Clark has always said he will accept lower quality for a lower price. The one exception for him is his house. If you buy a poorly built house, you buy nothing but problems over time. Clark thinks people should pay extra to make sure their homes are structurally sound and environmentally efficient. In recent years, people have started paying more – about three percent – to ensure that it does meet those standards. It’s still a new concept, though. Most people buy based on the monthly payment and that is all they consider. But it’s clear based on recent news that building homes to certain standards pays off. Compare Hurricane Andrew, which struck Florida in 1992, with Hurricane Charley, the hurricane that struck the same state just a few weeks ago. Florida upgraded its uniform building code about three years ago. And according to emergency management types, homes that had been built to the new standards sustained far less damage than did those that had not been built to the standards. Clark thinks government should provide some kind of role here. Yes, it will cost additional money. But over time, cities and counties will recoup the cost. Not to mention the amount of lives that could be saved. It took a lot of courage and hard work for the Florida legislature to overcome the power of the building lobby to set up standards for builders. But it has paid off and it’s benefited everyone.