DON’T LET CONGRESS TAKE THE SUMMER OFF!
Write Congress at www.capitolconnect.com/builderlink and/or call at 1-866-924-6242 (NAHB)
Your senators and representative have returned home for the August Congressional recess. Take advantage of this opportunity to arrange a meeting with your senators and representative and voice your support for housing and its role in fixing the national economy. To reinforce the message you deliver during your meetings, you can write your member of Congress at www.capitolconnect.com/builderlink and/or call at 1-866-924-6242 (NAHB).
Over the past few weeks, there have been tentative signs that the economy has hit bottom and could be on the mend; however, it remains very weak. Even if a modest recovery has now begun, most analysts predict that the economy will continue to shed more jobs well into next year and that unemployment will top ten percent. We can’t sustain a long-term recovery without creating jobs, which is why this upturn could run out of steam by the end of the year or continue at a snail’s pace.
Housing and related industries account for about 13 percent of the GDP and stand out as one of the few sectors that can revive today’s lackluster economy and quickly put Americans back to work. But several critical factors threaten to undercut whatever positive momentum is starting to build in the housing market. The impending expiration of the first-time home buyer tax credit could slow demand and sales, appraisal issues are torpedoing more than a quarter of new-home sales, and ongoing credit problems are hurting builders and buyers alike.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has responded to these challenges head-on by launching an aggressive legislative initiative that calls on your federal lawmakers to:
· Extend the $8,000 home buyer tax credit until December 1, 2010, and expand eligibility to all home buyers;
· Urge federal housing regulators to correct the flawed home appraisal process;
· Urge federal banking regulators to improve acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) credit conditions; and
· Co-sponsor net operating loss (NOL) relief bills: S. 823 in the Senate and H.R. 2452 in the House.
For more information, view the talking points, one-pager and supplemental background material.
Adoption of these proposals will spur job growth, build confidence, stimulate demand and have a positive impact on the overall economy and housing market. The best way to accelerate the economic recovery and create jobs is to stimulate housing activity.
THIS INITIATIVE CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT YOU.
Call to Action
1. Take advantage of the August Congressional recess to meet personally with your lawmakers to drum up support for this legislative package. Work with your state or local home builders association to arrange a meeting with your senators and representative and urge action on the points outlined above. In-district contact information for your members of Congress can be found by visiting http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/ and following the links to your lawmakers.
To address the AD&C crisis and the appraisal issue, when meeting with your lawmakers, ask them to send this AD&C issues letter to federal banking regulators and this appraisal practices letter to federal housing regulators.
Also, please review the list of known town hall meetings. These meetings are open to all constituents and serve as an excellent opportunity to generate dialogue and awareness about the housing issues and the industry’s remedy for the ailing economy. Since lawmakers’ schedules change all the time, please be sure to verify the meeting dates and times with local district offices.
2. Join the NAHB congressional letter writing campaign by visiting www.capitolconnect.com/builderlink. You may also call your members of Congress toll-free at 1-866-924-6242 (NAHB).
3. Let us know what you are hearing from your senators and representative by filling out the Congressional feedback form, by emailing us at builderlink@nahb.com or by calling us at (800) 368-5242 x8475.
We must make our voice heard loud and clear. The only way to succeed is for a committed, industry-wide effort from the entire NAHB federation. Thank you for your help in this endeavor of extreme importance to the housing industry!