Southern Nevada builders meet with lawmakers

Leadership at the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association was pleased to meet recently with our federal elected officials to discuss issues of importance and concern to our industry, our homebuyers and the citizens of metropolitan Las Vegas.

The meetings were part of a nationwide effort, “Bring Housing Home,” which is coordinated by the National Association of Home Builders. SNHBA is the NAHB affiliate for Southern Nevada. Builders across the country met with their respective federal lawmakers in their home districts to stress the importance of these issues and the critical role that housing plays to maintain vibrant local communities and a strong national economy.

SNHBA representatives met with our congressional officials, Rep. Crescent Hardy, R-Nev., Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., and Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., and we appreciated the time and attention they gave us to talk about conditions in Southern Nevada.

Builders seek support for policies that will continue to advance the housing recovery and increase housing opportunities for local residents and all Americans.

Topics that were discussed across the country included the burdens of governmental regulations, the need for workforce development and a sensible immigration policy, and housing finance reform, to name a few.

Most homebuilding and remodeling companies are small businesses that are dealing with a disproportionate share of costs associated with excessive, and often unnecessary, regulations on the local, state, regional and federal levels. We asked our lawmakers to consider the impacts and “unintended consequences” of additional federal regulations, and we talked about some less burdensome alternatives to some regulations.

The National Association of Home Builders estimates that all governmental requirements account for 25 percent of the cost of a new single-family home. Ultimately, it’s the homebuyers who pay for these additional costs. As home prices get pushed higher, they become less affordable and potentially beyond the reach of those with the greatest need — those looking for a starter home.

Congress is preparing to address the future of the nation’s finance system, as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Homebuilders continue to emphasize that any restructuring must provide for a reliable and adequate flow of credit for qualified homebuyers. The federal government has an appropriate roll to back the housing finance system to ensure the viability of the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

Please send your questions or comments about new homes to monica@snhba.com. We will try to answer as many questions as we can given space and time limitations and constraints. For more information about SNHBA, visit www.snhba.com.

Frank Wyatt, a principal at Pinnacle Homes in Las Vegas, is the 2016 president of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association, the largest and oldest trade organization representing the residential construction industry in Nevada. He’s been involved in the local homebuilding industry since 1982.