THE HOME BUILDER
April 2024
Page Two
David Lehde Director of Government Affairs Association Advocacy Stretches from the Region to Capitol Hill The HomeFront Government Affairs News and Info In the City of Dallas, the pro-
lawmakers agreed in March to approve Senate appropriations’ move to main- tain the Job Corps funding through the end of fiscal 2024. Job Corps provides free career training and education for 16- through 24-year-olds. The program trains trades for 10 industries and countless careers, offering students an opportu - nity to work hard, grow, and begin a career or apprenticeship. However, the carousel of poli- cies affecting our industry never stops spinning. Recently, the White House announced controversial emissions regulations that will impact the cost and availability of certain vehicles. This comes at a time when families continue to deal with inflation. And it can impact housing affordability as well. There is a constant push by some to have the total cost of electric ve- hicles hidden by requiring new homes to be constructed with EV charging equipment or infrastructure. It should
requirement for a permit application to install an irrigation system is intended to be enforced in the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and whether it only applies to systems that are supplied by city-owned facilities. Heath’s ordinance also updates the approved tree planting list. As Heath continues to struggle with an- swers regarding water supply, Dallas BA will continue to monitor the city for any related ordinances that impact development. In other parts of the region, Dallas BA continues to provide our members with opportunities to build connections with area decision makers. Dallas BA’s Volume Builders & Developers Committee hosted Denton County Judge Andy Eads on March 28. Judge Eads offered a timely update on the county’s economic growth, major roadway plan and long-term expectations. The residential construction sector received good news on the workforce front in March. An NAHB lead advocacy effort, which included the participation of Dallas BA mem- bers and government relations staff, resulted in the saving of the Job Corps program. Appropriations action in late summer 2023 had threatened to elimi- nate the needed $1.76 billion in fund- ing for the highly successful trades education program. And North Texas Job Corps, the Job Corps campus in McKinney, could have been affected. Dallas BA members and staff visited with a member of the House Appropriations Committee to discuss the need for the funding to be rein- serted into what is commonly known as the “Labor H” appropriations bill. NAHB’s advocacy endured and House
not be the responsibility of working- class families to pay for aftermarket equipment for a vehicle that many plan not to purchase, nor can afford. Dallas BA has already defeated such requirements in the region. But you can expect more to be proposed. When the government oversteps its boundaries to pick marketplace win- ners and losers, more is lost. Obviously, advocacy to our fed- eral policy makers is important. And Dallas BA will engage them again this year in our meetings with our service area’s Congressional delegation as part of NAHB’s National Legislation Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 12. The meetings occur during the week of NAHB’s Spring Leader- ship meetings. Dallas BA members planning to, or interested in attending the meetings in Washington, should contact Dallas BA’s Director of Government Affairs with any questions.
posed ordinance that updates develop- ment and building fees was brought back to the City Council on March 27 for a final vote. The city’s original fee study proposed increases that would have added thousands of dollars to the cost of construction for both single-family and multifamily homes. The study even proposed an increase for one fee that was more than 2,500%. The draft ordinance, which was brought before the city council on Dec. 13, actually saw many of those pro- posed fees reduced from the version that was presented in the fee study after City Council members heard from the Dallas BA and fellow stakeholders. Still, due to concerns regarding the as- sumptions made in the study, the pos- sible impact on housing affordability, and the need to have more input from those stakeholders, the City Council postponed action on the item until their Jan. 24 meeting. After hearing more from Dallas BA, the council postponed their decision again until the March 27 City Council meeting. This allowed city staff to make needed changes in ordinance lan- guage that was requested by Dallas BA. Builders and developers should review the updated fee schedule and plan accordingly. In the City of Heath, Council members recently voted to approve amendments to the city’s landscaping and irrigation ordinance. While most of the ordinance appears to restate what is already required by state statute and Texas Commission for Environmental Quality guidelines, Dallas BA has asked the Council for clarity regarding if the ordinance’s
McSAM Awards set for Saturday, April 20
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son Blanton, Texas Door and Trim, Highland Homes, Fireside Hearth and Homes, The Jarrell Company, Southwest Sales, Partners in Build- ing, Drees Custom Homes, Land Pro Creations, Burgess Construc- tion Consultants, Pacesetter Homes DFW, Independence Title, Hillwood Homes, Integrity Group and Toll Brothers. Contact Dallas BA Director of Meetings and Events Jasmine Streete, 214-615-5012, for partner- ship information
Iceland, Germany and Croatia. Judges selected from across the nation represent the many dis- ciplines contributing to new home sales and marketing, as well as geographic diversity. Partnership opportunities are available starting at $1,000 and up to $5,000. Market directly to decision makers including volume builder CEOs, division presidents, custom builders, remodelers, and sales and marketing profes- sionals. Partners committed to date include Title Partner Southern Roofing, along with Neighborhood Management, David Weekley Homes, Pro- Source Wholesale, Newland/ Brookfield Properties, First National Mortgage, Builder Guides DFW, Anderson Han-
The Home Builder is published monthly by the Dallas Builders Association at 5816 W. Plano Pkwy., Plano, Texas 75093. Telephone 972-931-4840. BARCIE VILCHES, Editor
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