Legislative Session Week 17: 
Legislature Heads into Final Stretch

The legislative session is headed into the final two weeks with major tasks yet to be completed, namely the state budget. The constitutional adjournment requires that all work cease for the year by Monday, May 20th at midnight. In many past budget sessions a special session was used to break budget stalemates, however, with single-party leadership in both legislative bodies and the Governor’s office on-time adjournment seems likely, though probably not much before the stroke of midnight on 5/20. There was a time when either the House or the Senate had been known to "cover the clock" and continue, but the courts put an end to that a long time ago. The adjournment deadline is a firm one and there appears to be no appetite for a special session this year.

Conference Committee Underway; Sprinkler Language In Play

The Jobs and Economic Development Finance Conference Committee began its work yesterday to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Jobs and Economic Development Finance bills which were recently passed off the floors of both bodies. The Senate version carries a provision strongly supported by BATC that would prohibit a home sprinkler mandate for single family homes. The House version does not. The Senate language reads as follows:

Single-family dwelling; fire sprinklers. (a) The State Building Code, the State Fire code, or a political subdivision of the state by code, by ordinance, as a condition of receiving public funding, or in any other way, must not require the installation of fire sprinklers, any fire sprinkler system components, or automatic fire-extinguishing equipment or devices in any new or existing single-family detached dwelling unit. (b) This subdivision does not affect or limit a requirement for smoke or fire detectors, alarms, or their components.

The conferees for the committee include:

• Senator David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisolm)
• Senator Tom Saxhaug (DFL-Grand Rapids)
• Senator Dan Sparks (DFL-Austin)
• Senator James Metzen (DFL-South St. Paul)
• Senator Torrey Westrom (DFL-Elbow Lake)
   
• Representative Tim Mahoney (DFL-St. Paul)
• Representative Joe Atkins (DFL-Inver Grove Heights)
• Representative Karen Clark (DFL-Minneapolis)
• Representative Sheldon Johnson (DFL-St. Paul)
• Representative Bob Gunther (R-Fairmont)

Other Closely Watched Items

Going into the stretch there are a number of issues that have been worked on closely throughout the session that are still alive in the process. You can review the background and current status of each below:

1. Street Improvement Districts (HF 745/SF 607)
2. Minneapolis Park Dedication Fee – Fair Market Value (HF 321/SF 99)
3. Indemnification/Risk Transfer (HF 644/SF 561)

Join us to learn more (including the inside politics) and support our work. Housing First will kick-off the 2014 Election Cycle by taking stock of where the industry sits following an unprecedented 2013 legislative session and will look forward to see what lies ahead for the 2014 elections. BATC consultant and noted Minnesota political commentator Todd Rapp will provide insight and analysis.

Please join us for appetizers and cocktails in BATC’s Seminar room on Thursday, May 23 from 4 to 6 PM. Comments and Q+A begin at 5 PM. RSVP to Mary Schweich at 651-697-7572.

Presented by The Housing First Advisory Group:

• Bill Burgess, Chair
• Richard Berg, Contract Interiors
• Charlie Bradburn, ABC Millwork
• Keith Horkey, Keyland Homes
• Jason McCarty, Westwood Professional Services
• Shawn Nelson, New Spaces
• Kathe Ostrom, CN Ostrom & Son
• Jim Stanton, Shamrock Development
• Curt Swanson, Swanson Home

NAHB's most recent survey spotlights the major home preferences that buyers are seeking in 2013. Over half of those surveyed hope to buy new - 27% said they would prefer to build custom and 28% prefer to buy directly from a builder. The survey also includes a list of the most wanted and most needed features in the home. See the survey results >>

Housing is in Demand. Start Planning for the Next 10 Years.

Metrostudy Report - "While inventories remain tight, homebuilders will need to start looking to increase production in order to meet growing demand. Look for the Twin Cities housing market to ramp up substantially over the next sixth months building up supplies of both housing and lot inventories. The market needs to stop worrying about next year and start planning for the next 5 to 10 years." - Ryan Jones, Director of Metrostudy’s Twin Cities Division

Read the full story here >>

The EPA has taken action against seventeen companies nationwide that have violated the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule (RRP). The fines included 14 adminstrative settlements with penalties of up to $23,000 and the EPA filed three adminstrative complaints seeking civil penalties of up to the statutory maximum of $37,500 per violation. Read more >>

Enforcement actions:

• Groeller Painting, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri.
• Albracht Permasiding and Window, Co. of Omaha, Nebraska.
• Midwest College Painters, LLC of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
• ARK Property Investments, LLC of Richmond, Indiana.
• Henderson & Associates Services of Largo, Florida.
• Home Resources Management, LLC of Columbia, Tennessee.
• Camaj Interiors & Exteriors of Jacksonville, Florida.
• Cherokee Home Improvements, LLC of Church Creek, Maryland.
• Window World of Harford located in Belair, Maryland.
• EA Construction and General Contracting of West Chester, Pennsylvania.
• Roman Builders of Morton, Pennsylvania.
• Accolade Construction Group, Inc. of New York, New York.
• PZ Painting of Springfield, New Jersey.
• Creative Renovations of Brooklyn, New York.
• Reeson Construction of Webster, New Hampshire.
• New Hampshire Plate Glass Corporation of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
• CM Rogers Handyman of Manchester, New Hampshire.

When it comes to advertising, Guidebooks are still king! A poll taken during the spring tour revealed that 38% out of 1,471 participants would use the Parade of Homes^SM Guidebook as a resource when getting ready to purchase a new home.

To advertise in the Fall Guidebooks, contact Kori Meewes by July 2nd at 612-801-9874.

In comparison, 14% of those surveyed indicated that they would go straight to a realtor, 13% to a builders website, 12% realtor websites, 10% Parade of Homes website, 8% through personal references, and 5% cited other.

View advertising rates >>

Our quarterly publication, Builders' Digest, will feature YOU! Our Members in the News section feature awards, births, marriages, promotions, condolences and milestones that are important to you! Send news by Thursday, May 30th to Katy@batc.org to be included in the July-September issue.

View an example >>

• Star Tribune: Twin Cities Housing Construction Up 111% in April [read article].
• Jake Enebak, Tradition Housing Corp.; Todd Stutz, Robert Thomas Homes; Kim Holmberg, Charles Cudd De Novo; Homes by Tradition; D.R. Horton. Star Tribune: Blockbuster Lakeville Housing Development Getting Back on its Feet [read article].

*Receive a BATC Bonus Buck, worth $100 in BATC Bucks, when you attend an event that's in our  2013 'Champion Event Series.'

TODAY - May 7
Showroom Mixer at Warners' Stellian [more information]
May 22
Parade of Homes Fall Deadline [enter a home]
May 23
Housing First Fundraiser [RSVP to mary@batc.org)
May 31
Walleye Invitational [register]
June 18
Showroom Mixer at Mingle [get more information]
June 27
ROMA Awards Banquet [get more information]
July 18
BATC Boat Cruise [register]
July 25
Member Orientation [register]
August 6
BATC Open Golf Tournament [register]
October 15
Member Orientation [register]
October 24
Awards of Excellence Gala [register]

See Complete Calendar at WWW.BATC.ORG >>

View the 2013 Bonus Buck Events >>

Become an event sponsor: Take your membership to the next level by partnering with BATC. Contact Kori for sponsorship openings.