Building Insider Q3 2023

VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 3

BUILDING INSIDER is the official publication of the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio.

MISSION STATEMENT

As leaders in the housing industry, we are dedicated to protecting the industry while promoting ethical business practices and standards. We support our community and our members through professional development, legislative outreach, industry promotion and charitable efforts

BIA OFFICERS

Jane Arthur Roslovic, President

Josh Barkan, Senior Vice President

Troy Fritz, Builder Vice President

Mike Reeves, Associate Vice President

Joe Thomas, Secretary

Jonathan Wilcox, Treasurer

Bob Yoakam, Immediate Past President

Jonathan Melchi, Executive Director

BIA TRUSTEES

Kate Allen

Tom Hart

Todd Lipschutz

Jeff Memmer

Jeff Miller

Nanette Pfister

Mark Robinson

Title First’s Builder Division

Our builder division, headed by Mark Martin (Columbus) and Paul Thompson (Akron), has 18 staff members that are laser-focused on partnering with builders.

“What it all boils down to is having the experience of working with builders for the last 30 years and being able to customize our workflow to meet their deadlines. “We work with them as business partners, we understand their business and we do everything we possibly can to help them meet their goals.”

Sean Stoner, President

Title First Agency works with both local and regional home builders, offering personalized, high-touch service that meets each builder’s specific needs — everything from land take downs, subdivision infrastructure, and development, to construction loans, lot purchases and final home sales.

For more information contact: Mark Martin, VP Builder Division 614.854.0980 PH | 855.861.8083 FAX mark.martin@titlefirst.com www.titlefirst.com

REACH. LOCAL TOUCH.

Erin Uritus

Jeff Woda

Kelly Woods

BUILDING INSIDER MAGAZINE is published for the BIA by CityScene Media Group 1335 Dublin Rd., Ste. 101C Columbus, OH 43215 614-572-1240

www.cityscenecolumbus.com

Publishers of CityScene Magazine, Dublin Life Magazine, Healthy New Albany Magazine,Tri-Village Magazine, Pickerington Magazine, Weasterville Magazine and Discover Grove City Magazine

Kathleen K. Gill, President/CEO

Dave Prosser, Chief Creative Officer

Gianna Barrett, Vice President, Sales

Jamie Armistead, Vice President, Operations

Tyler Kirkendall, Rachel Karas, Editors

Laura Pappas, Rae Moro, Advertising Sales

Carol Rich, BIA Content Editor

Rita Hechmer, Designer

call 614-572-1240.

Jane Arthur Roslovic 2023 BIA President Treplus Communities

Where Do Gen Xers and Baby Boomers Want to Live Next?

As we have all been hearing for the past 10 years, the aging population is growing faster than ever. I am a CoFounder of Treplus Communities, a company that develops, builds, owns and manages multi-family housing for people who are 55 and older. I have the opportunity to hear all of the thoughts and considerations that the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are asking themselves about where they want to live now that the kids are gone, and they have their future to look forward to.

Catering to the active adult who is in a time in life when they are making big decisions on how they want to live, is impacting all of us in the home building industry. The questions they are asking themselves:

• Do they want to stay in the home they have been in for the past years and age in place?

• Do they want to downsize into a smaller home that requires less maintenance?

• Do they want to upsize and build the house they have been dreaming about?

• Do they want to rent and get the equity out of their current home to invest, and have the freedom to travel and be flexible with their time and money?

Homebuilders, remodelers and apartment developers need to take these questions into consideration when listening to these consumers. It is not just the first-floor master bedroom that needs to be addressed when attracting this buyer. They want the ability to age in place. They want to be able to use their bathrooms safely. They want to have the latest technology and know how to use it.

Kids and grandkids are also a consideration, whether they are coming for a visit or a longer stay. They are very desirous to still be a part of a community and access their services, retail and activities that they know and enjoy. Many of them are not retiring and want to be able to work from home and possibly close to their place of business.

There are so many resources that offer tools on how to educate yourself and your client on how to best serve their needs. NAHB offers a CertifiedAging-in-Place (CAPS) course that can educate you and your team on how to build or remodel a home. Many of the universities around the country have “age labs.” They can provide you with what the future looks like for the aging population. I recommend the book The Longevity Economy by Joseph Coughlin from the MIT AgeLab for insight into what this consumer is looking for next.

The aging population has a long trajectory in front of us. Educate yourself on how to keep up with what is available to make your homes attractive to your buyer.

JON MELCHI BIA Executive Director

See Your Vote Through the Lens of Our Local Industry

The first is that the State of Ohio and its Constitution give local governments significantly more oversight over the development process than in other states. For instance, Ohio is one of the few states in the Union where Townships have zoning authority (in many states, the zoning of unincorporated land is overseen by the County where the Township exists).

The second is that Ohio has more local government entities than all but three states (Illinois, Minnesota and Pennsylvania). In fact, according to Governing Magazine (a scintillating publication), the Columbus Metro has the fourth most local government entities of any major metro in the United States, lagging behind only Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Louisville.

housed in large buildings and governed by thousands of pages of regulations. It indicates that someone wanting to develop land and build housing must navigate a labyrinth of people, personalities and offices to have the opportunity to build.

Our members are being asked to solve infrastructure and transportation problems, manage environmental and water challenges and solve school funding and capacity challenges, along with making sure what is built meets the “Character of the Community” and do so at a reasonable, but in some communities, not too reasonable, of a price.

Many people view the off-year local election cycle as relatively unimportant compared to the evennumbered years, where we elect our state and national leaders. Data will show that in years when we vote for President, voter turnout usually hovers around 70%, while in oddnumbered years, that number rarely eclipses 40%.

However, for our industry in Ohio, local elections have a much more significant impact on our businesses. This impact comes for two critical reasons.

These numbers include what the Census Bureau deems “General Purpose Governments,” which include cities, villages, townships and entities that serve a general government purpose. Ohio also has more than 1,500 “Special Districts,” which are entities that oversee one specific core function, such as a school district, water authority or park district.

What does this all mean? It means that Ohio not only has more local government entities than just about every state but also gives them more power and authority over our industry than anywhere in the United States.

What has resulted has been big government at the local level. Local Big Government doesn’t mean bureaucracies on par with Washington, D.C.-based monstrosities

Big local government also has its own internal workforce challenges. Every industry has challenges with obtaining a qualified workforce, and this has had an impact on our partners in local government. Elected officials will remark to me often that it is difficult to find qualified employees. Every month at our Builders and Developers Council meeting, we hear of someone moving from one jurisdiction to the next. Would it be better if these services were consolidated, and resources pooled to improve process efficiency?

As you consider who to support with your vote, please consider looking at it through the lens of who will make it easier for our members to build quality homes in your community. Who will work to lessen the burden on our industry, and who will be a champion for housing in central Ohio?

Navigating Home Technology Options

By Carol Rich

Home technology is such an essential that it’s not if builders and remodelers will be asked about adding the latest digital products — the question is, which items will their homeowners want?

“Technology and connectivity are evolving at such a rapid pace, that it is imperative our members stay aware of what is in the marketplace. They can do this by engaging with our great Associate Members and, equally as important, asking questions and listening to their customers,” says Jon Melchi, Executive Director of the BIA.

What are some of the high tech must-haves your buyers will ask you to plan for, or add, during the building or remodeling process?

“When I walk through new homes with customers, the biggest things I hear that they want are the luxury of music as well as security,” says Jerry Wisler, Sales and Marketing Director for Audio Innovations. “The costs have come down, so it’s become more economical for a homeowner to put automation into their home for security cameras and sound.”

Digital security systems are a technology staple because they give homeowners protection and peace of mind. And buyers can opt for different levels of wireless security and surveillance. “People are asking for security systems

more than anything,” says Wisler. “Customers can add as much or as little as they would like and then add more features at a future date.”

Video doorbells and cameras are a jumping-off point for home security. Smart doorbell cameras give your buyers visibility into what goes on outside their front door, allowing them to monitor everything from visitors to package deliveries, even when they’re not home.

By installing a smart lock, your homeowners will be able to lock and unlock their doors remotely from their phone — no more worrying about whether they remembered to lock the door. Buyers can also provide guests or workers entry to their home by using a temporary access code.

Integrated alarm systems are a fundamental way to increase home security. Systems will alert homeowners to everything from smoke to intruders — and alerts can be sent to smartphones.

Your buyers are also very likely to want technology that will enhance their entertainment options. These include home theater systems, smart TVs and multi-room audio.

The ability to stream music throughout their home is high on many buyers’ wish lists, and wireless speakers and home sound systems are in big demand. “Our biggest

seller is Sonos,” says Wisler. “Customers can control music in every room of their house through their iPhone or iPad. They can add so much music to every room.”

Reliable, high-speed internet is a homeowner essential. They need the internet to work remotely, shop, connect with friends and family, and tap into movies, games and music — so a dependable connection is a necessity.

Fiber optic internet provides a solid benefit because it gives homeowners much faster data transmission than traditional connections. With fiber optic cable integrated into their new build, homeowners will be able to keep up with future technology advances, such as cable services upping the speed requirements to stream movies. Another plus: glass cables aren’t as susceptible to failing in severe weather.

A mesh network — strategically placed routers that act as a single network — helps ensure comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage throughout the house without dead spots. An extended home Wi-Fi signal range able to reach every room is especially important to your homeowners since so many devices rely on Wi-Fi connections.

Smart home technology provides your buyers with greater convenience. They can control products like thermostats, lighting and appliances through a central point, like a smartphone or tablet. Including the necessary wiring and infrastructure during construction makes it easier for homeowners to integrate and control smart devices, according to NAHB.

Your homeowners can opt for smart lighting features that include dimmers and switches that control lighting through voice commands or apps. They can also choose motion sensors that automatically turn on lights when someone enters a space.

Tech advances have also come to window treatments. Motorized shades and draperies can now be easily adjusted through the touch of a button or automated scheduling. By integrating window treatments into smart home systems, they can automatically respond to the changing conditions of the day or season — lowering your homeowner’s energy costs.

Being open to home tech planning, and incorporating smart products, can set your projects apart, according to NAHB. By staying up to date on the latest technology, you’ll be better able to help your buyers find the smart tech that will improve their day-to-day lives.

New State Budget Includes Tax Credits for Building Affordable Housing

By Carol Rich

The new state budget, signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in July, includes a provision poised to flip the tables on Ohio’s housing challenges.

The Ohio budget now offers tax credits to developers for building new, affordable housing across the state. The new law provides for a state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) capped at $100 million per year, for the next four years, for building affordable multifamily housing. An additional $50 million per year for four years in tax credits is authorized for constructing affordable single-family homes. To obtain a tax credit, developers will need to offer affordable rents or sale prices.

The funding has the power to transform the state’s housing options, giving Ohio residents a greater number of affordable places to live while also easing our housing shortage.

“This is a policy that has proved successful in other states and provides Ohio developers with another tool to help increase production of affordable housing across our state,” says Jon Melchi, Executive Director of the BIA. “As costs rise throughout the construction process, having an additional fund to help make these projects feasible is critical to our communities.”

With the new policy in place, Ohio is now the 21st state to provide tax credits for affordable housing.

Several BIA members predict the new tax credits will have a positive impact on Ohio’s housing.

“The approval of new resources for housing development is evidence of our state’s commitment to meeting the needs of every resident including our low- and moderateincome families. The new housing tax credits for rental and homeownership will increase the production and availability of affordable housing across the state,” says Leah Evans, President & CEO of Homeport.

Evans observes that this investment positions Ohio to be a leader in addressing the housing gap and costs burdens

impacting thousands of our neighbors as rents have increased faster than incomes and housing production has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

“Housing is fundamental to the wellbeing of individuals and to the economic strength of our communities, and by investing now we are addressing Ohio’s current unmet need and preparing for our future. We are excited about the opportunities available with these new programs,” Evans says.

“National Church Residences is excited to see Ohio adopt a state housing tax credit program. We applaud the Governor’s office, House and Senate for taking this important step,” says Matthew Rule, Senior Vice President, Housing Development and Asset Management, National Church Residences. “Based on our experience in other states with state housing tax credit programs, we are confident the program will boost affordable workforce and senior housing production in Columbus and across the state.”

The tax credit program will be administered by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA). OHFA is the state agency that currently distributes federal tax credits for building affordable apartments in Ohio.

DeWine initially proposed both the multifamily and single-family tax credits in January 2023. “The governor’s including of those items in his executive budget shows housing is a priority for him and his administration,” stresses OHFA spokesperson, Penny Martin. “With all the jobs coming to Ohio, housing is an integral part of recruiting people to come to Ohio and getting students to stay.”

OHFA is currently drafting guidelines on how developers can apply for the tax credits. The agency plans to communicate the way both the multifamily and singlefamily programs will work as soon as possible. “We want to make sure the process is as easy as it can be to apply for the funding,” explains Martin.

Antonio Benton (614) 595-0592 abenton@fcbanking.com

NMLS#: 271684

Natalie Moore (614) 264-4154

nemoore@fcbanking.com

NMLS#: 728210

Linda Tempesta (614) 403-8208 ltempesta@fcbanking.com NMLS#: 440057

Nancy Garrabrant (740) 272-1348

ngarrabrant@fcbanking.com NMLS#: 728209

Columbus REALTORS®: Central Ohio Inventory Continues to Rise While Sales Begin to Slow

According to the July 2023 housing report from Columbus REALTORS®, after three consecutive months of record-breaking median sales prices, Columbus area median sales prices experienced a 2.2 percent decrease from June to July.

In June, median home sale prices reached a recordsetting $322,205. However, in July median prices dropped slightly to $315,000 — a 4.8% increase year-over-year. “Plenty of eyes are on the central Ohio real estate market,” says Columbus REALTORS® President Patti Brown-Wright. “We have lots of things going our way, with new industrial and manufacturing opportunities being announced almost weekly. Now is the best time to find your forever home in Columbus.”

Local inventory continues to rise, giving house hunters a greater product selection. Columbus REALTORS® stats showed a nearly nine percent rise in total homes for sale in July. In June, home inventory was 2,887 homes. The next month, that number climbed to 3,137.

“One year ago, the market was setting records, and there was more inventory partially because mortgage rates were still below 5%,” says Brown-Wright. She notes that as of July, mortgage rates were closer to 7%, which can impact people’s willingness to move. Proving Brown-Wright’s theory: there were 2,505 closings in July 2023, marking a 21.7 percent decrease year-over-year.

In July, the average central Ohio home took 17 days to sell. Brown-Wright says that central Ohio has been one of the hottest housing markets in the nation for years, and it remains a seller’s market.

Columbus REALTORS® spotlighted several local markets for July 2023 sales. Grove City posted an 11.3% increase in closings, with 69 at a median sales price of $339,900. Reynoldsburg posted a 6.9% jump in closed sales with 62, resulting in a median sale price of $305,000. New Albany (Corp.) reported a median sale price of over $1 million for the second-straight month. After 25 closed sales in July, the median sales price was $1,125,650.

Gahanna Named Country’s Hottest Housing Market

Gahanna was recently named the nation’s hottest housing market in 2023 by Realtor.com.

The listings website bases its annual rankings on factors such as high demand and fast sales. This year the Gahanna zip code, 43230, won for these indicators.

Gahanna was singled out as the country’s hottest market for its affordability, appeal to younger buyers and proximity to central Ohio amenities. The city is the only one in Ohio to make Realtor.com's Top Ten this year.

How-To Guide for Building a Construction Safety Culture

By Carol Rich

Construction is fundamentally a dangerous industry. Men and women work in hazardous environments that expose them to falls, struck-by accidents, electrocution, caughtbetween incidents, harmful chemicals and a multitude of other risks. By creating a strong safety culture in your company, you can prevent injuries and save lives.

“The people who work in this industry are the most important resource that we have and it’s critical that we emphasize safety and well-being at all levels of construction and throughout our industry,” says Jon Melchi, Executive Director of the BIA. “In addition to being the right thing to do, we know that companies, crews and worksites that emphasize safety, are also likely to emphasize compliance and adherence to detail in other aspects of their jobs.”

Leadership’s commitment is central to any homebuilder’s safety culture — executives and managers set the safety tone. Along with allocating the resources for safety programs and putting them in place, it’s vital for company leaders to stress the importance of safety and to participate in initiatives.

Training is also at the core of an effective culture of safety. Before they arrive on the worksite, your team needs to have the knowledge and skills necessary to identify hazards and follow safety measures.

A safety cornerstone that belongs in every training curriculum: use of personal protective equipment (PPE). When your team is on-site, it’s essential that everyone has

— and wears — the PPE they need. This includes hard hats, safety goggles, safety gloves, ear muffs or plugs, boots and high visibility vests.

Training is critical for protecting workers and mitigating their risk of accidents. Fall prevention should be a top priority in any builder’s training program, since falls are the number one cause of serious work-related injuries in construction. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), construction has the most fatal falls of any industry. As a result, training should emphasize how to work safely on roofs, ladders and scaffolds.

On the job site, your team needs to inspect work areas to make sure all fall exposures are adequately protected. NIOSH also stresses the necessity of providing workers with the right equipment for working at heights and training them on how to use that equipment.

Slips and trips are the second most common construction work injuries. To reduce the risk on your job site, follow basic safety practices including adding warning signs to alert people to wet or uneven surfaces, putting away corded tools when not in use and keeping walkways clear of clutter.

Helpful safety tip: 2-10 HBW recommends that you try to run your extension cords against the building whenever possible. This will keep them from getting stomped on, tripped over or trapped under building materials.

NAHB suggests that a key component of your training program should be engaging your team. You can accomplish this by encouraging open communication and active participation, and encouraging your employees to get involved in safety committees, toolbox talks and safety training sessions.

Along with training, processes for hazard identification, risk assessment and corrective action are safety culture fundamentals. Instruct your team to report any hazardous conditions as soon as they’re spotted, and to report any injuries or near misses. For best results: make sure all your safety policies and procedures are easy to understand and follow. And, check that they’re accessible to everyone in your company.

As you build your safety culture, consider designating someone in your company as the safety manager to oversee training and injury reporting.

Looking for a tried-and-true way to motivate your employees to follow safety procedures? Try creating a safety reward system that recognizes individuals and/or teams. Celebrating safety milestones and achievements raises awareness and encourages participation.

Achieving and maintaining a safety culture is an ongoing process. Staying on top of industry trends, technologies and regulations will help you continuously improve your safety practices.

NAHB has made job site safety a key area of focus. Visit nahb.org to find a wealth of educational resources, safety training materials and other helpful safety content.

MEMBER BENEFITS

Staff Spotlight: Kelly Harrop Joins the BIA as Manager of Government Affairs

The BIA’s efforts to advance housing creation just got strengthened with the addition of Kelly Harrop, the new Manger of Government Affairs. Kelly joined the BIA staff in June and her legislative expertise and outstanding communications skills are already making an impact.

With a solid background in government affairs and advocacy, Kelly has an exceptional understanding of the key role homebuilding and land development play in central Ohio’s economic growth. She previously served as Communications and Outreach Director for the Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council and as a Senior Legislative Aide in the Ohio House of Representatives.

“My focus is on addressing the housing crisis in central Ohio and making sure housing is accessible,” says Kelly. “Especially with Intel coming in, central Ohio is growing fast and housing is the big challenge.”

Kelly will be working proactively with local government officials and community partners to communicate the BIA’s priorities and promote policies that would increase our area’s housing supply. In her role as an industry advocate, she has already started attending meetings with legislators.

Kelly says an effective way to get the BIA’s points across to legislators is by bringing in BIA experts.

“I like to think of myself as an intermediary between our two groups,” Kelly says. “For example, if we’re talking about engineering, it’s good to have someone in the room

who’s an engineer. A lot of it is knowing how to connect people who have expertise with each other.”

A true central Ohio native, Kelly grew up in Powell and graduated from The Ohio State University with a political science degree. “I always joke that I wanted to be a vet but I learned the hard way it wasn’t right for me. I passed out during a pet’s surgery.” Kelly chose instead to work in the political arena. And when she joined the BIA she says her dad, who works in commercial real estate, was pleasantly surprised.

Kelly lives in Columbus’s Harrison West neighborhood and has horses, a cat and two dogs: Abby, a lab mix, and Otter, a Goldendoodle. “I have 200 pounds of dog,” she jokes. “Pets have always been my stress reliever. I spend a lot of time at the local dog park and at the barn.”

In her job with the BIA, Kelly is looking forward to meeting more BIA members.

“I’m enjoying getting to know our members and learning about their personalities and being able to use their expertise to achieve what’s best for the industry,” Kelly says. “They’re all very collaborative.”

Kelly is excited that her work at the BIA will help get people into homes. “I’m especially concerned with housing affordability and availability,” she says. “When it comes to development, I’m looking at ways to streamline processes. I want to make sure any central Ohioan that wants housing can afford it at some level.”

Staff Spotlight: Edna Mae Berkey Joins BIA as Manager of Finance and Administration

Memphis and the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. She also used her strong organizational and technical skills as a project manager for Messer Construction.

An early experience taught Edna Mae about homebuilding and gave her a deep appreciation for the work BIA members do. “During my senior year in high school, my mom bought herself house plans for Christmas. By the next Thanksgiving, we moved into our new home,” says Edna Mae.

Edna Mae now owns a glass blowing studio named PB & Jammy Glass, located in an outbuilding behind her home that was once her dad’s workshop. She also teaches glass artwork and has a mobile hot shop she can take on the road.

“I’m all about access to the arts and especially this art form,” she says.

In January, Edna Mae Berkey joined the BIA staff full-time as Manager of Finance and Administration — and BIA members are already benefiting from her work. From implementing the new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform that’s improved processes and upgraded members’ user experience, to accurate and efficient invoicing, to the refreshed and engaging new website — Edna Mae is advancing the BIA in a multitude of ways.

“I really appreciate the focus of the BIA, which is advocating for builders and making it possible for people to have homes. That’s the American dream,” Edna Mae says.

Edna Mae, who has a BA from The Ohio State University, has a background as varied as her talents. A former Executive Director of the Short North Stage, she has worked in executive positions with arts organizations across the country, including Charlotte Ballet, Ballet

A contractor helped her family build their home on land in Stoutsville, Ohio, a village in Fairfield County. Edna Mae, her parents, and her brother and sister, performed most of the non-technical building work.

“My favorite part was doing the spray insulation and watching the home evolve,” says Edna Mae.

Today Edna Mae lives in the Stoutsville home she once helped build, along with her two Bengal cats, Dinah and Max, and her black cat, Boo Boo.

Three years ago, Edna Mae discovered her inner artist. “I blame my sister for my obsession with glass blowing,” Edna Mae says. “She gave me the gift of a hot glass class for Christmas 2019.”

Edna Mae’s love for glass artwork was instantaneous. She immediately signed up for classes at Glass Axis and soon became a virtuoso glass artist.

At the BIA, you can find Edna Mae doing everything from answering members’ invoice questions to taking photos at events. She even created the beautiful glass awards presented to this year’s Parade award winners.

Edna Mae said she especially appreciates BIA Executive Director Jon Melchi’s flexibility and vision. And she’s impressed by the work done each day by BIA staff and leadership. Says Edna Mae: “I would love for BIA members to know all the work that’s being done behind the scenes to make their work lives easier.”

Edna Mae Berkey's glass blowing studio, PB & Jammy Glass, mobile hot shop.

Case Studies Showcase Your Expertise

Case studies, stories that describe a buyer’s great experience working with your company, show customers what your business is capable of — and also build up your credibility.

in a compelling way that tells their stories from start to finish. You’ll want to illustrate their story with photos, including a before and after if applicable.

By Carol Rich

Demonstrating examples of your previous work through a “case study” or “customer story” or “buyer’s journey” shines a light on your successes with previous customers so you can prove your capabilities to new prospects. It’s well worth it to add a case study page to your website or highlight case studies in your e-newsletter. And, customer stories can also be published in hard copy that you can pass out at a model home or distribute at your showroom.

According to WebFX, a digital marketing solutions provider, adding a great case study to your website will not only showcase your capabilities and quality of work, it will also help you accomplish your SEO goals. By optimizing keywords, you can attract more traffic.

Video case studies that are embedded in your website or posted on social media are especially effective. If you go the video route, you should feature your buyers describing their experience, preferably right in front of the new home you built for them, and talking about how happy they are with the outcome.

Want to draw on the benefits of a case study in a more abbreviated way? Another approach is to just add customer quotes or detailed captions to the shots in your photo gallery.

To get started on creating a case study, WebFX suggests collecting quotes, photos, videos and testimonials from past customers who were happy with your products or services, and then assembling them

According to 2-10 HBW, your case study should be an engaging testimonial told in story form from the perspective of a customer. Here’s the basic structure:

Start off with brief information about your buyer. For instance, a builder might describe a corporate executive relocating to Columbus or a couple in need of more space after having twins.

Next up: spell out the challenge your customer faced and how your business met it. The point here is to show how your expertise came through for them. A few examples: a buyer who loves to work out wants a state-of-the-art home gym — your custom home building business creates it. A customer is looking for a wow-factor countertop that’s within her budget — and your granite supply company finds her a standout stone in the right price range.

For your last step, finish strong by letting your audience know how delighted your buyer was with the results. Use your customer’s own words (a testimonial) and include photos or video to give your case study more power and credibility.

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By Malcolm Porter

Central Ohio’s Housing Market: Subsidized and Market Rate – BOTH Are Essential GOVERNMENT

The region’s housing shortage receives a lot of attention in the general media and is an increasing topic of conversation among economic development officials in the region. Where will workers live? Can workers afford the options that are available to them? And, what about those who are working for very low wages – are there any good options for them? And it seems homelessness is more prevalent, what do we do for those who are completely unable to house themselves?

For many officials and housing stakeholders, the response for these sticky housing questions lies in more “affordable” housing – which many times is code language for “subsidy.” The subsidy can take the form of grants, loan financing, tax credits, etc. Subsidy can also mean internal project subsidies with tax credits and increased market rate units in order to lower some units in a project to below market rate prices.

• The City has increased its housing bond fund by four times, to $200 million over the next five years, an all-time record commitment of resources. At the same level of subsidy as the most recent effort, this will account for approximately 5,200 new housing units over the next several years.

• Columbus has also implemented a subsidy program in exchange for tax abatements, where approximately 20% of new units built in an abatement area are subsidized by the tax abatement and the 80% of market rate units which may pay a higher rate than otherwise would have been expected. An estimate of the subsidized units produced by this self-funding might be 1,000 units per year.

The BIA works to represent the entire residential housing market: forprofit and not-for-profit companies; urban infill and greenfield style developments; single-family homes and multi-family developers; ownership and rental products; subsidized and market rate homes/ apartments; new construction and remodeling; sole proprietorship type small businesses and companies that are publicly traded on major stock exchanges.

It is through all the collective perspectives and experiences of different BIA members that the association draws its conclusions to form positions on issues and decide an agenda. At the foundation of all the BIA’s advocacy work is the basic tenet - our region needs to build more housing -- of ALL types.

Essential, but not sufficient. This is a phrase that applies to the role of subsidized housing in central Ohio’s housing market situation.

Another way to say it, paraphrasing Michael Wilkos, local housing market expert and Vice President of Community Advancement for the United Way: …we cannot subsidize our way out of this problem.

While there is no comprehensive accounting for housing in our region, with public measures and reporting on the status of our market; consider the following housing “nuggets” and the reality of the steep hill in front of us:

• Recent reporting on the outcomes from the City of Columbus housing bond package expenditure of $50 million over the past few years was that 1,300 units were reported to be created, which comes out to a subsidy of approximately $38,000 per unit

• CMHA, Franklin County, COCIC, LIHTC projects, numerous community non-profits are but a few examples of other means that housing subsidy can flow into the region. Is it fair to say at best that these sources might combine for 2,500 or 3,000 new units per year?

• Is it possible that the region totals 5,000 new subsidized units in a good year?

And having said all of that, according to the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio approximately 54,000 central Ohio households already spend over 50% of their income on housing costs. We are tens of thousands of units of affordable housing “in the hole” today.

Clearly, Mr. Wilkos is right that we simply cannot subsidize our way out of this problem.

What additional options do we have? It begins with a better understanding of the potential of bringing the breadth of the existing market to help. According to the current Columbus Zoning Code study, there

are 869,406 housing units in central Ohio. Prices and rents for these units are simply too high for the wages of our region.

Housing exists in a continuum – if people cannot afford to move between housing choices, they stay “stuck” in their current housing longer, which merely increases demand, and thus prices for their housing.

By creating more market rate housing at all price levels, we have the opportunity to lessen the price pressures on the existing housing stock and free up capacity within the 869,000 existing housing units. We can create more affordable housing by creating more housing at every level.

The BIA fully supports government and philanthropic housing programs; and in order to achieve the scale of change needed, the BIA also fully supports and is engaged with local governments wherever possible on zoning code reforms, comprehensive utility planning and funding, reforms in development plan considerations and approvals, changes in economic development funding models, etc. These are fundamental programs that impact housing at all levels of our housing market. We need attention and change in these areas in order to impact and bring to bear the potential of the region’s existing housing market.

According to the 2022 BIA Housing Study, all this adds up to a need to nearly double our housing production rate of the past decade.

We need this increased housing not only for today’s residents…but for the 44 people who are moving to central Ohio every day.

Malcolm Porter is Public & Government Affairs Consultant for the BIA.

GARETH WHALEY AND MOLLY GWIN Attorneys, Isaac Wiles

New U.S. Supreme Court Decision “Drains the Swamp,” Potentially Easing Wetland Identification, Delineation and Mitigation

The Clean Water Act (CWA) imposes severe penalties for discharging pollutants into “waters of the United States,” even unintentionally. Violators can face tens of thousands of dollars per day in fines, or imprisonment. On territory covered by the CWA, the penalties involved can be staggeringly destructive – for instance, in one landmark case, a farmer was charged with an individual violation of the Act for each of 348 passes of his plow through “jurisdictional” soil. This has led to a decades-long battle to determine the exact scope of what “waters of the United States” means.

unanimous, though multiple justices authored concurrences, including one by Justice Kagan, concurring in the judgment but criticizing “the Court’s appointment of itself as the national decision-maker on environmental policy.”

The Ohio EPA retains jurisdiction over “isolated wetlands” which do not fall under the CWA, and a landowner must apply for a permit before discharging dredged or fill material into one.

Whether your property contains “waters of the United States” or, wetlands requiring mitigation, is not only important for your development, but may be a surprisingly significant (and more complicated than it appears) legal question. In light of the Supreme Court’s May 25, 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA, as well as litigation in certain states including, Ohio, the answer may vary depending on the state.

Enter the Sacketts. They initially purchased a parcel in 2004 and were informed a few months after closing that it contained CWA-protected wetlands. The wetlands in question were determined protected because, on the other side of a 30-foot road, an unnamed tributary fed into a non-navigable creek, which only then fed into a navigable lake. Now, after an almost 20-year legal battle (including not one but two Supreme Court decisions), the Supreme Court has conclusively determined that the Clean Water Act does not apply to the Sacketts’ property.

The Supreme Court’s new definition applies the Act only to wetlands which are “indistinguishably part of a body of water that itself constitutes ‘waters’ under the CWA,” such as a stream or lake. “Wetlands that are separate from traditional navigable waters cannot be considered part of those waters, even if they are located nearby.” The decision was

On August 29, 2023, the U.S. EPA and the Department of the Army announced a final rule amending the definition of “water of the United States” consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Sackett decision. This rule became effective on September 8, 2023. However as a result of litigation filed to prohibit the use of the original January 2023 Rule that was amended effective September 8, 2023, Ohio is still under the old regulatory scheme, but subject to the requirements of the Sackett case.

For a map that shows areas that have adopted the September 8, 2023 rule, versus areas (including Ohio) that are operating under the pre-2015 definition of waters of the United States, but consistent with the decision in Sackett, visit the EPA website.

The pre-2015 definition of Waters of the United States set forth in 40 CFR 230.3(s) is applicable to Ohio, defining the following:

1. All waters which are currently used, or were used in the past,

or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;

2. All interstate waters including interstate wetlands;

3. All other waters such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds, the use, degradation or destruction of which could affect interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters:

• Which are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or other purposes; or

• From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce; or

• Which are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in interstate commerce;

4. All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as waters of the United States under this definition;

5. Tributaries of waters identified in paragraphs (s)(1) through (4) of this section;

6. The territorial sea;

7. Wetlands adjacent to waters (other than waters that are themselves wetlands) identified in paragraphs (s) (1) through (6) of this section; waste treatment systems,

including treatment ponds or lagoons designed to meet the requirements of CWA (other than cooling ponds as defined in 40 CFR 423.11(m) which also meet the criteria of this definition) are not waters of the United States.

The terms of such definition are subject to the requirements of the Sackett case, calling into question whether such definition is still applicable. We urge you to review both the Sackett case and the EPA regulations when determining the appropriate agency for a jurisdictional determination. If you are considering developing property with wetlands you are encouraged to 1) consult with design professionals regarding the impact of the Sackett decision; and 2) monitor the development of the EPA’s rule making on the definition of “waters of the United States” and subsequent litigation through your attorneys and other consultants.

4866-1637-5679.1

JON MELCHI BIA Executive Director

Foundation Commissions White Paper to Identify Policies that Impede Local Housing

The BIA Foundation has a strong history of making meaningful contributions to our industry. The Foundation supported workforce development for years by providing scholarships to students interested in the construction trades and our industry. Moreover, the Foundation has supported the creation of affordable housing, and in some cases, such as the Foundation’s support of Franklinton Rising, it has been able to do both simultaneously.

However, the item which has gained the most notoriety in recent years is the BIA’s Housing Needs Assessment study, first completed in 2018 and then updated in 2022, which shows the projected housing demand in central Ohio.

This study has been the cornerstone of regional conversation and has been utilized by leaders at both the state and local levels.

One of the main components of our housing study was the comparison to other major metropolitan markets. These comparisons almost always show central Ohio lagging in housing creation, and leaders have begun to recognize the challenge this deficit presents to our region.

Now that we have gotten the community’s attention and there is an understanding of the housing shortage that we face in central Ohio, the next question we almost always receive is, “Why?”

The Foundation has once again stepped up and approved the completion of a White Paper by the economic development and strategy

firm The Montrose Group to analyze and identify the policy differences that lead to other markets producing more housing than central Ohio.

We hope this paper will help inform our leaders of policy changes that can be made to improve housing production and help our industry continue to prosper.

The Foundation will continue to be a leader in housing research and welcomes ideas and thoughts on other areas of study which can help our members and communities.

Local Industry Guide

Building Insider is the only publication providing an in-depth guide to our regional homebuilding industry. The magazine provides news and information targeted to the wide variety of building related professions of BIA members.

Mailed to All Builders and Associate Members!

Building Insider is seen by more industry professionals than ever. In addition to association members, the audience includes 500 top producing realtors in central Ohio.

*Nearly 80% of builder members and 65% of associate members report that they read the Building Insider