Several candidates for Governor of Michigan recently appeared at the winter board meeting of the Michigan Association of Home Builders (MAHB), held in Lansing on February 11.  MAHB recorded each candidate’s appearance in order to give our members and others who are interested an opportunity to learn more about those individuals who would like to be this state’s next Governor.  We have posted two videos from each candidate’s presentation.  One video is from the candidate’s opening remarks, while the other video features  their answers to a series of questions that were developed by MAHB members in attendance at the event. We've included video excerpts of their comments.

The MAHB has a new modeling tool to help forecast building activity across the state of Michigan.  We will regularly provide members with updates on the model and will also be developing a renovation outlook report to go along with it later this spring.  Our first analysis points to a modest increase in new building permits over the next six months.  Click here for a brief overview of the report.  Mike Stoskopf, Executive Officer of the Building Industry Association of Southeastern Michigan, developed a similar model for southeast Michigan last year and worked with us to prove out its application on a statewide basis.  The modeling tool looks primarily at average home sale prices, labor statistics, oil prices and North American vehicle production. 

The MAHB and BEST of Michigan are working to bring a vital (and required by April) state-wide course to remodelers working on older Michigan homes.  This Certified Lead Renovator Training Program, approved by the EPA in accordance with Section 402 of TSCA, is being offered around the state at local home builder associations near you.  For registration information, call BEST at (517) 646-2572.  To find out more about new lead paint renovation requirements, click here.

Download MichiganHomeBuilders - Leadarticle to hear what CEO Bob Filka has to say about the lead paint renovation requirements.

Additional classes are available around the state, please click here for a schedule.

For Immediate Release: January 6, 2010

Bouchard unveils ‘Michigan Construction Jobs Now' program to put skilled tradesmen to work, energize economy, and encourage investment in Michigan

Lansing, Michigan - Mike Bouchard, Republican candidate for governor, today unveiled a strategy that will energize Michigan's lagging economy and spur investment in the state through a tax incentive for home and business owners.

Bouchard announced his "Michigan Construction Jobs Now" program at a Lansing news conference. He was joined by Chris Fisher, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan (ABC); Dawn Crandall, political affairs director of the Michigan Association of Home Builders (MAHB); and state Sen. Alan Sanborn.

An extension of the home buyer tax credit was overwhelmingly approved in bipartisan votes of 98-0 in the Senate and 403-12 in the House. Signed into law on November 6th it will extend the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers to include sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30. It will also provide a new $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are purchasing a new principal residence after living in their current one for five consecutive years out of the last eight. Beyond this, the income eligibility limits for claiming the full credit have also been raised (for both first-time and repeat buyers), to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for married couples. These changes should substantially increase the tax credit’s ability to stimulate buyer demand across a much broader swath of the housing industry. In fact, close to 70% of all potential home buyers will now qualify for some form of the tax credit.  Read more by clicking here. 

Find out eligibility requirements, frequently asked questions, and more at:

www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com