HBAWV Newsletter – March 2023
Your voice matters
Home Builders Association of West Virginia Hires OMEGA WV to Manage Operations
As you know, on November 30th, we lost our Executive Officer Regina Skeen suddenly. Regina was a wonderful person and was liked and respected by all who knew her. As with any great loss, it has taken a while for the HBAWV to make a plan to move the Association forward. We have been fortunate to have great leadership including our president, Aaron Dickerson, and the HBAWV Board of Directors working tirelessly on this endeavor.
On March 3rd, the HBAWV signed a management contract with OMEGA /WV for their president, Traci Nelson, to act as our executive officer and run the HBAWV. We are excited about this new partnership and look forward to working with Traci and the OMEGA staff. We are still in the process of getting things, such as phones and other logistics, worked out. Our operations will now be run out of the OMEGA Office located at 2006 Kanawha Blvd., E., Charleston, WV. You can still call the HBAWV phone number, which, for now, is being handled by the Mid-Ohio Valley Home Builders Association until the phone lines are moved toward the end of this month. You can reach Traci Nelson at 304-552-4441 or via email at traci@omegawv.com.
We ask for your continued patience over the months ahead as we move forward in this new normal, while still honoring Regina’s legacy.
First Regular Session of the 86th Legislature of the State of West Virginia
From your lobbyist, Michael Haid
It has been an honor and a privilege representing the Home Builders Association this legislative session. I’ve certainly learned a lot this year and I believe we have built a solid foundation for the future. The Delegate lunches we had for both parties were very well received and Kent Pauley did a great job discussing our message points with the members.
I wanted to touch on a few bills we worked on this session that are important to our members.
HB 3036 -Increasing the number of districts and the limit on approved costs under the BUILD WV Act
This bill increases the Build WV Act districts across the state to an undefined limit. The yearly cap of BUILD expenditures has also been raised from 40 million dollars annually to 150 million statewide. We expect the Governor will sign this bill. Click the link below to view this bill:
https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2023_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb3036%20sub.pdf
HB 3215- Relating to Land Use
This was Delegate Riley’s bill from Harrison County. The purpose of this bill relates to land use planning. The bill provides flexibility in
timelines to allow planning commissions to promptly address applications; and addresses difficulties with finding qualified members for public boards. It modifies definitions; modifies the frequency of planning commission meetings; clarifies contents of subdivision and land development ordinances; addresses jurisdiction of planning commission; clarifies process for minor proposals; modifies provisions related to approval of major proposals; provides for flexibility in qualifications for county boards of zoning appeals; and modifies frequency of board of zoning appeals meetings.
Hopefully this bill will make it easier to get projects moving quicker. We expect the Governor to sign the bill. A link to the bill text is below for your review:
https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2023_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb3215%20enr.pdf
HB 3270- To amend the deliberate intent statute to limit noneconomic damages to $500,000
A challenging issue that has been debated in the halls of the Capitol for over a decade – HB 3270 finally reached the finish line late in the session. Again, we expect the Governor to sign this bill. Hopefully this will result in lower insurance rates over time for our members.
A link to the bill text is below:
https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2023_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb3270%20sub.pdf
Thank you again for your support and guidance this session.
60% of a Home’s Sales Price Goes to Construction Costs
NAHB’s latest Cost of Construction Survey reveals that 60.8% of the average home sales price consisted of construction costs in 2022, similar to the 61.1% breakdown posted in 2019. Since the inception of this series in 1998, this is just the fourth time construction costs represent over 60% of the total price of the home — it was 61.7% in 2013 and 61.8% in 2015.
The finished lot cost was the second largest cost at 17.8% of the sales price, down from 18.5% in 2019.
More.
NAHB Applauds House Passage of Resolution on WOTUS
Alicia, Huey, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala., today issued the following statement after the House passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution of disapproval that would rescind the Biden administration’s waters of the U.S. rule:
“NAHB commends this bipartisan House vote approving a resolution that would overturn the Biden administration’s waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. It makes no sense for human-made ditches and isolated ponds on private property to be subject to federal jurisdiction, but that’s exactly what the WOTUS rule does under its intrastate waters category. Adding uncertainty and delay to the federal permitting process needlessly raises housing costs and defers badly needed affordable housing projects.
More.
NAHB Leaders Make Housing Front and Center on Capitol Hill
Addressing a wide range of legislative and regulatory issues with serious repercussions for the nation’s supply of affordably priced housing, NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey and First Vice Chairman Carl Harris met with congressional leaders on Capitol Hill over the past 48 hours to pursue a strong national agenda for housing.
The NAHB Senior Officers reiterated the importance of housing and homeownership to the economy and urged lawmakers to focus on supply chain, regulatory and workforce development issues to help stem rising housing costs. They also stressed that a vibrant housing market is critical to maintain robust job and economic growth.
More.
HBAWV & MY BENEFIT ADVISOR NEW AFFINITY PROGRAMS PARTNERSHIP
CLICK HERE OR BELOW TO FINDOUT MORE
Multifamily Developer Confidence Remains in Negative Territory in Fourth Quarter
While the two main confidence indexes for multifamily housing increased slightly in the fourth quarter, they both remained in negative territory, according to results from the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) released today by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS produces two separate indices. The Multifamily Production Index (MPI) increased two points to 34 compared to the previous quarter and the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) increased four points to 49.
The MPI measures builder and developer sentiment about current production conditions in the apartment and condo market on a scale of 0 to 100. The index and all of its components are scaled so that a number below 50 indicates that more respondents report conditions are getting worse than report conditions are improving.
Welcome New Members for 2023…
Ferguson Enterprises – Julia White & Dave Nelson, Mountain State Fiber Optics – Mike Lewis, Encova – Chuck Baldwin, Wesbanco – Molly Savilla, Jefferson Security Bank – Dustin Branner, Reico Kitchen & Bath – Rick Baur, Smoots LLC – Jessica Smoot, Western Cary Building Products – Denise Crawford, Bulletproof Exteriors – Bruce Boyd, Jr., Stair Lift Pros LLC – Todd Perry, Plyer Construction Advisors – William Plyer, BJ Contracting of WV – Brandon Magill, Insurance Center Inc. – Janelta Curtis, WCO Flooring America – Amy Warnick-West, and Vet Owned Radon – John Rossana.
Important Dates:
Future HBAWV Board of Directors Meetings
Spring – April 14th – 15th – Virtual (Information will be distributed soon)
HBAWV Annual Auction – June 17th, 2023 – 500 Mylan Park, Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown
HBAWV Summer Board of Directors Meeting – August 3rd – 5th, 2023 – 2550 Jack Furst Dr., Glen Jean, WV
HBAWV Annual Conference – October 27th – 28th, 2023 – The Blennerhassett, Parkersburg, WV
Future NAHB Board of Directors Meetings
IBS
February 25-29, 2024 – Las Vegas
Spring Midyear Meetings:
Leg Con:
June 6th – 10th, 2023 – Washington, D.C.
Fall Meeting:
September 19th – 21st, 2023 – Palm Springs, CA
