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Join HBA in taking the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services Residential Energy Survey by December 3. Your responses will help policy makers find the balance between lower energy costs and lower home prices. Housing affordability is a priority for Oregon's executive and legislative branches. At the same time, Oregon's building codes are continually setting updated, energy efficient standards for new homes, which create healthier homes, reduce energy costs, and have a positive effect on the environment. However, these improvements can also increase the purchase price for the consumer, which impacts housing affordability. Background: The Residential and Manufactured Structures Board (RMSB), which is responsible for residential code adoption, requested that the Building Codes Division convene a panel to look into construction costs and housing prices as they relate to energy code improvements. This includes whether special provisions can, or should, be applied based on the size of the home. Before the panel convenes, the division is engaging with those involved in residential construction with a concentration on the Low and Middle-Income (LMI) housing marketplace. Every dollar of increase in a mortgage payment excludes more buyers, especially low income buyers, but lower energy expenses offset increases in those higher mortgage payments. This survey is part of preliminary research to bring to the panel. If you are interested in directly participating in the code development and adoption process, or if you would like to know more about the process, contact Ryan Makinster, ryanm@hbapdx.org.