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    UK architects feud over airport projects as ACAN urges staff to take action – Dezeen

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Climate action group ACAN has called on architects at Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects to take "meaningful action outside of your employment" amid an escalating row over airport projects.

    The body condemned the two studios for refusing to stop designing airports and urged staff to take action over an issue that is dividing the profession.

    "If you work for Foster + Partners, ZHA or indeed any practice, please know that you are welcome to join our movement and take meaningful action outside of your employment," said Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN) in a statement on its website.

    "It is vital we speak truth to power and take action together."

    Feud over airport projects escalates

    ACAN's statement, posted yesterday, comes amid an increasingly acrimonious row over whether working on new airport projects is compatible with decarbonisation goals.

    It came after the two London architects resigned from Architects Declare, another climate action group, following criticisms of the practices' ongoing work in the aviation sector.

    Architecture writer Christine Murray, editor of The Developer, asked why ACAN and Architects Declare were picking a fight over aviation, which accounts for around three per cent of global carbon emissions.

    Meanwhile, new construction and existing buildings are responsible for around 40 per cent of atmospheric carbon, Murray pointed out on Twitter.

    Squabble has "divided the profession into good guys and bad guys"

    "Instead, for example, could you write angry letters to all the practices specifying coal-fired bricks, concrete and stainless steel in, like, every single house-extension and new house in the whole country?" Murray tweeted.

    "Instead, you've got architects sitting back congratulating themselves for not designing airports they were never going to be asked to design, while most of the country (and the newspapers) now think designing airports is the problem."

    "If someone can explain what's been gained by this, I am seriously all ears," Murray wrote. "But you didn't stop the airport. You've just divided the profession into good guys and bad guys."

    Architects Declare "disappointed" with Foster + Partners' decision to leave climate action group

    However, ACAN said Foster + Partners had "made it clear that continuing to enable aviation expansion is more important to them than being part of a collective industry effort to address the largest crisis of our time."

    "They have signalled very clearly that tackling the climate crisis is not their priority, especially when doing so would conflict with their business model."

    "Statements from both of these practices are rooted in obsolete, hubristic ideologies which bear much responsibility for our failure to respect planetary boundaries," added the network, which this summer urged members to send paper aeroplanes to Foster + Partners in protest against its airport projects.

    The row coincided with the UK government's announcement of plans to cut carbon emissions by 68 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. The plan does not include international aviation or shipping emissions.

    Founding signatories resign from Architects Declare

    Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid Architects, the UK's largest and third-largest architecture firms, were founding signatories of the Architects Declare movement, which advocates a shift to sustainable construction to help avert climate and biodiversity breakdown.

    However, both resigned from the network this week after ongoing criticism of their continued involvement in new airport projects.

    Foster + Partners withdraws from Architects Declare climate change group

    In its resignation statement, Foster + Partners said it was committed to sustainability but felt that aviation was vital to tackling climate change.

    "We believe that the hallmark of our age, and the future of our globally connected world, is mobility," said Norman Foster, founder of Foster + Partners.

    "Only by internationally coordinated action can we confront the issues of global warming and, indeed, future pandemics," Foster said. "Aviation has a vital role to play in this process and will continue to do so."

    A day later, Zaha Hadid Architects resigned citing "a significant difference of opinion with the Architects Declare steering group on how positive change can be delivered."

    Photography and drawing are courtesy of Architects Climate Action Network.

    See the article here:
    UK architects feud over airport projects as ACAN urges staff to take action - Dezeen

    Foster + Partners withdraws from Architects Declare over aviation dispute – Archinect

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    anchor

    One of the UKs most famous architects has withdrawn from an environmental coalition in a dispute about the destructive role of aviation in the escalating climate crisis. [...]

    The decision follows a row over Foster and Partners work on airports around the world seen by critics as incompatible with tackling the climate and ecological emergency. The Guardian

    Airport designs have been key projects in Foster + Partners' portfolio for years, with prominent recent commissions and competition entries in Saudi Arabia, Marseille, Chicago, Mexico City, and Beijing.

    Following Foster's decision to withdraw from his initial commitment, Architects Declare issued following statement on its website today:

    We are disappointed that Foster + Partners has chosen to withdraw from the declarations and we would welcome a conversation with them on the points raised.

    We recognise that addressing the climate and biodiversity emergencies challenges current practice and business models for us all, not least around the expansion of aviation. We believe that what is needed is system change and that can only come about through collective action. Architects Declare is not a protest movement but a collaborative support network to innovate positive transformation. Our movement is global. As of today there are 1037 UK practices committed to the declaration and over 6000 companies signed up in 26 countries under the broader banner of Construction Declares.

    The debate, and indeed the very definition of sustainability, has evolved considerably as the depth of the crisis we face has become ever clearer. Our declaration represents a positive vision of how our profession can respond to the planetary emergencies. This involves embracing new approaches and being realistic about what can be solved with technology in the next crucial decade.

    Were looking forward to working with our signatories to raise the level of ambition in preparation for the critical COP26 climate negotiations next year.

    Read more:
    Foster + Partners withdraws from Architects Declare over aviation dispute - Archinect

    Architects and designers call on the MoMA to remove Philip Johnson’s name – The Architect’s Newspaper

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Less than three months ahead of the (pushed-back) opening of Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America, the first exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to examine the ties between architecture and African American and African diaspora communities, seven architects, artists, and designers featured in the forthcoming show have signed a letter demanding that the MoMA remove the name of the late Philip Johnson from all titles and public spaces due to what the letter describes as his widely documented white supremacist views and activities.

    In addition to his prolific architectural output, Johnson was a MoMA curator, patron, trustee, subject, and institutional figurehead who had and continues to have posthumously vast associations with the museum.

    As the November 27 letter states, the racist, antisemitic worldview held by Johnson makes him an inappropriate namesake within any educational or cultural institution that purports to serve a wide public.

    There is a role for Johnsons architectural work in archives and historic preservation, the letter reads. However, naming titles and spaces inevitably suggests that the honoree is a model for curators, administrators, students and others who participate in these institutions.

    As of this writing, the letter, which is also addressed to Johnsons alma mater, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and any other public-facing nonprofit in the United States that uses his name for honorific purposes, has been signed by a total of 31 artists, architects, designers, and educators, including, as mentioned, seven of the architects and designers featured in the upcoming MoMA exhibition. Diana Budds at Curbed was the first to report on the letter, which was initiated by and published on the Instagram account of the Johnson Study Group.

    Formed this past summer amid the historic Black Lives Matter-led social justice and anti-racism movement, the largely anonymous collective is dedicated to examining Johnsons lasting influence on MoMA and design institutions as a whole while considering his significant and consequential commitment ties to white supremacy.

    Along with members of the Johnson Studio Group, signees of the letter include Amale Andraos, dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; artist Xaviera Simmons; Alvin Huang, founder and design principal of Synthesis Design + Architecture and associate professor at the USC School of Architecture; Bryan C. Lee Jr., design principal of New Orleans-based Colloqate Design; Jennifer Newsom of Minneapolis-based practice Dream the Combine, and Kate Orff, founding principal of landscape architecture and urban design studio SCAPE.

    V. Mitch McEwen, co-founder of Atelier Office and assistant professor at the Princeton University School of Architecture, was among the signees who is also a member of the Johnson Study Group and a featured architect in Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America. The other letter-signing architects and designers featured in the exhibition, which runs from February 20 through May 31, are Felecia Davis, Sekou Cooke, Emanuel Admassu, Olalekan Jeyifous, Germane Barnes, and J. Yolande Daniels.

    As detailed in the letter, the openly gay, Cleveland-born Johnson used his early tenure at MoMA (he worked in various capacities at the museum from 1932 through 1988 including heading the Department of Architecture and Design from 1932 to 1936 and then again from 1944 to 1954) as a pretense to collaborate with the German Nazi Party, including personally translating propaganda, disseminating Nazi publications, and forming an affiliated fascist party in Louisiana. In his curatorial role, he also omitted the work of Black architects and designers from the collections under his purview. He not only acquiesced in but added to the persistent practice of racism in the field of architecture, a legacy that continues to do harm today, the letter explained.

    The inaugural Pritzker Prize winners decidedly more-than-flirtatious relationship with fascism has been explored in-depth since his death in 2005, including in Mark Lamsters 2018 book, The Man in the Glass House: Philip Johnson, Architect of the Modern Century. His Nazi associations were even the subject of an FBI investigation although he was ultimately never prosecuted.

    The letter concludes by calling on all members of MoMA and alumni of Harvard GSD to cease supporting these institutions until Johnsons name is scrubbed from all titles and places. It specifically implores white allies to step up: Organize. Spread the word. Further the impact. We must not only speak of undoing the work of white supremacy, we must call it out by name and uproot it.

    AN has reached out to Justin Garrett Moore, executive director of the New York City Public Design Commission and a signee of the letter, and Barry Bergdoll, former Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design (2007-2013) at MoMA and current Meyer Schapiro Professor of art history in the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University, for further comment and insight.

    We have also reached out to the MoMA for comment and will update this article accordingly.

    Read the original:
    Architects and designers call on the MoMA to remove Philip Johnson's name - The Architect's Newspaper

    Time to support the Gloria – Urbana Daily Citizen

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    The nonprofit GrandWorks Foundation has announced the Stars of Stage 2 fundraising campaign to complete the second stage of renovations at the historic Gloria Theatre. The initial goal is to raise $30,000 in order to receive a matching grant of an additional $30,000 awarded by the Grimes Foundation.

    The second stage of work at the theatre includes handicap accessible restrooms, a new concession area, the new Clifford Caf named after the theatres original owner, Billy Clifford, a commercial kitchen, remodeling the lobby and other work to improve the experience of the Gloria patrons. Renovations and repairs have been ongoing since GrandWorks began its first stage of the Gloria Theatre project in 2014 by converting the auditorium to one large screen with digital technology and making many improvements and repairs necessary to reopen.

    According to GrandWorks CEO Staci Weller, completing the second stage of improvements will greatly enhance the experience of all local theatregoers. Especially in times like this, everyone needs reasons for optimism and a place to get away from the concerns of the day. We know that our mission to reach, restore and revive our community is now more important than ever and completing the second stage of our renovations will give everyone a wonderful experience each time they come through Glorias doors.

    GrandWorks vision for the Gloria is to the give the Urbana and Champaign County community an entertainment, performing arts and events venue along with a cozy gathering place for generations to come. Weller said that the first six years of progress is the result of 840 donors and more than two hundred volunteers devoting countless hours of work. The spirit and commitment of Glorias donors and volunteers is incredibly inspiring, Weller said. I know that our vision will be completed because the generosity of our supporters is nothing short of a miracle.

    Officials estimate the total cost of the Stage 2 renovations will be $125,000 but the immediate goal of the Stars of Stage 2 campaign is to get $60,000 by raising $30,000 and then receiving the matching $30,000 grant from the Grimes Foundation. Donors will have their name on a star displayed at the theatre. For more information or to give online go to the theatres website, gloriatheatre.org, or visit the facebook page, facebook.com/gloriatheatreurbana. Checks may be made payable to the GrandWorks Foundation and sent to P.O. Box 38128, Urbana, OH 43078.

    The GrandWorks Foundation is a local not-for-profit organization championing several efforts including the historic Gloria Theatre in downtown Urbana, The Big Questions (a podcast exploring some of lifes most pressing topics), and the Urbana Youth Center.

    Theatre launches fundraiser

    Information from GrandWorks Foundation.

    Read this article:
    Time to support the Gloria - Urbana Daily Citizen

    Nate Hamilton: On becoming the kind of leader his parents taught him to be – Milwaukee Independent

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Almost seven years ago, Nate Hamilton was working as a roofer, trying to create a good life for his two kids. Then the death of his brother changed the direction of his life, launching him toward a leadership role to improve relations between police and the community.

    His brother, Dontre Hamilton, was killed by a Milwaukee police officer on April 30, 2014, and the incident led to huge protests in Milwaukee and national media attention. Hamilton became a spokesman for his family, the founder of the Coalition for Justice, and a leader of the protests though always with an emphasis on nonviolence.

    These days, Hamilton leads a city commission that aims to improve relations between the community and the Milwaukee Police Department. Black people both as individuals and as a whole, have failed to acknowledge the importance of ourselves, Hamilton said. It has become my goal to encourage people to attach themselves to what they care about and fight for it.

    Now a father of five, Hamilton is juggling parenting, being a business owner, and a police reform activist.

    Hamilton attended Milwaukee Area Technical College to study carpentry and started a home-improvement business named Hamiltons Improvements about a year after the death of his brother. His company does cosmetic work on houses from bathroom and kitchen remodeling to roofing and siding.

    Willing to listen

    Over the summer, Hamilton was elected chairman of the new Community Collaborative Commission, or CCC, a reconstituted version of the Collaborative Community Committee, of which he was a member since its start.

    I think people like Markasa Tucker and Tammy Rivera saw something in me, Hamilton said, referring to earlier leaders of the committee that was a precursor to the CCC. They knew I am wiling to listen and put myself in a position to learn, so they nominated me.

    The new CCC is made up of Black and brown grassroots leaders who work within Milwaukee neighborhoods. When it was still a committee, the CCC in 2017 gathered community input on the U.S. Department of Justices unfinished 2016 review of the Milwaukee Police Department.

    The group presented its final report in 2019. All but one of the reports recommendations have still not been taken, according to a June statement. Doubtful yet hopeful that its recommendations will be implemented, Hamilton said the CCC is moving forward nevertheless.

    We want to create a Milwaukee where the environment is good for everybody, he said. Not only are we working to ensure the community is happy, but police as well.

    The CCC is urging the Milwaukee Police Department changes its standard operating procedures for community policing and understands its responsibility, Hamilton said.

    Common Council President Cavalier Johnson said the CCC offers the best approach to re-examine the relationship between MPD and the community.

    The communicator

    One of Hamiltons best talents as a leader is his skill in communication, he said.

    I grew up with very responsive parents, so we communicated well, he said. I just wanted to give that to my kids, and that is still my goal.

    He said that because of the role he has taken as a community leader, people take him almost too seriously.

    Im actually very talkative, he said. I like to laugh and have fun. I dont think many people know that.

    His brother, Dameion Perkins, agreed.

    He is so passionate about whatever he is a part of that everyone doesnt get to see it, Perkins said. But he can make you laugh.

    He said he especially appreciates how Hamilton stepped up after Dontre was killed.

    He took on learning the policies and procedures, he said. He became in that moment the leader our parents taught us to be.

    Hamilton is also finding time for himself.

    I have learned to be selfish enough to take time for myself, he said. I have to be fully responsible for myself before I can be responsible for others.

    See the article here:
    Nate Hamilton: On becoming the kind of leader his parents taught him to be - Milwaukee Independent

    Patch Holiday Food Drive In Fulton: Give To Feeding America – Patch.com

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    FULTON COUNTY, GA Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief organization, predicted this would happen as millions of Americans lost their jobs, their paychecks and even their businesses because of the coronavirus pandemic: Hunger is an urgent problem for about 173,421 people in Fulton County.

    You can help. Patch and Feeding America teamed last summer to address the growing hunger crisis in America, connecting readers with the organization's 200 member food banks that serve 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, and providing an easy way to donate money to help their neighbors.

    Now through Dec. 31, we're encouraging readers to make a tax-deductible contribution to Feeding America in the Patch Holiday Food Drive. Every $1 given to the organization buys 10 meals.

    Feeding America predicted last summer that 50 million people, including 17 million children, could face hunger by year's end because of the pandemic. Feeding America projects the food insecurity rate in Fulton County will rise to 16.3 percent in 2020, up from 12.5 percent in 2018.

    Feeding America says that 80 percent of its food banks or 4 in 5 are serving more people than they were at the same time last year. With the pandemic worsening during the holiday season, many people who never before worried about how they'd pay for a holiday meal are turning to food banks for the first time.

    From the beginning of the pandemic in March, Feeding America distributed 4.2 billion meals enough to provide every U.S. resident with breakfast, lunch and dinner for just over four days.

    In the first four months of the pandemic, 4 in 10 people were first-time visitors to food banks, according to Feeding America.

    Patch has teamed with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

    Read the original here:
    Patch Holiday Food Drive In Fulton: Give To Feeding America - Patch.com

    Cedar & Sage Homes can create anyone’s dream home without the stress and headache of homebuilding. – Press Release – Digital Journal

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    For residents of Washington, Idaho who are looking for the perfect place to live, they can turn to Cedar & Sage Homes. They can help anyone create their dream homes right in the middle of one of the countrys top outdoor destinations. Theyve helped create a number of communities for people to thrive.

    When it comes to luxurious and comfortable living, there is no better development company or custom home builder than Cedar & Sage Homes. They are a premier development company based in Suncadia, Washington and Eagle Idaho. They have a team of highly skilled and experienced staff members who can make anyone's home building experience stress-free and relaxed. They offer turn-key custom living on a streamlined budget and timeline. From acquisition to design and the building process, they will make sure every small detail is taken care of. They have all the tools, equipment, and other resources to deliver amazing results to all their clients.

    Cedar & Sage Homes is locally owned and operated. Their mission is rooted in their passion for developing a beautiful and comfortable mountain communities in Suncadia Resort, Tamarack Resort, and the greater Pacific Northwest region. No matter the needs or the preference of each individual client, the skilled people at Cedar & Sage Homes are sure to meet and even exceed them.

    The company has established a proven 9-step process to help anyone realize their dream home. And it all begins with planning. This involves a 30-minute introduction to the company and what they are about. It also involves a private consultation with the design team, as well as an initial financial assessment. Next is to get the design approved. A contract will be drawn up, the design created, and all submitted to the DRC. Once approved, then the building can commence.

    Cedar & Sage Homes have been responsible for a number of well-loved and respected communities. They recently completed building a luxury line of townhouses in Suncadia Resort. Cle Elum is an incredible little city southeast of Seattle. It's popular among people who love the great outdoors. Tamarack Resort in Idaho is another Cedar and Sage location for building luxury custom homes near the popular Tamarack Resort and Ski areas.

    No matter the region of the country, Cedar & Sage has the experience and the expertise to create a wonderful place for people not just to live but to thrive. Suncadia is a perfect example. It is nestled in the Cascade Mountains very close to ski resorts, lakes, rivers with trails that are perfect for biking and hiking.

    Media ContactCompany Name: Cedar & Sage HomesContact Person: Dave GintzEmail: Send EmailPhone: (509)350-4885Address:533 E Riverside Dr Ste 102 City: EagleState: ID 83616Country: United StatesWebsite: http://www.cedarandsagehomes.com

    Original post:
    Cedar & Sage Homes can create anyone's dream home without the stress and headache of homebuilding. - Press Release - Digital Journal

    Travis Barker’s Custom Slingshot Delivers ‘Best of the Builders’ Title to the West Coast – Business Wire

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Polaris Slingshot, the ultimate three-wheel vehicle for personalization through customization, today announced the winner of its east vs. west build-off between two renowned automotive customizers: The Auto Firm in South Florida and DUB in Southern California. After a two-week fan vote, DUBs blacked-out 2020 Slingshot for legendary drummer Travis Barker has delivered the Best of the Builders honors to the West Coast, besting pop superstar Teyana Taylor and The Auto Firm in South Florida.

    Showcasing the Polaris Slingshot in all its glory, the Best of the Builders program celebrated its one-of-a-kind, head-turning style while emphasizing the vehicle as the ultimate canvas of self-expression. To bring this to life, each builder reflected on their clients personality: Barkers all-black, open cockpit concert on wheels, and Taylors head-turning, show-stopping ride with matte grey and aqua-infused paint scheme.

    Customizing vehicles have long been a form of self-expression, and today, theres nothing that serves up a platform for personalization quite like a Slingshot, said Chris Sergeant, Vice President of Polaris Slingshot. Were extremely proud and grateful for the opportunity to partner with renowned builders such as DUB and The Auto Firm, both whom truly captured the personalities of their clients with their show-stopping Slingshot designs.

    As Barker recently transitioned to only owning black cars, DUB was tasked with delivering a truly blacked-out design from front to back, inside and out. DUB utilized a combination of matte and gloss black paint and wrapped select parts with Barkers signature graphics. A custom 24-by-10-inch rear wheel along with air ride will demand attention at every stop light and turn heads on every street corner. Barkers seats were custom stitched with his iconic F embroidered into the headrest. And of course, fittingly for a musician, DUB packed as much into the sound system as possible, adding speakers to the exterior and center console between driver and passenger.

    As clean and sleek black is, it can be very challenging only working with black, said Myles Kovacs, President of DUB. But our job as a build team is to bring through our clients personality and we couldnt be happier with the finished result.

    Squaring off head-to-head, DUB and The Auto Firm are two of the most accomplished and recognizable groups within custom car culture each with a wide-range of customization experience and unrivaled familiarity with the Slingshot platform.

    With the builds complete, and the winner selected, fans can visit Slingshots social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) to view all the incredible content from each build.

    For more information on Polaris Slingshot, visit PolarisSlingshot.com, or follow along on social media: Facebook.com/PolarisSlingshot, @Slingshot on Twitter and @PolarisSlingshot on Instagram. For information on Slingshot rental locations, visit Adventures.Polaris.com.

    About Polaris Slingshot

    Polaris Slingshot, a wholly-owned brand of Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII), continues to define the category through style, driving experience and community with our three-wheeled autocycle. With AutoDrive and manual transmission options, an open cockpit, side-by-side seating, 5 drive height and a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, Slingshot comes in a variety of models that are sure to make a statement. Step into a Slingshot for an adventurous and unrivaled experience. Learn more, visit slingshot.polaris.com.

    Slingshot is a three-wheeled motorcycle. It is not an automobile. It does not have airbags and it does not meet automotive safety standards. Three-wheel vehicles may handle differently than other vehicles, especially in wet conditions. Always wear a DOT-approved full-face helmet and fasten seatbelts. The Driver may need a valid motorcycle endorsement. Drive within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand, and follow your owners manual. Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Vehicle modifications and use of non-authorized accessories may void the vehicle warranty. Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Polaris Industries Inc. 2020 Polaris Industries Inc.

    Excerpt from:
    Travis Barker's Custom Slingshot Delivers 'Best of the Builders' Title to the West Coast - Business Wire

    3 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Park Hills Area – Daily Journal Online

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Located in desirable Webster Park, this handsome 4 bedroom, 2 bath home is full of artisanal elements and plenty of rooms to work from home and accommodate your virtual learners. Gleaming hardwoods welcome you inside to a large living room with beamed ceiling, wainscoting, built-in cabinets, and inglenook...the perfect, intimate warming place for the coming winter, which is forecast to be a long, cold one. Adjacent to the living room is a cozy office, as well as a suite of rooms that make a perfect first floor master. The dining room also features a beamed ceiling and plate rail and flows to the kitchen with 42" cabinets, quartz tops, and stainless appliances that opens to the breakfast room and family room with picture window overlooking the back yard. It wraps to a T-staircase, adjoining the living room and up to 3 bedrooms, 2 with sleeping porches. The back stairs are accessed in the original breakfast nook, now being used as office space. You won't want to miss this one!

    View Listing

    Read more:
    3 of the Most Expensive Homes for Sale in the Park Hills Area - Daily Journal Online

    Your new house could cost less if the U.S. and Canada keep working through their lumber trade dispute – Oklahoman.com

    - December 4, 2020 by Mr HomeBuilder

    by Richard Mize

    Published: Thu, December 3, 2020 1:04 AM Updated: Thu, December 3, 2020 1:19 AM

    Skyrocketing lumber prices have added $10,000-$15,000 on average to the cost of a new house, so a reduction in duties on Canadian imports has local as well as international impact.

    The rapid runup in prices this year caught builders by surprise "with each builder managing the price increase in different ways," said Andrew French, president of the Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association. "The most common responses across the board that I've seen are builders are either raising their home prices or letting already-poured slabs sit in anticipation of lumber coming down."

    Prices won't come down enough based on the tariff reduction alone, said Chuck Fowke, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a custom homebuilder in Tampa, Florida.

    "The Commerce Department's action to reduce duties from more than 20% to 9% on softwood lumber shipments from Canada into the U.S. is a positive development, but more needs to be done," Fowke said in a statement this week. "Tariffs have contributed to unprecedented price volatility in the lumber market in 2020, leading to upward pressure on prices and harming housing affordability for American consumers.

    "The U.S. needs to work with Canada to end the tariffs and achieve a long-term, stable solution in lumber trade that provides for a consistent and fairly priced supply of lumber."

    The tariff dispute became acute as the demand for houses, and therefore lumber, soared even as the coronavirus hit and stayed. The lowest mortgage interest rates on record, aided perhaps by a renewed appreciation for domestic life due to stay-at-home orders and the work-from-home movement, fueled demand for both new and previously owned homes.

    Unexpected demand came just as supplies of lumber and other building materials grew scarce and supply chains were disrupted due to plant shutdowns, then slowdowns related to social-distancing requirements, said Jim Schuff, co-owner of Vesta Homes in Moore.

    It could have been worse both for homebuilders and homebuyers, said Caleb McCaleb, owner of McCaleb Homes in Edmond.

    Read more:
    Your new house could cost less if the U.S. and Canada keep working through their lumber trade dispute - Oklahoman.com

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