May 3rd edition of Builder Bytes released

The May 3rd edition of BuilderBytes was released last week. Among the highlighted stories:

Anaheim to postpone residential builders' fees
ocregister.com
The city approves a temporary program that moves back payment deadlines.
Anaheim The City Council voted unanimously to temporarily delay housing development fees to spur residential construction during the tough real estate market.
Mayor Curt Pringle said he wanted developers "to understand that in this city, they don't have to pay all those fees upfront."
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/city-fees-housing-2026084-developers-anaheim

Overall Performance Metrics Make Case for Going Green
ENR.com
Long-awaited confirmation that buildings constructed to sustainability standards of the U.S.Green Building Council’s LEED system generally perform better than uncertified buildings has arrived thanks to two recent studies. Looking at energy savings, occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates, they found that LEED buildings use an average of 25% to 30% less energy than non-LEED buildings.
http://enr.ecnext.com/coms2/article_nebuar080409

Home Builders' Association of Northern California Opens Urban
Home Builders' Association
SAN FRANCISCO--The Home Builders Association of Northern California, the Bay Area's largest association of home builders and a noted source of public information on home buying issues that affect the public, has opened an urban division at 660 Mission Street in San Francisco. "We have opened a new urban division with an office in San Francisco to address – in part - the city's initiatives toward higher density housing," said Joseph Perkins, HBANC President & CEO.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_
view&newsId=20080501005125&newsLang=en

Builders' creativity rises as housing market slumps
wtol 11
TOLEDO -- Spring is usually a great time to sell a home, but, these days, not so much. In fact, the nation's homebuilders report the lowest number of home sales in more than 16 years.
http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=8239021