News, Trends, Community - July

Regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it was delaying for several months enforcing the certification requirements of its Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP), but asserted that enforcement would continue on work practice standards whether a firm was certified or not.

In a FAQ posted on the EPA’s Web site, the agency issued a clarification to its initial announcement, which was misinterpreted by many to mean that all enforcement was to be postponed. The EPA reiterated that it was not stopping enforcement of work practice standards and record-keeping requirements. Whether or not a firm is certified, the EPA still expects it to adhere to the lead-safe practices outlined in its RRP ruling.

The delay is intended to allow additional time for renovation firms to workers to be trained and certified as required under the rule. The specific provisions of the suspension are:

• Until October 1, 2010, EPA will not take enforcement action for violations of the RRP Rule’s firm certification requirement.
• For violations of the RRP Rule’s renovation worker certification requirement, EPA will not enforce against individual renovation workers if the person has applied to enroll in, or has enrolled in, by not later than September 30, 2010, a certified renovator class to train contractors in practices necessary for compliance with the final rules. Renovators must complete the training by December 31, 2010.

For more information on the rule, visit: http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm.

Existing Homes

Strong Sales Continue
Existing-home sales remained at elevated levels in May on buyer response to the tax credit, characterized by stabilizing home prices and historically low mortgage interest rates, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.66 million units in May, down 2.2 percent from an upwardly revised surge of 5.79 million units in April.

New Homes

Sales Decline
Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined dramatically in May following the expiration of a popular home buyer tax credit program in the previous month, according to newly released figures by the U.S. Commerce Department. The data show that sales fell 32.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000 units, the lowest number on record since the government started keeping track in 1963.

Demographics

More Families Moving Back In
American families that once prided themselves on their independence today find themselves moving back in with their parents. AARP reports that the number of households nationwide with more than two generations expanded from 5 million in 2000 to 6.2 million in 2008. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) notes that home alterations needed to accommodate the shift are an opportunity for remodelers.

Community Action

Penguin Windows Teams with Habitat for Humanity
Penguin Windows, which says it is the seventh largest window replacement company in the nation and a top window replacement company in the Pacific Northwest, has made a major donation by providing over 70 windows for new Habitat for Humanity housing projects in the Seattle area. The donation makes it possible for Habitat for Humanity to provide affordable housing opportunities for seven new households at High Point (West Seattle) and Rainier Vista (Rainier Valley). Habitat’s unique model of home ownership is highly successful in assisting low and very low-income households in purchasing a home.

Housing Report