In December 2019, after more than a year of negotiations, the United States Senate voted overwhelmingly (89-10) in favor of ratifying the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) which is a new trade agreement between the countries that …
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2019 General Election Recap & Runoff Review
As previously reported (and if you live in and around Houston you know), the City of Houston held a major election last month. Aside from one council seat special election in 2018, this was the …
Government Affairs/Volume Builders Meeting on Dec. 10
The GHBA’s Government Affairs and Volume Builders Committees will hold a joint meeting on Tuesday, December 10 at 11:30 a.m. in the GHBA boardroom. This meeting will cover a wide variety of topics both at …
Harris County Issues Clarification on Development Regulations
In June, Harris County adopted new drainage and floodplain management regulations, as well as new development requirements based on the updated Atlas 14 study of historical rainfall data. At the time the GHBA, along with …
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EPA Repeals 2015 Waters of the U.S. Rule
Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed the 2015 joint Clean Water Act (CWA) “Waters of the U.S.”(WOTUS) definition and rule. That rule would have dramatically expanded jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act and …
New State Laws Effective September 1
The 86th Texas Legislature has come to a close with hundreds of bills signed into law. Here are three that should be on your radar as a Texas homebuilding professional. House Bill 2439 by Representative …
City of Houston Announces Green Infrastructure Incentives
Last summer, the GHBA along with other development and community stakeholders were invited to participate and contribute in the process to develop the City of Houston’s Green Stormwater Incentives to encourage the use of green …
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Harris County Adopts New Development Regulations Based on Atlas 14 Data
The Harris County Commissioners Court has adopted changes to development regulations that were based on the updated Atlas 14 study of historical rainfall data. These changes are effective immediately. Atlas 14 is a study conducted …
That’s a Wrap: Texas Legislature Adjourns Sine Die
On January 8 at noon, members of the Texas Senate and House of Representatives gathered in their respective chambers at the Capitol to convene the 86th legislative session. That began the 140 day countdown to …
GHBA Goes to Washington
Last week, GHBA leadership attended the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) 2019 Spring Leadership Meeting and Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. This biennial trip gives us the opportunity to visit with our Houston-area congressional …
Texas Legislature Passes Historic Flood Control Legislation
The GHBA is a founding member of Houston Stronger, a coalition of development stakeholders from around our region. The group’s initial purpose when it formed shortly after Hurricane Harvey was to push for what became …
Legislative Session Coming to a Close
The 86th Texas Legislative Session will adjourn Sine Die on May 27. And while there is less than a month remaining in the 140 day session, the next few weeks will see a frenzy of …
GHBA Goes to Austin
Rally Day 2019 On the morning of March 20, GHBA members left Houston to make their way to Austin to participate in the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) biennial Rally Day at the Texas Capitol. …
City of Houston “Electronic Plan Review (EPR)” Training
This spring, the City of Houston’s Permitting Center will be moving to 100% electronic plan submittal for all residential projects. While the EPR option has been available for years, it will now be mandatory. City …
The 86th Texas Session is Rolling Along
As the legislative session enters its third month, we have reached the turning point and the time when legislation actually begins to get moving. Members only have 140 days to complete the business of the …