Sep 22 2005
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) of the United States today applauded a newly signed, landmark declaration by the International Housing Association (IHA) as a major advancement in the effort to improve the quality of housing and living environments throughout Japan.
In its capacity as IHA Secretariat, NAHB chaired the coalition’s first-ever meeting in Asia one week ago. At the event, participants from nine countries signed a landmark agreement supporting enactment of a National Housing Act for Japan, which would be aimed at establishing a comprehensive housing strategy for the 21st century within the world’s second largest economy.
Called the Tokyo Declaration and modeled after similar housing acts in the U.S. and other participating countries, the agreement establishes a powerful example of what countries without national housing legislation might aim toward in the years ahead.
“This first-of-its-kind declaration emphasizes the important role IHA plays in improving the quality of housing for people across the globe,” said NAHB Immediate Past President Bobby Rayburn, a home builder from Jackson, Miss. “NAHB is proud of its role in this international effort, and congratulates Japan for putting housing where it deserves to be on its national and international agenda.”
Meeting attendees included delegates from nine IHA member countries: Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Uganda, and the United States. Participants provided overviews of their respective national housing markets and called for increased cooperation and collaboration among members on a range of topics including housing and finance policies, planning, taxation, government regulation, skilled labor shortages, and technology exchanges.
Additionally, Rayburn, along with Isami Wada, Chairman of Japan’s Housing Association, and Kazuo Kitagawa, Japan’s Minister of Housing, jointly discussed the dynamic role that Japan’s housing sector plays in its economy and society, and the symbolic and political importance of developing a Japanese National Housing Act.
Visit www.nahb.org/international
The International Housing Association (IHA) is comprised of organizations from countries around the world representing the home building industry. IHA was established in 1984 to provide a global forum for the discussion of issues related specifically to the housing and home building industries globally. To learn more about the Tokyo Declaration and IHA visit www.internationalhousing.org.
Register now for the 3rd International Housing Conference of the Americas in Mexico City, November 3-5, 2005, at: www.nahb.org/mexicoconference.