Methodology

NAHB's critical issues survey was conducted every quarter until the fourth quarter of 1999 and every six months during 2000, 2001, and the first half of 2002. For the last two years, this research has been conducted annually covered July 2002 to June 2003 and July 2003 to June 2004.

Officers from local and state home building associations are asked to rank75 issues of a scale of one to five, where one equals not at all critical and five equals very critical. Seventy-five issues are covered under eight different major areas: economics, environmental regulations, land development and zoning regulations, growth policy, business management, labor, construction codes and liability insurance.

The current survey period had a response rate of more than 20%.