KB Home Coastal Achieves Quality Certification From NAHB Research Center

UPPER MARLBORO, Md., July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The NAHB Research Center today announced the latest addition to the National Housing Quality (NHQ) family of home builders. KB Home , a publicly held home builder headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., recently achieved certification for both its San Diego and Riverside divisions, which make up KB Home Coastal, Inc. and is one of only eight builders in the nation to earn certification as part of the NAHB Research Center's NHQ Certified Builder Program. KB Home San Diego and Riverside were recently awarded their quality assurance certification following a rigorous NAHB Research Center audit of the implementation of their quality assurance systems. Additional KB Home divisons participating in the NHQ Certified Builder program are moving toward certification by the end of the year.

Participation in the NHQ Certified Builder program is designed to increase efficiency and consistency in building practices. Formally launched at the 2005 International Builders' Show, the NHQ Certified Builder program provides a rigorous and complete review of business practices, and ensures that all elements of the company's quality assurance system are incorporated to provide greater customer satisfaction. To achieve certification, KB Home's San Diego and Riverside County Divisions conducted field and office training to implement their quality program, work more efficiently with their trade contractors, and maintain the continuous improvement efforts required by all NHQ Programs.

NAHB Research Center president Michael Luzier said, "I am excited about how the NHQ Certified Builder program is developing and am confident that its implementation will bring about greater efficiencies for participating builders and even higher rates of customer satisfaction. I'd like to thank KB Home for taking part in this ongoing program-they are industry leaders whose partnership continues to be a vital part of program development and the evolution of quality assurance in home building."

KB Home Coastal - Quality Focused Building at its Best

KB Home Coastal's participation in the NHQ Certified Builder program sends a powerful message to their customers.

"We not only build houses, we build the homes where families spend their lives and raise their children. KB Home constantly looks to raise the bar on quality and customer satisfaction. The NAHB Research Center has used its unique resources and knowledge to create this pioneering program for the benefit of the home building industry," said San Diego Division President Martin Lighterink.

KB Home has been a pioneer in quality assurance in the home building industry. In November 2003, KB Home Chairman and CEO Bruce Karatz announced that the company would become the first large builder in the country to implement the NHQ Certified Trade Contractor program nationwide. A partnership that will serve to provide greater efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness to the benefit of KB Home's customers. So far, as a result of program implementation, all of KB Home's trades in the San Diego and Riverside areas have now completed quality assurance management training, and are on their way towards achieving NHQ Certified status.

Frank Alexander, NHQ program director at the NAHB Research Center, said, "By focusing builders and trade contractors on getting the job done right the first time, NHQ certification differentiates those who talk about quality from those who can demonstrate it. KB Home Coastal certainly represents that differentiation."

About the National Housing Quality Program: The NAHB Research Center launched the NHQ Program in 1993. The NHQ Program has introduced many of the concepts of the worldwide quality revolution to home building and remodeling, and provides numerous opportunities for collaboration among the various industry stakeholders. NHQ activities include the Certified Builder Program, Certified Trade Contractor Program, Manufacturer Training Certification program, and co-sponsorship of the National Housing Quality Award Program. Response among builders, trade contractors, remodelers, code officials, building inspectors, and the insurance industry to the NHQ Program's quality initiatives has been very positive. Builders interested in starting on the path to quality certification can visit http://www.nahbrc.org/quality, email quality@nahbrc.org., or call Rita Knab, NHQ program coordinator, at (800) 638-8556, ext. 6225.

The NAHB Research Center, located in Upper Marlboro, Md., promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created over 40 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance.

About KB Home: Building homes for nearly half a century, KB Home is one of America's premier homebuilders with domestic operating divisions in some of the fastest-growing regions and states: West Coast-California; Southwest-Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico; Central-Colorado, Illinois, Indiana and Texas; and Southeast-Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Kaufman & Broad S.A., the Company's publicly-traded French subsidiary, is one of the largest homebuilders in France. In fiscal 2004, the Company delivered homes to 31,646 families in the United States and France. Founded in 1957, and winner of the 2004 American Business Award for Best Overall Company, KB Home is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "KBH." For more information about any of KB Home's new home communities, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit http://www.kbhome.com/.

MEDIA CONTACTS Kimberly Warren 800-638-8556, x6269 kwarren@nahbrc.org Sierra Wilson 310-231-4248 slwilson@kbhome.com