NAHB: Top 12 Accomplishments Summer 2012, Number 4: Elevating Housing Profile

Builder Review Daily is highlighting the top 12 actions taken on behalf of Home Builders so far this Spring.

Accomplishment number 4: Elevating Housing Issues in the Current Election Cycle Through Homeownership Rallies, a Nationwide Petition and Media Outreach

Highlighting the importance of homeownership to the voting public and putting housing issues in the spotlight for the November elections, NAHB has now held four successful Homeownership Rallies and has five more such events scheduled in key swing states across the country in coming weeks. These efforts, along with more positive data on the housing front, have contributed to a general improvement in the way that the media has been reporting on housing and the recognition that housing is emerging as a leading factor in the economic recovery.

NAHB has now held four successful Homeownership Rallies since the beginning of this year, the latest of which was in Detroit on July 20. Each of these events has drawn hundreds of participants and very good media coverage in their respective local markets. As part of these efforts, NAHB has also developed the ProtectHomeownership.com website, which details the threats that housing faces in the current policy debate and the need to protect homeownership incentives within our national housing policy. The site also allows visitors to sign our petition in support of homeownership. Additional homeownership rallies have now been scheduled for Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 25; Milwaukee, Wis. on Oct. 2; Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 9; Richmond, Va., on Oct. 11; and Las Vegas on Oct. 18.

Meanwhile, there’s been a notable increase in the number of positive media reports on housing over the past two months, and NAHB has done its part to keep the positive momentum going by reaching out to the press at every opportunity with our perspectives on the latest data. One key message on which we’ve focused is the fact that residential construction is now starting to reassume its traditional role of helping to lead the economy forward following a recession. We’ve also compiled some of the latest positive news reports on housing at www.nahb.org/goodnews and encouraged our members to use these resources to make the case to their customers that housing is on the rebound, home prices are stabilizing and now is a great time to buy a new home.