As builders, developers, property owners and neighbors, we care

about our community and the environment. Yet sometimes we face

situations where the homes we construct are in areas occupied

Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Because we live in the communities where we work and respect

our environment, we develop Habitat Conservation Plans to provide

safe and affordable housing, and conserve species.

Established under the Endangered Species Act, the federal Habitat

Conservation Plan program (HCPs) allows property owners to preserve

essential habitat as part of the land development process. After

the federal government approves an HCP - ensuring that an

endangered or threatened species is adequately protected - property

owners can then build homes on their land.

Through the HCP program, private property owners have preserved

habitat for more than 500 individual species on more than 33

million acres of land. Builders contribute time, money, acreage,

and increased scientific knowledge about endangered and threatened

species by developing HCPs.

HCPs are a win-win situation for both the property owner and

the environment.

The plans are among the few options available for builders to

be proactive in species conservation efforts, and they enable

property owners to act as cooperative partners, not enemies,

with government agencies and other entities engaged in environmental

conservation.

Unfortunately, a constant barrage of federal lawsuits is threatening

the HCP program's existence. Crucial incentives and assurances

that are the cornerstones for encouraging property owners to

participate are being scrutinized.

The HCP program must be preserved, and incentives for property

owners, builders and developers to support and participate in

species conservation efforts must continue. If the nation is

to make real progress in conserving endangered and threatened

species, HCPs must remain an available option.

A key element of the HCP program is the No Surprises Rule, which

provides builders and developers with some certainty that the

federal government will not renege on an HCP that has been agreed

upon. With this degree of certainty, we can make long-term plans

for our communities' housing needs with the confidence that

our time, money, and effort will not be lost if the federal government

changes its mind about what a species may need for recovery.

The National Association of Home Builders conducted a detailed

analysis of federal government HCP data, and developed case studies

of builder and developer experiences. The data show that HCPs

across the nation cover an area equal to one acre for every man,

woman and child in California. From inception to filing an application,

HCPs are a time-consuming effort, taking nearly two years on

average. Finally, the plans also can have a significant impact

on the cost of construction for builders and, ultimately, on

the cost of housing in our communities.

To help consumers, home buyers and others better understand

HCPs and the builder's role in conserving endangered or

threatened species, NAHB has developed a new section of its Web

site dedicated to the plans.

More details about HCPs are available at www.nahb.org/HCP. For

more information, contact the Home Builders Association of Midwest

Georgia office at 770-716-7109 or NAHB's Christopher Galik

at (800) 368-5242 x 8663.

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