Welcome to the Athens Area Home Builders Association
The Athens Area Home Builders Association is a non-profit professional trade association made up of member companies, representing residential and light commercial builders, subcontractors, suppliers, and many other service providers to the building industry throughout Athens-Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Hart, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Stephens, and Walton Counties. Together we are the foundation for the local home-building industry - building pride in our community through interaction, commitment, professionalism, education, community service, and environmental responsibility.
NAHB Now
- Top 10 States for NGBS Green Certification Activity in 2025Texas once again tops multifamily certification, and Florida took the top spot for most single-family certifications for the second consecutive year.
- NAHB Student Competition Success Shows Residential Construction Future is BrightFor two days at the International Builders' Show, aspiring land developers, designers and project managers from NAHB Student Chapters across the country presented thorough building proposals and fielded tough questions from an audience of construction company executives.
- Senate Bill Would Exclude Building Materials from TariffsNAHB worked with Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) to introduce legislation that would address the housing affordability crisis by creating an exemption process for building materials from tariffs.
- New Army Corps Initiative Will Streamline Permitting ProcessThe Army Corps of Engineers on Feb. 23 announced a new initiative called “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” that the agency said will “shorten permitting timelines, and reduce or eliminate extraneous regulations and paperwork.”
- Labor Department Proposes New FLSA Independent Contractor RuleThe U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today published notice of its intent to revise its regulations that distinguish covered employees from exempt independent contractors for enforcement purposes under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and other laws.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
New Members
Eye On Housing
- Private Residential Construction Spending Edges Higher in DecemberPrivate residential construction spending was up 1.5% for the last month of 2025. This modest gain was driven primarily by increased spending on home improvements and single-family construction. Despite this increase, total spending remained 1.3% lower than a year ago, reflecting the continued impact of housing affordability challenges facing the sector. According to the latest […]
- 2024 Home Improvement Loan Applications: A State- and County-Level AnalysisResidential improvement activity remained solid in 2024, though growth has moderated from the surge seen in 2022. The market continues to be supported by an aging housing stock, elevated homeowner equity, and a growing need for aging-in-place improvements. According to the 2024 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, the number of home improvement loan applications […]
- Gains for Student Housing Construction in the Last Quarter of 2025 Private fixed investment for student dormitories was up 1.5% in the last quarter of 2025, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $3.9 billion. This gain followed three consecutive quarterly declines before rebounding in the final two quarters of the year. The elevated interest rates continued to weigh on student housing construction. Despite the quarterly gain, private fixed investment in dorms was 1.3% lower than a year ago Private fixed investment in student housing experienced a surge after the Great Recession, as college enrollment increased from 17.2 million […]
- Price Growth for Building Materials Slows to Start the YearResidential building material prices rose at a slower rate in January, according to the latest Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was the first decline in the rate of price growth since April of last year. Metal products continue to experience price increases, while specific wood products are showing declines […]
- Home Improvement Loan Applications Moderate as Borrower Profile Gradually AgesHome improvement activity has remained elevated in the post-pandemic period, but both the volume of loan applications and the age profile of borrowers have shifted in notable ways. Data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), analyzed by NAHB, show that total home improvement loan applications have eased from their recent post-pandemic peak, and the […]
