The coalition raised and spent more than $100,000 on a voter awareness campaign to alert the community of the consequences associated with imposing impact fees. The coalition was assisted by NAHB's Political Operations team, and received financial support from NAHB's State & Local Issues Fund. In only a matter of weeks, the coalition mobilized more than 500 supporters, sent three informative mail pieces to voters that were followed up with phone calls, ran radio and print advertisements and implemented an active grassroots advocacy campaign. One of the campaign's highlights came in late October when The Sun News, the area's largest newspaper, endorsed the coalition's efforts with a headline that read, “No on Horry Impact Fees.” Less than two weeks later, voters made their opinion heard: impact fees were rejected by 58% of the electorate. For more information on the referendum or the campaign to defeat it, e-mail Ashley Geyer in NAHB's State & Local Political Operations Department, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8126. | 
Encouraged by a coalition of builders and industry interests, voters in the Myrtle Beach area’s Horry County, SC, last month shot down an advisory referendum ballot question asking whether voters favored the imposition of development impact fees by the county. 