Tomorrow is Election Day, and there is much on the line. It is critical that you take the time to exercise your right to vote.
We have all heard by now about the controversial Amendment One. This is a real step to reverse a lot of what has been going wrong in this state for some time. When people are surveyed about what's wrong with our state, one of the first responses is taxes. This amendment will force local governments to stop wasteful spending, and budget appropriately. There are two things that bother me. I don't like county commissioners crying poverty, and then wasting our money on a mailout, and I don't like scare tactics. Of all the places to cut when the belt is tightened, schools and fire should not be anywhere in the top 10.
There are also Gainesville city commission elections. If you live in the city, I urge you to take the time between now and tomorrow to learn which candidates support our interests, and vote accordingly. Our local elected officials have spent too long focusing on things that are irrelevant, and ignoring the bigger picture. To quote Jim Painter, even if you don't live within the city limits, you might know someone who does. Please encourage those you know, those you work with to vote, as one vote could make all the difference.
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www.BuildingEdgeMagazine.com
The January 2008 issue of Building Edge is out. The cover story is on Allen Stine and All America Homes. Our National Feature is on Home Technology.
February's issue will be printed this week. Our cover story is on Sparks Construction. The National Feature is on Surfaces & Finishes: Countertops, floorcoverings, walls & ceilings. Look for this issue to arrive around Valentine's Day.
Our cover story for March will be G.W. Robinson Remodeling, LLC. The National Feature will be on Windows: Style, efficiency, architecture, and glass technology. We close Tuesday, January 29th. If you would like to participate, please call us today.
Opening this week will be our April issue, with its annual spotlight on the Builders of the Parade of Homes™. The National Feature is on kitchens. We are excited, as this is the first time we are covering the Parades in Alachua, Marion and Columbia Counties. In May we will feature, The Enclave Apartments developed by Collier Enterprises, and constructed by Davis and Son Construction. In June, we return to Ocala, and feature Claeys Construction . We are excited about these issues, and look forward to your participation.
Our Fall 2007 Commercial issue, featuring Ausley Construction , is still available. You can view this issue online, or call us for a copy.
Our Winter 2008 Commercial issue, featuring Trunnell Construction has printed, and will start mailing the end of the week.
The Spring 2008 issue of Commercial Building Edge is now open. Paul Stentiford and Stentiford Construction Services will be on the cover. Early response on this issue has been phenomenal. Please call us for details.
In the Summer, we will feature Nathan Collier and Paradigm Properties.
HOME™: Living in the Heart of Florida:
Our winter issue is now available. Look for it at one of our roughly 400 distribution points. The cover story is a feature on Sister Hazel'sAndrew Copeland. Our website has been revamped to make it even more user friendly when trying to view the magazine on line. Listening to recommendations from the first issue, we have maintained the quality, but increased the editorial topics. One of my personal favorites in this issue is the article on kitchen islands. HOME is distributed over a 12-country area, from The Villages to Lake City.
We are now working on the Spring issue, and are very excited about our cover story. Paige Beck, of WCJB TV20, has been keeping us well informed about news in our area for some time. For more information, please email us at info@advantagepublishinginc.com or call us at 352-372-5854. If you have not seen our first issue, please visit our website at www.livingintheheartofflorida.com.
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Timing of Lake County Impact Fees Elicits Skepticism
In an effort to keep up with the demand for services resulting from an influx of new residents that had homes built in Columbia County during the recent real estate boom that turned bust, a comprehensive Impact Fee ordinance and an educational facilities impact fee was recently adopted by the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners. Beginning Feb. 1, every building permit issued in Columbia County will cost builders an extra few thousand dollars, depending on whether the project is residential or commercial, industrial or institutional. Many in the community feel that the impact fees are long overdue, and some builders agree that the county needs funds to provide services, but what they differ on is the timing of the fee's implementation. Click Here>>
Ocala City Council Cautious in Advancing Development of Airport Site
If City Council members had to choose a motto for their airport development efforts, it might be "once bitten, twice shy." At Tuesday's meeting, after listening to a sales pitch speech made by a local brokerage firm representative, council members postponed a decision on how to proceed with development of the 800-acre airport complex. Members can't decide whether they should ask brokers, developers or both to bid on the property and will hold a workshop Feb. 26 to again discuss the issue. Issuing a request for bids would set development of the airport complex in motion. But reluctance to deal directly with developers in the aftermath of Jorge Gutman's halted downtown Walk & Shops project - combined with conflicting advice and a lack of expertise with regard to airport development - has made council members hesitant over how to proceed.
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Springs Advisory Board Named
The Marion County Commission has appointed a nine-member advisory committee to give input on a revised, scaled back springs protection law that commissioners voted down, 4-1, last November. Each of the five commissioners appointed one member, and they voted on four as a group. Here are each commissioner's appointed board member: Commissioner Charlie Stone: Dwayne Carlton, real estate agent and Ocala/Marion county Economic Development Corp. board member; Commissioner Andy Kesselring: Guy Marwick, Silver Springs Basin Working Group; Commissioner Stan McClain: Don Browning, Lake Weir Lake Watch; Commissioner Jim Payton: Don Johnson; Commissioner Barbara Fitos: Kathryn Green. The four additional members are Michael Pape, Michael Pape and Associates, a landscape architecture firm; David Tillman, Tillman and Associates Engineering; Jimmy Gooding, land-use attorney with the firm of Gilligan, King, Gooding & Gifford; and Lisa Saupp, Aqua Pure Water and Sewage Services and the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce.
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Vote on Annexation into City Vexes Ocala Palms Residents
Conflicting, confusing information and a tight-lipped developer have made it difficult for many Ocala Palms residents to decide whether they want to be annexed into the city of Ocala. The 1,040-unit residential community is currently part of the unincorporated county, but on Jan. 29, residents will vote on whether they want to become part of the city. As the referendum date nears, fliers for and against annexation have been circulating in this subdivision off of Northwest Blitchon Road. "There's a bunch of misinformation out there," said resident Donnovan McNamnee, who favors annexation. "Half of what they're saying isn't true." City Manager Paul Nugent said some of the fliers distributed by residents are misleading. The city likely will send out a corrective letter so that residents can make an informed decision, he said. The city and county have held informational sessions to answer residents' questions about taxation, roads and services. However, the developer, Venture Associates Corp., has not provided residents with an information session.
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UF President Machen Says School's Innovation Can Benefit Marion, Too
Innovative ideas born at the University of Florida may lead to good, high-paying "clean tech" jobs in Marion County. UF president Bernie Machen said Tuesday fledgling businesses spawned by university inventions and nurtured in a business incubator in Alachua could well blossom in Marion County. Machen told business leaders at an Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce luncheon that the region hasn't benefited enough from the economic force the university generates. Inventions created at the university each year lead to patents and millions in licensing fees. The marketable ones lead to new businesses. Research grants to the university routinely help create marketable ideas worth a fortune. "Last year, UF got $40 million in licensing revenue," Machen said.
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Lake City Council Rejects Request to Reverse Land Zoning
Raymond Logan, owner of Polar Ice Express, approached City Council during its meeting Tuesday to request that the issue of rezoning land located at Southwest Washington and Patterson streets from residential to commercial be revisited at its meeting. Despite Logan's pleas, council ultimately turned him down. Logan and Michael Cox of C&D Real Estate requested that the city waive the one year waiting period required after a rezoning ordinance is turned down so they could present their petitions and request for zoning at the next council meeting. Logan also said he would be willing to donate $3,000 a year for five years to Annie Mattox Recreation Center for improvements and to request a clause in the zoning ordinance that would revert the land back to residential if he ever moved his ice machine off the property. Logan said he would then donate the land to a non-profit like Habitat for Humanity so a house could be built there.
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Water-use Restrictions Discussed
Area industrial/commercial water users were briefed on mandatory water-use restrictions during an informational water management district meeting Thursday. The water-use restrictions, which are scheduled to take effect April 7, are the result of a Phase II Water Shortage Order imposed by the Suwannee River Water Management District's governing board earlier in the month. The governing board implemented the order in response to the extremely low groundwater levels experienced throughout the region during the current drought. The Suwannee River Water Management District's staff met with local industrial/commercial water users Thursday afternoon for about an hour at district headquarters in Live Oak to discuss water conservation measures as part of a drought preparation workshop.
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MCBIA Calendar of Events
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BANCF Calendar of Events
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Crist Blitz Could Save Tax Amendment
Voter support for the property-tax-cut amendment falls short of the victory margin in a new Miami Herald poll, but undecided voters, a weekend ad blitz by the governor and a large turnout of Republicans could send it over the top. ''The property-tax amendment appears headed to victory,'' said Tom Eldon, pollster for Schroth, Eldon & Associates, which conducted the statewide survey of 800 likely primary voters. ``The continuing television campaign featuring Charlie Crist and the lack of a visible opposition campaign could make a difference.'' As a constitutional amendment, the measure needs 60 percent voter approval to pass. The poll showed that 55 percent support Amendment 1, while 30 percent oppose it. Another 14 percent are undecided, and that group is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
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Developer Builds 'Spec' Homes Despite Slumping Market
A new subdivision is stirring in west Orange County. Castle & Cooke Florida, the developer of Oakland Park, is building 10 homes in an exclusive project that overlooks the south shore of Lake Apopka. And none of the 10 homes has an owner or buyer in sight. Several custom-home builders in that community are also busy erecting houses without buyers in hand. The units are what are known as "spec" homes -- houses built as a speculation, or gamble, that they will be sold for a profit within a reasonable period of time. With excess inventory of unsold new homes blamed in part for the nationwide slump in housing last year, it might seem strange that builders would be adding to the unsold inventory. But in growth-oriented Central Florida, it is still happening and even picking up speed -- spec homes rising from bare ground.
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Insurance Officials Defend Rates
As state senators on Tuesday began their inquiry on why expected insurance rate cuts mandated by a new law haven't materialized, industry officials disputed the methodology used to base these expectations. A massive insurance reform bill crafted last January required insurers to pass on to homeowners the savings reaped by purchasing lower-cost back-up insurance from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Lawmakers and regulators as well as many consumers are disappointed the hard work that went into the new law hasn't produced the desired results. At a press briefing Tuesday morning, Nancy Watkins, an actuary with Milliman Inc., an actuarial firm, explained that while the new law required insurers to file their first estimate of their proposed cuts by mid-March of last year, many companies had substantial rate increases approved in late 2006.
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Tax Amendment Not Expected to Have Much Effect on Primary Results
Recent Florida presidential primaries have drawn low turnouts - but none has shared the ballot with a measure that would cut property taxes, either. Turnout on Jan. 29 is likely to easily exceed 2000 and 2004 levels - both about 20 percent - because the primary has been moved up from March and it's sharing the ballot with Amendment 1. What's not clear is who will benefit. The proposed state onstitutional amendment figures to attract anti-tax voters - mostly Republicans and conservative Democrats - and opponents such as teachers, firefighters and other public employees who see the proposal as a threat to their livelihoods. "When you bring out voters who don't vote in the past it does create confusion because presidential primary voting is usually dominated by party activists and ideologues," said Darryl Paulson, a political science professor at the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus.
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State Takes Aim at Foreclosure Rescue Firm
Attorney General Bill McCollum has sued a South Florida-based foreclosure rescue company, alleging the firm defrauded dozens of homeowners, and is seeking legislation to strengthen protections for those facing foreclosure. The civil suit -- filed jointly with the Office of Financial Regulation in Broward County Circuit Court -- charges National Foreclosure Management and multiple affiliates violated the state's deceptive and unfair trade laws. The suit claims the foreclosure rescue firm or its affiliates defrauded at least 80 homeowners of about $1.7 million in home equity. The company, which also does business as American Home Rescue Inc., selected homeowners who were facing foreclosure and had substantial equity in their homes, the suit said. The company offered to hold the homeowners' titles for a year, and refinance the debt while allowing the homeowners to stay in their houses.
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Florida Eyes Green Energy and Greenbacks to Fund It
Part entrepreneur, part scientist, they hail from all regions of the state, describing the fruit of their toils with punchy, sometimes esoteric terms like "biomass," "near zero" and the common favorite, "green." Their ideas alone spin like turbines, generating new ways to harness electricity from sunshine, tree branches and even the gasses emanating from garbage packed in landfills. Green energy is an emerging industry in Florida, fueled by rising global warming fears and Gov. Charlie Crist's desire to reduce coal in the state's energy diet.
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Highlands County OKs Impact Fee Committee
The Highlands County commissioners have decided to appoint a citizens review committee to give them advice on whether to raise, lower, suspend or even replace impact fees as a way to finance infrastructure. But how that committee will be chosen and what special interest groups it will represent remain far from settled. The big divide on how to constitute this committee became apparent at Tuesday's commissioners meeting, when commissioners Barbara Stewart and Guy Maxcy put forth opposing views. Stewart said she wants the county commission to pick the various interest groups - such as builders, Realtors, developers, homeowners, taxpayers and city and school officials - that will be represented. Then, she said, each of those groups could name their own representative to the committee.
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Renewable Energy Gets Millions in Grants
Florida's renewable energy industry received a boost Tuesday as the state gave $25 million in grants to 12 projects that hope to convert plants and plant waste into energy. One grant of $7 million went to U.S. EnviroFuels LLC to help build a $47 million sorghum-to-ethanol plant in the Highlands County town of Venus. Another $7 million went to Gulf Coast Energy of Walton LLC, which is building a $62 million ethanol and biodiesel plant at Mossy Head in the Panhandle. Other grants ranged from $158,270 to $4 million. The entities chosen plan to invest close to $157 million of their own funding into the projects. "We believe that awards such as these are critical in triggering the development of a renewable energy industry in Florida," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said in a statement. "With the backing of and an investment from the state, we're hopeful that these projects will yield positive results and serve as a catalyst for major commercial investment."
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Miami Developer Bets on Condos' Future
The condominium developer who led South Florida's high-rise building boom is making a $1 billion bet that the region's real estate market is a bargain. Amid a slumping condo market, developer Jorge Perez is joining with a Wall Street firm to create an investor fund that will buy troubled mortgages and distressed property that ranges from raw land to finished condominium units in the southeastern United States. He will look at properties built by other developers as well as by his own Miami-based Related Group. For months, investors have been pooling money and waiting to pounce on bargains prompted by overdevelopment, a tight credit market and overzealous investing in housing. This year is expected to be the time when opportunities arise, in part, because so many condo projects will start closings -- and many jittery buyers are expected to walk away rather than close.
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2008 Offers Hope for Housing
To the surprise of few, the final 2007 existing home sales numbers in Brevard County and other parts of the country, were ones many in the industry would like to forget. Now, with mortgage rates expected to recede and sellers reducing home prices, housing industry officials are hoping 2008 will be rosier than last year. A break on taxes and property insurance -- something lawmakers were working on during the past year and an issue that's partially addressed on Tuesday's ballot -- certainly wouldn't hurt things. "A cut in interest rates may help stimulate sales," said Cindy Kelley, president of the Space Coast Association of Realtors. "But taxes and insurance still remain a major culprit."
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Gov. Crist Says Amendment 1 Will Stir Home Sales
Gov. Charlie Crist made several stops Thursday in South Florida while campaigning for the proposed property tax legislation on Tuesday's ballot. About 70 supporters of the proposed legislation, most of them real estate agents, welcomed Crist to the driveway of a home in the Vernon Heights subdivision to listen to his message: Vote yes on Amendment 1. "We're going to let the secret out and everyone will be able to sell their home," Crist told his host Dave Murphy on his way to a podium. The proposed constitutional amendment doubles the homestead exemption on all but school taxes and allows people to take their tax breaks with them when they move.
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Developments Will Pay New Fees in Destin
Imposing increased fees on new Destin development is preferable to building roads and sidewalks with bond money, City Councilor Jim Bagby says. If the city doesn't impose fees that cover the impact of new condos and homes on Destin's roads, parks and libraries, Bagby said, it will incur more bond debt, which it can't afford to do. Bagby said while he's opposed to taxes, he's more opposed to debt. Last year, a consultant said Destin would have to multiply its fees by 10 to cover the cost of providing services and infrastructure as Destin grows. Rather than add costs in a soft real-estate market, the council told staff to draft an ordinance doubling the fees, then doubling them again in a year.
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Florida Board Backs 8% Tuition Increase
Florida's college students, who just got hit with a tuition increase this month, could pay 8 percent more for their classes starting in the fall if the panel that oversees the state university system has its way. Florida's Board of Governors -- which is still locked in a legal showdown over whether it even has the power to raise tuition -- voted on Thursday to increase tuition at the state's 11 public universities, including Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University. The move was a reaction to the drumbeat of bad economic news that forced state lawmakers to slash nearly $65 million from state universities' budgets in October. Legislators, who approved a 5 percent tuition increase that kicked in this month, are poised to cut state spending even more during their annual spring session.
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Florida Continues to Battle Allstate
Allstate unexpectedly delivered thousands of contentious and rarely-glimpsed documents to state insurance regulators Wednesday evening, confirmed a spokesman for the embattled insurer. Ed Domansky, a spokesman for Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation, said, "It's a great step, but in the grand scheme of things, all the documents were due on Jan. 15. They were due a week ago. We continue to insist that all subpoenaed documents be produced.'' The paperwork was turned over the same day that Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty asked an appeal court to reconsider a ruling that has temporarily allowed Allstate to write new policies in Florida.
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Walk the Walk : A New Sustainability Campaign for Green Building Design
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the launch of "Walk the Walk," a multi-faceted campaign to educate, promote and encourage sustainable design among consumers, business owners and architects. The purpose of the program is to help inform the marketplace on the benefits of more energy-efficient homes and buildings, which coincides with the AIA's stated goal of making all buildings carbon neutral by 2030 and helping the U.S. design and construction industry reduce the consumption of fossil fuels in buildings.
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Fed Rate Cut May Help People with Adjustable Mortgages, Credit Cards
The Federal Reserve delivered the biggest single interest rate cut in 18 years Tuesday, a surprise decision that triggered a wild ride on Wall Street. At the same time, analysts said the Fed's decision might help consumers facing significant credit debt. Early in the day, the Dow Jones industrial average plunged 465 points, but moderated by day's end to close down 128 points - to just less than 12,000. The Fed's decision to lower its target for the federal funds rate by three-quarters of 1 percent - to 3.5 percent - is expected to affect what consumers pay for an interest rate on credit cards, home equity loans and other forms of credit.
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Borrowers With Good Credit May Benefit
The Federal Reserve's decision on Tuesday to cut interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point should offer some comfort to consumers, with limits. Economists and consumer advocates agree that the biggest beneficiaries will be consumers who have both good credit and secure jobs. Those borrowers will probably be able to refinance their home mortgages at lower rates and take advantage of less expensive car loans. And some borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgages may also benefit because their monthly payments may not adjust upward as much. But the rate cut will do little to help those whose credit scores are not stellar and are already struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments and credit card debt, experts said. With rising delinquencies on many kinds of consumer loans and the prospect of growing unemployment as the economy slows, banks and other lenders "do not want to build up a portfolio of loans to people they consider poor credit risks," said Dean Baker, an economist and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research.
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As Mortgage Rates Plunge, Refinancing Demand Soars
Applications for home mortgages jumped for a third consecutive week as plunging interest rates encouraged more homeowners to seek refinancings, an industry group said Wednesday. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of refinancing applications surged 16.9% in the week ending Jan. 18 to 4,178.2, the highest level since March 2004. The activity is up 92% since the beginning of November and more than offset a 4.6% fall in the index for home purchase applications to 439.9, it said. Refinancings accounted for two-thirds of all applications. The MBA's market composite index, a measure of overall mortgage loan application volume, rose last week 8.3% to 981.5.
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NAHB Applauds Fed Rate Cuts; Calls on Congress to Do Its Part
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today applauded the Federal Reserve Board's aggressive action to cut interest rates by 75 basis points to help jump-start the economy. NAHB also echoed Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's comments this morning before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the need for Congress to move swiftly to address the current housing situation by enacting the following legislation: FHA modernization to increase the availability of affordable FHA mortgages; comprehensive reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that allows them to temporarily buy larger home loans in high-cost markets; and allowing cities and states to issue tax-exempt mortgage bonds to refinance existing loans to help troubled borrowers.
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Green Building Standard Comments Due Feb. 4
The consensus committee for the National Green Building Standard has announced that the public comment period for changes or revisions to the standard closes on Feb. 4. The 45-day comment period began Dec. 21. Members can see the the draft standard and instructions for submitting comments on the NAHB Research Center Web site. The standards consensus committee encourages interested parties to use the public comment form on the Web site. The proposed point system, the remodeling section and changes that have been made to the standard and shown in legislative format (words in the document that have strikethroughs and underlines) are all open for comment. The new green building standard is a joint project of NAHB and the International Code Council, which promulgates model building codes. It will go to the American National Standards Institute for approval after the public comment period closes and after consensus committee members have had the opportunity to review the comments and vote on any proposed changes.
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Bush Pushes Congress on Stimulus Deal
President Bush urged Congress on Friday to quickly pass an economic stimulus package void of extraneous spending, saying only quick action will kickstart the sputtering economy. "I strongly believe it would be a mistake to delay or derail this bill," Bush said. "I understand the desire to add provisions from both the right and the left," the president said, adding that would be an error. The president made his remarks at a gathering with House Republicans attending a congressional retreat in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., in the snow-covered Alleghenies.
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Housing Incentives Key to Success of Stimulus Package
In a full-page ad in USA Today and letters to the House and Senate leadership, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today called on Congress to make housing incentives a key part of any economic stimulus package being crafted on Capitol Hill. "Any stimulus plan needs to address the housing downturn in order to stabilize financial markets and get the economy moving forward," said NAHB President Brian Catalde, a home builder from El Segundo, Calif. In addition, Catalde urged Federal Reserve policymakers to enact further interest rates cuts when they meet at the end of the month to restore confidence and increase liquidity in the financial markets.
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Builders: Today's Rate Cut Is Tomorrow's Sale
Home builders have an exceptional sales opportunity following the Jan. 22 three-quarters of a percentage point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Mortgage rates are already near historic lows, and the largest rate cut since October 1984 makes buying a new home a not-to-be-missed decision for consumers right now. Home builders should use the cut to send a critical message to potential buyers: Those who commit to a new home today will get extraordinary value for their dollar. Whether they choose to add more features or upgrades, or help their budget with lower monthly payments, the power is in their hands to purchase a home that meets their needs. "Today's rate cuts by the Federal Reserve had an immediate effect on prime mortgage rates," said David Seiders, NAHB's chief economist. "Fixed-rate conventional conforming mortgages now are available around 5.3%, which is extremely low by historical standards."
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Falling Timbers: Good News for Builders, Buyers as Lumber Prices Hit Two-Year Low
While builders in Idaho typically expect lumber prices to decline during the winter months as construction slows, a weak housing market in other parts of the nation has further reduced demand for some building products. The average cost of plywood has declined more than 14% compared to a year ago, while softwood lumber has declined about 15%, according to Reed Construction Data. "It's a bargain right now and it's been pretty reasonable for the last few months," said Charles Colby, operations manager at Franklin Building Supply in Twin Falls. "But we're probably going to see those prices start to increase toward the middle of February." Builders and developers benefit from the lower material costs, either by absorbing the cost savings or by building larger and more intricate homes that compete better in the housing market. "Right now would be a good time to get with the builder to plan out a home and get the permit process started," said Tony Hughes, president of the Magic Valley Builders Association. "The general trend is that the cost of building rarely goes down, but right now we're dealing with lumber prices that are at their lowest level in a couple of years."
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Stimulus Plan Also Sparks Housing Market
The economic stimulus plan announced Thursday by Congress and the Bush administration includes provisions that specifically address the mortgage crisis. It aims to make getting a mortgage easier and cheaper in high-cost markets, to facilitate refinancing and to prevent foreclosures. The package proposes lifting the dollar amount of loans that are eligible for purchase by Freddie Mac (FRE, Fortune 500) and Fannie Mae (FNM) and that can be insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The cap limits for FHA loans, which offer protection to lenders against losses that result from defaults by borrowers, would be raised to $725,000 and would be permanent. These government sponsored enterprises currently guarantee a secondary market for loans of less than $417,000, which makes lenders more willing to issue them. The stimulus package proposes raising that cap to $625,000 for twelve months in order to make it easier for buyers to get or refinance mortgages - especially in high-cost regions like California.
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'30 Days of Green' Begins in February
With the U.S. Green Building Council estimating the value of new "green" building construction starts exceeded $12 billion last year, Janis Boatright calls the eco-friendly building a movement in Florida and nationwide, as more people look to make their homes energy-efficient and sustainable. To foster more discussion and education about green building in this area, Friends of St. Andrew Bay has organized "30 Days of Green," a monthlong green-building awareness campaign that kicks off Feb. 20 with a daylong seminar at Gulf Coast Community College. An area Realtor and Friends of St. Andrews Bay member, Boatright said she is asked many green building-related questions.
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AGC's Simonson Says Construction will be a Mixed Bag in 2008
Commercial construction will likely not see the same kinds of gains in 2008 that it has in the last few years, but will certainly not see a serious downturn, according to the Associated General Contractors of America chief economist. Ken Simonson told two Florida audiences Thursday - one at a breakfast meeting in St. Petersburg and the other during a luncheon in Altamonte Springs - that overall he anticipates commercial construction to be up between three and seven percent this year. But he added that when you include other factors, the increase will be negated. "When you mix the growth in with other factors, such as increased costs of oil and materials, non-residential construction will be flat," he said. "We may even see a bit of a decline, but we will not be falling off a cliff."
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Marion County Sees Potential in Dunnellon Airport
The propellers of the Cessna 441 Conquest hummed as the plane rolled along the taxiway of the Dunnellon/Marion County Airport on Thursday, one stop on a trip to the Turks and Caicos islands in the Caribbean. Minutes later, another plane lands on the airport's east/west runway. It might not have the activity of Chicago's O'Hare, New York's LaGuardia or even Ocala's airport, but whooping cranes aren't the only birds flying around this airport. "This place is definitely a diamond in the rough," Airport Manager Roy Sieger said. "It has so much potential." Now, the County Commission wants to get a detailed plan of action to build on that potential. Tuesday, they approved a $108,530 contract with consultant Hoyle, Tanner & Associates to do a master plan on the future development of the airport. While some taxpayers and elected officials are often skeptical of the cost of and need for consultants' plans and studies, it's different with airports. The financial benefits are quite real, Sieger said.
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Airport's Terminal Condition: Leesburg Wants to Open First Passenger Facility
City Commissioner Lewis Puckett wants to sell one of his hangars at the Leesburg International Airport to the city. The hangar and the property it sits on would give the city the chance to create the first passenger terminal at the airport, Puckett said. The price tag for the property is $250,000, Puckett said. He said he's willing to work with the city on a payment plan of the city's choosing. Puckett planned to sell the property whether the city was interested or not, but hated to see the city pay more for the property several years from now from a different owner. The terminal is in the city's long-range plans for airport expansion. The terminal would offer regional flights out of Leesburg, Airport Director Charlie Weller said.
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Green Buildings Don't Have to Be New
Just about every month, a glitzy tower rises somewhere in the country, boasting the latest in "green" design and technology. To many people, that is an encouraging trend, especially when considering that commercial buildings account for more than 60 percent of the nation's electricity consumption, according to government estimates, and generate 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Yet these buildings represent a small fraction of the nation's estimated 4.5 million commercial properties, many of which were erected decades ago before sustainable, or green, designs became de rigueur. This vast stock of older buildings presents a much bigger opportunity to cut down on energy consumption and carbon emissions that contribute to the warming of the planet. The real estate industry has recently begun to turn its attention to "greening" existing buildings. The United States Green Building Council - whose Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, or LEED, program has become the de facto standard for sustainable building - has guidelines that address older buildings. Called LEED for Existing Buildings, or LEED-EB, the three-year-old program provides a laundry list of steps that building owners and managers can take to operate and manage their properties more efficiently.
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Light Commercial Offers Challenges, Opportunities
Adding light commercial construction to a home builder's portfolio can expand the builder's client base and provide additional income after the project is built. To introduce home builders to light commercial construction, NAHB's National Commercial Builders Council (NCBC) is offering networking and education sessions at the 2008 Builders' Show in Orlando next month. "This is a great time to tap into the commercial market," said Ed Feiler, of Metro Developers, Inc., a commercial builder from Savannah, Ga. One reason light commercial construction can be a logical choice for home builders is that once a residential neighborhood is built, commercial developments need to follow for that community to thrive.
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A Solar Panel on Every Building
After 5 years of product development, Palo Alto, Calif.-based Nanosolar Inc has shipped its first product. The lucky winner was a local power plant installation in Eastern Germany -- lucky because the company's products are sold out till 2009. Nanosolar's products boast an impressive list of the world's firsts. R. Martin Roscheisen, the company's CEO, recently announced the first printed thin-film solar cell in a commercial panel product, the Nanosolar Utility Panel; the first thin-film solar cell with a low-cost back-contact capability; the lowest-cost solar panel, which would make Nanosolar the first solar manufacturer capable of profitably selling solar panels that generate at as little as $0.99/W; and the highest-current thin-film solar panel, delivering 5 times the current of any other thin-film panel on the market.
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ABC Urges Supreme Court to Strike Down California Union Neutrality Law
ABC Jan. 16 submitted an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court asking the high court to strike down a California law intended to prohibit state contractors from opposing union organizing efforts or attempting to influence employees about unionization (The Chamber of Commerce of the United States v. Brown). Signed into law in 2000 by former California Gov. Gray Davis (D), Assembly Bill 1889 (A.B. 1889) prohibits employers that receive more than $10,000 in state funds from using those funds for promoting or deterring union organizing efforts. The law was struck down in 2002 by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which ruled that certain provisions of the law were pre-empted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The ruling was appealed by the AFL-CIO and other pro-union groups. A three-judge appeals court panel upheld the district court ruling. Click Here
AGC of Greater Florida Calendar of Events
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