 | | TO | | May 13, 2025 | | To: | NAHB Leadership Council, NAHB Board of Directors, NAHB Past Presidents/Chairmen, State Representatives, National Area Chairs, All Standing Committee members and Council Trustees, BUILD-PAC Trustees and High Donors, Home Builders Institute Board of Trustees, National Housing Endowment Board of Trustees, and State & Local Executive Officers |
| Fellow Members, I write to remind you that NAHB’s Spring Leadership Meeting is just a few weeks away. These meetings will take place June 10-13, at the Marriott Marquis Washington D.C. Please confirm your plans to participate as soon as possible by registering for the meeting at nahb.org/SLM. Also, the deadline to reserve your hotel room within the NAHB block is Friday, May 16. While availability at the Marriott is extremely limited (e.g., there is currently no availability on Monday, June 9, and Tuesday, June 10, at our discounted rate), NAHB has secured a limited number of additional rooms at the nearby Henley Park Hotel at the same rate as the Marriott Marquis. If you haven’t made your reservations yet and would like to stay in the block, please don’t hesitate to visit nahb.org/SLM for the latest availability. During the spring meetings we will also conduct the 2025 NAHB Legislative Conference (LegCon) on Wednesday, June 11. It is important that members of Congress hear our perspective on key issues, including tax policy, energy codes, burdensome regulations and workforce development. I also encourage you to attend LegCon, and to help you prepare for your Hill visits, we’re holding an Issue Briefing Webinar on May 28 at noon ET. Please register for the webinar to receive an email confirmation with the log-in details. If you have questions about the upcoming meetings, please contact James Pinkney at jpinkney@nahb.org or 800-368-5242 x8508. Best regards, Buddy Hughes
2025 NAHB Chairman |
| |  | ©2025 NAHB | National Association of Home Builders
1201 15th Street, NW | Washington, DC 20005
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S COLUMN By Vincent J. Squillace Executive Vice PresidentThe housing crisis continues Despite all types of media coverage, the Ohio housing crisis continues pretty much unabated. The crisis is not news to us and those who follow us regularly. Housing starts, per capita, in Ohio have been near rock bottom in the United States for decades. In the past year or so, some large economic developments have been announced in our state. This is good news, but the industries noted a shortage of available housing for the expected employees to reside. Some have estimated our shortage to be in the range of 100,000 homes. We have been locked in with key folks who want to help. Initially, we had great conversations with Senator Kirk Schuring. Unfortunately, he passed away after a bout with cancer. His caucus then shifted to Senator Michelle Reynolds who began a statewide housing road show. After many hours of mind-numbing testimony, (a few of our dedicated members presented our views) a multi-paged report was issued. In the meantime, we perfected our initiative to limit the imposition of taxation of newly developed lots (and corrected the Home Construction Service Suppliers Act application to home improvements). We began discussions to get legislators to focus on the many hindrances incurred in the land development process, as well as, taking a look at how comprehensive plans are largely ignored. Many legislators are interested, but many obstacles exist at the local level. Recent hearings have revealed such obstacles. A housing accelerator measure is expected to be included in the budget. We were not involved in the drafting but it seems to have limited impact. We will continue to review and attempt to get some meaningful amendments if it is to pass. This pretty much sums up what we are facing: a substantial lack of knowledge of the new home delivery process. This is exasperated by some local political subdivisions who, frankly, are not interested in increasing the housing supply. Despite all this we are moving ahead with suggestions we feel should be considered. OHBA executive committee members have been solid in moving us in the right direction. The process is slow, but your voice is being heard. Ohio Home Builders Association
Phone- 614/228-6647
 MAY 2, 2025 REPORT #4 LEGISLATIVE UPDATEHOUSING, ANNEXATION, COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREAS TAKEN UP AFTER LEGISLATURE RETURNED FROM BREAK Returning from a two-week break, the legislature has returned with a flurry of activity. The Budget (HB 96) is now being negotiated in the Senate with hearings and speculation on amendments to the House passed version. While pro-housing policies are a focus on one hand, various residential development tools are under attack on the other. During the April 30th House Local Government hearing, HB 113 Annexation and Property Tax Exemptions (Bird, Newman) proponents testified on the proposed modifications to annexation and CRA policy. The testimony is a good reminder of the challenges and sentiment for housing development in some areas. HB 113 starts at 1:40 of the hearing at the link below.
Also, this week, Senator Reynolds introduced SB 184 Development Districts to establish residential economic development districts and to create a grant program for housing developments within such districts. These districts would be areas where there is a (1) “Major economic development project” means a project in this state that meets both of the following criteria: (a) The project is reasonably expected to create, retain, and attract jobs or otherwise improve the economic well-being of the area surrounding the project site; (b) At least seven hundred million dollars in private investments are committed to establish, expand, renovate, or occupy a facility as part of a single project at a designated project site, including investment in new buildings, additions or improvements to existing buildings, machinery, equipment, furniture, fixtures, and inventory. A county, township, or municipal corporation that is fully or partially located within a residential economic development district may apply for a grant under this section in the form and manner prescribed by the department of development, including pro-housing policies and density considerations, among other items. “Residential economic development district” means all parcels of land within a twenty-mile radius of a major economic development project. OHBA is reviewing the proposal and would welcome any feedback. SB 184 can be found at the link below.
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb184
HB 154 is scheduled for a proponent hearing next week in the House Local Government Committee.
OHBA continues to have meetings with the Chairwoman of the House Local Government Committee and Sponsors of HB 113 and 154 to express concerns over the changes proposed to Type II Annexations and Residential CRAs. OHBA urges members to contact members of the committee to express the benefits of current CRA and Annexation policies. Most recently, OHBA and NAIOP, met again with Representative Dave Thomas on the importance of such residential development tools. The Committee contacts for HB 113 and HB 154 can be found below.
https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/local-government HB 154 Community Reinvestment Areas Thomas, D. Glassburn, C.
To require school district approval of residential community reinvestment area property tax exemptions.
Text & Analysis SB 173 School Districts Schaffer, T. Brenner, A.
Regards school district territory annexations. Am. 3311.06
Text & Analysis SB 173 was scheduled for sponsor testimony this week, but was removed from the agenda of the Senate Education Committee. SB 173 Requires the automatic transfer of territory to the city school district serving an annexing city if certain conditions apply, including that the territory is located in a county in which a megaproject is located. Please contact OHBA with any comments or questions. OHBA SUMMER BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING Save the date for June 24 & 25 for OHBA’s Summer Board of Trustees Meeting. This meeting will be held in President Merle Stutzman’s hometown of Wooster. |
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