~disable A year-end message from our president

Category: Member-Features
12/21/2021

2021: A trifecta of challenges

2021 HBA of F-M President

Kim Hochhalter

Building Concepts, Inc.

As we flip the calendar to 2022, let’s glance in the rearview and reflect a bit. While challenges continue, including the pandemic and all that goes with it, our industry had one of its best years and the HBA of F-M celebrated many successes.

I applaud you, our members, for navigating a year offering up a trifecta of difficulties: shortages in supply and workforce, high input costs and an increased demand for our products and services!

I like to think of us (your builders' associations), as the trifecta of solutions on the local, state and national levels.

1. HBA of F-M

2. North Dakota Association of Builders and

3. National Association of Home Builders

Together, we worked to combat cost increases, address workforce needs and offer business development growth solutions (like education classes and our health insurance) to support you and your customers.

Here are a few examples of our advocacy successes.

LOCAL

Your HBA works to connect with community leaders, sharing the positives of homebuilding and commercial development:

• Conducted and shared a study illustrating the economic benefits of homebuilding and multifamily development on the F-M area.
• Added Building Industry Connect events which invited elected and administrative officials to the HBA for lunch with members. Look for more of these in 2022!
• Established a task force to address the unprecedented uptick in homebuilding activity in Horace and work with city officials there to navigate it.
• Continued cultivating relationships through a building officials roundtable last spring and an electrical inspectors roundtable this month.

HBA members with West Fargo Commissioner Mandy George at a Building Industry Connect event.

 

NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz delivers the results of a local economic impact study to the media at the HBA in October.

 

STATE

Legislative advocacy in both North Dakota and Minnesota:

• Worked with NDAB to defeat legislation that would have killed the North Dakota two-year tax exemption on new construction.
• Made significant progress in Minnesota on what we call “border cities” work to help level the codes playing field between Moorhead and Fargo.
• During North Dakota’s special session, we supported career and technical education funding which ultimately passed and is critical to our industry.

NATIONAL

NAHB remains committed  to finding long-term solutions  with a boots-on-the-ground approach in Washington, D.C., regularly communicating with lawmakers and the White House on issues like:

• Labor shortages
• Supply delays
• Price volatility

 

Administratively and socially HBA members and staff celebrated milestones, achievements and had plenty of fun along the way in 2021.

 

Our High Noon Shootout was a new networking event added this year.

 

We hosted a ribbon cutting and open house showing off the HBA’s newly remodeled home!

Behind the scenes, staff engineered a migration of our association management system resulting in streamlined communications and events experiences for members.

We welcomed a new HBA team member, Eric Watne, to work with Home Builders Care of F-M Foundation on workforce growth for our industry and developing the HBA’s and Foundation’s reach/impacts.

Due to popular demand, we added new networking events including the High Noon Shootout, Casino Royale and Networking Nights at member businesses.

Amid all the challenges you and our industry faced, your HBA still hosted valuable Parade of Homes in the spring and fall and launched a brand new Downtown Living Tour event.

Health, Tech & Trades Career Expo for ninth graders

 

 

Networking Night at FM Title

 

 

Downtown Living Tour

 

Heading into 2022, our membership recruitment is gaining speed and our retention rate continues holding strong. Member leaders and staff look forward to new features for the 60^th annual Red River Valley Home & Garden Show!

Best wishes to incoming HBA president David Reid, Radiant Homes. Be sure to attend our New Year Celebration Jan. 27 where he will ceremoniously take the gavel and outline his priorities.

Remember: please reach out to your HBA as a resource and industry partner. You have a professional staff at your fingertips at the HBA. Call them if you need anything. Chances are, they can help or point you in the right direction as we face the future unknowns together.

Thank you for your continued support and best wishes in 2022!

 

Leaders smile for a photo at the May ribbon cutting and open house at the newly remodeled HBA of F-M office. Stop in and see us!