AHBA Weekly
April 25, 2017

A few highlights from the

2017 Anchorage Home Show! 

Attendees were waiting for doors to open each day of the show. They were excited to visit with over 150 vendors and take seminars from industry professionals!
 
The Easter bunny made a surprise visit on Sunday!

She chose the lucky Easter egg and won 25k Alaska Airline miles!

Jana Seda, Associates Co-chair, loves the pink toolkits!

This little guy is proud to be Alaska Built!

If you weren't able to attend this year and would like show details call the AHBA office at 522-3605.
CALENDAR 
Week of April 24-28

SBS CONTRACTOR SHOW

April 27 at 4pm
Dena'ina Center

 

SPECIAL GMM: Unit Lot Developments  

April 28 at 12pm
AHBA Office
RSVP required

 

In This Issue
WIN THIS HOUSE FOR $100!

The Alaska American Cancer Society helps Alaskans fighting cancer, and now you can too, and have a chance to win a brand new Spinell Homes townhouse. Buy a ticket today!




Legislative Update
From John Bitney, ASHBA Lobbyist
 
After passing through Day 90 last week, the House and Senate were mostly in a recess period until this morning. Going forward, the Senate is focusing its time on a list of priority bills - mostly those that are related to the budget and generating new state revenues.
 
Yesterday the Senate Resources Committee advanced HB111, addressing oil & gas taxes and credits. HB111 advances to the Senate Finance Committee, where it will begin hearings today at 9:00AM.
 
Today, the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee will hear statewide public testimony on HB115, establishing a state income tax. Public testimony on the income tax will be taken at 5:00PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
 
On Tuesday, April 25th, at 4:00PM, the House Finance Committee will hear statewide public testimony on HB74, the REAL ID Act.
 
SB45 , construction contractor exemptions, is now in the House Labor & Commerce Committee. It is not scheduled for any hearings. Until some agreements are reached between the House and Senate on bigger issues, SB45 will wait to be heard. Legislators on the committee are well aware SB45 is supported by builders and our members.
 
HB79 , workers' compensation, advanced to the House Finance Committee. It is not scheduled for a hearing at this time. In other news related to workers' compensation - Senator Cathy Giessel introduced SB112 last week. This bill is the product of an effort by the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce to significantly change the workers' compensation system. Right now, it appears both of these bills will wait until next session for advancement. Below is a link to a copy of SB112: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/30/Bills/SB0112A.PDF
 
CONCLUSION
Expectations here are that we will be in session at least another two weeks. The 121-Day adjournment deadline is May 17th.




Special GMM: What is a Unit Lot Subdivision?

TOPIC: Unit Lot Subdivisions
Speaker: Seth Anderson, Arete LLC

Date: Friday April 28, 2017
Time: 12 PM
Location: AHBA Office 
   
 
Joining us will be Seth Anderson, a civil structural engineer, residential developer and Principal Engineer at Arete. Arete is an engineering, project management, and real estate development firm based in Anchorage Alaska. They provide technical services and consulting for all phases of residential and commercial developments.

Engineering services include; site planning, structural design, technical work plans, on-site water, wastewater, and storm water design, and value engineering for site specific building solutions. Their engineering expertise is providing building, and foundation systems that are appropriate for specific locations and uses.

Development services include; site selection, due diligence, entitlements, financial modeling, zoning changes and variances, permitting, ROM cost estimating, and management of; design, bidding, contracting and construction. Their real estate development expertise is in residential and commercial projects which require complex entitlements, permitting and coordination with authorities and utilities.
 
 
 

RSVP today!
$10 per person (includes lunch)
 
For more information please call 522-3605 or email Erica at admin@ahba.net
 
 
NAHB's longstanding battle to maintain consistent and consistently priced sources of lumber for our members is gaining visibility in the press as your association hammers home the fallout from the trade dispute between the United States and Canada: Higher prices for home buyers.
NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald, along with CEO Jerry Howard and other senior staff, sat for an interview with Bloomberg to talk about how U.S. lumber companies' insistence on higher duties for Canadian lumber imports - without a guarantee that they'll take up the slack themselves to provide enough framing lumber for American home builders - hurts both buyers and builders.
"The point is simply to make sure that we use [the dispute] to develop long-term policies that provide for a consistent and fairly priced supply of lumber," Howard told the reporter.
The Bloomberg story also notes that Robert Lighthizer, President Trump's nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, views the lumber dispute as the "top trade issue between the U.S. and Canada," and that the president himself is very critical of deals that favor foreign producers over domestic ones - another factor that will likely lead to higher prices for builders.
 
Read the full story here.





 
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
 

One or more scholarships will be awarded to a graduating high

school student or returning student who is employed by a member

of the Anchorage Home Builders Association (AHBA), is a

dependent of an AHBA member, or is a dependent of someone

employed by an AHBA member. The recipient must plan to

continue his or her education at a college, university, trade school,

or vocational school. The student must maintain a full time course

of study at a trade or vocational school. The student may use the

funds for tuition, books, equipment, or room and board. The

money will be issued to the school. Any person wishing to apply

should present the attached application to:

 

Anchorage Home Builders Association

8301 Schoon Street, Ste. 200

Anchorage, AK 99518

 

DEADLINE FOR APPLYING IS FRIDAY, APRIL 28 BY 5PM.

The selection will be made by May 11, and the scholarship will

be available at the time of school registration for the recipient.
 

 


CLICK HERE TO APPLY!


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