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CALENDAR AND
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Midwest Builders ShowMarch 19 & 20, 2009
NAHB Course - Green Building for Building Professionals
March 21, 2009
NAHB Course - Business Management for Building Professionals
May 8 - 10, 2008
June 20 - 28, 2009
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2009 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY |
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The 2009 HBAGTA Membership Directory will be distributed at the 2009 Home Builders EXPO on February 14 & 15, 2009. Thank you to all of our members who supported the directory with their advertising dollars. |
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As a member of the National Association of Home Builders you will receive an additional 10% off the "Best Available Rate" at participating locations every time you travel. Give agent your special NAHB discount ID number 20090 at time of booking to receive discount.
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CODE CORNER
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Some oil-fired furnaces sold under the Rheem, Ruud and United Refrigeration brands have been recalled due to a wiring error that can result in the burner continuing to run after the blower turns off, posing a fire hazard. For model numbers and more information visit Construction Related Recalls.
LCD television wall mount brackets sold at Best Buy have been recalled due to cracking which can result in the TV falling from the wall. For model numbers and more information visit Construction Related Recalls. | |
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REMODELERS WORKSHOP
The Remodelers Council will be holding their 7th Annual Remodelers Workshop in Clare, MI. on Thursday, February 5th through Friday, February 6, 2009.
Thursday beginning at 1 PM offers attendees a roundtable discussion on green remodeling projects led by John Zito of Coastline Building; Ben Thompson of Thompson Remodeling and Kirk Morris, CAPS, CGR of Morris Builders.
Green building products will be featured beginning at 5 PM in the exhibit hall.
On Friday a 3-Hour Official Builder Training will be held until noon. This course is required for all builder members of Green Built™ Michigan. On top of hearing some great tips on making your homes more energy efficient, durable, and environmentally sustainable, you will also learn the importance of indoor air quality and low impact development. Participants will learn the following: Who is Green Built™ Michigan? The basics of residential green building. How to meet the National Model Green Home Building Guidelines requirements for home certification.
Several seminars have also been planned for Friday morning. For complete details click here or call the office at 1.800.748.0432
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CALL TO ACTION
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Please call your Senators today at 1-866-924-NAHB (6242) and ask them to support any proposed amendments to the Senate version of the economic stimulus bill that would create a mortgage interest buy down and enhance the housing tax credit. Senators should enhance the credit by:
- Extending the eligibility period from September 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009
- Increasing the credit amount
- Including all home-buyers
- Allowing the credit to be used at the time of closing
Less than two weeks remain before Congress sends an economic stimulus package to President Obama. We must impress upon the Senate that only robust housing stimulus will restore consumer confidence in the housing market and put the economy back on track.
After your call, please take a moment to email us with your feedback at builderlink@nahb.com. We want to hear what your Senators are saying.
Thank you for your help with this very important effort!
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| Greetings! ,
This is a busy week for the HBAGTA office staff and volunteers! We are sending the 2009 Membership Directory to print and finalizing the details of the Home Builders EXPO to be held February 14 & 15. We are also hosting two educational seminars this coming weekend as well as planning a General Membership "Networking" Meeting next Monday evening. There is an air of excitement and pride as we prepare for all of these events that showcase our outstanding members and the benefits of membership in our Association.
Be a part of the excitement and pride! Take time to participate in any of these upcoming events. Feel free to call the HBAGTA office if you have any questions regarding how you can get involved in your Association.
Together, we are building a stronger association!
Kathy
Kathy Maisonville
Executive Officer
p: 231.946.2305
f: 231.946.1051
toll free: 800.422.5166
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FERGUSON ENTERPRISES TO HOST NETWORKING NIGHT
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Monday, February 9, 2009 ~ 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm
General Membership Meeting
Networking and Hors Deuvres
Hosted by Ferguson Enterprises
1668 Northern Star Drive
South of Bramer Auto (NAPA) on Cass Road
Event begins at 4:30 pm
Guests are welcome - $15 each
to ensure enough food & drinks are available
(231) 946-2305 or (800) 422-5166
Representatives will be on hand from Kohler, Hansgrohe, Delta, Wolf/SubZero, and Asko.
PLEASE NOTE: If you do plan on bringing a potential new member, please register them as such with Judy in advance. We will not charge any guest of a current member who is serious about getting further acquainted with our HBAGTA and are interested in joining the association.
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE |
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 As Congress continued to move rapidly toward completion of landmark legislation to stimulate the sputtering U.S. economy, leading national economists cautioned that the package is unlikely to succeed without provisions to restore home buying demand and address housing problems that are the root cause of the worst recession since the Great Depression.
With the Senate expected to vote on its version of the stimulus bill the middle of this week, NAHB has been coordinating a major grassroots push across the country to alert lawmakers on Capitol Hill that reviving housing demand through a beefed-up tax credit for home buyers is essential to restoring the confidence among consumers and in the financial markets needed to revive economic growth.
"The housing market is hurting and hurting bad," said NAHB President and CEO Jerry Howard. "Unless Congress takes bold action to help housing in its economic stimulus package, things will only get worse.
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MICHIGAN UNIFORM ENERGY CODE SEMINAR |
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PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS SEMINAR!
NO REGISTRATIONS WILL BE TAKEN AT THE DOOR!
Brown Lumber Company and the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. are partnering to offer a comprehensive MUEC Seminar!
Date: Friday, February 6, 2009
Location: Waterfront Conference Center
Time: 7:30 am to 11:30 am
Presented by: Roger Papineau (our local Code Guru), Bill Edginton of Dow Building Products and Dan Hickey from Guardian Building Products.
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Learn how to interprest the Energy Code Mandates
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Learn what compliance path is best for your construction project
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Receive a comprehensive CD with your registration
Register at Brown Lumber Company or the Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area, Inc. Registration forms are online at www.hbagta.com .
Pre-registration is required - no registrations will be taken at the door. |
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VENDORS...START YOUR ENGINES! |
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2009 HOME BUILDERS EXPO
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Saturday, February 14 - 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
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Sunday, February 15 - 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
 East Middle School Traverse City, Michigan
Guests will receive their "Pit Passes" at the door to have signed by EXPO vendors throughout the show. The "Pit Passes" will be used in a drawing to win these great prizes:
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46" Sony Bravia TV
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7-night stay at a beach house in Siesta Key
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Get-Away Weekend at Drummond Island
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Spa Packages from Crystal Mountain
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Dinners for two
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"Maid for a Day"
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Plus lots of other door prizes, discounts and gifts
BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!
- Receive a flower for your "Sweetheart" on Saturday
- Visit the Micro-Reality race track which will be on site for race fans of all ages to test their driving prowess.
- Visit the Sound Room home theater where people can relax and perhaps catch a bit of the Daytona action.
- Visit the Green Hall for Energy Efficient and Green Building Options.
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ANSI APPROVES NATIONAL GREEN BUILDING STANDARD |
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The National Green Building Standard for all single-family  homes, apartments and condos; land development; and residential remodeling and renovation was approved on Jan. 29 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
The approval signals a new era for the nation's builders, remodelers and developers and also provides an extra measure of reassurance for home buyers, said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson.
"The National Green Building Standard is now the first and only green building rating system approved by ANSI, making it the benchmark for green homes," said Ron Jones, who chaired the consensus committee charged with developing the standard.
"The standard provides home builders and remodelers with a much more expansive third-party rating system that they can use to achieve 'green' certification under NAHBGreen and the National Green Building Certification Program," said Mike Luzier, CEO of the NAHB Research Center.
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USEFUL LINKS TO MONITOR ECONOMIC AND HOUSING TRENDS
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 CLICK HERE to view we site links to useful information from government agencies and NAHB that will enable you to monitor the housing market.
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CONTACT YOUR SENATOR TO FIX HOUSING FIRST
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Click here to send a letter.
You can also call your Senators' offices.
Click here for a directory of Senate phone numbers. | |
