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 HOME BUILDERS UNFAIRLY TARGETED IN SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL.  SENATE SCHEDULED TO VOTE OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS ON HEALTH CARE REFORM.  LAST MINUTE PROVISION IS INCLUDED TARGETING OUR INDUSTRY.  PROVISION CONTAINS EXCLUSION OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH CARE EXEMPTION IN THE BILL.  SINGLES OUT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BY ONLY GIVING CONSTRUCTION FIRMS AN EXEMPTION FROM THE BILL'S EMPLOYER MANDATES IF A FIRM EMPLOYS LESS THAN 5 PEOPLE.  EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY IS GRANTED AN EXEMPTION IF THEY HAVE FEWER THAN 50 EMPLOYEES.  CALL 202-224-3121 AND ASK TO BE CONNECTED TO YOUR SENATORS AND URGE A NO VOTE TO HR 3590 SO THAT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WILL NOT BE UNFAIRLY PUNISHED.

 On Friday, November 6, 2009, President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 into law.  It provides great opportunities for home buyers who may have missed the November 30 deadline or who may not have qualified before:

Extends the deadline for the tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyer to April 30, 2010 (homes with a signed sales contract that close by June 30, 2010 will also be eligible),

Creates a new tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified repeat home buyers,

Increases the income limits to $125,000 for single tax files and $225,000 for married couples filing jointly, with partial credits available to qualified buyers with incomes up to $145,000 and $225,000.

You may visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com for eligibility requirements and answers to the questions most frequently asked by potential home buyers.

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On Monday, July 27, 2009, by a 9-2 vote, the Board of Housing and Community Development - Codes and Standards Committee voted to reaffirm the earlier action to make fire sprinklers an OPTION.  This was an early vote on this issue and the Mandate wll be considered again later in the 2009 Update of the Uniform Statewide Building Code.  Further updates will be given as they occur.

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 It is extremely important for all members to be involved in your local House of Delegates races to help build the relationships that will help Home Builders Association of Virginia represent you in the future.  If you would like to find out more about your local House of Delegates election, you can contact your HBAV lobbying team, Mike Toalson or Barrett Hardiman at 804-643-2797.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD ADOPTS FINAL STORMWATER REGULATIONS.  On December 9, 2009, the Board voted to adopt and promulage the regulations that have been working their way through the regulatory process since 2005.  The new regulations will not take affect until July 1, 2010.  For more information, contact Director of Regulatory Affairs Barrett Hardiman at bhardiman@hbav.com or 804-643-2797. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As the US Environmental Protection Agency's deadline for obtaining training and certification to work in pre-1978 homes approaches, remodelers, contractors, and others are searching for lead paint training opportunities.  The complex Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting regulation requires home owner education, containment, work practices, clean up, cleaning verification and record keeping practices that go into effect on April 22, 2010.  For more info on the lead paint rule, visit www.nahb.org/leadpaint.  Email Therese Crahan or call 800-368-5242 X8211 with questions.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 HOME BUILDERS UNFAIRLY TARGETED IN SENATE HEALTH CARE BILL.  SENATE SCHEDULED TO VOTE OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS ON HEALTH CARE REFORM.  LAST MINUTE PROVISION IS INCLUDED TARGETING OUR INDUSTRY.  PROVISION CONTAINS EXCLUSION OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH CARE EXEMPTION IN THE BILL.  SINGLES OUT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BY ONLY GIVING CONSTRUCTION FIRMS AN EXEMPTION FROM THE BILL'S EMPLOYER MANDATES IF A FIRM EMPLOYS LESS THAN 5 PEOPLE.  EVERY OTHER INDUSTRY IS GRANTED AN EXEMPTION IF THEY HAVE FEWER THAN 50 EMPLOYEES.  CALL 202-224-3121 AND ASK TO BE CONNECTED TO YOUR SENATORS AND URGE A NO VOTE TO HR 3590 SO THAT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WILL NOT BE UNFAIRLY PUNISHED.

 On Friday, November 6, 2009, President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 into law.  It provides great opportunities for home buyers who may have missed the November 30 deadline or who may not have qualified before:

Extends the deadline for the tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyer to April 30, 2010 (homes with a signed sales contract that close by June 30, 2010 will also be eligible),

Creates a new tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified repeat home buyers,

Increases the income limits to $125,000 for single tax files and $225,000 for married couples filing jointly, with partial credits available to qualified buyers with incomes up to $145,000 and $225,000.

You may visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com for eligibility requirements and answers to the questions most frequently asked by potential home buyers.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Monday, July 27, 2009, by a 9-2 vote, the Board of Housing and Community Development - Codes and Standards Committee voted to reaffirm the earlier action to make fire sprinklers an OPTION.  This was an early vote on this issue and the Mandate wll be considered again later in the 2009 Update of the Uniform Statewide Building Code.  Further updates will be given as they occur.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 It is extremely important for all members to be involved in your local House of Delegates races to help build the relationships that will help Home Builders Association of Virginia represent you in the future.  If you would like to find out more about your local House of Delegates election, you can contact your HBAV lobbying team, Mike Toalson or Barrett Hardiman at 804-643-2797.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD ADOPTS FINAL STORMWATER REGULATIONS.  On December 9, 2009, the Board voted to adopt and promulage the regulations that have been working their way through the regulatory process since 2005.  The new regulations will not take affect until July 1, 2010.  For more information, contact Director of Regulatory Affairs Barrett Hardiman at bhardiman@hbav.com or 804-643-2797. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As the US Environmental Protection Agency's deadline for obtaining training and certification to work in pre-1978 homes approaches, remodelers, contractors, and others are searching for lead paint training opportunities.  The complex Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting regulation requires home owner education, containment, work practices, clean up, cleaning verification and record keeping practices that go into effect on April 22, 2010.  For more info on the lead paint rule, visit www.nahb.org/leadpaint.  Email Therese Crahan or call 800-368-5242 X8211 with questions.