To view this email as a pdf or to access archived issues of the report, please click here.
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NEWS
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IBA Members Appointed to State Boards
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Andy Place, Sr., Indiana Builders Association Past President and member of the HBA of St. Joseph Valley, has been appointed by Governor Mike Pence to serve a four year term on the Indiana Housing and Community Development (IHCDA) Board of Directors. Andy is a third generation home builder from South Bend, Indiana. Click here for the press release.
Two IBA members were reappointed to the Governor's Regional Works Councils. Jud Motsenbocker, Indiana Builders Association Past President and member of the East Central Indiana BA, was reappointed to Region 6 to serve a two-year term through October 31, 2017. Jud is a remodeler in Muncie, Indiana. Doug Dillion, member of the HBA of Greater Terre Haute, was reappointed to Region 7 to serve a two-year term through October 31, 2017. Doug is a Career and Technical Education Director for Vigo County School Corporation.
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50 States, 50 Electric Bills
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Hawaii is at the top; lucky New Mexico is at the bottom. What's the average monthly electric bill for home owners in Indiana? Click here to find out and view the 2013 statistics from the survey used to estimate the average residential monthly electrical bill, average monthly consumption, and average monthly price by state.
Spoiler Alert: Indiana has the highest average monthly bill of the East North Central states including Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
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Smoke Alarms Save Lives; Make Sure Yours Work
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Now that Daylight Saving Time (DST) has ended, here's something you can remind homeowners to do with their extra hour - change your smoke alarm batteries. A properly installed and regularly tested smoke alarm is a simple, cost-effective way to protect yourself and your family from a home fire. Smoke alarms should be maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions, and here are some general maintenance tips from the U.S. Fire Administration:
Smoke alarm powered by a nine-volt battery
- Test the alarm monthly.
- Replace the batteries at least once every year.
- Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.
Smoke alarm powered by a 10-year lithium (or "long-life") battery
- Test the alarm monthly.
- Since you cannot (and should not) replace the lithium battery, replace the entire smoke alarm according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Smoke alarm that is hardwired into your home's electrical system
- Test the alarm monthly.
- Replace the backup battery at least once every year.
- Replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.
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Indiana Single-Family Building Permits Down 9 percent in September
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Single-family building permits in Indiana decreased 9 percent in September over the previous month while numbers decreased 13 percent in September compared to the same time last year according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In September 2015, there were 1,046 single-family building permits issued compared to 1,200 in 2014. Single-family permits for the first nine months of 2015 are down 2 percent compared to the first nine months of 2014.
Click here to read the press release.
This press release and previously issued ones are available here. |
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LEGISLATIVE
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Save the Date! IBA Legislative Day is February 1
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One of the most important housing related events of the year will take place on Monday, February 1, 2016. Don't miss this exciting opportunity as members of the Indiana Builders Association to have lunch with your legislators at the Statehouse. More details coming soon.
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Organization Day Scheduled for November 17
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Organization Day (or Org Day) is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 17th at 1:00 p.m. Organization Day is the official, yet largely ceremonial, start of the 2016 legislative session. Many legislators will begin drafting legislation following Org Day, but most will hold off on filing any bills until a later date - typically late December and early January see the most bill filings. Although official bill lists will not become available until session gets underway in January, IBA staff will be monitoring all legislative developments between now and the start of the 2016 session in order to have a voice in those issues that affect the home building industry.
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REGULATORY
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Commission Denies Local Ordinance to Tag Structures with Manufactured Floors & Roofs
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This week the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission (Commission) set aside its decision to approve Ordinance 2015-22 to amend the Chesterton Town Code to require the builder or owner of any structure containing a manufactured floor or manufactured roof to identify the existence of such with a fire resistant tag. See attached Ordinance.
Since the language in the Town's ordinance did not mirror that of Article VI Use of Engineered Roof Trusses and Floor Joists in the state's Sample Building Ordinance, Indiana Builders Association (IBA) and the Indiana Apartment Association (IAA) respectfully requested that the Commission reconsider its decision to approve the ordinance.
IBA and IAA supported the inclusion of Article VI to provide local communities with a tool to increase firefighter safety while keeping the requirements uniform, including:
- Size of the placard (may not be smaller than 3 ½ inches by 4 ½ inches and may not be larger than 5 inches by 5 ½ inches)
- Cost (may not exceed $5/placard)
- Responsibility (specifies the responsibilities of the builder, local Authority Having Jurisdiction, local fire department, 911 telephone call center, and owner of the structure)
The Commission denied the ordinance. The Chesterton Town Council may consider revising the ordinance to align with Article VI and resubmit it to the Commission for approval.
Please continue to watch your town, city, and county council meeting agendas for proposed ordinances to label/placard/tag/sticker structures containing engineered lumber. |
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IN Review Features Article on Confined Space in Construction
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IN Review 2015, an annual publication of the Indiana Department of Labor's INSafe Division, was recently released and is available here. In this edition you can learn more about best practices to stay safe and the state of workplace safety and health in Indiana. One article of interest to the residential construction industry in this edition of IN Review is "Confined Space for Construction" on pages 6-7.
INSafe works with Indiana's employers, employees, labor unions, professional groups, trade organizations and others to ensure workplace health and safety by providing free onsite consultations. Request yours today!
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