ADVOCACY ALERT:
Please make at least two phone calls a TOP PRIORITY no later than Thursday, March 12 at Noon. The reason is that we have a CRUCIAL issue facing us in the Missouri General Assembly in Jefferson City regarding residential fire sprinklers.
THE ISSUE: The 2009 IRC Building Code mandates residential fire sprinklers. The model code is being printed and will be available to local cities, counties and fire protection districts later this spring. Shortly thereafter, adoption and enforcement will start to occur. No later than January 1, 2011, every home you build of any kind—including every single family home—must have fire sprinklers.
THE SOLUTION: In the General Assembly, there is legislation that would stop fire sprinklers from being mandated by the 2009 IRC Code. That proposed legislation was just offered by Missouri State Senator John Griesheimer (R-Washington MO) as part of Senate Bill 7. Please call our area State Senators (see contact list below) and ask for their support of the idea to keep fire sprinklers optional in new residential construction. These Senators need to hear business people and builders say how harmful this requirement will be.
DID YOU KNOW? National expert economists say that for every $1,000 increase in the cost of a typical new home, there are 217,000 households who can no longer afford that home. Mandated fire sprinklers will offer no choice to hundreds of thousands of people trying to scrape together enough money to buy a new home—they won’t be able to do so. This will have devastating consequences for the housing industry, which already is having a hard time trying to recover.
WHAT YOU SAY: Use your own words and story, or you can say, “I am told that fire sprinklers in a typical home might cost $8,000 to $15,000 and for government to require that is ridiculous. It will greatly damage the housing industry and kill a lot of jobs. It will also kill a lot of people’s dreams who thought they might be able to afford a new home. If we don’t stop this sprinkler requirement, they won’t be able to afford those new homes. The idea in Senate Bill 7 to keep sprinklers so that they are the free choice of the new home buyer is just what should be the case.” More background information is available on this issue — click here to email your request for additional information.
PLEASE CALL or EMAIL: At least two (the more, the merrier):
If you get a response that they need more information, please let Matt or Jennifer know (881-3711 or jennifer@springfieldhba.com.) We already have sent them a lot of information on this issue regarding costs, regarding safety, regarding every aspect of it. But we will follow up with more if they want it. Click here to view Senate Districts.
Senator Norma Champion (573) 751-2583
Email by clicking here
Senator Dan Clemens (573) 751-4008
Email by clicking here
Senator Delbert Scott (573) 751-8793
Email by clicking here
Senator Jack Goodman (573) 751-2234
Email by clicking here
This is a tough time for our industry. Please don’t think you are too busy. Every call adds up. Every call is important. And this sprinkler issue will be a tough fight. It will require more calls to elected officials in the state legislature in the weeks and months to come. The General Assembly adjourns in mid-May so this battle will take place between now and then. The strong, the determined—those who follow through with persistence—will prevail. Your voice makes a difference!