Western Ohio Home Builders Association

At NAHB’s Urging, White House Holds Supply Chain Summit

NAHB’s efforts to engage the White House to convene a home building materials supply chain summit seeking out solutions to end production bottlenecks that have resulted in soaring material prices has borne fruit.

This afternoon, NAHB, along with a diverse group of stakeholders, participated in a virtual discussion hosted by the White House regarding current challenges across the home building supply chain, its implications for the broader housing market, and possible solutions. Administration officials participating in the event included Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council Brian Deese, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council Ambassador Susan Rice, and Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Cecelia Rouse.

Thanks to our ongoing efforts, the issue of rising material prices and supply shortages has been brought front and center to the Biden administration. NAHB stressed at this meeting that it is imperative that lumber mill producers boost production in order to meet rising demand.

A Year-Long Effort

This meeting was the culmination of a year-long effort where NAHB has been in the forefront of educating the public and policymakers about how rising lumber and building material prices are harming home builders, home buyers and the economic recovery.

NAHB leaders have appeared on CBS This Morning and numerous times on Fox Business News. We have also been featured in Bloomberg, CNN Business, Fortune, CNBC and scores of local media outlets across the nation calling for action to address rising prices and supply shortages.

In the policy arena, NAHB has reached out to virtually every member of Congress on this issue and held talks with top White House officials and Cabinet leaders. Thanks to the outreach of NAHB’s grassroots membership, several House and Senate leaders have openly raised the issue of soaring lumber prices and housing affordability with Secretary Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai. These efforts helped pave the way for today’s meeting. In fact, Secretary Raimondo addressed the NAHB Leadership Council on June 28 and said that “supply chain disruptions are at the top of my mind.”

Moving Forward

In another positive development, many in the residential construction industry may have seen media reports about the recent sharp drop in lumber prices. While this is good news, the lumber crisis is far from over. Most builders have not been able to take advantage of this development because producers are still selling off lumber that they purchased from mills when prices were at their peak.

Moreover, sawmill output continues to lag. During today’s meeting, NAHB underscored that if supply does not increase fast enough to meet demand, we may find ourselves in the same situation as last November, when lumber prices posted a similar steep reduction only to reverse course and move to record-high levels.

And while lumber prices have just recently begun to move downward, the price for other building materials such as oriented strand board continue to soar.

While today’s White House meeting was a step forward, we are not out of the woods yet. Looking ahead, we will remain laser-focused on not only lowering lumber prices and increasing supply, but also keeping pressure on policymakers to improve supply chains for all building materials in order to protect housing affordability. NAHB will continue to work relentlessly on all fronts to find solutions that will ensure a lasting and stable supply of lumber and other building materials for the home building industry at a competitive price.

Learn more about what NAHB is doing to resolve the lumber crisis by visiting their lumber page at nahb.org.

NAHB Working for Their Members

Justice Department Provides Clarity to Ohio District Court Ruling on Eviction Moratorium

A recent statement by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has provided clarity on a recent legal decision to overturn the eviction moratorium decision by the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC).

On March 10, NAHB won a key legal decision when the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio ruled that, by issuing an eviction moratorium, the CDC exceeded the authority granted to it by Congress. NAHB brought the lawsuit as a plaintiff on behalf of its members.

On March 24, DOJ confirmed that the district court’s order applies to all NAHB members across the nation who rent residential properties to covered persons who submitted CDC declarations — not just those who reside in Ohio.

In other words, pending further guidance from the district court or subject to an appeal by the DOJ, the CDC eviction moratorium is currently set aside for all NAHB members.

NAHB filed suit because we believed that the CDC had overstepped its authority in issuing such a broad mandate. And while this is an important legal win to rein in federal overreach, NAHB continues to urge members to seek access to the $46.5 billion of rental funding through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program via your local government and housing authorities.

NAHB worked for a year with Congress and two administrations to ensure flexible funding so tenants are able to pay their rent and stay safely housed during the pandemic. Although funds have not been released as quickly as anticipated, NAHB has always stated that the best way to help all parties is through emergency funding and not moratorium mandates.

The reason the court decision was set aside for all NAHB members — and not all landlords nationwide — is because NAHB was a plaintiff in the case and we had “representational standing.” This means NAHB was acting as a representative of its members who have been impacted by the moratorium. When an association wins a case like this, the decision applies to all its members.

Meanwhile, recent media reports indicate that the CDC may seek to extend its eviction moratorium, which is set to expire on March 31. Given the district court’s ruling on March 10, even if the CDC does take action to extend the eviction moratorium, it should not apply to NAHB members.

For more information, contact Tom Ward.

Blower Door & Duct Blaster Testing Mandatory

Beginning January 1, 2021, within the jurisdictions of the Miami County Department of Development, blower door and duct blaster testing will be mandatory.  There is no longer an option for a visual test.

The process will be as follows:

• Plans submitted with a statement that the plans comply with section 1105.3 of the 2019 Residential Code of Ohio (RCO)
• An inspection checklist will be submitted documenting the proposed design characteristics as indicated in table 1105.5.2(1) of the RCO
• An approved Res-check or other compliant software will be submitted showing compliance.
• Before final inspection can be performed, a certificate stating the blower door and duct blaster tests have passed and who performed them
• At the final inspection a permanent certificate must be posted on the electrical panel and state the following information:
  • R-values in walls
  • ceilings/roof
  • foundation (slab/basement wall, crawlspace wall and/or floor and ducts outside conditioned spaces).

Click Here Examples & Compliance Checklist

Specific information can be found in chapter 11 of the 2019 Residential Code of Ohio (RCO) as well as the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).

Contact Rob England, Miami County Chief Building Official with any additional questions at 937-440-8121.

Stand Down for Safety on April 16, 2020

With the efforts of the National Association of Home Builders and the Ohio Home Builders Association and all they’ve done to keep housing an “essential business” comes the responsibility to take safety seriously. So with that in mind, on Thursday, April 16, we are urging members, and all residential construction companies to halt work for at least 10 minutes for a COVID-19 Job Site Safety Stand Down to educate workers on what they should do to keep themselves safe from coronavirus and to help “flatten the curve” for everyone.

As part of the safety stand down, members are being asked to pause all work for at least 10 minutes to relay coronavirus safety precautions, such as maintaining a distance of no less than six feet with others at all times, cleaning and sanitizing frequently used tools, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces on a regular basis and ensuring the proper sanitation of common surfaces and equipment. The safety information can also be distributed digitally (through email and/or text).

NAHB and other construction industry partners have also developed a comprehensive Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan for Construction that outlines the steps every employer and employee should take to reduce the risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID-19. It describes how to prevent worker exposure to coronavirus, protective measures to be taken on the job site, personal protective equipment and work practice controls to be used, cleaning and disinfecting procedures and what to do if a worker becomes sick.

NAHB and industry partners also have created a quick-reference job site checklist for employers and employees and a job site safety poster — available in English and Spanish — that can be distributed throughout the workplace. Access those materials here.

If you have any questions or you cannot access the materials, call the HBA office at 937-339-796 or email Donna at the office at

Paycheck Protection Program

The Small Business Administration has released some basic guidelines for the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses to help keep their employees employed. The PPP is  being administered by the SBA and is a loan that you may not need to pay back if you use the proceeds to cover payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent and utility costs over the 8 weeks period after the loan is made.  There are many requirements yet to be determined, so please read  PPP Information and seek the advice of a professional.  Talk to your local lender or visit www.sba.gov for a list of SBA lenders.  The Paycheck Protection Program will be available through June 30, 2020.

If you want to apply for funding you can download an application here.

Paycheck Protection Application

ENFORCEMENT COMING NOW!!

During today’s COVID-19 press conference, Governor DeWine and Lt. Gov. Husted made it very clear, ENFORCEMENT of Stay at Home Order is coming and should be expected.  Below is a list of bullet points to prepare as best you can.

• READ the Order and use your best judgment under the plain reading of the Order. Ohio Stay At Home Order_3_22_2020, OHBA Stay At Home Recap
• DOCUMENT.  Create a document or have documentation ready on how you deem your work as an essential business and be able to justify operations. See list of exempt trades attached.
• SAFETY PROTOCOLS.  Have supplies, soap, masks, sanitizer, etc., to show compliance with Section 18 of Stay At Home Order.  MUST have safety procedures in place to be able to stay open as an essential business. Job Safety Protocols.
• Be prepared to stay at home and be told to stop operations if you cannot comply.

DeWine emphasized determinations will be very fact based, must look at facts, not just specific categories.  Read the order, assume business is closed, then look at exemptions and safety requirements required to be satisfied.  The Dept. of Health is in charge of enforcement, not their job to interpret the Order

Directors Stay at Home Order

Miami County Building Regulation Announces COVID-19 Policy

DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT COVID-19 POLICY, EFFECTIVE: March 20 2020.  The Miami County Department of Development has issued a new procedures with regard to handling permits during this time.  Below is a link with all the information you may need.  If you have any questions, we are here to help as best we can.  Please feel free to call.

Download Policy Guidelines