New Fund to Address Labor Shortage The housing industry has created the Skilled Labor Fund to address the lack of skilled labor entering the residential construction field. NAHB, the National Housing Endowment, the National Kitchen + Bath Association, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and SGC Horizon announced the new fund during the Builders’ Show in Orlando. The fund will be launched with the support of SGC Horizon, parent company of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines. The fund will be used to attract and train skilled labor for the residential construction market by providing scholarships for students to attend accredited training schools and training facilities across the country. According to the latest data from the 2015 American Community Survey, the median age of owner-occupied homes nationwide is 37 years. The age of housing stock is not evenly distributed across the United States. Among the states, New York has the oldest homes with a median age of 57, followed by Massachusetts at 53 years. The median age of homes in the District of Columbia, which is entirely urban, is 75 years. The newest homes are in the West. The median age of homes in Nevada is only 20, followed by Arizona where half of all owner-occupied homes were built in the last 24 years. Older houses are less energy-efficient than new construction and ultimately will require remodeling and renovation in the future. THE SMART CHOICE For Making Your Dream Kitchen A Reality SMART HOME CONTROL THERMADOR SUBZERO / WOLF GE MONOGRAM ...and more BEST SERVICE AT THE GUARANTEED BEST PRICE In-Store And Online 2770 Summer Street • Stamford, CT 06905 203-327-2630 STORE HOURS: MON & THURS: 9AM-9PM | TUES, WED, FRI & SAT: 9AM-6PM | SUN: 11AM-5PM www.countytv.com FEBRUARY 2017 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 31
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