News & Blog

Home Builders Association

Q2 Case-Shiller Report shows improvement in home prices

Posted on August 31, 2010 by amyo

Data through June 2010, released Aug. 31 by Standard & Poor’s for its
S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that the U.S. National Home Price Index rose 4.4% in the second quarter of 2010, after having fallen 2.8% in the first quarter. Nationally, home prices are 3.6% above their year-earlier levels. In June, 17 of the 20 MSAs covered by S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices and both monthly composites were up; and the two
composites and 15 MSAs showed year-over-year gains. Housing prices have rebounded from crisis lows, but other recent housing indicators point to more ominous signals as tax incentives have ended and foreclosures continue.

Click here to view the entire Case-Shiller report.

Metro’s UGB Recommendations

Posted on August 31, 2010 by admin

As many of you know, Metro’s COO Michael Jordan released his “2010 Growth Management Assessment” report recently, which essentially begins Metro’s required process to analyze the amount of land available for growth, look at what will be needed for the next 20 years, and determine what capacity for residential and industrial/commercial land can be accommodated within the current UGB, and where expansions might be needed to make up for any deficiency.

Mr. Jordan’s report is 77 pages long (and can be viewed at:  http://library.oregonmetro.gov/files//2010_growth_management_assessment.pdf).

Continue reading →

2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams show awards announced

Posted on August 26, 2010 by admin

The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland announced the 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams award recipients on August 25 during an evening ceremony at NW Natural.

The dream homes earned awards in three categories: Professional’s Choice, which are judged by industry professionals from outside the Portland area; Realtor’s Choice, selected by licensed realtors who attended the show’s Realtor Day; and, People’s Choice awards, which are voted on by show attendees.

Continue reading →

Fire at the NW Natural Street of Dreams

Posted on August 24, 2010 by admin

There was a fire this evening out at the main site for this year’s NW Natural Street of Dreams.  While it did impact one of Hearth & Home’s (Karey Cresap’s) homes, it was contained to an outdoor fireplace and deck area.  No one was hurt, and the home itself wasn’t damaged.

Jennifer Wessling was the Manager on Duty and did an excellent job handling things when the fire broke out.  Nancy Haskin quickly went to the site and also did a great job dealing with the fire department, the press, and our show attendees.  The site was evacuated for a while until show staff was sure the fire was contained and no longer a threat to anyone.

The show is open again today and runs through the end of the week.  The KGW story already appeared on their website (go to http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Deck-catches-fire-at-Street-of-Dreams-home-101355314.html for details).

To find out more about this year’s show, visit www.streetofdreamspdx.org

Feds send EPA stormwater rules back to drawing board

Posted on August 17, 2010 by admin

In a major victory for affordable housing, sound science and more sensible regulations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been forced to withdraw a key portion of new storm water management regulations for builders and developers and devise new ones based on better research.

Continue reading →

NW Natural Street of Dreams Magazine

Posted on August 13, 2010 by amyo

View the 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams magazine.

Buy tickets to the show at www.streetofdreamspdx.org

Metro President leaving post early

Posted on August 11, 2010 by admin

David Bragdon, Metro Council president, has been appointed to a high-level position with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Bragdon, 51, who lives in downtown Portland, has been named director of long-term planning and sustainability for Bloomberg. He’ll lead the mayor’s major sustainability initiative, PlaNYC. Bragdon’s last day on the Metro Council will be Sept. 7. Continue reading →

Metro eyes Hillsboro for bringing land into UGB

Posted on August 11, 2010 by admin

Hillsboro could be an obvious winner if regional policymakers decide to loosen the Portland-area’s growth belt this year to ensure enough developable land exists for homes and large-parcel industrial campuses during the next two decades.

Any potential expansions would be relatively small. But Michael Jordan, chief operating officer for regional government Metro, recommended Tuesday that policymakers expand the urban growth boundary to encompass 310 acres exclusively for large industry, and consider among roughly 2,700 acres for residential expansion – the latter of which may or may not be needed. Continue reading →

Cycle the Dream at the NW Natural Street of Dreams

Posted on August 6, 2010 by hallieg

Cycle the Dream
Aug. 7 * 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

See the show on two wheels while enjoying educational opportunities, giveaways, and refreshments. Day highlights include:

  • A special seminar from renowned cycling coach Adnan Kadir, who owns Aeolus Endurance Sport. Kadir’s presentation will give an overview of how cyclists can incorporate their daily commute into their training regimen. He’ll also talk about Lifecycle Adventures, a company that leads vacation tours through the California and Oregon wine countries.
  • Tours of the show by bike
  • Bike-powered refreshments
  • Free biodegradable water bottles for the first 100 cyclists, courtesy of Newland Communities.
  • NW Natural presentations geared at increasing awareness about carbon and how they offset the 2010 NW Natural Street of Dreams.
  • A Bike Corral hosted by the HBA’s Building Green Council that will keep tabs on the bikes, helmets and bags that riders would rather tour without.

Green Professionals Day at the NW Natural Street of Dreams

Posted on August 3, 2010 by hallieg

Green Professionals Day
Aug. 4 * Noon-6:30 p.m.

Calling all Green Professionals! Bring your business card to the show and get a $5 discount. Also, enjoy sustainably focused seminars each hour and end your evening with a special hosted happy hour. Click here for a pdf.

LEED using Natural Gas (12-1 p.m.)

Does my choice of energy source impact my ability to get LEED certified? How is LEED scoring impacted by system selection (furnace vs. heat pump, gas cooking vs. electric cooking, etc.)? Bruce Dobbs from NW Natural will address these and other questions regarding the LEED certification scoring system.

Energy Past, Present and Future in the Northwest (1-2 p.m.)

Energy costs in the Pacific Northwest have been volatile and difficult to predict over the past 10 years. Bruce Dobbs from NW Natural will provide a brief history of gas and electric prices in the northwest and will use this as a backdrop to provide a glimpse of what energy pricing and availability will be over the next 5 to 10 years.

Can Pervious Pavement Save Your Next Job? (2-3 p.m.)

Scott Erickson a nationally recognized pervious pavement expert, will show how the ‘Next Generation” of low impact pervious concrete pavements are solving expensive stormwater challenges. His architectural pervious pavements are featured at two of the homes in the NW Natural Street of Dreams.

Green, Greener, Greenest: Levels of Achievement (3-4 p.m.)

Paolo, the principle designer and owner of Paolo Design Group, hosts this free seminar exploring the green building strategies that make good economic and environmental sense while adding beauty, function, and durability to your home. Additional topics will include the integration of project teams, cost control measures, and the basics of the LEED certification program.

Green Professionals Happy Hour (5-6:30 pm)

NW Natural and MARCO Ideas Unlimited are hosting a networking happy hour for green professionals on the Entertainment Deck. Enjoy hosted appetizers, beer, and wine while listening to live music and chatting with likeminded industry members.

Contact Us: Call Us at: 503-684-1880 // Email Us at: info@hbapdx.org