President's Message

We are coming to the long part of our winter. The holidays are past, football season is over, skiers are making their treks to the slopes, some of us will be looking to get away to warmer climates, and some will just be cozying up in front of the fireplace with a glass of brandy.
But we are all looking forward to spring, and the opportunity to get outside and get busy.

I will be going to Florida for the International Builders Show. It’s not too late for you to book a trip to Orlando and see the show. It is our industry’s annual showcase, and if you have never been to one you are missing a spectacular event. Watch for my report in the March newsletter.

Our January Meet the Members night at Fortuna’s was a great opportunity for members to get to know one another better, and promote their company’s products and services. With no program on the agenda, members were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to use their NCBA membership to promote their business. It was our first time trying a Meet the Members night, and
we will look into doing it again and making it bigger and better.

The February meeting will feature a presentation from our accountant, Vince DeMarco. He will have tips for your personal and business income taxes, as well as bringing us up to date on NCBA fi nances. Join us at Antonio’s on Niagara Falls Blvd. in LaSalle on February 13 for this interesting and timely topic. Our Meet the Builders meeting that was originally scheduled for February has been rescheduled to March 12. Please mark your calendar for that one. We want to have a good turnout for our elected officials.

The NCBA is YOUR trade association. Being involved is the secret to getting the maximum
benefit out of your membership. There are many ways that you can help. Sign up to work on the picnic committee, the Parade of Homes, or the golf outing. Bring in a new member (or TWO!). Make a recommendation for a new meeting place or a program. I encourage each of our members to be active, not just a name on a list.

Stay Warm!

Next Meeting

Date:	Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Place:	Antonio's Banquet Facility
Address:	7708 Niagara Falls Blvd, N.F.
Time:	5:30 pm Board Meeting 6:30 pm Cocktails (cash bar) 7:30 pm Sit Down Dinner
Program:	"Tax Time" Vince DeMarco, CPA $25 per person

IMPORTANT! PLEASE RSVP 693-5736 to NCBA office by Friday, February 8th to let us know if you will attend. THANK YOU!

Are you a Rhino, a Lion or an Elephant?

The NAHB conducts a national membership campaign each year to help local builders associations bring in new members. The 2008 version is called the Big Hunt. You can participate by recruiting at least one new member into your NCBA. There are several incentives for you to participate:

• Double Spike points
• National Prizes
• Local Prizes
• Strengthen the NCBA

Mark Tuesday, May 20th on your calendar as the target date for submitting new members, and take your place among the Big Hunters of the NCBA. Start looking for prospective new members among your business associates, and talk with them about the advantages of belonging to the NCBA. We will provide more ammunition as we get closer to the Big Hunt!

NCBA to Host Elected Officials in March

Our March meeting will be a chance for us to promote the NCBA to our elected officials. We have tabbed the meeting as Meet The Builders night. All of our Niagara County mayors, town supervisors and other key elected officials will be invited to have dinner on us, and learn who we are and what we do. It will be our own inhouse lobbying night! The dinner meeting is at the Hideaway Grill in North Tonawanda. Their food is always outstanding, and it will be a wonderful place to host the government officials. We are hoping for a great turnout from them and from you, our members. Next month’s newsletter will have details. In the meantime, if you have any chance to speak with a town supervisor or mayor, tell them about our event and encourage them to join us.

Scholarship Deadline is February 11

NYSBA’s Research and Education Foundation sponsors the William Morehouse Scholarship Program, which awards money to qualified students who are pursuing a one, two or four-year college program in construction or a construction-related field. To qualify, students must be sponsored by their local HBA. At our November meeting the board approved giving a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving local student in 2008. We will fund half of the scholarship, and NYSBA’s REF matches our amount. Approved applications from our local need to be in to Albany by March 3. In order to accommodate this deadline, we need to have completed applications in to the NCBA office by February 11. Our scholarship committee will then interview all interested candidates and select our first William Morehouse Scholarship recipient. If you have a candidate for this award, please go to the NYSBA website and print out the application and guidelines. Please call the office if you have problems accessing the application.
http://sf1000.registeredsite.com/~user996836/REF/WMS2008FINAL.pdf

NCBA Officers & Directors

Parade of Homes

Now is the time to start planning for our Parade of Homes in the fall. We have mailed out Request for Proposal forms to all of our known developers. If you know of a developer with a sub-division that is ready for construction, please let Cathy know so we can send them an RFP. We did not put on a Parade last year, so it is critical that we have one this year. This is our main marketing tool for new home builders in Niagara County.

An on-site home show is a major undertaking, but it holds tremendous potential for promoting new homes in Niagara County. We need an active, enthusiastic group of people to spearhead this effort. At our January membership meeting we asked for volunteers to sign up to work on the Home Show committee. If you can help with this exciting event, please call Cathy at 693-5736 to sign on.

Help For First-Time Homebuyers Building New Homes

New York State has passed a new law that allows local municipalities to adopt a tax break for “newly constructed homes” purchased by “ first time homebuyers.” Real Property Tax Law, Section 457 authorizes a partial exemption from property taxes for eligible buyers. NYSBA proposed this legislation and helped to get it passed. In order for it to be available for firsttime Niagara County homebuyers, each local town or city would have to adopt its own local law.

The exemption, if adopted, lasts for a maximum of five years, beginning with a 50% reduction the first year and declines to 10% in the fifth and final year. A municipality that opts in to the program may also choose to adopt the exemption for a shorter term. The exemption applies only to property taxes and ad valorem levies, not to special assessments, and is only applicable to homes purchased or contracted for before December 31, 2010. The legislation follows SONYMA guidelines for eligibility requirements for first-time homebuyers.

Some municipalities may not be inclined to grant these special exemptions, usually out of concern about the reduced tax revenue. However, we can show the economic impact of new homes in a community, and first-time homebuyers are a prime target for community growth and well-being. Contact your municipal and school district leadership now and talk with them about adopting Section 457.

NAHB Resources For Builders

As our industry struggles to fight the recent downturn in business, the NAHB has developed several resources to help combat the negative media coverage that we face. The NAHB website features several customer items you can use:

• Consumer Flyer: “Top Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait to Buy a New Home”
• Consumer Handout: “Answers to Your Home Buying Questions”
• Consumer Handout: “Is Buying a Home in Today’s Economy a Good Idea?”
• Five new Consumer Print Advertisements for newspapers, newsletters, etc.

These and other items are readily available at the NAHB website. Go to www.nahb.com, click on the “resources” tab and review the wealth of information that is there for your use. These items are easily downloadable, and you can print them in any quantity you need. Your NAHB is constantly working to help the homebuilding industry. We encourage you to take advantage of all that is available from them.

WELCOME to our NEW MEMBERS

Zumbino Concrete

Santo Campanella
Charlie Campanella

Joe Basil Chevrolet, Inc.

Jack Arnold

Spitzer Promotes Housing

Governor Spitzer’s State of the State address included many points that bode well for the homebuilding industry – if he is able to help the state move toward his initiatives. He labeled his address as his blueprint for growth. He emphasized the age-old themes of the need to reign in the high cost of doing business in New York, and his focus on reducing the state’s tax burden. He also recommended a one billion dollar Upstate Revitalization Fund. During his speech the governor also addressed many issues that NYSBA has included in the 2008 Legislative and Regulatory Blueprint. They include the need for regionalization of community services, lowering property taxes and focusing on energy efficiency. Further evidence that the governor is listening to NYSBA came when he unveiled his proposal for a $400 million Housing Opportunity Fund. The governor wrapped
up his speech emphasizing that “We are dreamers, visionaries, environmentalists and builders of the first order.” NYSBA observers hope that is the case, but know that “the proof is in the pudding.” We will wait for Governor Spitzer’s budget proposal to see how far he has carried out his plans.