December 9, 2025 • 13 mins
MOBA beat this before; things are different in Omaha now, though.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Scott Vordiez.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Last year, the Omaha City Council said, we think that
we need to adopt these new building codes for new
construction here in Omaha. You need to do this, home builders,
you don't know what you're doing. We the Omaha City
Council members, we know what you should be doing. You
need to do all this. They said, that's not necessary,
and it's going to raise the cost of properties by
(00:24):
one hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Things are already
expensive enough. Council said, we know better than you. They
voted it on and they voted it up. Mayor Stothart
vetoed it. It's come up again today. We have essentially
the same council. We have a new mayor. We have
the Builder Council chair of MOBA, the Metro Omaha Builders
(00:48):
Association online at MOBA dot com. Nick Dolphins is with
us here on news Radio eleven ten kfab Nick, welcome
back to the program. It's good to talk to you.
How are you this morning?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Doing great? Scott? How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I'm wonderful. So last year, I think we talked about
this issue and it ended up being vetoed by the mayor.
But it's being brought up again, and I expect because
they think it's going to be a different outcome. Why
do Why does the city council say that we need
to adopt these new electrical codes and why is it
(01:24):
going to cost so much more money? What's going on here?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, the history of this is we worked with the
unicamer to carve out five exceptions to the adopted code,
and that's prevalent nationwide with states trying to save money
for affordable housing. We have the right to amend the
codes in the city of Omaha. It sounds like the
council people are looking to adopt be coded its entirety
(01:51):
without these amendments for affordable housing, and it's frustrating to
the builders. The meeting last week got pretty a little heated,
just because it seemed like they weren't interested in having
a conversation on it and their mind was already made up.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
So here are the things that they want. You tell
me whether or not they're necessary and if not, why
not the state code, which, as you mentioned, there's a
carve out for Omaha right now thanks to the veto
by Mayri Stouth. We don't have to do these things.
But you know, if you look at them individually, I
guess it doesn't look like a terrible idea. The whole
(02:28):
home surge protection this is basically like the surge protector
little power strip that you would plug all your Christmas
lights into and then plug that thing into the wall.
It's something like that for the entire home.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Is that not an easy thing to do? Is that
an expensive thing to do? Is that not necessary?
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah? The history of these codes are to protect the
public from eminent danger, and over the years these codes
have really been politicized and commercialized to getting products and minute.
So the pushback from the building community nationwide is that
we really need to take a look at this for
(03:08):
the sake of affordable housing. Councilwoman Amy Melton put it
correctly last year when she said it isn't hard to
find additional ways to make things safer and safer and safer,
like have a fire extinguisher required for every building, for
every bedroom. But where does it stop. And that's our
point as a building community is we just need to
(03:31):
take a hard look at this. If other states are
using these amendments as a tool to keep things more affordable,
it's something we need to do in Nebraska and something
we're hoping Omaha would look at as well.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Is it dangerous not to have whole home surge protection?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
No. Jaspoiesni is the superintendent of the Building and Inspections.
She testified last year and said these things are not
preventing eminent danger. A surge protector protects your microwave or
protects your appliances from a surge, but it's not a
(04:12):
safety device. And that was my point when I testified,
was we are all going home to home Scott that
don't have any of these new regulations in them. So
if you feel safe in your home and tucking your
kids in, we really need to question all of these
new regulations because it's a constant flow of additional regulation
(04:34):
every three years. And the National Associate Home of Homebuilders
has mentioned that twenty four percent of the cost of
a new home now is due to regulations. So answer
your question. Some of that is very helpful and some
of it does save people's lives, but increasingly more and
more it's products that are required, and it's just we
(04:59):
need to question that as a practice.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I'll never sleep again knowing my home does not have
whole home searche protection as anytime I've got a number
of things, I'm plugging into an outlet which is only
a couple like the basement TV with some of the
gaming system junk down there. And then at Christmas light season,
I get a little griswoldy and plug a lot of stuff,
but it's always into a power strip. I'm just picturing
(05:22):
a giant power strip that's like six foot tall that's
inside your wall on the other side of the power box.
Is that I don't some builders. I mean, you can
still do whole home surge protection and promoted as such
and charge anything you want. This is just not mandating
that it has to happen. I'm guessing this is the
(05:43):
most expensive of these. The other things the council wants
to vote on again has expanded GFCI coverage. This is
if you do have a quick power surge, you want
to make sure, especially like in a bathroom or a kitchen,
in your water, that that electrical outlet will flip off
(06:04):
if there's suddenly some sort of surge or static charge
or something like that, so you don't get electrocuted. Seems
like we already have all of these things, right, We
have those.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
In a lot of parts of the homes, and each
year they expand it a little more and more. So
now we're this new round, they're proposing we put it
behind the oven and behind the dryer outlets. And the
case made by the union representatives at the council meeting
was this is to protect electricians when they're working on
(06:37):
these appliances. And that was difficult because any electricians just
going to turn off the power hopefully yeah, when they
work on something like that. So the arguments weren't adding
up in our opinion, and it just seemed like something
the electrical Union was pushing our politicians to adopt in
its entirety, and that's frustrating when we're letting politics get
(07:00):
in the way of affordability.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
The other thing that was in this was exterior disconnects.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
What is that good question? That is a shutoff for
all the power to your home on the outside of.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Your home, but then all the little punks in my
neighborhood will be turning off my power all the time.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
They could really they've suggested that you lock it with
a paddle lock, so to us, that doesn't seem like
that's as accessible to the fire department, Like they mentioned
but that is a large expense that in the surge protector.
These these add up to around one thousand dollars per
(07:41):
home per my Electrician, and the National Association of Homebuilders says,
every time you raised the price of a home one
thousand dollars, we count out one hundred and fifteen thousand
households that can't afford that home anymore. That's why we're
passionate about these issues most people.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I mean, you talk about the cost of new construction
right now, it's it is way out of whack. And
you and I could talk at length about all the
reasons why, whether it's labor, whether it's still the impact
of building material shortages and everything else that happened in
the last few years with inflation and COVID. But you know,
(08:21):
for a lot of people say, hey, an extra thousand
bucks to make my home more safe, why not, that's
only an extra sixteen dollars or so in finance charges.
And you can still do that if you are doing
new home construction and you're working with your home builders
saying I want this many square feet in the kitchen,
and I want this finished basement, and I want an
exterior disconnect, and I want search production, and I want
(08:44):
GFCI outlets on every single outlet. You can still do
all that. This is just not a mandate from the
City of Omaha to force builders to do it, because
you guys with Mobile Metro Omaha Builders Association say it's
not necessary.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Right, Yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Well, the difference elected to do any of that, The
difference between last year and this year is essentially the
same council, the same political makeup of the city council.
I expect they'll vote in favor of it. Again. What
do we think a new mayor in John Ewing might
do on this? Nick?
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, I think Mayor Uni has done a bunch of
great things for affordable housing in Omaha, but it does
not sound like he's interested in betoing this like Mayor
Stothard was.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Can I jump in and ask a question about this,
Lucy Chapman, what are absolutely what are the city council members?
What are they hearing from their constituents? Are people talking
to them and they're just ignoring them? Are people saying yes,
we want this and where.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Is that at?
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I don't know what their constituents are telling them, but
I know the feeling in the room last Tuesday was
really they were not open. Four of them were not
open to hearing the arguments, and it was really like
they had their decision made up. And I think that
is pushed by the unions, you know, that support certain candidates.
(10:07):
So that's where the visceral reaction from the building community
came from. It was it's difficult when you volunteer a
lot of your time on these affordable housing boards and
for these affordable housing measures and you don't have an
open and on its conversation about all the two were
able to use.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Another moment here with Nick Dolphin's builder council chair with
the Metro Omaha Builders Association. I don't want to drag
you into politics, unless, of course you want to go there.
But it seems that when you're talking about four members
of the council, that's the majority of the council who
are more liberal in their political persuasion. These are the
same ones talking about we need affordable housing, we need
(10:48):
affordable housing, we need to make sure people can't afford anything.
Why then would that group then turn around and argue
against themselves in favor of raising the car unless they
think this is for rich people and not the people
who'll be looking to do housing, whether it's apartments or
(11:08):
homes or businesses in our communities.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yeah, or unless they're just being asked to vote a
certain way. You know. I don't want to get political either.
I think our elected officials down there do a lot
of great things, but this is just something I'm super
passionate about, and I don't think we were able to
have an open and honest conversation on the floor.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Now you are talking about certain pressure put by perhaps
electrical labor unions. You guys with the Builders Association have
to have a good relationship with the electricians if we
want to get all these the construction wired. Does that
create a little bit of a riff between the builders
and the electricians in this town.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
That's a great question. It doesn't. I use a union electrician.
They're fantastic. They do most of the new construction in town,
and I've had some really good conversations with them too,
And it's difficult for them. You know, they do a
lot of great work and take pride in their work,
but some of these national agendas are just being pushed
(12:15):
and it's kind of a conflict for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
What do you want people to do because this meeting
is coming up this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Well, the open hearing was last week, so I think
just being aware of these things, and I'd like people
to know there's no silver bullet for affordable housing. Being
an advocate for the last twenty years for affordable housing,
it's a situation where it's a death by ten thousand
paper cuts and we just need to fight every step
(12:46):
of the way, one thousand dollars at a time or
five hundred dollars at a time, because there really isn't
a way to make sweeping tens of thousands of dollars
of changes.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
You can learn more about the Metro Omaha Build Association
at MOBA dot com. Nick Dolphins is vice president of
the home company, but with MOBA he is the Builder
Council chair with that group. The City Council meets this afternoon.
This is on the agenda. We'll just have to see
where it goes from here. You can still reach out
to your member of the City Council and let them
(13:19):
know your thoughts on this if this is something that
it would cause you to do that. Nick, I know
you've let them know your thoughts and I'll look forward
to seeing what the Council does from here and potentially
what marr Ewing does with it. Thank you so much
for the time today.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Thank you, Scott.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Scott Boyes Mornings nine to eleven, Our News Radio eleven
ten KFAB
Scott Vordiez.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Last year, the Omaha City Council said, we think that
we need to adopt these new building codes for new
construction here in Omaha. You need to do this, home builders,
you don't know what you're doing. We the Omaha City
Council members, we know what you should be doing. You
need to do all this. They said, that's not necessary,
and it's going to raise the cost of properties by
(00:24):
one hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Things are already
expensive enough. Council said, we know better than you. They
voted it on and they voted it up. Mayor Stothart
vetoed it. It's come up again today. We have essentially
the same council. We have a new mayor. We have
the Builder Council chair of MOBA, the Metro Omaha Builders
(00:48):
Association online at MOBA dot com. Nick Dolphins is with
us here on news Radio eleven ten kfab Nick, welcome
back to the program. It's good to talk to you.
How are you this morning?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Doing great? Scott? How are you?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I'm wonderful. So last year, I think we talked about
this issue and it ended up being vetoed by the mayor.
But it's being brought up again, and I expect because
they think it's going to be a different outcome. Why
do Why does the city council say that we need
to adopt these new electrical codes and why is it
(01:24):
going to cost so much more money? What's going on here?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, the history of this is we worked with the
unicamer to carve out five exceptions to the adopted code,
and that's prevalent nationwide with states trying to save money
for affordable housing. We have the right to amend the
codes in the city of Omaha. It sounds like the
council people are looking to adopt be coded its entirety
(01:51):
without these amendments for affordable housing, and it's frustrating to
the builders. The meeting last week got pretty a little heated,
just because it seemed like they weren't interested in having
a conversation on it and their mind was already made up.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
So here are the things that they want. You tell
me whether or not they're necessary and if not, why
not the state code, which, as you mentioned, there's a
carve out for Omaha right now thanks to the veto
by Mayri Stouth. We don't have to do these things.
But you know, if you look at them individually, I
guess it doesn't look like a terrible idea. The whole
(02:28):
home surge protection this is basically like the surge protector
little power strip that you would plug all your Christmas
lights into and then plug that thing into the wall.
It's something like that for the entire home.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Right.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Is that not an easy thing to do? Is that
an expensive thing to do? Is that not necessary?
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah? The history of these codes are to protect the
public from eminent danger, and over the years these codes
have really been politicized and commercialized to getting products and minute.
So the pushback from the building community nationwide is that
we really need to take a look at this for
(03:08):
the sake of affordable housing. Councilwoman Amy Melton put it
correctly last year when she said it isn't hard to
find additional ways to make things safer and safer and safer,
like have a fire extinguisher required for every building, for
every bedroom. But where does it stop. And that's our
point as a building community is we just need to
(03:31):
take a hard look at this. If other states are
using these amendments as a tool to keep things more affordable,
it's something we need to do in Nebraska and something
we're hoping Omaha would look at as well.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Is it dangerous not to have whole home surge protection?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
No. Jaspoiesni is the superintendent of the Building and Inspections.
She testified last year and said these things are not
preventing eminent danger. A surge protector protects your microwave or
protects your appliances from a surge, but it's not a
(04:12):
safety device. And that was my point when I testified,
was we are all going home to home Scott that
don't have any of these new regulations in them. So
if you feel safe in your home and tucking your
kids in, we really need to question all of these
new regulations because it's a constant flow of additional regulation
(04:34):
every three years. And the National Associate Home of Homebuilders
has mentioned that twenty four percent of the cost of
a new home now is due to regulations. So answer
your question. Some of that is very helpful and some
of it does save people's lives, but increasingly more and
more it's products that are required, and it's just we
(04:59):
need to question that as a practice.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
I'll never sleep again knowing my home does not have
whole home searche protection as anytime I've got a number
of things, I'm plugging into an outlet which is only
a couple like the basement TV with some of the
gaming system junk down there. And then at Christmas light season,
I get a little griswoldy and plug a lot of stuff,
but it's always into a power strip. I'm just picturing
(05:22):
a giant power strip that's like six foot tall that's
inside your wall on the other side of the power box.
Is that I don't some builders. I mean, you can
still do whole home surge protection and promoted as such
and charge anything you want. This is just not mandating
that it has to happen. I'm guessing this is the
(05:43):
most expensive of these. The other things the council wants
to vote on again has expanded GFCI coverage. This is
if you do have a quick power surge, you want
to make sure, especially like in a bathroom or a kitchen,
in your water, that that electrical outlet will flip off
(06:04):
if there's suddenly some sort of surge or static charge
or something like that, so you don't get electrocuted. Seems
like we already have all of these things, right, We
have those.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
In a lot of parts of the homes, and each
year they expand it a little more and more. So
now we're this new round, they're proposing we put it
behind the oven and behind the dryer outlets. And the
case made by the union representatives at the council meeting
was this is to protect electricians when they're working on
(06:37):
these appliances. And that was difficult because any electricians just
going to turn off the power hopefully yeah, when they
work on something like that. So the arguments weren't adding
up in our opinion, and it just seemed like something
the electrical Union was pushing our politicians to adopt in
its entirety, and that's frustrating when we're letting politics get
(07:00):
in the way of affordability.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
The other thing that was in this was exterior disconnects.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
What is that good question? That is a shutoff for
all the power to your home on the outside of.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Your home, but then all the little punks in my
neighborhood will be turning off my power all the time.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
They could really they've suggested that you lock it with
a paddle lock, so to us, that doesn't seem like
that's as accessible to the fire department, Like they mentioned
but that is a large expense that in the surge protector.
These these add up to around one thousand dollars per
(07:41):
home per my Electrician, and the National Association of Homebuilders says,
every time you raised the price of a home one
thousand dollars, we count out one hundred and fifteen thousand
households that can't afford that home anymore. That's why we're
passionate about these issues most people.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I mean, you talk about the cost of new construction
right now, it's it is way out of whack. And
you and I could talk at length about all the
reasons why, whether it's labor, whether it's still the impact
of building material shortages and everything else that happened in
the last few years with inflation and COVID. But you know,
(08:21):
for a lot of people say, hey, an extra thousand
bucks to make my home more safe, why not, that's
only an extra sixteen dollars or so in finance charges.
And you can still do that if you are doing
new home construction and you're working with your home builders
saying I want this many square feet in the kitchen,
and I want this finished basement, and I want an
exterior disconnect, and I want search production, and I want
(08:44):
GFCI outlets on every single outlet. You can still do
all that. This is just not a mandate from the
City of Omaha to force builders to do it, because
you guys with Mobile Metro Omaha Builders Association say it's
not necessary.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Right, Yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Well, the difference elected to do any of that, The
difference between last year and this year is essentially the
same council, the same political makeup of the city council.
I expect they'll vote in favor of it. Again. What
do we think a new mayor in John Ewing might
do on this? Nick?
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, I think Mayor Uni has done a bunch of
great things for affordable housing in Omaha, but it does
not sound like he's interested in betoing this like Mayor
Stothard was.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Can I jump in and ask a question about this,
Lucy Chapman, what are absolutely what are the city council members?
What are they hearing from their constituents? Are people talking
to them and they're just ignoring them? Are people saying yes,
we want this and where.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Is that at?
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I don't know what their constituents are telling them, but
I know the feeling in the room last Tuesday was
really they were not open. Four of them were not
open to hearing the arguments, and it was really like
they had their decision made up. And I think that
is pushed by the unions, you know, that support certain candidates.
(10:07):
So that's where the visceral reaction from the building community
came from. It was it's difficult when you volunteer a
lot of your time on these affordable housing boards and
for these affordable housing measures and you don't have an
open and on its conversation about all the two were
able to use.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Another moment here with Nick Dolphin's builder council chair with
the Metro Omaha Builders Association. I don't want to drag
you into politics, unless, of course you want to go there.
But it seems that when you're talking about four members
of the council, that's the majority of the council who
are more liberal in their political persuasion. These are the
same ones talking about we need affordable housing, we need
(10:48):
affordable housing, we need to make sure people can't afford anything.
Why then would that group then turn around and argue
against themselves in favor of raising the car unless they
think this is for rich people and not the people
who'll be looking to do housing, whether it's apartments or
(11:08):
homes or businesses in our communities.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Yeah, or unless they're just being asked to vote a
certain way. You know. I don't want to get political either.
I think our elected officials down there do a lot
of great things, but this is just something I'm super
passionate about, and I don't think we were able to
have an open and honest conversation on the floor.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Now you are talking about certain pressure put by perhaps
electrical labor unions. You guys with the Builders Association have
to have a good relationship with the electricians if we
want to get all these the construction wired. Does that
create a little bit of a riff between the builders
and the electricians in this town.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
That's a great question. It doesn't. I use a union electrician.
They're fantastic. They do most of the new construction in town,
and I've had some really good conversations with them too,
And it's difficult for them. You know, they do a
lot of great work and take pride in their work,
but some of these national agendas are just being pushed
(12:15):
and it's kind of a conflict for a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
What do you want people to do because this meeting
is coming up this afternoon.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Well, the open hearing was last week, so I think
just being aware of these things, and I'd like people
to know there's no silver bullet for affordable housing. Being
an advocate for the last twenty years for affordable housing,
it's a situation where it's a death by ten thousand
paper cuts and we just need to fight every step
(12:46):
of the way, one thousand dollars at a time or
five hundred dollars at a time, because there really isn't
a way to make sweeping tens of thousands of dollars
of changes.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
You can learn more about the Metro Omaha Build Association
at MOBA dot com. Nick Dolphins is vice president of
the home company, but with MOBA he is the Builder
Council chair with that group. The City Council meets this afternoon.
This is on the agenda. We'll just have to see
where it goes from here. You can still reach out
to your member of the City Council and let them
(13:19):
know your thoughts on this if this is something that
it would cause you to do that. Nick, I know
you've let them know your thoughts and I'll look forward
to seeing what the Council does from here and potentially
what marr Ewing does with it. Thank you so much
for the time today.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Thank you, Scott.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Scott Boyes Mornings nine to eleven, Our News Radio eleven
ten KFAB
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