According to a disclosure report, the homebuilding industry's main trade association used up $600,000 in the second quarter lobbying Congress, the White House and several government agencies on housing, taxes, construction lending and other issues.

That's roughly 23 percent a smaller amount than the $780,000 that the National Association of Home Builders spent out on lobbying in the same quarter a year ago. It spent $410,000 on lobbying in the first quarter of this year.

The NAHB also lobbied the federal government on legislation involving immigration, labor, banking, air and water quality, energy, small business, torts, transportation, the environment and consumer issues, according to the report filed on July 20.

Last week, Deutsche Bank analyst Nishu Sood said the housing market was getting closer to hitting a natural bottom.

In particular, Mr. Sood upgraded D.R. Horton, Ryland Group and Meritage Homes, noting that all three are focused on first-time buyers and have balance sheets that aren't as risky compared with their competitors.

This optimism comes, however, as the NAHB said its housing-market index fell to 13 in August, the lowest reading since March 2009. A reading above 50 indicates more builders view sales conditions positively. But it hasn't hit 50 in more than three years and fell to as low as eight in January 2009.

In addition to lobbying Congress and the White House in the second quarter, the trade association also lobbied the departments of Labor, Energy, Treasury, as well as the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Michael Linskey, who worked for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Alex Strong, who worked for former Rep. Bob Riley, R-Ala., were among those lobbying on behalf of the group.