Oklahoma Home Builder News

The following article was originally published on NAHB.com.

In a significant victory for NAHB and the broader housing sector, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment to the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that removes a build-to-rent (BTR) sales provision that would have hurt affordability and reduced much-needed housing supply.

NAHB led the push to remove the provision, which would have required purpose-built single-family rental homes to be sold within seven years. According to NAHB and the Urban Institute, the measure could have cut rental housing supply by 40,000 to 72,000 units each year. It also would have displaced thousands of tenants annually, shrinking the rental market and putting further pressure on rents.

At a time of severe housing shortages and affordability challenges, BTR remains one of the few market segments adding tens of thousands of homes that otherwise would not be built. Many of these homes serve lower- and middle-income households.

The amended House bill also includes several other NAHB-backed measures to boost housing production:

• Increases and indexes multifamily loan limits. FHA-insured multifamily loan limits have not changed in 12 years and no longer reflect market realities. Raising and indexing these limits would better match construction costs and support new apartment development.
• Provides meaningful relief to community banks. NAHB members depend on community banks to finance residential construction, but fewer of these lenders remain on Main Street. The amended provision would strengthen community banks and expand access to housing credit.
• Includes HOME program reforms. These changes would improve flexibility and predictability by expanding eligible uses and streamlining environmental reviews.
• Evaluates the feasibility of point-access buildings. This would let HUD offer competitive grants for pilot programs to assess where these buildings are practical and appropriate.
• Establishes a public land database. State and local governments receiving Community Development Block Grants would need to maintain a database of undeveloped publicly owned land.
• Exempts certain USDA infill reviews. Eligible USDA-assisted infill projects would be exempt from environmental studies or reports when specified conditions are met.

NAHB will continue to engage with the Senate as the legislative process moves forward.

The following article was originally published on NAHB.com.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has signaled that it plans to lower antidumping and countervailing tariffs later this year on imports of Canadian softwood lumber products from the current rate of about 35.16% to 24.83% following its annual review of existing tariffs.

This decision is part of the regularly scheduled review process the United States employs to ensure adequate relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade practices.

Commerce indicated that it would set antidumping duties at 10.66% vs. the current rate of 20.56% and countervailing duties at 14.17% (currently 14.63%), bringing the combined rate down from 35.16% to 24.83%.

The Department of Commerce initiated its seventh administrative reviews of its softwood lumber anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders last year and announced its preliminary findings of these reviews on April 13. The agency is expected to issue its final results in 120 days, at which time the lower duties will take effect.

For years, NAHB has been leading the fight against lumber tariffs because of their detrimental effect on housing affordability. In effect, the lumber tariffs act as a tax on American builders, home buyers and consumers.

With housing affordability already near a historic low, NAHB continues to call on the Trump administration to suspend tariffs on Canadian lumber imports and other building materials into the United States and to move immediately to enter into negotiations with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement that will eliminate tariffs altogether. And we continue to work with our allies in Congress to put pressure on the administration to take action.

Learn more about the latest framing lumber prices.

The article below was written by Dr. Robert Dietz, Chief Economist at the National Home Builders Association.

A multidimensional supply shock is weakening the U.S. economy, fueled by the delayed effects of the 2025 trade wars and tariffs, elevated oil prices, and persistent policy uncertainty. These dynamics are now spilling over into the demand-side of the economy, as consumer confidence decreased significantly in April because of the Iran war and rising uncertainty. 

Inflation jumped in March, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increasing from 2.4% to 3.3% on a year-over-year growth rate basis. This was the highest rate of consumer inflation in almost two years. Nearly three-quarters of the March increase was due to higher gas prices. In fact, overall energy prices were up almost 11%.

There was a sliver of good news in the CPI data, as core inflation (minus food and energy) was up only 2.6% year over year. However, producer prices are rising as well, with the PPI up 4% year-over-year in March, signaling higher business costs ahead. With inflation higher, the probability of a Federal Reserve rate cut at any point in 2026 has been significantly reduced. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that the Fed may have to wait for additional clarity before making future policy changes.

Further, as a result of these headline macro headwinds, economic growth will be lower in 2026 than in 2025, and inflation and unemployment will be higher. Long-term interest rates remain elevated, with mortgage rates just below 6.4%. NAHB is forecasting less than 2% GDP growth for 2026 and recession risk in the coming year has increased to 40%, perhaps higher if the already tenuous cease fire with Iran does not hold.

The March labor market data was positive, with 178,000 jobs created after 133,000 job losses in February. Nonetheless, the overall pace of job creation has slowed, with just an average of 68,000 jobs created per month over the first quarter of 2026. The number of open construction jobs remains relatively low, just 202,000 in February as the low-hire, low-fire labor market affects most industrial sectors.

With macro conditions weakened and uncertainty elevated, housing demand will decline in 2026. The housing market needs greater certainty and a reduction of headline risk to regain momentum.

Save the Date! The OK Building Summit & Expo is scheduled for October 14th and 15th, 2026.

Please join us for this 2-day event packed with educational speakers, fantastic exhibitors, along with networking, food and fun!

The doors open at 7:00 a.m. and we have building management, building science and sales/marketing classes available. October 14th ends with happy hour events and fun, including a cornhole tournament and slot machine tournament, hors’ d’oeuvres and beverages beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Please join us this year to expand your knowledge and make some new contacts to grow your business!

Dates:
Wednesday, October 14, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm
Thursday, October 15, 7:00 am – 2:00 pm

Location:
Grand Casino Hotel & Resort
777 Grand Casino Blvd, Shawnee, OK 74804

We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas filled with laughter and cherished moments with loved ones! As we reflect on the past year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support that the Oklahoma Home Builders Association (OKHBA) has received from all of you. Let me be the first to wish you the absolute BEST in 2026!

Looking back, 2025 was a remarkable year for our Oklahoma home building community, as we proudly advocated on your behalf at the Oklahoma State Capitol, successfully stopping legislation that could have posed a threat to our profession. With the dawn of 2026, a new legislative session is just around the corner, and I encourage you to keep an eye out for my updates in the new year. Remember, staying informed and engaged is crucial—especially with a staggering 3,400 bills filed for the upcoming session!

So, buckle up, stay tuned, and get ready to navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead. Thank you once again for your unwavering support, and may 2026 be your best year yet, filled with growth, success, and maybe even a few laughs along the way!

As 2025 comes to a close, OKHBA mourns the loss of an iconic member, Joe Robson.

John “Joe” Robson passed away on Saturday, Dec. 27.

As founder and president of The Robson Companies, Inc., Robson was a leader in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area home building and development industries for decades.

Joe was a driving force in local, state and national home builder associations, and held numerous leadership positions within each of the Associations.

Locally, he served on the Board of Directors of the Tulsa HBA beginning in 1986 and was the association’s president in 1991 and 1992. He was the Tulsa Home Builder of the Year in 1992.

At the state level, Robson served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma HBA beginning in 1990 and was the association’s president in 1993. Robson was honored as Oklahoma Builder of the Year in 1994 and was inducted in the first class of the Oklahoma Housing Hall of Fame.

At NAHB, Joe became a member of the Board of Directors in 1990, and served as chairman of BUILD-PAC (1998), the Legislative and Regulatory Policy Task Force and Resolutions Committee (2002), and the Federal Government Affairs Committee (2003). He also served as vice chairman of the Budget Committee in 2005. His service nationally culminated with a term as Chairman of the Board of NAHB in 2009, where his guidance and expertise were key in leading the housing industry out of a recession.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 13, at 2:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, followed by a reception in the church's Stephenson Hall.

With much gratitude and sympathy,
Ryan Martinez, CEO OKHBA