starter homes were developed. Going forward we expect home size to face opposing determinants. A shift in consumer preferences for more space due to the increased use and roles of homes (for work among other purposes) will increase the demand for space, while tighter budgets due to elevated interest rates will reduce demand. The tighter budget factor is likely to dominate in coming quarters.

FED DOWNSHIFTS, but Inflation Risks Remain

BY: ROBERT DIETZ

Further slowing its pace of tightening monetary policy, the Federal Reserve on Feb. 1 raised the federal funds target rate by 25 basis points, increasing that target to an upper bound of 4.75%. This marked a smaller increase after four previous 75 basis-point hikes and a decelerated 50 basis-point increase last December. Although monetary policy will continue to tighten, the end is in sight, with a final 25 basis-point increase expected in March. However, the Fed has clearly communicated it will hold at these elevated rates through much, if not all, of 2023, as progress on inflation is realized. We do not expect an easing of the federal funds rate until 2024.

Moreover, for some economists, the labor market continues to present inflation risks. After a declining yet positive pace for five consecutive months, total nonfarm payroll employment accelerated and increased by 517,000 in January, with the unemployment rate reaching a 53-year low at 3.4%. Although many economists fret about the Phillips curve (which posits inflation rises as the unemployment rate declines), this relationship has lost some of its explanatory power in recent decades. Nonetheless, the strong January job gains — combined with a rise in the number of open, unfilled jobs for the overall economy (11 million) — may worry some monetary policymakers about a reversal of inflation trends and encourage additional rate hikes beyond March.

The labor market data are consistent with the relatively strong showing for economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2022. Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.9%, following a 3.2% increase in the third quarter. In 2022, real GDP contracted in the first half and then rebounded. NAHB is forecasting declines for the first two quarters of 2023.

The expectation of softening GDP growth combined with the downshift for the Fed have caused mortgage interest rates to retreat, benefitting housing demand. Since early November, mortgage rates have fallen by approximately 100 basis points to roughly 6.1%. Combined with the use of builder sales incentives, this decline caused new home sales to improve. Sales of newly built single-family homes increased 2.3% in December to a 616,000 seasonally adjusted annual pace. However, this is 26.6% below the rate from a year ago.

CUSTOM HOME BUILDING POSTS Small Gain in 2022

BY: ROBERT DIETZ

NAHB's analysis of Census Data from the Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design survey indicates custom home building gained market share during 2022.

There were 44,000 total custom building starts during the fourth quarter of the year. This marks a 10% decline compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 as the overall home building market softened.

Nonetheless, over the course of 2022, custom housing starts totaled 203,000 homes, a 4% gain compared to the 2021 total (195,000).

After market share declines due to a rise in spec building in the wake of the pandemic, the market share for custom homes has increased. As measured on a one-year moving average, the market share of custom home building, in terms of total single-family starts, has increased to 21%. This is down from a recent high of 31.5% set during the second quarter of 2009.

Note that this definition of custom home building does not include homes intended for sale, so the analysis in this post uses a narrow definition of the sector. It represents home construction undertaken on a contract basis for which the builder does not hold tax basis in the structure during construction.

The Speedway SuperFleet Mastercard program will be rebranded to the 7-Eleven Commercial Fleet Mastercard program. This rebranding will nearly double the locations available to receive fuel rebates with acceptance at Speedway and 7-Eleven eligible locations, while still providing businesses with the same great features they enjoy today

In support of this rebrand, your cardholding members will notice some changes with their accounts:

• SAME GREAT REBATE – WITH A BIGGER NETWORK! – The current rebate plan will not change, but now accounts will earn savings on fuel at 7-Eleven locations in addition to Speedway locations. The new savings network will grow to over 8,000 locations coast-to-coast. Find locations at: fleet.7-eleven.com/locations.

• ALL NEW CARDS! Effective February 20, 2023, any new card your member accounts receive will have an all-new look.

• NEW BRANDING! The SuperFleet Mastercard name and logo will be replaced with 7-Eleven Commercial Fleet Mastercard branding for all customers.

The 7-Elev en Commercial Fleet Mastercard ®

Fleet savings made easy.

Perfect fit for mid-sized to larger fleets that need the added convenience of fueling where Mastercard® is accepted. With the 7-Eleven Commercial Fleet Mastercard®, your fleet can customize reports for a complete fuel management solution.

Rebates & Savings

Save 5¢ per gallon with volume-based rebates!*

Security & Fraud Controls

Enjoy the security of advanced card prompts.

Online Control & Visibility

Set card controls and access detailed reporting online anytime.

Earn 5¢ per gallon in rebates when you fuel at 7-Eleven & Speedway locations.*

Customize and download cost and performance reports monthly or in real-time.

Monitor transactions and manage your account online, in real-time.

Use card prompts to help prevent misuse.

Simple online access.

Accepted at your favorite 7-Eleven & Speedway locations and anywhere Mastercard is accepted, regardless of fuel brand.**

or natural gas purchases. Rebates are subject to forfeiture if your account is not in good standing. To receive rebate, invoice must be paid on time. Rebates will not apply to returns or chargebacks. Savings will be reflected as

SHARE OF ALL - CASH

New Home Sales Hits 32-Year High

BY: DAVID LOGAN

NAHBs analysis of the most recent Quarterly Sales by Price and Financing published by the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that cash purchases made 11.2% of new home sales in the fourth quarter of 2022—the largest share since 1990. The share of cash purchases has climbed each of the past four quarters and six of the last seven.

Although the median prices of a new home held firm or increased across other financing types, the median cash price fell from $450,600 to $370,900 in the fourth quarter. On an annual basis, however, home prices climbed higher in 2022 regardless of financing type.

Conventional loans financed 76.1% of new home sales, down 0.2 percentage point over the quarter but still near a 15-year high. The share of VA-backed sales decreased to 5.2% in the fourth quarter and has declined 1.0 ppt since Q2 2022.

As conventional loan market share increases, the FHA share typically falls and vice versa. However, this dynamic broke down in 2022 as surging interest rates pushed borrowers to the sidelines and led to an increased share of all-cash sales. Between the first and fourth quarters of 2022, the total share of conventional and FHA-loan new home sales fell 2.6 percentage points while the share of cash sales increased by the same amount.

Although cash sales make up a small portion of new home sales, they constitute a larger share of existing home sales. According to estimates from the National Association of Realtors, 28% of existing home transactions were all-cash sales in December 2022, up from 26.0% in November 2022 and 23.0% in December 2021.

Price by Type of Financing

Different sources of financing also serve distinct market segments, which is revealed in part by the median new home price associated with each. In the fourth quarter, the national median sales price of a new home was $467.700. Split by types of financing, the median prices of new homes financed with conventional loans, FHA loans, VA loans, and cash were $531,400, $330,200, $498,200, and $370,900, respectively.

Between 2020 and 2022, the median price of a new home increased 35.0%–nearly five times the average two-year change dating back to 1990. The price of homes bought with FHA loans rose the most over that period (+37.9%), while the median price of a home purchased using a VA loan increased the least (+24.8%).

The FHA-backed share of new home sales fell to 7.5% in the fourth quarter—a 1.1 percentage point decline (quarter-over-quarter) and 3.0 ppts lower than Q4 2021. Since the second quarter of 2020, the market share of FHA-backed sales has declined by nearly two-thirds.

Employers, register today for the Spring Career Fair at LCJVS!

Thursday, April 13, from 9 am to 11 am

Advance registration is required by Friday, March 10.

Employers are invited to meet with our current high school juniors and seniors on Thursday, April 13! Our students will be looking for work post-graduation, after-school employment, and summer jobs/internships.

**Due to space limitations, we only have 59 employer spots available. Registration is first come, first served, with a waiting list for additional registrations. We anticipate this event filling quickly, so please register as soon as possible.* Register Today!

OMB PROPROSES STANDARDS on Building Materials Made in America

The office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed new standards to determine if construction materials for federally funded infrastructure projects are made in the USA. The new guidance, required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)—“sets standards to carry out the statutory requirement that all manufacturing processes for construction material occur in the United States.” Federally funded infrastructure projects include housing development that receives any federal support such as through the CDBG and HOME programs.

Covered Construction Materials and Manufacturing Standards

The Build America, Buy America Act (BABA)—part of the BIL— requires that OMB issue standards that define ‘‘all manufacturing processes’’ in the case of construction materials. Initial guidance (memorandum M–22–11) issued in April 2022 fell short of this and instead provided non-binding guidance on the definition of construction materials. The latest proposal includes an expanded list of products considered construction materials and proposes standards for ‘‘all manufacturing processes’’ for the manufacture of construction materials.

Among construction materials covered by the guidance are lumber, drywall, glass, and plastics. The guidance includes domestic manufacturing process standards for the following construction materials.

BY: DAVID LOGAN

However, OMB then directs agencies to consider certain criteria when determining if a particular project constitutes ‘‘infrastructure.’’ These include whether the project will serve a public function, including whether the project is publicly owned and operated, privately operated on behalf of the public, or is a place of public accommodation, as opposed to a project that is privately owned and not open to the public.

Waivers and Exemptions

A Federal awarding agency may issue a waiver to the application of the Buy America Preference. The agency notes three types of waivers:

• Public Interest Waiver: May be applied if the Buy America Preference would be inconsistent with the public interest.

• Nonavailability Waiver: May be applied if types of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or of a satisfactory quality

• Unreasonable Cost Waiver: May be applied if the inclusion of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent

Before issuing a waiver, the Federal awarding agency must receive a written request from a non-Federal entity to waive the application of the Buy America Preference. The awarding agency must then “prepare a detailed written explanation,” make the waiver and explanation publicly available, allow a minimum 15-day public comment period, and then submit to OMB for final review.

The guidance exempts awards expenditures for financial assistance made in anticipation of or response to an event or events that qualify as an ‘‘emergency’’ or ‘‘major disaster.”

Public Comment Period

Defining Infrastructure

According to OMB, infrastructure includes roads, highways, and bridges; water systems, including drinking water and wastewater systems; electrical transmission facilities and systems; utilities; broadband infrastructure; and buildings and real property.

OMB instructs Federal awarding agencies to interpret the term ‘‘infrastructure’’ broadly and consider the description provided in paragraph (c) of this section as illustrative and not exhaustive.

OMB has provided only 30 days to comment on the new standard. NAHB will submit comments as we believe that, under OMB’s proposal as written, virtually all housing development could be excluded from the standard. We have strongly urged HUD to exempt single-family and multifamily affordable housing projects from BABA mandates.

However, NAHB remains concerned that the “built in America” standards may stall road and utility projects funded by CDBG or HOME that are needed to allow housing development to take place.

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BOOSTING HOUSING Production is the Best Way to Ease the Affordability Crisis

CONTACT:

The The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today commended Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and their fellow committee members for making housing the focus of the panel’s first hearing of the new Congress and recognizing that market-based solutions are needed to boost the production of affordable housing and ease the nation’s housing affordability crisis.

“We applaud the committee for making housing a top national priority and allowing NAHB to share its views on the barriers the residential construction industry faces to increase the production of quality, affordable housing,” NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz said while testifying before Senate lawmakers. “Building more homes and apartments is the only way to tame inflation, satisfy unmet demand, achieve a measure of price stability in the forsale and rental markets, and ease America’s housing affordability crisis.”

The primary challenge of the housing market is a lack of attainable, affordable housing in both the single-family and multifamily markets stemming from a lack of construction over the prior decade that has resulted in a structural deficit of 1.5 million residences.

“The causes of this underbuilding are multifaceted and complex, but we commonly cite them as the ‘five Ls’ – a lack of labor, lots, lumber and building materials, lending for development and construction purposes, and legal and regulatory barriers,” said Dietz.

Solving all these problems is critical to bending the affordability curve as Dietz cited the following facts:

• The construction sector faces a persistent labor shortage, with more than 400,000 unfilled industry jobs.

• Regulatory costs account for about a quarter of the purchase price of a new single-family home and even more for apartment buildings due to delay costs and zoning issues, and these regulatory burdens have made it very difficult to build entry-level housing for first-time home buyers.

• Due primarily to supply chain disruptions, construction material costs are up 36% since the start of 2020, ultimately resulting in higher rents and home prices.

Elizabeth Thompson

ethompson@nahb.org

(202) 266-8495

CONTACT:

Stephanie Pagan

spagan@nahb.org

Media Relations Manager

(202) 266-8254

The need for safe, affordable housing is critical. Nearly one-third of renters were cost burdened in 2020 according to Census data. Reducing these burdens requires building additional housing.

“Unfortunately, construction of new, affordable rental housing is often impossible without some type of public support, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit or tax-exempt bond programs,” said Dietz.

And with home buyers experiencing a doubling of the 30year fixed-rate mortgage over the past year as the Federal Reserve continues its fight against inflation, single-family for-sale affordability has plummeted. According to the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index, just 38% of new and existing single-family homes are affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $90,000. This is the lowest affordability measure on this index in the post-Great Recession period.

Dietz called on Congress to use its legislative tools to help improve affordability for both renters and home buyers and said this will also help to fight inflation.

“Passing legislation to alleviate supply-side bottlenecks, ease burdensome federal regulations, and promote careers in the skilled trades would increase home construction, expand housing inventory and lower inflation,” Dietz said. “However, if action on these issues is delayed, housing costs, which are roughly 40% of the Consumer Price Index, will continue to be persistent drivers of inflation, and remain a burden on American families.”

M ar k eting Guide

Dear Members -

The North Coast Building Industry Association provides members an abundance of ways to achieve professional development and generate recognition. The 2023 Marketing Guide was developed to help you plan your involvement and budget for 2023. Lock in pricing now as it is subject to change. All opportunities featured are accompanied by descriptions to give you a better understanding of the events. Each marketing opportunity not only includes an investment amount, but also the recognition you can expect in return.

Getting the most of your membership also means getting involved. We invite you to consider joining a committee or volunteering during events. This will lead you to that pivotal next step of building relationships and subsequently gaining more business. Please look over the choices in this packet. For sponsorship and participation opportunities, mark your choices in this guide and return a copy, along with the completed selection sheet to the NCBIA. We are here to help you determine what works best for you and your organization.

Call us any time at (440) 934-1090

Let’s Build a GREAT Year TOGETHER!

General Membership Meetings

3 General meetings per year Your Company Logo on Registration materials; promotion in NCBIA Media in print & online

o March 15, 2023 $275 (General Membership Meeting)

o June 23, 2023 ................................$275 (Membership Cookout)

o October 18, 2023 ............................$275 (GM Meeting & Election Night)

* Sponsor all three and save $75 ($250 ea.)

TARGET AUDIENCE CODES

Denotes Member to Member

Denotes Member to Consumer

Use these color-coded stars to quickly find the best marketing options for your business!

If your business focuses on serving other members, look for the GREEN stars on the following pages.

Or if your business is geared more towards selling to consumers, look for the best marketing opportunities to reach consumers, marked with a RED star!

If you’d like help putting together a marketing plan for your business, please contact Judie Docs at judie@ncbia.com or (440) 934-1090 and I’d be happy to help!

Member Mixer EventsScheduled throughout the year; promotion in NCBIA Media in print & online

o Member Mixer Event Sponsor...............................$150

Come Build with Us...

M ar k eting Guide

Golf Classic - August 3, 2023 - Sweetbriar Golf Course

o

Includes one foursome; company name/logo on banner (you provide) placed prominently at outing; presentation at BBQ & mic time

Includes the opportunity to sit at the hole-in-one hole with a partner/staffer to determine a potential winner o

o Scorecard

the pavilion

600 Includes company logo on all scorecards placed on all carts for event

o Opportunity to pass out breakfast at morning registration; includes signage with company name at breakfast area o

o

Prize

Raffle

Pink” Ball Sponsor

$300

..................$

o

o

o

Sponsors $725

Bar Sponsor $300

Raffle Board Sponsors (2 available) $300

Includes: Recognition at event, Builder newsletter - Company Logo on placemat, registration form and event online

Includes: Company Logo bar napkins - Recognition at event, Builder newsletter - Company Logo on placemat, registration form and event online Raffle Basket

o Please make a Basket for me.................................... $100

o Yes.....I will provide a basket for the Chinese Basket Raffle.(You create your own basket)

o Yes... I will provide a gift card.

M ar k eting Guide

Monthly BUILDER Newsletter

A NEW ISSUE EVERY MONTH ONLINE AT www.ncbia.com AND EMAILED TO EVERY INBOX

BACK COVER

o 4 issues per year$625 per issue

o 8 issues per year$495 per issue

o 12 issues per year$365 per issue

INSIDE FRONT COVER

o 4 issues per year$575 per issue

o 8 issues per year$470 per issue

o 12 issues per year$340 per issue

INSIDE BACK COVER

o 4 issues per year$545 per issue

o 8 issues per year$430 per issue

o 12 issues per year$315 per issue

FULL PAGE

o 4 issues per year$490 per issue

o 8 issues per year$385 per issue

o 12 issues per year$285 per issue

1/2 PAGE

o 4 issues per year$325 per issue

o 8 issues per year$275 per issue

o 12 issues per year$200 per issue

1/4 PAGE

o 4 issues per year$185 per issue

o 8 issues per year$165 per issue

o 12 issues per year$135 per issue

BUSINESS CARD (1/8 PAGE)

o 4 issues per year$135 per issue

o 8 issues per year$125 per issue

o 12 issues per year$110 per issue

CHOOSE THE MONTHS FOR YOUR ADS

o JAN o MAY o SEP

o FEB o JUN o OCT

o MAR o JUL o NOV

o APR o AUG o DEC

The NCBIA online BUILDER Newsletter is issued during the last week of each month. It is posted online at www.ncbia.com and back issues can be obtained by contacting the NCBIA at (440)934-1090 or email the NCBIA at judie@ncbia.com.

Enhanced Online Membership Directory Listing

(based on 12-month commitment)

o Featured Listing $150

Your Company Logo linked to your website

o Enhanced Listing $325

Your Company Logo; photos and company description all linked back to your website.

NEW this year! bundled together with your Enhanced Listing, your logo will also be placed in the “Featured Members” area of our website on the home page where you get even more exposure!

Membership Directory & Consumer Guide

Don’t miss this marketing opportunity! The Membership Directory & Consumer Guide is mailed out to consumers, as well as fellow members. Also available as a PDF download on www.ncbia.com, or in print from the NCBIA upon request.

The eNews Update is published weekly online and delivered via email to all members and VIP Partners (with the exception of the last week of the month when the BUILDER Newsletter is published).

Get 550 pixels wide of ad space. Coordinate your eNews ad with your seasonal promotions!

NCBIA.COM HOME PAGE

Your custom ad will appear on the NCBIA home page at the top in the rotating slide section alongside current events.

WEBSITE BANNER ADS

o Rotating Slide, Full Year $1000

o Home Page, below slideshow..........$600

o Consumer/Member Page.................$350

Want your logo featured on our website home page? See the listing on page 3 for Enhanced Online Membership Directory Listing. It’s now bundled together!

3rd Most Visited Page on NCBIA.com!!!

VIRTUAL PARADE OF HOMES - Sponsorships (can be PRO-Rated)

o Grand Sponsor.............................................................................................................

$1100

Includes company logo featured prominently on the landing page of the Parade of Homes site; a rotating slide on the home page at www.ncbia.com with a link to your company website; your company logo/name featured in all marketing efforts; an ad placement each week in the NCBIA e-News Update; recognition in the NCBIA BUILDER Newsletter Magazine and more.

o Home Sponsor...............................................................................................................

Includes company logo/name featured on the landing page of the Parade of Homes site; your company logo/name featured in all marketing efforts; recognition in the NCBIA BUILDER Newsletter Magazine and more.

o Sustaining Sponsor........................................................................................................

Includes company name featured on the landing page of the Parade of Homes site; your company name featured in selected marketing efforts; recognition in the NCBIA BUILDER Newsletter Magazine and more.

o Patron Sponsor..............................................................................................................

Includes company name featured on the landing page of the Parade of Homes site; recognition in NCBIA BUILDER newsletter Magazine and more.

Keeping up on the times, today’s consumers know what they want and use the internet to find what they are looking for.

$600

$325

$250

Leverage your visibility with the NCBIA Virtual Parade of Homes. Your homes and/or remodeling projects will be open 24/7 on a mobile device or computer. You will have a qualified prospect when they come to visit or call you for an appointment.

This marketing opportunity is widely publicized digital, print and at events.

Come Build with Us...

HOME SHOW 2023 - Feb. 25 & 26, 2023

SPONSORSHIP FEES

Event Sponsor .................................................................................................................................................

$2000

o Everything on Supporting Sponsor list, PLUS radio interview, booth space, logo on staff t-shirts and all printed advertising, mention in radio advertisements, option to have your company’s banner hung at show entrance and studio quality videos to promote your business; option to put promotional items in swag bag and recognition in BUILDER Newsletter

Supporting Sponsor

$300

o Includes: mention in radio ads, your logo in event program, Facebook event page, slideshow during event, option to put promotional items in swag bag, and recognition in BUILDER newsletter.

Bag Sponsor SOLD

o Your company to provide bags; promotion in the NCBIA Newsletter and in all social media

*Refer to page 3 for Builder Newsletter pricing and page 4 for Membership Directory & Consumer Guide pricing

Two-page spread (no bleed)

Full page (no bleed)

General Membership Meetings

o March 15, 2023..............................$275

o June 23, 2023 Cookout..................$275

o October 18, 2023............................$275

($250 each if you sponsor all three for the year!)

Golf Classic

o Tournament Sponsors ..................... $2,000

o Hole-in-One Sponsor ...................... ..$TBD

oGolf Cart Sponsor..............................$1,300

o BBQ Sponsors ...................................$600

o Scorecard Sponsor ............................$600

o Breakfast Sponsor .............................$300

o Photo Sponsorship ......................... ...$300

o Skill Prize Sponsors ...........................$300

o Raffle Sponsor ...$250

o “Pink” Ball Sponsor ......................... ...$250

o Hole Sponsors (We provide)** .$180

Clambake

o Event Sponsors ............................... $725

o Bar Sponsors $300

o Raffle Board Sponsors ............. $300

Patron Sponsor ................$100

Member Mixer Social Events

o Member Mixer Social Event Sponsor...$150

Featured & Enhanced Online Mobile Membership Directory Listing

o Featured Listing .................................$150

o Enhanced Listing ...............................$325

Weekly E-News Update

o 3 Placements .................................. ...$100

o 6 Placements .................................. ...$190

o 9 Placements .................................. ...$280

o 12 Placements ................................ ...$375

NCBIA.COM WEBSITE ADS

BANNER ADS

o Home Page........................... ...........$600

o Consumer/Member Page ..... ............$350

HOME PAGE ROTATING SLIDE

o One Year .........$1,000

Monthly BUILDER Newsletter

BACK COVER

o 4 issues per year.........$625 per issue

o 8 issues per year.........$495 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$365 per issue

INSIDE FRONT COVER

o 4 issues per year ........$575 per issue

o 8 issues per year........ $470 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$340 per issue

INSIDE BACK COVER

o 4 issues per year.........$545 per issue

o 8 issues per year.........$430 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$315 per issue

FULL PAGE

o 4 issues per year.........$490 per issue

o 8 issues per year.........$385 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$285 per issue

1/2 PAGE

o 4 issues per year.........$325 per issue

o 8 issues per year.........$275 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$200 per issue

1/4 PAGE

o 4 issues per year.........$185 per issue

o 8 issues per year.........$165 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$135 per issue

BUSINESS CARD (1/8 PAGE)

o 4 issues per year.........$135 per issue

o 8 issues per year.........$125 per issue

o 12 issues per year.......$110 per issue

CHOOSE MONTH(S) FOR YOUR AD(S)

STATE REP'S REPORT

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Hello Ohio Builders Associations and Leadership. After taking a year off in serving as your Ohio State Representative to our National Association of Home Builders, I am back. I want to thank my friend Ric Johnson who filled in for me and all of us this past year and is now serving as our Area 6 National Association Chair, with oversight for Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Should you need something from NAHB and are not quite sure who to contact, let me know. I can usually put you in touch with the right people.

Attached are the March Monthly Talking Points prepared by NAHB's communications team. This publication gives a pretty complete insight as to what NAHB is dealing with at the current time. If you have any questions, please let me know.

I look forward to working with all of you once again!

My best......

Randy K Strauss

Ohio State Rep to NAHB

1025 Milan Avenue

Amherst, Ohio 44001

Office: 440-984-2575

Cell: 440-935-2929

randykstrauss@aol.com

Randy K Strauss, Ohio State Rep to NAHB

Thanks for Renewing!

Tim King, K. Hovnanian Homes

Jamie Kotris, Kotris & Associates

David Axford, Russell Real Estate Services

Bill Sinclair, Modular Decks of America/NRC Fence & Deck Sorry

What members are saying:

Such a great idea to have something for children at your home show.

Thanks for all the hard work that you put into the Home & Remodeling Show.

This show is so nice because your vendors are from the area.

Mike Chambers, Charles Morgan Company

THANK YOU SPIKES!

STATESMAN SPIKE (500-999 SPIKE CREDITS)

Our SPIKES are Our FOUNDATION

SUPER SPIKE (250-499 SPIKE CREDITS)

ROYAL

(150-249 SPIKE CREDITS)

RED

(100-149 SPIKE CREDITS)

GREEN SPIKE (50-99 SPIKE CREDITS)

NAHB, IBS AND our own Bill Owens

The NAHB IBS just wrapped up a very successful event. With partners NKBS and the hardware show more than 100,000 attendees attended and got a preview of the newest products as well as attended the numerous panels presented by national experts in the business. This bodes well for another successful show next year.

Of most importance though was election of our own Bill Owens to the Chairs of NAHB. Bill, a Past President of OHBA and the BIA of Central Ohio is headed to be president of NAHB to join Joe Haverstick (Dayton), Jay Buchert (Cincinnati) and Charlie Ruma (Columbus) as president of our national association. This is a great honor for us and all our members.

Things around the statehouse are abuzz with the newly seated legislature and state executive offices. While the governor on down remains unchanged; leadership in the House experienced a major bump in the road. While the majority party Republicans maintained a large majority, they decided on a Speaker not previously chosen by the caucus. Rep Derrek Merrin was chosen in December by majority members to be the leader along with a leadership team. However, when the official vote was taken in February Rep. Jason Stephens was chosen with a majority vote of Democrats voting with 22 Republicans. As you can guess many in the majority party are upset and only time will tell if all the factions can work in harmony.

We are already tasked with two troubling appeals court rulings holding remodeling does not enjoy reasonable remedies under the CSPA that new construction does. These and many other issues will be explained in greater detail at our board meeting later this month. Call OHBA at (614)228-6648 for details. Hope to see you there.

by Vincent J. Squillace, CAE, OHBA Exec. VP

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Houzz

Reportable payroll & true-up

Stress in the Workplace

Now that the Holiday season is over its time to get back into the swing of things. We may have taken some time off to spend with family and friends, forgetting about those stressors at work. But just as every calendar year comes to an end, so do the Holiday’s and it’s time to get back to work. Whether we work at home, in an office or out in the field we will re-encounter those stressors. Stress can affect us in many ways, so it is important we identity them.

Below is a short list of stressors that might occur in your workplace.

Reportable payroll

1. Not being able to identify what the stressors are.

How to report payroll and complete the true-up

2. Continually bringing work home effecting our relationship with family and friends.

3. Spending too much time at work and not giving yourself enough personal time.

4. Poor relationships with coworkers or your supervisor.

5. Not having clear and concise expectations.

In defining payroll, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) generally follows the guidelines of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, as well as the Federal Unemployment Tax Authority (FUTA) in the businesses section.

Examples of reportable payroll

Although employers may contact BWC at (800) OHIO-BWC (800.644.6292) and complete their true-up report over the phone, BWC anticipates high call volumes and long wait times. They strongly encourage employers to complete their true-up report online through their BWC e-account at www.bwc.ohio.gov. If you do not have an e-account, simply select the Create E-Account Link to begin. You will need your BWC policy number and/or Federal Tax Identification Number.

Some of those stressors at work can contribute to physical or mental issues. Physical problems include migraines, high blood pressure, stomach issues, obesity, poor sleep and even a weakened immune system. Mental problems would include anxiety, difficulty concentrating, depression, low morale, poor attitude and lack of self-confidence. In addition, these stressors may affect our eating habits and contribute to alcohol and drug abuse. Either way, identifying these signs of stress is key to dealing with them.

Additional rebates

Regardless of the type of stressors you deal with, let’s look at some tips that may help.

The more common types of reportable payroll include gross hourly wages and gross salaries less qualifying deductions for section 125 cafeteria plan benefits, sick pay and vacation pay, bonus payments, including stock given as a bonus, sales commission and tips. Contact BWC or go to www.bwc.ohio.gov, select For Employers/Compliance/ Reporting Payroll for a complete list of reportable payroll. You may also contact Sedgwick’s Rate Department at (800) 825-6755 with any questions.

Additional rebates are available should an employer utilize their e-account through the BWC’s website. Eligible employers will qualify for a 1 percent Go Green premium rebate (up to $2,000 maximum) by filing electronically. To be eligible for the Go-Green Rebate, you must complete the true-up online and pay any balance at that time as well as opt in to invoice email notifications.

•Track your stressor – It is key to find out which of those stressors are affecting you most. Key an eye on your mental reactions when stressors occur and make note of it. That will help identify them.

True-up process

BWC provides workers’ compensation coverage based on estimated payroll. Therefore at the end of the policy year, BWC asks employers to report their actual payroll for the prior policy year and pay any shortage (or receive a refund for any overage) in premium. This process is called a true-up. If the true-up is not completed timely, the following may occur:

Deadlines

• Work and home balance – Try to create boundaries between work and home. You may want to minimize accessing emails at home or not checking the phone during certain hours. Remember, the world will still exist if you don’t reply to an email or answer the phone. Your home should be a place of relaxation away from work to unwind, use up your vacation days, get a good night’s rest or focus on non-workengaging activities. Recharging gives you the boost to tackle the next day.

• Learn how to relax – Relaxation techniques come in a variety of styles. Maybe you like to exercise, take a walk, read a book, perform yoga or listen to music. There are many relaxation options, so choose what works best for you.

• Employer will not be eligible for prior year rebates and incentives

PRIVATE EMPLOYERS

• True-up report must be completed and payment received no later than August 13, 2021.

• Employer will be removed from current year programs

• Employer will become ineligible for programs the following year and will continue to remain ineligible for all future years until all past true-ups are completed.

PUBLIC EMPLOYERS

• Talk with your supervisor – Having a good relationship with your supervisor makes for a good work environment. Open conversations, project updates and discussing challenging issues will help minimize some of those stressors and build a stronger relationship. This relationship is key to getting the necessary support for success in the workplace.

• True-up report must be completed and payment received no later than February 15, 2022.

Everyone deals with some form of stress whether at home, in the office or out in the field. The key is how we handle those situations. Even though we may never eliminate stress, there are many ways to handle it. The key is to find out which stress reliever (or combination of) works best for you. Remember, the way you handle stress will affect your quality of life at home and at work.

For more information, please contact Sedgwick’s Andy Sawan at 330.819.4728 or andrew.sawan@sedgwick.com

FINAL WOTUS RULE A BLOW TO Housing Affordability, NAHB Tells Congress

CONTACT:

With the nation in the midst of a housing affordability crisis and an economy confronting high inflation, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) told Congress today that the Biden administration’s decision to push through a far-reaching waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule will needlessly raise housing costs, add unnecessary regulatory burdens to small businesses and harm economic growth while doing little to protect America’s waterways.

Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey, a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala., said “the new WOTUS rule is so extreme that the federal government will have the authority to regulate certain roadside ditches, isolated ponds and channels that may only flow after heavy rainfall.”

The nation’s home builders are strong stewards of the environment and believe that common-sense best management practices and understandable regulations are the best path to achieving the goals of the Clean Water Act and maintaining housing affordability.

“Unfortunately, the final rule fails to provide the clarity and certainty the home building industry seeks,” said Huey. “This rule will increase federal regulatory power over private property and lead to increased litigation, permit requirements and lengthy delays for any business trying to comply. Equally important, these changes will not significantly improve water quality because much of the rule improperly encompasses water features already regulated at the state level.”

The final rule’s regulatory definition for WOTUS includes the problematic significant nexus test to establish federal jurisdiction over minor waterbodies such as isolated wetlands, human-made ditches or features that contain water only in response to rainfall events. The test’s results are determined by a federal regulator who decides whether a specific feature, along with similarly situated waters in the region, has material influence on the chemical, physical or biological integrity of a traditional navigable water.

Elizabeth Thompson

ethompson@nahb.org

(202) 266-8495

CONTACT:

Stephanie Pagan

spagan@nahb.org

Media Relations Manager

(202) 266-8317

Consequently, when developers and home builders acquire property, it will be nearly impossible for them to know the jurisdictional status of certain features without having federal regulators perform significant nexus tests on each requested jurisdictional determination. This results in further regulatory delays and increased costs for new single-family and multifamily housing at a time when housing affordability is at a more than 10-year low. Ultimately, it is prospective home buyers who will bear the brunt of this ill-conceived rule.

“Builders and developers, already grappling with the housing downturn, cannot depend upon the future home buying public to absorb the many costs associated with overregulation,” said Huey. “This final rule only adds to the headwinds that our industry faces.”

Finally, this regulatory morass is made worse since this new regulation could be overturned within a few weeks or shortly after it is implemented because the Supreme Court has heard arguments in Sackett v. EPA. The Sackett case is squarely focused on the legality of the significant nexus test.

“The administration has already declared a housing affordability crisis,” said Huey. “So our message to policymakers is twofold: If the administration is truly interested in knocking down barriers to affordable housing, it will direct the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to keep from implementing this rule until the Supreme Court issues its ruling in the Sackett case. Second, because this rule is fatally flawed, Congress should direct the agencies to implement a durable and practical definition of WOTUS that will truly protect our nation’s water resources without infringing on states’ rights and triggering additional expensive, timeconsuming permitting and regulatory requirements.”

Sedgwick statewide seminars return in April

Sedgwick is pleased to once again offer our clients on-site, in-person educational seminars this Spring. We will be hosting half-day sessions that will provide you with timely, relevant information on workers' compensation, safety and unemployment.

Seminar topics include:

• Claims management - panel discussion with TPA & MCO

• Safety gap analysis

• Controlling unemployment costs: a strategic approach to mitigating unemployment risk

• How to stay connected with an aging and remote workforce

Sedgwick will be holding the seminars in four convenient locations across the state. The locations and dates are:

• April 12 - Perrysburg, Hilton Garden Inn

• April 13 - Independence, Embassy Suites

• April 25 - Dublin, Embassy Suites

• April 27 - West Chester, Marriott Cincinnati North

Registration fees are $75 per person for Sedgwick clients. Tuition, educational materials, continental breakfast and a refreshment break are included in the registration costs. These sessions qualify for the two-hour safety credit through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation. Please include your policy number 556972 when registering for the seminar. Be sure to register early as space is limited. We look forward to seeing you at one of our locations!

Seminar details Link HERE

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FEBRUARY 6, 2023 REPORT #2

REMODELING CSPA SLIPPERY SLOPE EXPANDS TO FIFTH DISTRICT

In addition to the recent opinion by the Eleventh District Court of Appeals, another case even further expanding this decision was decided last week in the 5th District Court of Appeals. The Fifth District decision cites the Beder Case, by stating, “the 11th District found the CSPA and not the HSCCA applies to a home remodeling contract as the CSPA applies to transactions involving an already-existing construction and the HSCCA applies to new constructions. The 5th District goes on to say, “the addition of the swimming pool and improvement of the existing concrete deck at Tomlinson's home was an improvement to an already-existing home. Accordingly, we find the transaction covered by the CSPA and not the HSCCA.”

The Fifth District presides over Ashland, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Richland, Stark and Tuscarawas counties in Ohio.

Any decision coming out of the 11th District would be binding on those counties: Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage and Trumbull.

The builder/remodeler in the Beder case has appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court, and OHBA submitted a Memorandum in Support of Jurisdiction asking the Court to take the case. Toll Free - 800-282-3403

Client Safety Webinars

2023 Safety Series

Sedgwick is offering a comprehensive, webinar-based free educational program focused on safety to current clients. The series covers a variety of safety topics within the workers’ compensation industry and is pertinent to employers.

Please include your policy number 556972 when registering for the seminar.

March 21st 10:00AM - 12:00 PM

Machine Guarding/Lockout Tagout

Proper machine guarding and an effective Lockout/Tagout Program are key to minimizing employee injuries while operating or maintaining equipment. During this presentation we will discuss both machine guarding and Lockout/Tagout focusing on danger zones such as pinch points and points of operation. In addition, we will discuss OSHA’s Lockout Tagout Program. Lockout/Tagout violations, year after year, fall into OSHA’s Top Ten Violations, so an effective program is key to a compliant workplace.

June 13th 2:00PM - 4:00 PM

Hazard Communication/Chemical Assessment

Chemicals are commonly used in the workplace and protecting employees from their exposure is key to a safe workplace. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard was created to assist employers with the necessary steps to protect their employees from chemical hazards. We will be discussing the Hazard Communication Standard and the steps needed to be compliant. In addition, we will discuss steps to identify and evaluate chemicals, their hazard and how to protect your employees.

Sept. 19th 10:00AM - 12:00 PM

Hazard Assessment/PPE Evaluation

One of the ways to ensure a safe workplace is to perform a hazard assessment. An effective assessment will help identify hazardous areas and provide employers and employees with the tools to protect themselves. We will finish the presentation by reviewing OSHA’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Standard, how to perform a PPE assessment and the necessary steps to conform with the standard.

Dec. 5th 2:00PM - 4:00 PM

Gap Analysis

This session will provide employers with a high-level overview of the safety gap analysis process including the different types that can be conducted, why they are important and how to interpret the results. We will also discuss ideas on how to close any gaps identified in an employer’s safety program along with available resources.

These

sessions qualify with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) for 2 hours of the 2-hour safety training requirement for group and group retrospectiverated employers. To be eligible for the BWC safety training requirement credit, the attendee must remain in the session for at least 75% of the total session time. Logging into the webinar is required to receive the 2 hour safety credit. Attendance is not captured for anyone calling into the session.

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bulk fuel, propane or natural gas purchases. Rebates are subject to forfeiture if your account is not in good standing. To receive rebate, invoice must be paid on time. Rebates will not apply to returns or chargebacks. Savings will be reflected as a rebate on your filling statement in the form of a statement credit. Rebate offer valid for first 12 months after account set-up.

**Please see Client Agreement – at www.fleetcor.com/terms/7-Eleven-mc – for rate, fee and other cost and payment information. Fuel purchases at locations other than 7-Eleven or Speedway locations are subject to an out-of-network transaction fee. The 7-Eleven Commercial Fleet Mastercard® is issued by Regions Bank, pursuant to a license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. ©2023 FLEETCOR, P.O. Box 1239, Covington, LA, 70434.