HBA has been working on getting back to the “new normal” for the last year or so. That means more in-person events to help facilitate business relationships, more learning and information programs, and more customized benefits and services for niche areas of our membership.
Most importantly, though, we are working to grow and strengthen our advocacy, regulatory, and policy work. HBA has done a lot already over the last few years to support our industry and needed housing. From all the pandemic-related work we did to current work on supporting UGB expansions, reducing inspection and permit backlogs/ timeframes, addressing utility equipment and service issues, fighting jurisdictions who create arbitrary challenges for development, and a host of other local issues on our plate. Plus all the work we support at the State and Federal level through our affiliated organizations.
The challenge is we only have about 25% of those actively building and remodeling, or companies that support building and remodeling, as members in our organization. We are grateful that all of the largest builders and developers in our market are members. They account for about 2/3 of housing production in our region. There are hundreds of builders, trade contractors, suppliers and others connected to the industry, however, who aren’t members.
Without the support of these companies, and without being able to rely on big consumer shows to cover gaps in funding, we can’t provide the staffing levels, candidate funding and professional consultant and legal support needed. We cover six counties, over forty jurisdictions, plus Metro. While the political tone has shifted positively over the last couple of years as it relates to the need for housing, we still live in an area where differing values compete with that need. And with elected or other leaders who make claims that undermine or incorrectly frame the real challenges.
The whole industry benefits from our work – the work you as members help support. The analogy is similar to infrastructure development – if just a few people are charged for it, the cost has to be really high per unit. But if the cost is spread over everyone who benefits from it, the cost to each person is much more reasonable.
This is critical. We should be at over 1,000 members, which would give us another $200,000 or more to invest in our government
affairs, candidate support, advocacy and policy areas. We could add a second full-time Government Affairs staff person that we desperately need to stay on top of all the policy and advocacy work in jurisdictions around our region. We could fund needed studies and research to review the accuracy of the cost and housing supply assumptions developed by local jurisdictions.
Many who I talk to who aren’t members seem happy to let others pay the freight. Some complain that HBA isn’t successful all the time. I believe we’ve been very successful, and we can point to many areas each year where our work speeds up timeframes, keeps regulations in check, changes what otherwise would be one-sided outcomes, and can save members thousands to tens of thousands or more on housing costs. Certainly not all our results are ones we hope for or initially work towards, but we live in a very different business climate than Boise or Phoenix or Dallas.
Some mention not having time to get involved. While we love having active members, that is a bonus. The bare minimum for a company working in this industry should be to at least join and allow us to do what they or anyone else in the industry can’t do on their own.
Some mention the cost. The reality is, what we charge for the amount of work we do and the impact on each member – just in our advocacy and policy work alone – is a bargain. Most members pay less than $1,000 a year. This not only gives access to all of the benefits, services and programs we offer, but most importantly includes the political, advocacy and government affairs support provided locally and at the State and Federal levels. Larger members who have greater business volumes pay more, but the amount divided into gross sales or any other metric is still fractions of pennies on the dollar.
We have a membership drive running at the end of October. Please look at who you do business with and ask if they are a member.
If only 25% of our industry currently pays into the hard work that the entire industry benefits from, imagine what we could all accomplish together.
If you’ve read this far, please make a commitment to helping with this. I know life is busy, but this is too important to the growth of our industry for inaction. Please help us by making membership something that everyone does to support each other and the industry.
Upon acquiring the land for The Landing at Regner development, Pacific Lifestyle Homes aimed to introduce a diverse range of attractive and comfortable residences to a rapidly expanding region, addressing its pressing need for increased housing options. Gresham is a vibrant and growing community and according to their recently completed Housing Capacity Analysis, the city has optimistic levels of opportunity and room to grow to address housing needs over the next several decades. “Gresham is forecast to increase by over 6,000 households over the next 20 years,” says Ashley Miller, Director of Urban Design and Planning for the City of Gresham.
Pacific Lifestyle Homes was drawn to Gresham due to their previous achievements in the city, and the city’s leadership recognizing the demand for new housing in light of the rapid expansion of the east metro area. The Landing at Regner development is set to have 37 homes ranging from about 1,500 square feet to nearly 4,000 square feet situated on a beautiful plat in a convenient yet quiet location with amazing views and greenspace homesites, according to Mark Kesling, Sales Manager for Pacific Lifestyle Homes. The Landing at Regner community enables Pacific Lifestyle Homes to cater to a diverse array of potential buyers including individuals seeking to downsize and enjoy single-level living, young families in search of ample space for future growth, and those interested in the home builder’s highly sought-after multigenerational home designs.
“There is a lot of demand for the Gresham area and new home projects haven’t kept up with the need. We are happy and proud to be building in a beautiful part of the east metro area while bringing award-winning homes to the area.”
– Mark Kesling, Sales Manager, Pacific Lifestyle Homes
Gresham is experiencing a high level of demand and according to Kesling, the supply of new home projects hasn’t kept pace with this demand. Gresham has a clear and measurable goal of reaching 6,000 households over the next 20 years, as previously stated, however, some well-intentioned Middle Housing codes created hurdles for the home builder. The city’s codes affected the architectural standards and articulation requirements that all housing being built in Gresham must meet and as a result, created delays and unnecessary costs for the home builder.
The City of Gresham staff and elected officials provided support and ultimately found a solution for active projects in
the city by updating their vesting of codes. Kesling goes on to explain that “the City’s Middle Housing Code and Architectural Standards have good intent but in practical application, they heavily impact housing affordability. We are a builder that prides ourselves on building communities we can be proud of for years to come.”
Compared to most jurisdictions in Oregon where our members build, the City of Gresham (and the city staff especially) has a more proactive engagement strategy in place. Especially at the leadership levels, Gresham welcomes builders and developers into their thought process early, and often requests early-assistance meetings to help make sure their plans align with newly mandated codes as well as existing building requirements. This includes hosting regular meetings with the development community, in addition to having frequent checkins with HBA Government Affairs staff on ongoing projects. The thoughtful collaboration between HBA, the building community, and city leadership continues to evolve and benefit the builder, buyer, and future residents. It also means prioritizing the direct and fruitful relationships with the City’s elected leaders who often engage directly on housing issues to ensure community-building assets continue to be built.
Preston Korst, HBA’s Director of Policy and Government Affairs, says that Gresham is a top-priority jurisdiction for members, reflected in future advocacy objectives for the area. “Moving forward, HBA’s advocacy strategies in Gresham really revolve around building stronger ties to the city’s planning and development staff.” This, he hopes, will “continue to improve permitting timelines and address how middle housing is approved and processed efficiently and accurately.” Many builders, including Pacific Lifestyle Homes and the Landing at Regner, have directly benefitted from HBA’s existing ties to the City of Gresham elected officials and staff. Going forward, it is sure to make building easier and more affordable for our members.
The Gresham City Council acknowledges the utmost significance of housing for all and has integrated it into the City’s 2022-25 Strategic Plan. Gresham aspires to ensure that every resident in the community has access to a stable and dependable place they can truly call home, eliminating any uncertainties regarding housing. Their aim is to provide all members of the Gresham community with the ability to secure housing that aligns with their evolving needs and desires. One key objective in Gresham is to endorse and facilitate the creation of affordable housing options across various housing categories. In Gresham, city staff takes great pride in their customer-centric approach and actively collaborates with developers to achieve these goals. The
Gresham also places a strong emphasis on economic development and the creation of jobs that pay a living wage within the city. Notably, Gresham recently revealed that Grainger is in the process of constructing a cutting-edge 500,000-square-foot distribution facility.
Furthermore, the city is enthusiastic and well-prepared to foster continued growth, exemplified by the ongoing construction of Multnomah County’s flagship library in the Civic neighborhood. This neighborhood is poised for exciting developments in the coming years, encompassing both commercial and residential projects. Gresham actively collaborates with developers and stakeholders in the Civic, Downtown, and Pleasant Valley areas to identify opportunities for growth in both the commercial and residential sectors, according to Miller.
Story continued on page 6
The Rockwood area is also experiencing significant transformation and re-development. The Downtown Rockwood development, which has been made possible through Gresham’s Urban Renewal Area and a partnership with RKM Development, is a prime example. This development not only features a vibrant food hall but also boasts a plaza, small commercial spaces for start-ups, a kitchen/learning facility, a full-service restaurant, a childcare center, a WorkSource office, and more. Additionally, the planning stages for Rockwood’s B-188 development, located across the street from Downtown Rockwood, are currently underway, promising to be a valuable addition to the area.
As projects like Pacific Lifestyle Homes’ Landing at Regner community come to market, the city continues to show its dedication and understanding of the importance of collaborating with home builders and the community. For Gresham’s city leadership, balancing growth with the nuances that make the community unique and desirable are of utmost importance. “Gresham staff consider ourselves partners with both our community members and developers. We work alongside developers to creatively problem-solve and find
common-sense solutions wherever possible. Gresham is a great jurisdiction to work with because we’re right-sized to be responsive and adjust when necessary,” says Miller.
From Pacific Lifestyle Homes’ perspective, the city has partnered with the builder throughout the planning, permitting, and construction process in an effort to be as resourceful as possible, even while navigating restrictive codes and their accompanying additional costs. In the end, this partnership appears successful, as Pacific Lifestyle Homes notes that the Landing at Regner community is near completion and they are looking to their next project.
Pacific Lifestyle Homes is actively looking for additional opportunities in Gresham and the east metro area, according to Kesling, however, in the short term, the home builder is focused on The Landing at Regner development. “Demand for the community has been very strong – we only have 15 homesites/homes remaining. We hope to be building in the east metro/Gresham area for the long term. As the metro continues to grow, we are actively sourcing land opportunities for future projects in this area”. The Landing at Regner single family homes are currently on the market and available starting in the low $600s. Contact Mark Kesling, Sales Manager, at markk@buildplh.com to set up a tour.
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The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
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The New Generation Sub Zero Columns are Stunning! We Expect No Less from the Creators of Luxury Refrigeration
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October
October
October 24
November 1
November 15
November 23-24
HBF Executive,
am, HBA Offices
October 18
HBF Executive, 8:30 am, HBA Offices
Government Affairs, 10:00 am, Zoom
Workforce Development Advisory Group, 12:00 am, HBA Offices
October 25
HBA Board of Directors, 11:30 am, HBA Offices
PBUD Council Meeting, 9:00 am, Zoom
November 8
HPC Executive, 9:30 am, HBA Offices + Zoom
November 9
Zoom
October 31
Halloween
HBF Executive, 8:30 am, HBA Offices + Zoom
Government Affairs, 10:00 am, HBA Offices + Zoom
PWB Executive, 10:00 am, HBA Offices + Zoom
Membership & Retention Committee, 12:00 pm, HBA Offices + Zoom
November 16
HBF Board of Directors, 7:30 am, HBA Offices
Finance Committee, 10:45 am, HBA Offices
HBA Executive, 11:30 am, HBA Offices
Thanksgiving Holiday –HBA Offices Closed HBF
Home Building Foundation Trap Shoot
Hosted by the Remodeling and Custom Building Council
Thursday, October 5
3:30 – 5:00 pm
Home Building Association of Greater Portland 15555 SW Bangy Rd. – First Floor | Lake Oswego
Cost: $20
Join us for two back-to-back events programmed by HBA’s Remodeling & Custom Building (RCB) Council!
PART ONE: Peer-to-Peer Round Table Event at HBA | 3:30 - 5:00 pm
PART TWO: All Member Happy Hour at Ferguson Lake Oswego | 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Join us for this two-part event to share among peers and learn tips and tricks to better manage client budgets and vendor costs. By the end of this session, you will gain insights on shared challenges as well as make connections. We are stronger together!
Immediately following this round table session, join us nearby for an All-Member Happy Hour at Ferguson, the Lake Oswego location, hosted by the Remodeling & Custom Building (RCB) Council. Happy Hour programming will highlight key take-aways from the peer-to-peer round table sessions and share exciting details about upcoming opportunities for custom builders and remodelers during the 2024 NW Natural Street of Dreams!
All Member Happy Hour
Programmed by the Remodeling and Custom Building Council
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Ferguson 17898 McEwan Road, Lake Oswego
Cost: $20 Member | $25 Non-Member
Join HBA for an All-Member Happy Hour at Ferguson in Lake Oswego, with programming from the Remodeling and Custom Building Council that is relevant to all HBA members. More details coming soon! All members are invited to attend. Register today!
All Member Lunch
Presented by PGE
Wednesday, October 11 11:30 – 1:00 pm
Home Building Association of Greater Portland 15555 SW Bangy Rd. – First Floor | Lake Oswego
Cost: Early Registration: $30 Member, $35 NonMember | After October 6: $35 Member, $40
Non-Member
Don’t miss HBA’s Fall All Member Luncheon presented by Portland General Electric. Join us for lunch and networking followed by a timely and relevant panel discussion with industry leaders about the current state of consumer and construction lending and financing environments. More details to come. Results of the 2024 HBA Board of Directors elections will also be announced! Seating is limited - so register soon before it’s too late! Open to all HBA members and guests.
Wednesday, September 18
7:00 – 8:30 am
Home Building Association of Greater Portland 15555 SW Bangy Rd. – First Floor | Lake Oswego
Cost: Free
Please join us for a fundraising breakfast, benefiting Home Building Foundation (HBF)! Learn more about what Home Building Foundation does; how HBF impacts our community to provide shelter for those who need it the most, and also provides opportunities for change in our workforce with adult and youth students across the Greater Portland area. Home Building Foundation will also honor its annual award recipients at this event. Each year, HBF recognizes incredible contributions made by one company and one individual by awarding the HBF Company of the Year and HBF Volunteer of the Year awards. For more information, contact Kyle Ellerbe at kylee@hbapdx.org.
Presented by the PARR Lumber Company
Thursday, November 2
7:00 am – 9:30 am
Oregon Convention Center - Portland Ballroom
777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | Portland
Cost: Early Registration: $95 | Table of 10: $1000
On Thursday, November 2 at 7 am, the Home Building Association will host the Annual Housing Forecast at the Oregon Convention Center. More than 500 industry professionals and government officials will gather for this informative breakfast highlighted by insight and analysis with unique perspectives on the housing industry.
Thursday, November 9 8:00 - 9:30 am
Home Building Association of Greater Portland 15555 SW Bangy Rd. – First Floor | Lake Oswego
Cost: Early Registration: $30 Member, $35 NonMember | After November 3: $35 Member, $40 Non-Member
On Thursday, November 9, celebrate the 9th anniversary of the founding of our local Portland Professional Women in Building and learn more about housing trends and indicators for 2024. We will celebrate this amazing council, hear what they achieved in 2023, and thank the 2023 Chair, Melissa Galland, for her strong leadership. We will also welcome our incoming Chair, Darlene Van Kuren, who will share ideas on how to continue this momentum of building better together.
2023 HBA Honors: An evening of celebration and cocktails
Friday, November 17 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Home Building Association of Greater Portland 15555 SW Bangy Rd. – First Floor | Lake Oswego
Cost: Early registration: $45 | After November 10: $55
HBA Annual Awards + Leadership Inductions and Cocktails + Appetizers!
Join us for our reimagined version of HBA’s signature year-end celebratory member event!
Enjoy an evening cocktail hour and heavy appetizers, followed by a shorter, reception-formatted recognition program celebrating HBA’s annual award recipients and recognizing incoming HBA leadership. The program wraps up early enough for attendees to stay and connect socially, head out for dinner after, or get home at a decent hour for the start of your weekend.
DISCOUNT GAS
For more information
contact Kathy Temple at 541-408-5155 Kathy.Temple@ edstaub.com
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING
For more information contact Tim Holstein at 503-975-0660 timh@ swipenow.com
BUILDER/REMODELER MANUFACTURER REBATE PROGRAMS
For more information contact Tami Walter, 503-684-1880 or tamiw@ hbapdx.org
10 New Members THANKS FOR JOINING!
Jennifer Pidkowicz
Jennifer Pidkowicz 661-714-4178 jenn.pidkowicz@gmail.com
Consultants
John L. Scott Brian Bellairs 503-714-3266 brian@murrayhillhomes.com
Realtors
Lifetime Green Coatings
Jess Evans 971-203-2609 jevans@lifetimegreencoatings.com
Floors - Concrete
Masterpiece Cellars
Jerry Cady 503-235-4400 jerryc@stellarcellars.com Remodelers
Moss Adams LLP Adam Harcleroad 503-242-1447 Adam.Harcleroad@mossadams.com Accountants & CPAs
Siegner and Company
Ian Siegner 503-735-3001 ian@siegnerandcompany.com Paintnig Contractors Wallpaper Contractors
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL
For more information: www.cicpp.com
WORKERS COMPENSATION
Qualifying HBA members can save up to 2% on SAIF.
BENEFITS
For more information, contact the Program Manager at Capital Benefits Group at 425641-8093.
Vela Projects
Ken Kinoshita 917-586-6121 ken@velaprojects.com
Building Consultants Consultants - Construction
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
Deanna Palm 503-726-2146 deannap@wcchamber.org
Associations Non-Profits
40-49 Years
Adair Homes Inc.
Loranger Builders LLC
SLS Custom Homes & Remodeling
Westland Industries Inc.
30-39 Years
Clark Lumber Hardware
Gary’s Vacuflo Inc
Gregory Pacific Corp.
North West Framing Inc.
Oswego Drywall Installers Inc.
Parr Lumber Company
Plumbing Materials Supply Inc.
Renaissance Development
Sundeleaf Painting, Inc.
20-29 YEARS
Cascade United Roofing
Dave Bearson Construction Ent.
First American Title
Fish Construction NW Inc.
Globe Lighting Supply Co.
Lewis Audio Video Inc.
Lisac’s Fireplaces and Stoves
Oregon Turf & Tree Farms
Portland Millwork Inc.
10-19 YEARS
Carlson Testing, Inc
Don Guthrie, Inc.
Dunn Carney LLP
ESP Painting
Five Star Builders
Ironwood Homes, Inc.
James Hardie
Jeff & Son’s Concrete LLC
Macadam Floor & Design
Maughan Design & Remodel
Portland Chimney & Masonry, Inc.
Precision Countertops
Precision Homes and Development LLC
River City Real Estate Co.
Sterling & Noble Painting Services Inc.
Steward Construction Corp.
T & I Construction LLC
WFG National Title Insurance Co.
Zepak Corporation
5-9 YEARS
Cedar House Media
Classique Floors + Tile
Curtis Heintz Excavating
Floor Factors Inc
Galaxy Stone Works
Greenwing Restorations, LLC
John’s Waterproofing
Lamont Bros. LLC
LUXE | Forbes Global Properties
Pacific Lumber Co.
Portland Houseworks LLC
Riverside Homes LLC
S-2 Contractors Inc
Sunset Outdoor Living
Teal Point Custom Homes, LLC
Umpqua Bank
Veenhuizen Painting Specialties
Western Accents Inc
1-4 YEARS
1st Security Bank
AIRMADA
Anlon Custom Construction
Arm & Hammer Construction
Armadas Exterior LLC
Bachelor General Contractor
Black Diamond Homes, Inc
Cambria USA
Capital Lumber Co.
Cedar Ridge Homes
D & T Excavation, Inc
DMH, Inc.
GBS NW Inc.
SheBuilds LLC
Laurel Winkel 503-830-2308 laurel@shebuildskitchens.com
Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling
Tiny Heirloom
Jeremy Killian 503-516-8347 jeremy@tinyheirloom.com
Builders - Tiny Home
General Tree Service
Integrity Roofing Co.
LCD Excavation, LLC
Liberty Electric, Inc.
Light House Architecture and Construction
Marquis Hot Tubs
Morgan Holen & Associates, LLC
Newberg Glass + Mirror Inc.
Pacific Timber Products
Priority 1 Cleaning, Inc.
Relevant Building Company
Terra Casa, LLC
Timberline Electrical Contractors, Inc
Troutdale Sand & Gravel
TS Construction Management
Turbo Painting WILLCO, Inc.
Winsome Construction - Bend
Yorke & Curtis, Inc.
Take advantage of these exclusive member discounts from HBA business partners, visit hbapdx.org/benefits for more info.
HBA, with the support and leadership of member Taylor Morrison Homes, held an event at our NW Natural Street of Dreams in August for Emerging Leaders. While not an official council yet, it reflects HBA and its leadership’s desire to create more opportunities for newer and younger leaders and industry professionals to connect through HBA.
This event included a reception, assembling care kits for shelters who provide services to the homeless (over 500 kits assembled!), and an opportunity to visit the Street of Dreams.
Our goal is to build on this and create more opportunities for younger/emerging professionals and leaders in our industry to connect to their peers, to meet others who may be able to serve in mentor-type roles, and to engage in service and events that build camaraderie. We’ll be looking at a combination of stand-alone events as well as creating more opportunities and specific connection points for emerging leaders at some existing HBA events.
Two events this Fall that we’re working on include the annual HBF Builder Breakfast (open to all members) in October and the annual Pub Tour in December. If you are interested, or have someone on your team who would be good to connect to and help get invited to future events, please email Krista at info@hbapdx.org.
BY DAVE NIELSEN, HBA CEO
Alaina Robertson, Division President for Taylor Morrison Homes and an HBA
Greater Portland Board Officer, was selected by Pro Builder Magazine for its 2023 class of Forty Under 40.
Pro Builder’s annual class of Forty Under 40 recognizes the brightest young talent and nextgeneration leaders and innovators in the home building industry. The Forty Under 40 recognizes leaders in all segments of our industry who are pushing the boundaries both of personal and professional accomplishment, tapping a range of skills, with a good dose of grit, ingenuity, adaptability, and a keen understanding of business and the ability to inspire and lead a team. Selections were made from well over 100 quality submissions from around the Country. Criteria used to evaluate recipients includes leadership skills, innovation, professional growth and achievement, dedication, personal integrity, a passion for excellence, productivity, and creative problem-solving.
“Alaina is not just one of our younger leaders – she is one of our best leaders, period.” Says Dave Nielsen, HBA CEO. “As a Division President for one of the large national builders in our market, she helps us with engagement and support from the other large builders in our market. She also understands the full value of what HBA offers and how our various work supports this value – from transitional shelter work for the homeless, to workforce
development opportunities for the next generation, to our critical advocacy and policy work in local jurisdictions and at the State level to create more opportunities for housing and housing affordability. She leads by example and supports her TM team being involved – including in our Professional Women in Building Council, our Home Performance Council, and our new Emerging Leaders group.”
“As HBA President, I’ve had the chance to work with Alaina the last two years since she stepped into the role of an HBA Officer.” Said Robert Wood, Mountainwood Homes and ’23 HBA Board President. “We are all grateful for her leadership, her ideas, her passion for the industry and HBA, and her understanding of ways we can improve and be more relevant to our members going forward. And she has a can-do attitude that isn’t satisfied with just coming up with ideas – she helps make things happen. This recognition is extremely deserving and we’re glad Alaina is being recognized on a national level.”
About Pro Builder: Pro Builder is a leading business content provider for the U.S. housing industry. It serves more than 120,000 home builders, design professionals, and other industry stakeholders through print, digital, video, email, social media, and events. Pro Builder’s various platforms deliver actionable content on key industry issues and trends, best business practices, design, construction how-to, innovation and technology, sales and marketing, and the latest building products.
members deserve a health plan that's tailored to your industry and focused well-being of your employees and your business. Powered by the most name in health insurance, your plan offers access to a broad provider ne support from an award-winning customer service team.
(425) 641-8093.
The Home Building Association of Greater Portland has partnered with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Capital Benefit Services to bring members more affordable health care through the Building Industry Insurance Trust. HBA members deserve a health plan that's tailored to your industry and focused on the well-being of your employees and your business. Powered by the most trusted name in health insurance, your plan offers access to a broad provider network and support from an award-winning customer service team.
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The Home Building Association of Greater Portland has partnered with Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Capital Benefit Services to bring members more affordable health care through the Building Industry Insurance Trust. HBA members deserve a health plan that's tailored to your industry and focused on the well-being of your employees and your business. Powered by the most trusted name in health insurance, your plan offers access to a broad provider network and support from an award-winning customer service team.
To learn more or get a quote, visit buildingindustryinsurancetrust.com or call (425) 641-8093.
To learn more or get a quote, visit buildingindustryinsurancetrust.com or call (425) 641-8093.
Could the new generation of triplepane windows be a cost-effective choice to meet or exceed energy code?
When triple-pane windows were introduced in the 1990’s they were expensive, hard to get, heavier, and thicker than traditional double-pane windows. The additional cost of the window was higher and because of the weight, they cost more to install, along with modifications to the window opening due to the extra depth.
Forward to today’s New Generation of thinglass triple pane windows that are being used more and more by builders to achieve code and beyond high-performance wall systems.
Air leakage through HVAC ducting systems.
HVAC ducting has typical leakage rates related to the style. Hard Ducting has the highest leakage, before sealing, and has many more opportunities/seams to leak, therefore very time consuming to seal in the field. Average leakage on hard ducting before sealing is around 30% which could add a half ton to your system requirements.
Flex ducting which is the most used ducting in our market has about a 20% leakage rate before sealing and has less opportunities/ connections to leak, therefore is faster to seal along with being faster to install in the field.
Rheia ducting system, a relatively new system on the market, has less than 10% leakage rate after install and most of the leakage occurs around the manifold connections which is easy to discover and seal.
Design and sizing are key to achieving sustainable systems that deliver comfort to your homeowner. Do Not Oversize! It is more important now than it ever has been for builders to hire an HVAC company that is doing the work and verifying energy efficiencies into their calculations for sizing equipment.
Commissioning: TEST FOR SUCCESS: If you measure it, it will improve:
• Engineering advancements in the thin-glass triple-pane windows have eliminated two of the negative impacts of traditional triple-pane windows, weight and thickness. The new thin-glass triple pane does
not increase the cost of installation because the weight is comparable to double pane windows, and does not require a modification to the window opening and trim installation because it fits in a double-pane frame.
• Product costs are down due to more large national builders, green builders, and non-profit low-income builders using the product impacting manufacturing costs in a positive way. As triple-pane windows become the new standard for these builders most major US manufacturers offer them in their lineup and lead times are on par with double-pane windows.
• Home comfort and marketability are also impacted in a positive way because triple pane windows are quieter, warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer, and are excellent choices for bathrooms and kitchens because they are less likely to produce condensation on the inside.
Explained:
The thin-glass triple-pane insulated glass unit (IGU) allows for R-5 (U-0.20) or better double hung and R-6.5 (U-0.15) or better picture windows in place of today’s R-3.7 Energy Star products. The design uses a combination of thin-glass (0.7-1.6 mm) for the center layer, two low-e coatings and krypton gas fill. The thin glass keeps IGU weight and width to a minimum, enabling the use of frame profiles optimized for double pane. The thin-glass triple-pane concept is based on the novel use of components that have been available for years. This technology is a high- performance solution for the mass-market and is ready for industry adoption.
A standard low-emissivity (low-e) doublepane window will meet 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) prescriptive envelope requirements. However, higher performance triple-pane windows provide builders with an affordable envelope component trade-off opportunity that reduces the risk of noncompliance, while ensuring occupant comfort and increasing the value of the home.
The HBA Building Science Program is a technical resource available to HBA members free of charge, funded in part by Energy Trust of Oregon, Home Certified, OrePAC, Portland General Electric and NW Natural. If you would like to utilize the Building Science Program to create a continuous improvement plan focused on your building challenges or a plan to prepare for future code changes, contact Carol Eisenlohr, HBA’s Building Science Consultant at carole@hbapdx.org or call to schedule an appointment at 503-710-2910.
Don’t forget to schedule your BuildRight Coffee Chat with industry experts!
Join the HBA Building Science Consultant, ETO and other experts every Thursday at 9am via Teams or Zoom. Talk through code questions, address specific building challenges and find resources for better building practices. To schedule your individual chat, contact HBA’s Building Science Consultant Carol Eisenlohr at 503-710-2910 or buildingscience@hbapdx.org.
Get ready for a great 2024 BuildRight Conference and Expo! We are excited to announce Allison Bailes as our keynote speaker for the 2024 BuildRight Conference. Bailes is an expert in the residential building science industry with an emphasis on HVAC design and is prepared to share his knowledge and tips with BuildRight attendees. Additionally, Bailes will continue to share his wealth of information via the HOTT Tour scheduled for April 2024, as well.
About Allison Bailes: Allison Bailes is the author of a bestselling book on residential building science (A House Needs to Breathe…Or Does It?) and the founder of Energy Vanguard, a building science firm and BPI Test Center located in Decatur, Georgia. The company’s focus is on residential HVAC design, consulting, and training. Dr. Bailes has a PhD in physics from the University of Florida and has been involved with the field of building science since 2001, when he built a high-performance home out of structural insulated panels.
The Constructing Hope trainees arrived at the platform building site with just three weeks of pre-apprenticeship classroom work under their belts. HBF’s Chris McDowell showed them plans and explained they’d be building eight- foot by twelve- foot wooden platforms covered with sheets of plywood. Some had never held a power tool before. Others had construction experience, so they stepped right up to the saws. The morning was slow going, as the trainees learned basic framing skills. McDowell often had trainees removing screws and starting over to make sure the platforms were level, because they are the only thing that will be between people’s tents and the ground.
Constructing Hope instructor Irving Brown told us he was happy to have this opportunity “This is our first hands-on project as a team…once they become comfortable working together as a team, the whole ‘I don’t know how to do this, he doesn’t either, that’s not my job’ mentality or being embarrassed about not knowing something goes away and that’s when the growth happens. It’s kind of a learning process all the way around.”
Constructing Hope provides free, tenweek pre-apprenticeship classes to low income adults, most of whom are BIPOC, and a majority were formerly incarcerated. HBF has provided support to this program for more than four years, which has included building projects.
Student Lewis Marshall IV told us he was happy to be out of the classroom. “It’s the concept of using a team, and not sitting around”. The first building day included a special surprise, as media teams came by to check on their progress. Trainee Rafael Cook told KGW “I’m having a good time, learning, getting things done, soaking up the trades here.” By the end of the first building session, the trainees muscled over the very heavy platforms to start making a pile. They completed seven platforms, with a daunting thirteen to go.
The platforms will be available in a covered area at Portland’s first mass shelter site, located at 1490 SE Gideon. HBF staff took a tour of the site, which includes 140 tiny homes built by Portland’s Lit Construction. The village operators are California based Urban Alchemy, and many of the staff have experienced being homeless. The village features group facilities for laundry, bathrooms, and a common kitchen. People who live there will receive one meal a day. There will eventually be amenities including a dog area, raised garden beds and community sitting area. Central City Concern, one of the area’s largest homeless services providers, will have caseworkers on site, as well as health care organizations.
Operators explain people will move in slowly to the facility, perhaps five at a time, to allow them all time to adjust. Portland Mayor Wheeler says he expects people living unsheltered will want to move there in part because Multnomah County officials have agreed to relocate residents as quickly as possible into private apartments. Eventually, the site is expected to house up to 200 people. Funding for the site comes from the Legislature and Multnomah County. Shelter planner Nate Tanaka worked with HBF to coordinate building the platforms for folks who may prefer to continue living in tents at the site. The city provided the lumber for the platforms. HBF helped save thousands of public dollars to build the platforms by using a volunteer crew.
What a difference the second building session brought the following week. The trainees got right to work, with their newly learned skills bringing them confidence. Teacher Alex Hughes told us he noticed the project really was helping keep them focused. Instructor Brown told us they typically teach the trainees carpentry by having them build a shed. But the platforms provided a more meaningful experience. “Just like a construction worker, you drive by, and they’ll say “I built that! Same thing with these guys. Hey, I played a part in that.”
Without complaining, the trainees worked tirelessly. It didn’t look possible, but they put the final nail in the platforms in the final minutes, and placed the 20th platform on the pile for future use. The trainees universally were excited about their accomplishment. Trainee Ahmed told us that “it was great to to serve the community” and that “we’re making the community very strong and building mindsets that may not have been strong before.” You’re building mindsets that may not have been strong.” HBF would like to thank all of the participants who helped: Trainees Serena and Zahira Ahmed, Rafael Cook, Christopher Briggs, Germarcas Lambert, Lewis Marshall, Raheem Ola, Ljay Powell, Audrey Wasberg and Alexander York, as well as instructors Irving Brown and Alex Hughes.
City leaders tell us they hope to include HBF and its education partners in building projects for two additional mass shelter sites they have planned in the near future.
If you’d like to be involved with HBF’s shelter building projects, please contact Project Manager Chris McDowell, Chrism@hbapdx.org.
Name:
Melanie
Tashima DuncanCompany & Title: Fireside Home Solutions, Program Manager
Our latest Hero is Melanie Tashima Duncan, Fireside Home Solutions. In spite of her busy life, she is always available to help our programs.
Tell us about yourself:
I am the Program Manager at Fireside Home Solutions, primarily supporting the Senior Leadership & Sales Teams. I facilitate training programs, employee engagement, company events, team meetings and sales summits. In this role, I am the coordinator for our community outreach programs – our volunteerism and donation drives. We are investing resources into workforce development, and it’s a pleasure to work alongside likeminded individuals on HBF’s Workforce Advisory Board.
Mel Duncan joins other HBA members at a job fair Mel Duncan giving a tour to Reynolds Learning Academy
I’ve work for Fireside for 7 years now, and sought them out because they were one of my favorite companies to work with when I ran the Foundation. They were a generous, grounded and nimble
company, always finding ways to make things work and move things forward. We are bigger now, with over 200 employees in 7 locations. It’s lovely to play a role in keeping our core values and company culture positive.
How did you get involved in the HBF? What keeps you involved?
I had the great privilege of serving as Executive Director of the Foundation prior to Ken Cowdry and Brenda Ketah. Prior to running the Foundation, I enjoyed volunteering at the HBA/HBF as a member in a sales & marketing role for a local mortgage company. I got to know many of the board members, and they convinced me to take a chance and lead a non-profit. Something I had never considered prior to meeting the good folks of the HBF. Fun fact, Brenda and I worked together back in the day… our team hired her! I remain involved & committed to the mission of HBF, because of their people and good work they do. Creating a sense of home for those without one still resonates with me. Home is where your heart is, where you make memories, raise your children, come together, celebrate. I love that the residential home building industry has the heart to pool its resources and make the impact it does through big and little acts…sometimes it’s the little things that
spark a fire for those around you.
What is a fun fact about you that not everyone knows?
While many may know that I was born & raised in Hawaii, I am a 4th generation islander of Japanese descent, and the first in our immediate family of 4, to graduate college (University of Oregon). Family, extended family, the aunties and uncles my folks had in high school, all had a hand in raising me…it was the most wonderful, culturally diverse village. And, here is a newer story. Zack and I checked a bucket list item off recently when we bought our second home at the beach – north of Gearhart, in a neighborhood called Surf Pines. We host our family & friends there on holidays and head out there as much as we can, soaking in the “Vitamin Sea”.
What is your favorite hobby?
Paddle boarding – our family enjoys being out on Oregon’s beautiful lakes & rivers whenever we can. I enjoy hiking local trails as well, but my husband Zack and I haven’t gone out on those longer 10+ mile trails, with grand views and elevations, nearly as much this season. Whenever we travel, our family seeks out moderate hikes and trailheads to explore.
Thanks again for being our Hero, we appreciate you!
The NW Natural Street of Dreams officially concluded on Sunday, August 20th, and we thank you all for an amazing show! Following the completion of the show, the Home Building Association of Greater Portland hosted the annual NW Natural Street of Dreams Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, August 22nd, at Langer’s Entertainment Center in Sherwood with the food for the evening hosted by NW Natural.
There were three categories for the voting groups in which the awards were organized. They were Professional’s Choice, Realtor’s Choice, and People’s Choice. Below is a list of all awards and their recipients.
PROFESSIONAL’S CHOICE
• Best of Show: Lagom by Mike Riddle Construction + M. Kauer Co.
• Best Outdoor Living: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes
• Best Interior Design: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes
• Best Primary Suite: Lagom by Mike Riddle Construction + M. Kauer Co.
• Best Kitchen: Lagom by Mike Riddle Construction + M. Kauer Co.
• Best Architectural Design: Lagom by Mike Riddle Construction + M. Kauer Co. + Wavra Design Co.
• Best Landscape: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes + Courtney Lewis Landscape Design + Merten & Sons Landscape
REALTOR’S CHOICE
• Best of Show: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes
• Best Outdoor Living: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes
• Best Interior Design: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes
• Best Primary Suite: The Theresa Ann by JT Roth Construction (tie)
• Best Primary Suite: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes (tie)
• Best Kitchen: The Theresa Ann by JT Roth Construction
• Best Architectural Design: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes + Summit Ridge
• Best Landscape: The Hawk’s View by Teal Point Custom Homes + Courtney Lewis Landscape Design + Merten & Sons Landscape
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
• Best of Show: The Theresa Ann by JT Roth Construction
Thank you to the builder teams that made the show a success and a special thank you to JT Roth Construction for developing the main site, Denali Summit, and to Lisa Balmes on the Street of Dreams Executive Committee for her help coordinating the professional judges. We will see you at the 2024 NW Natural Street of Dreams!
WHERE: HBA Conference Center, 15555 SW Bangy Rd., Lake Oswego – First Floor
TICKETS: $ 45 Early registration
$ 55 after November 10
Purchase tickets online at
www.hbapdx.org/events
Presented by
BY PRESTON KORST, HBA DIRECTOR OF POLICY & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
We’d like to share a bit of good news about HBA’s involvement in a recent legal victory that may end up having broader statewide implications for our industry. The situation is a familiar one—where a builder was forced to assume legal action following a City Council arbitrarily denying a proposed planned development… The case is known as ICON CONSTRUCTION
Last year, following more than a decade of planning, Icon Construction received approval from Oregon City’s Planning Commission to build 426 homes on 92 acres in the city limits, meeting siting, density, UGB, and other public requirements. Then, in a single public meeting last fall, the City Commission denied the project from moving forward, citing a lack of discretionary design elements that were never clearly required in the City’s development code. Following this, Icon appealed this decision to the state’s Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). LUBA agreed with Icon, holding that the City failed to comply with Oregon’s well-established needed housing statutes, which require local governments to provide home builders an opportunity to apply for a land use review subject to only clear and objective standards, conditions, and procedures. LUBA also firmly rejected the City’s attempt to circumvent the needed housing statutes by imposing a condition of approval that would have prevented any developer of Icon’s property from exercising its right to use such a non-discretionary review option.
Rather than respecting LUBA’s common-sense decision and working with Icon to move the project forward, the City Commission and a neighborhood association chose instead to appeal the matter to the Oregon Court of Appeals. The City argued that, contrary to Oregon’s needed housing statutes, the City was never obligated to provide Icon the option to pursue a clear and objective approval process
and could essentially lock up Icon’s property by prohibiting any meaningful development unless Icon submitted to an extremely discretionary review process, which could allow the City Commission to deny Icon’s project for virtually any reason. This is where HBA stepped in…
Following our Government Affairs Committee’s recommendation, and with approval from our Board of Directors, HBA’s Building Industry Legal Defense Fund (BILD) was tapped to formally support, through an Amicus Brief filing, the Appeals Court case. In August, the Court rejected the City’s appeal as meritless and affirmed LUBA’s decision. “In this case, LUBA and the Court of Appeals did nothing more than reiterate that the legislature meant what it said when it told local governments that they may no longer deny applications for the development of housing under discretionary standards when those jurisdictions do not provide applicants a non-discretionary review option,” said Garrett Stephenson, legal counsel for ICON. This is a clear win for our industry’s ability to defend against NIMBY city councils and erroneous justifications used to deny new housing applications without presenting objective standards.
Congratulations to our friends at Icon Construction and to Garrett Stephenson at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt who was lead counsel on this case. Also, a special thanks to our partners at Jordan Ramis who provided stellar legal guidance and a generous discounted rate to file the Amicus Brief on behalf of HBA. While we don’t typically get involved in many individual member cases, this one had clear broad implications for the industry given the arbitrary nature of the decision, the lack of following normal procedures for addressing or correcting any areas of concern, and the lack of the use of clear and objective standards.
Support one of the premiere events of the HBA!
In September, HBA led an effort to support permitting reform in the City of Portland. Drafted by HBA staff and co-signed by a coalition of nearly a dozen business groups and associations, we outlined our support for a plan that would consolidate permitting functions into a single entity. We believe that for too long, Portland’s disjointed and chaotic permitting system has hindered a thriving residential and commercial building environment. We are urging the council to move forward with a plan that will unify all permitting functions into one office while identifying funding streams, establishing organizational charts, and leveraging cohesive document and payment processing systems. Not long after we submitted our testimony, Willamette Week posted an article outlining our position and the implications that this might have for the future of Portland. Later this month, we anticipate that Commissioner Carmen Rubio will carry an ordinance for council to consider that outlines her plan for permitting overhaul and consolation.
Following nearly 6 months of advocacy from HBA and other
For more information on any of the below items, please contact Director of Policy and Government Affairs Preston Korst at prestonk@hbapdx.org
housing groups, the City of Portland and Multnomah County unanimously passed twin-ordinances that dramatically expanded access to a program leveraged by dozens of middle-housing developers—increasing HOLTE program’s total annual allowances from 100 to 500 units. The Homebuyer Opportunity Limited Tax Exemption program (otherwise known as HOLTE), exempts a portion of property tax payments on newly built homes sold to a household earning between 80% - 100% MFI. For over a decade, the city and county placed an arbitrary 100-unit cap on the number of units sold to builders utilizing this program. HBA worked through our Portland Building and Urban Development Council (PBUD) to develop a strategy to increase the cap, making it easier for builders to fully leverage the city’s robust SDC waiver program, ultimately making is easier for builders to attract income-eligible buyers to their newly built products.
HBA staff and several members have recently been invited to participate in a new Urban Growth Report Stakeholder group, a new, time-limited advisory group to the COO that will help inform a recommendation to the Metro Council on the urban growth boundary decision at the end of 2024. This work is happening simultaneously with additional feedback
that HBA has provided on several roundtables that are informing Metro’s development of a new 5-year strategic plan. Currently, the three areas of focus are: Housing, Economy, and Environment. In all capacities, we’re continuing to advocate for increased focus on hosing production, land availability and readiness, as well as encouraging a healthy business climate to meet their objectives.
In July, HBA provided written testimony to the Public Utility Commission in support of NW Natural’s application to modify and improve its participation in the state’s renewable resource programs. Oregon requires large investor-owned electric utilities to offer green power programs to residential and small commercial customers. These programs enable residents to support renewable energy equal to all or part of their energy usage. NW Natural offers Smart Energy, which is a program that purchases carbon offsets and retires them on behalf of enrolled customers—ultimately helping fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
NW Natural’s request, and the testimony we drafted in support, would allow integration of additional renewable gas sources into the residential program while allowing large commercial customers the option to secure a bilateral contract with a combination of Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and offsets in the Smart Energy Program. We agree that doing so will make our energy system more effective and adaptable in addressing utility companies’ energy efficiency goals, while also providing more impact for the individual ratepayers that opt into voluntary plans to support carbon reduction.
HBA Government Affairs Director provided invited testimony on behalf of the home building industry and a broad coalition of organizations in the business community to support a systemic overhaul of Portland’s permitting functions. Following months of groundwork, HBA’s lead role in advocating for the unification of Portland’s permitting functions into a single entity was finally approved with a 5-0 vote by the Portland City Council on Wednesday, August 30th. This is a huge win for builders in Portland who’ve long experienced the dysfunction getting a single permit through 7 different bureaus.
With 15 individual organizations co-signing, HBA took a lead role in drafting and submitting a letter urging the council to approve a plan that aims to fundamentally reform the nature and process of permitting functions within the city. With this vote, the council directed staff to offer a roadmap and funding plan that will house all permitting functions within the city into a single, new entity by July 2024. While there is still much work to do to see this measure through, we applaud Commissioner Rubio and her team for bringing this to the finish line with the council’s full
support.
For more information on any of the below items, please contact Director of Policy and Government Affairs Preston Korst at prestonk@hbapdx.org
HBA is also closely engaged in other projects related to the city’s housing production goals, including a recently released Housing Needs Analysis Draft and the RICAP 10 Code Clean-up Project. Additionally, we are working with Commissioner Rubio’s office and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to advance a once-in-a-generation proposal called the Housing Regulatory Relief Project, which will tackle bike storage requirements, ground floor active use, birdsafe glazing, land use vesting timeframes, design review, and neighborhood contact regulations. While there is still a lot of work to be done, we are hopeful that through HBA’s leadership, housing production will bounce back in Portland.
Following HBA’s testimony on August 31st, Yamhill County Commission voted 2-1 in favor of a proposal that could expand the City of Newberg’s Urban Reserve Area designations by nearly 100 acres. With the commission’s vote, this URA expansion request (brought forward by an HBA member) moved one-step closer to encouraging planning for residential development and the future construction of new housing in Newberg. This took place following a unanimous approval by Newberg City Council in July. The expansion request now moves to LCDC for further consideration and approval. We encourage our members to stay tuned to further updates and learn how to testify in support of this proposal at future hearings. More details to come!
HBA staff and several members have recently been named to serve on Metro’s newly formed Urban Growth Report Stakeholder group. Below are list of members or industry professionals who are expected to join this committee:
• Preston Korst, Government Affairs Director, HBA
• Justin Wood, Vice President, Fish Construction
• Eric Peterson, Vice President Operations, Land & Housing Development, Brookfield Properties
• Elin Michel-Midelfort, Vice President Land Development, Metropolitan Land Group
• Michele Gila, Director of Realtor Advocacy, PMAR
• Elizabeth Mazzara-Myers, Executive Director, Westside Economic Alliance
This new, time-limited advisory group to the COO will help inform a recommendation to the Metro Council on the urban growth boundary decision at the end of 2024. This work is happening simultaneously and in addition to several Housing Needs Analyses that are being developed in cities across the region, including Hillsboro where HBA and others are advocating for council to adopt an Alternatives Analysis that accounts for more accurate population modeling, re-development capability, and middle housing growth.
I am writing with an important update regarding HBA’s advocacy efforts in a key jurisdiction for our members. As many of you know, over the past 2 years Washington County’s permitting and inspections services have experienced significant delays. From permitting intake, file check/approvals, and more recently with field inspections, the Land Use and Transportation teams that serve unincorporated Washington County have struggled to provide our industry with adequate service. Because of this, and due to the county being an important place for new home construction, HBA’s advocacy team has zeroed in on the county and made it a priority jurisdiction both political and through policy.
Over the past year, our Government Affairs staff has had regular, often weekly communications with LUT leadership, the county’s elected officials, and other advocacy groups working in that space. We believe that those efforts are starting to pay off. Additionally, our member engagement has been essential to the success of HBA’s quarterly check-ins with the county’s permitting teams to troubleshoot and
resolve ongoing issue. At the last meeting, we were given a review of data presented by county staff that outlines the scope of those improvements.
For instance, at its lowest point, permit set up and file checks took the county roughly 2.5 months to process. Now, those two actions take 13 days. On the inspections side, we were seeing just two months ago wait times of over 14 days. Now, inspections take on average 3 days to schedule and
complete.
While these are still not ideal, they do represent significant progress over the course of a relatively short amount of time for government reform. We’ll continue to update you with new data as soon as we get it, but thought you’d like to know how your engagement and membership is working to support a more efficient and productive building environment for our entire industry.
The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy committee held the federal funds rate at a top target rate of 5.5% at the conclusion of its September meeting. The Fed will also continue to reduce its balance sheet holdings of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities as part of quantitative tightening. These actions are intended to slow the economy and bring inflation back to 2%.
After an increase in rates in July, the pause for September will likely be temporary. Indeed, the Fed maintained a hawkish bias by noting: “additional policy firming may be appropriate to return inflation to 2 percent over time.” The Fed’s dot-plot projections imply one more 25 basis point increase in 2023 (presumably in November), which would be the last increase for this cycle. Then the Fed will hold this higher rate for longer – with the Fed’s projections suggesting no rate cuts until the second half of 2024. And as a revision, the Fed’s projections suggest only two rate cuts for 2024. And during that time, quantitative tightening will continue, keeping the spread between the 10-year Treasury and the 30-year fixed rate mortgage elevated. It is currently near 300 basis points.
The Fed faces competing risks: elevated but trending lower inflation combined with ongoing risks to the banking system and macroeconomic slowing. Chair Powell has
previously noted that near-term uncertainty is high due to these risks. Nonetheless, economic data remains better than expected. The Fed stated today: “economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace,” and that “job gains have slowed but remain strong, the unemployment rate has remained low.”
Despite this positive assessment from the Fed, there are ongoing challenges for regional banks, as well weakness for commercial real estate. Going from near zero to 5.5% on the federal funds rate is a dramatic policy move with possible
unintended consequences. More caution seems prudent. In fact, prior risks for smaller banks will result in tighter credit conditions, which will slow the economy and reduce inflation. Thus, these financial challenges act as additional surrogate rate hikes in terms of tightening credit availability, doing some of the work for the Fed.
The 10-year Treasury rate, which determines in part mortgage rates, increased to near 4.4% upon the Fed announcement. Mortgage rates will remain above 7% range, which is currently home builder sentiment.
HBA has some office space that will be coming available when the current industry tenant moves out around October/November of this year. The space is currently about 600 square feet configured with three offices (two with exterior window views) and one workstation, but could be expanded to include a couple of additional adjacent workstation areas. It’s located on the 3rd floor of our Lake Oswego Building right off the I-5 freeway in the same general space as the HBA Offices. It includes plenty of free parking, complimentary access to our meeting rooms and the potential to access copiers (for additional usage fees).
For more information on availability, rates and to schedule a time to see the space, please email info@hbapdx.org and put “HBA office space” in the subject line.
You want to do it right, and we want to help you.
You want to do it right, and we want to help you. Get information for the Northwest Region including technical literature, products, and contact details for your local territory managers.
Get information for the Northwest Region including technical literature, products, and contact details for your local territory managers.
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An estimated 5.5 million Americans experience an eating disorder each year, and most don’t get treatment. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines eating disorders as medical illnesses that create severe changes in a person’s eating behaviors. NIMH emphasizes that eating disorders are not a choice, and people experiencing one can appear healthy while their physical and mental health suffer.
The most common eating disorders are binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa. According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) most eating disorders begin during childhood and are rooted in a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and social factors. By early adulthood an eating disorder can progress into serious, life-threatening disease. Early intervention is critical, so available treatments are primarily tailored to young people.
For both children and adults, treatment is most effective when it addresses all four root factors. Doing that takes a team of specialists, each with expertise in a different factor contributing to the patient’s condition.
Accessing treatment team may be easier through virtual care
Virtual care (telehealth) can make accessing care for many mental health conditions more convenient than seeing a provider in-person. Telehealth enables patients to receive care via phone, video or chat from almost anywhere. And, with a dedicated virtual eating disorder treatment provider such as Equip, it enables patients to conveniently receive that care from a team of specialists.
Equip’s virtual treatment program integrates evidence-based therapies, supported by a dedicated, multidisciplinary team including a therapist, dietitian and medical provider for each patient. In addition, treatment teams include mentors who themselves have recovered from an eating disorder. For children and young adults, Equip also integrates family-based treatment (FBT), in which the patient’s parents play an important role in empowering their recovery. This wraparound approach to care has helped 92% of patients improve, with the goal of
achieving lasting recovery at home.
Where adult treatment is different: Peer support groups
Whereas treatment for children and young adults relies heavily FBT, adults don’t always have the same family support systems as children. So Equip’s treatment for adults 25 and older incorporates peer support group classes to supplement the patient’s treatment team. Adults receiving treatment are encouraged to join one or more weekly peer support classes led by Equip clinicians.
Peer support classes are tailored for a diverse range of identities, interests and shared experiences, including patients who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ, athletes and more. In these classes, adult patients find support, inspiration and understanding from others like them who are also experiencing an eating disorder. The combination of peer support classes with evidence-based therapies can help adult patients overcome lifelong illness and achieve lasting recovery.
If you or your loved one needs support for an eating disorder or other mental health condition, we can help you find the behavioral health care option that fits your needs. Most of our health plans offer traditional mental health care providers and virtual treatment options such as Equip, AbleTo Therapy+, Doctor on Demand, Talkspace, Charlie Health and more.
No referral is needed – you can schedule an appointment directly with a provider; visit a virtual provider’s website to request an appointment; or call Customer Service at the number listed on your member ID card to verify your treatment options and get help scheduling an appointment. Regence also provides free language services, including qualified interpreters and information written in languages beyond English, to people whose primary language isn’t English. Equip is a separate company that provides services to treat eating disorders and co-existing conditions.
Retention, wherein an owner or prime contractor retains and does not pay to a contractor a certain amount of the contract price (the “retainage”) until completion of all of the contractor’s work, is a practical method to ensure completion of the contractor’s work. If the contractor fails to fully perform or otherwise defaults under the contract, the retainage can be used to pay to complete the contractor’s work or mitigate the holder’s damages. Typically, the amount of retainage is based on either a percentage of the contract price, the cost to complete the punch list work or some other amount negotiated between the parties. These amounts can vary and contractors may find themselves with little bargaining power to negotiate a reduction or waiver of retention. While the amount of retention has long been limited on public projects, there were no limitations on retention for private projects until relatively recently.
In 2020, Oregon enacted a statutory five percent cap on the amount of retention for private projects. Specifically, ORS 701.420 allows a party to retain up to five percent of the contract price of the work completed. The statute provides that a contractor from whom retainage is being withheld can provide notice of completion, at which time the retaining party has 15 days within which to accept the contractor’s work or advise that additional work needs to be completed. The statute requires release of retainage within 30 days of the contractor’s notification of completion and the owner’s acceptance of the work, and states that one percent per month interest shall be paid on retainage that is held beyond 30 days. Even in the absence of any acceptance, the work will be deemed accepted if it is not rejected within 15 days after notification of completion.
Where an owner can retain funds from a prime contractor, a prime contractor can similarly retain funds from its subcontractors, again so long as any retention is not in excess of five percent of the subcontract price of the work completed by the subcontractor. A prime contractor who pays a subcontractor in full, including release of the subcontractor’s retainage, can provide notice to the owner, who must release to the prime contractor the amount of retainage released to the subcontractor or one percent per month interest will begin to accrue 30 days thereafter.
While ORS 701.430 allows a contractor to submit a statutorily compliant payment or performance bond, providing the retaining party approves of the terms of the bond, the statute does not clearly state that such a bond can take the place of retainage, and legislation seeking to clarify this issue failed to pass during the 2023 legislative session.
Of course, even five percent of the contract price can be a large dollar amount where the contract price is high. Moreover, the party holding the retention can earn interest on the retainage or use it for other purposes prior to having to release it. To prevent this, ORS 701.420 further requires that be kept in a one percent per month interest-bearing escrow account where the contract price is in excess of $500,000, with the interest being paid to the contractor upon release of the retainage. But
the statute does not specifically define what qualifies as an escrow account nor who is responsible to pay the fees normally charged by escrow agents. When the law was enacted, there were also few escrow companies familiar with the new law that were willing and able to hold and release retainage in accordance with these provisions. Many parties— owners and contractors alike— feel that the administrative burden and costs of tracking retainage or establishing an escrow account outweigh the benefits of receiving interest on the retainage and therefore include a contract provision waiving some/all of these retention requirements. However, Oregon courts have not yet ruled whether such waivers are enforceable.
Just this year, Washington enacted a similar provision (SB 5528), also limiting retention on private projects to five percent of the cost of the work completed and requiring that one percent per month interest be paid on retainage that is held after notification that the work for which payment is requested is complete. The new law also provides that a contractor can tender a payment bond in lieu of retainage. However, the law does not require that retainage be held in an escrow account.
Even despite these limitations, retention is still a useful tool to ensure completion of work. I typically recommend the amount of retention be based on a simple percentage (e.g., 5% in accordance with the law), as opposed to the costs of punch list work, in order to make it easy to calculate. I further recommend that retention be released to the contractor only after the work is inspected and deemed fully complete in compliance with the plans, specifications and other contractual obligations of the contractor. Finally, in order to prevent the filing of a lien, I recommend that final payment be conditioned upon the contractor signing an unconditional lien waiver, acknowledging full payment, payment to its subcontractors and suppliers, and waiver of its lien rights.
In summary, while retention provides a good method for ensuring completion of work, there are certain statutory limitations and administrative issues that need to be taken into consideration when deciding if/how to craft a retention provision. As always, contractors who are considering making changes to their contracts to address retention and/or other such issues should consult with experienced legal counsel.
Bill Joseph is a partner at Portland law firm Dunn Carney, LLP and the leader of the firm’s Construction & Design Team. He also serves as the HBA’s general counsel. His practice focuses on business litigation and transactional law with a specific emphasis on helping those in construction and related industries.
Our hearing is precious to us. Once we diminish or lose our hearing, we can never fully recover it. Both on the job and at home there are many sources of noise which can damage our hearing. These sounds can damage sensitive structures in the inner ear and cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Approximately 26 million Americans have some type of noise-induced hearing loss. According to the CDC, over 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work each year. Occupational hearing loss is one of the most common workplace injuries today in the United States.
Most damage due to noise is gradual
and over time. Because of this, many people ignore or do not realize that their hearing is being damaged. It becomes noticeable to an individual when it is harder to understand someone talking or needing to turn the TV volume up. Damage can also occur from a single loud impulse noise such as a gunshot or explosion. These types of noises can rupture the eardrum or damage the bones in the middle ear. This kind of NIHL can be immediate and permanent. Loud noise exposure can also cause tinnitus—a ringing, buzzing, or roaring in the ears or head. Hearing loss and tinnitus can occur in one or both ears. Sometimes temporary hearing loss can subside, however the event that caused it can still cause long term damage to your hearing.
• The best way to protect yourself is to eliminate exposure to the noise.
• Engineering controls are the secondbest choice in protection from noise.
• Administrative controls such as training on using hearing protection, job rotation, breaks, and routine maintenance programs.
• PPE is the last line of defense. It is important to know the levels of noise that remain after applying the other techniques mentioned above. For noises between 85 decibels and 100 decibels on an 8 hour TWA, ear plugs will be enough to protect you if worn correctly. Over 100 decibels requires double hearing protection, an example is earplugs and earmuffs.
In the world of construction, efficiency and innovation aren’t just buzzwords; they’re pivotal to maintaining a competitive edge. We are continuously seeking ways to improve project execution, reduce overheads, and increase profitability. For homebuilders and construction companies, technological advancements present a myriad of opportunities for business growth, resource optimization, and improved client satisfaction. Let’s explore how.
1. Drones for Site Surveys
Drones have made site inspections, surveys, and progress assessments faster and more efficient.
• Quick surveys: Capture aerial views of construction sites quickly.
• Safety: Reduce the need for manual labor in potentially dangerous zones.
• Documentation: Maintain visual records of construction progress.
2. Wearable Tech for Safety and Efficiency
From smart helmets with augmented reality (AR) overlays to wearable exoskeletons that assist with heavy lifting, technology is ensuring:
• Safety: Monitor workers’ health and
environmental conditions in real-time.
• Efficiency: Help workers perform their tasks with more accuracy and less fatigue.
3. Sustainable Construction with Green Tech Emerging tech is also promoting sustainable building practices:
• Energy-efficient tools: Reduce carbon footprint and operational costs.
• Waste reduction: Tech-driven machinery can optimize material usage, reducing wastage.
• Smart homes: Integrate technology into homes for energy conservation and enhanced resident experience.
4. Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR & VR) These tools are no longer limited to gaming.
• Client demos: Before a single brick is laid, clients can take a virtual tour of their future homes.
• Training: Virtual scenarios help train construction workers, enhancing their skills without the actual risks.
5. Managed IT Services: Driving Real Value
One of the significant challenges construction companies face when implementing technology is managing and maintaining the IT infrastructure. This is
where managed IT services come into play:
• Cost Efficiency: Instead of hiring a fulltime IT team, companies can outsource their IT needs. This move translates to lower overheads and ensures access to top-notch IT expertise.
• Security: With cyber threats on the rise, managed IT services offer robust security solutions, ensuring that sensitive project data remains confidential.
• 24/7 Support: Any IT-related issues can be addressed promptly, ensuring minimal downtime. This constant support means that construction projects remain on track, and workflow isn’t hampered.
• Scalability: As your construction business grows, your IT needs will evolve. Managed IT services can easily scale based on the project’s size and requirements, ensuring you always have the resources you need without unnecessary costs.
For homebuilders and construction companies, the future is digital. Integrating technology not only promises enhanced operational efficiency but also a competitive edge in an increasingly demanding market. And with managed IT services, the leap into the digital realm becomes not just feasible but incredibly beneficial. Embrace technology, build smarter!
