Your Weekly Update: May 4, 2020
Here at last! . . . The new logo for Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association makes its debut and members are encouraged to use it on their websites and in their promotional materials. When Tidewater Builders Association and the Peninsula Housing & Builders Association joined forces to become CVBIA, a regional trade association was born, one that is well positioned to champion its members' business interests
and advocate for quality housing affordable at all income levels.
You can access the CVBIA logo in several formats by clicking here .
NAHB offers policy recommendations; answers about local fee increases sought

NAHB has sent the White House a list of policy recommendations designed to help the residential construction industry survive the COVID-19 economic disruption and be a force that leads the economy out of recession.

As part of the  Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups , NAHB joins key industry leaders and groups brought together to advise the White House on reopening the economy after the shutdown necessitated by the pandemic. Click here to read more.

Locally, CVBIA has polled municipalities about whether their upcoming budgets will include fee increases for building and development activities. Most are reporting that they will not increase fees, with the exception of James City County, Hampton and Portsmouth . Contact Claudia Cotton at ccotton@cvbia.com with questions or concerns.

At 11 a.m., Thursday, May 7, NAHB and the Mortgage Bankers Association are presenting a webinar on multifamily mortgage lending and forbearance developments . Click here to register. And, i f you missed the April 28 webinar with Dr. Ben Carson, HUD Secretary, you can still access it, along with other recent pandemic-related webinars and town halls, by clicking here . (Your NAHB login is required to access the member-only site; contact baxson@cvbia.com if you need assistance.)

As the national emergency continues to evolve, we'll keep you informed with Updates providing information from the localities and agencies you work with on a daily basis.
 
You'll find links to a wide range of health, business and human resources information, including comprehensive resources from both the state and national home builders associations, on the CVBIA website.

Best regards,
Ryan Rose, CVBIA President
Local elections rescheduled
for Tuesday, May 19

City council elections in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Hampton and Newport News have been moved from May 5 to May 19. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, May 12 and you can use the Virginia Voter Information Citizen portal to request one online.

CVBIA's Political Action Committee carefully reviews candidates in local races to determine those who are pro-business and understand the positive economic impact of our industry. Its recommendations for the following races in this election are:
Chesapeake: Mayor Rick West and City Council incumbents Robert Ike and Dwight Parker
Newport News : North District City Council candidate Rob Coleman
Need help filing with localities?
Builders Title has the ability to e-file during these challenging times and is here to help members who may need this service.

Contact Dorothy Johnson at 305-9029 or builderstitle@cvbia.com for details and assistance.
Rev up your social media efforts
There's no doubt that social media is crucial in today's business environment. But are you using it to your best advantage?

Tune in at 1 p.m., Wednesday, May 13 and find out! During a free 30-minute livestream on the CVBIA Facebook page, members and moderators Tom Powell and Brian Forrester will give you simple and effective resources to strengthen your social media efforts and make it an incredible business tool. Just make sure you visit www.facebook.com/coastalvirginiabia to watch the presentation.
Remodelers REBOOT: From the Couch

May is National Remodeling Month and there's no better time than now to join the council for this free one-day online event, hosted by industry veteran Vince Butler. Remodelers REBOOT takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 13 and will include group discussions about the current business environment, as well as speaker-led sessions on estimating, markups and margins, hiring and more. Click here to register!

If you're looking for additional ways to sharpen your business edge, check out NAHB's full schedule of webinars and online courses designed to keep companies operating at peak performance. Topics range from project management to universal design essentials, aging-in-place marketing to mastering your financials. Click here to check out what's available.
HBAV throws out challenge to give

Make your donation count! The American Red Cross reports a critical need for blood and platelet donations and HBAV is encouraging members to roll up their sleeves to help alleviate this shortage.

As members across the state are doing this good deed, they also can join a little friendly competition among local home builders associations. The association with the largest number of participating blood donors will get a special shout out on social media and at the HBAV installation in November.

Click here to find a donation center near you. And please let us know you've given by emailing baxson@cvbia.com .
Tell us something good!

It's hard to avoid the daily dose of grim news right now, but there are lots of companies and individuals out there doing good deeds.

The CVBIA Scholarship Foundation just wrapped up its annual 'good deed' of awarding financial assistance to area high school students. Scholarship Selection Committee members carefully reviewed 139 applications last month, looking at academic performance, community service and financial need. The committee narrowed the field to seven students, who will each receive a $5,000 four-year scholarship. Three recipients are from Chesapeake, two are from Norfolk, one is from Hampton and one is from Suffolk. The Scholarship Foundation is now in its 55th year and has awarded close to $1.8 million in scholarships.

If you have good news to share, please let us know. Also, if you're offering any helpful deals or have business advice relevant to the new working environment we're all in, we'd love to tell your fellow members about it. Just contact baxson@cvbia.com and let her know the details.
Follow CVBIA's new page!

Coastal Virginia Building Industry Association has launched its new Facebook page and is inviting members to follow us and get social! And make plans to check out the free livestream session on social media marketing at 1 p.m., Wednesday, May 13.
Municipal Memos
Virginia Beach has launched a program to assist eligible tenants with their rent payment. With funding through the CARES Act, the program is being administered by the city's Housing and Neighborhood Preservation Department. For full program details, click here .

Chesapeake has released its amended operating schedule , along with alternate ways of processing fees and paper documents. Click here for the details.

All Norfolk municipal offices are closed and employees are tele-working.  Inspectors will no longer conduct on-site inspections at the current time. Contact your inspector to discuss using Face Time, videos or photos.  Third-party inspections continue to be accepted.

Chesapeake's Department of Development and Permits has released a residential plan review checklist giving members an excellent guideline on what city staff is looking for when reviewing plans.

Virginia Beach has posted its updated Draft Public Works Design Standards Manua l . Public comments were reviewed last year and revisions have been incorporated into the recently released version. Click here for details.

Dominion Energy has released its S ubdivision Coordinator contact information for local companies developing or building in new subdivisions. Click here  for contact information.
State and National News

HBAV continues to closely monitor industry-related developments across the state. Click here for its latest update.

The Virginia building codes office is seeking applicants for the electrical contractor seat on the State Building Code Technical Review Board. Eligible contractors must have held a Class A license for at least 10 years. For more information or to apply, click here .

NAHB is working diligently to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the residential construction sector. You'll find a wealth of information on what the association is doing to protect your business, as well as helpful resources, at www.nahb.org

The 2021 International Builders' Show is Feb. 9-11 in Orlando and if you're a young industry professional, you're eligible for a scholarship to attend. The application process opens today! Click here to learn more.

If you're a more seasoned industry professional and you're interested in speaking at IBS , you have until May 22 to submit a proposal. Click here for details.

The National Green Building Standard (NGBS) standard , first developed in 2008, is regularly revised in accordance with the ANSI process. The new edition has expanded and refined its innovative practices and is now available for download .
 Mark your calendars for these new dates!

  • Member Mixer: Wednesday, July 29, O'Connor Brewing Co. in Norfolk

  • Annual Picnic & Tailgate Party: Thursday, Aug. 20, Khedive Temple Picnic area in Chesapeake

  • CMHC Associates' Showcase & Awards of Excellence Celebration: Friday, Nov. 20, Virginia Beach Convention Center
Dates still to come for:
Remodelers Council seminar with Vince Butler (originally scheduled for April 9)

Virginia Residential Landlord & Tenant Act Seminar with John G. "Chip" Dicks III (originally scheduled for April 16)
FREE online training

With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance Viridiant is offering online training to mechanical installers, builders and architects on energy code changes.

The free live training will be held from 1-3 p.m., Tuesday, May 5 . Click here to reserve your spot.

Also offering free training is Dupont Performance Building Solutions, with a session on design practices to reduce water and moisture failures May 18. Contact wendy.kruger@dupont.com for details.

Deadline extended
for housing awards
HBAV will present its inaugural Housing Excellence Awards Monday, Sept. 28 during the Fall Board meeting in Richmond.

If you haven't submitted your entry, there's still time. The deadline has been extended to June 1. Click here for entry details.
Welcome, new members!
The companies listed here recently joined CVBIA. Please welcome them to the association with a call or email. Remember, it's good business to do business with a member!


For a CVBIA member directory by category, click here .
Being a member provides you with cost-saving benefits, professional credibility AND advocacy for your company on the local, state and national levels.

There is no better example of the value of your membership, however, than what is taking place at your local, state and national associations during this national COVID-19 emergency.

Not only are you receiving valuable information on how to navigate the new rules for our new normal, your trade association is working hard to keep the industry open for business.

Visit www.nahb.org , www.hbav.com or www.cvbia.com to learn more.
Looking for labor?
The national Home Builders Institute is operating a 12-week construction industry program in Norfolk for transitioning military and is looking for jobs in which to place its students. If you're in need of qualified, reliable employees, contact HBI's Steve Kelley at skelley@hbi.org .
A special thank you to the 2020 members!
If you'd like to join this elite group, whose support helps keep the industry strong for everyone, email ccotton@cvbia.com
QUICK LINKS TO YOUR BENEFITS!
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Filing deadline for first quarter is May 29!
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Make the most of your member investment!
Get connected with the Member Information Center!
An important first step to making the most of your membership investment is logging into the Member Information Center and checking out your company profile. Make sure your information is correct and put your best foot forward to the public and fellow members . Click here to get started! ( Tip: Your user name is your email address. If you're not in the association's database, contact Betty Axson at 305-9042 and she'll add your information.)

This Information Center should be your "go to" resource for member contact information, job postings, event registration, local legislator and city staff contacts, and so much more. You can also post news about all the great things your company is doing and if you have any special events or offers coming up! Use the Member Deals and Member Happenings section to promote your products, services and news!

There's even a FREE app that puts everything within easy reach on your phone.
Just search "MemberPlus" on Google Play or the App Store and download it today!