• Housing First launched its first independent expenditures of the 2014 election season. Check them out below!
   
• It was a busy first weekend for Fall Parade of Homes! The KARE 11 Backyard saw hundreds of visitors.
   
• The Dream Homes are off to a good start! More than 1,100 visited the Dream Homes in the first weekend which is good news for our Foundation.
   
• The Builders Warehouse Sale is just around the corner! Donate your new and gently used building materials, model furnishings and tools today.
   
• BATC-U's new code courses are filing up this fall. Register now. Also, get your lead out! Lead refreshers courses start soon.
   
• Raise your glasses! Your Big Night invites are being shot out this week.

This week BATC’s Housing First Fund launched its first Independent Expenditures (IE) of the 2014 election season. In its third election cycle, this will be the most ambitious effort for Housing First as we attempt to elect Housing Champions that advance our message of housing choice, affordability for all, regulatory balance, and a smart regulatory structure that protects resources and consumers in the most efficient way possible. Learn more >>

Follow us:

Housing First YouTube 
Housing First Facebook
Housing First Twitter
 

Check out a few of the ads that will be running from now until election day, here >> 

The National Association of Home Builders wrapped up its 2014 Fall Conference with a chaotic and contentious Board Meeting. Members’ knowledge of Roberts Rules of Order was tested as the board voted on a budget that addressed a field representative program, elimination of the fall Board meeting and affiliate dues.

After some two hours of debate and a wide array of motions and reconsiderations, the Board approved a budget for 2015 that returns to NAHB a field representative program, eliminates the fall board for 2016 and 2017 in an effort to reduce projected budget shortfalls and raises affiliate dues to $15 (affiliates are additional contacts from the same company, a dues category that BATC rarely uses).

At the Board meeting, BATC was recognized for winning awards of excellence from NAHB for its Policy Manual and its weekly e-newsletter, The Voice.

In other action at the fall conference, the Build-PAC Committee elected to support several Minnesota congressional candidates. See below.

Build PAC has approved its support of these Minnesota candidates for congress.

Candidate Tom Emmer
Tom Emmer is a Republican candidate for the 6th District, and is running to replace Michelle Bachmann who is retiring. Emmer is a former State Rep. who ran for Governor in 2010 (against Dayton) and lost by less than 10,000 votes. He knows our issues and is a friend to the industry.  

Rep. John Kline
Rep. Kline has been a great friend to many of our builders and to NAHB since first elected in 2002. He and his staff are working with NAHB on a number of issues in the legislative realm, and it is nice to have someone from Minnesota who can make decisions on the side of small businesses and not labor. 

Candidate Stewart Mills
Stewart Mills is a candidate for the 8th District. Mills is a newcomer to politics, but not to the business community. He helps run his family business Fleet Farm, which is a supplier to our members, and because of that, is friends with many of our members.  

Rep. Erik Paulsen
Rep. Erik Paulsen is a good friend to NAHB. He sits on the powerful Ways and Means Committee which has oversight on all the tax issues we care about. He has great knowledge of the housing industry and cares about what happens to it. 

Rep. Colin Peterson
Rep. Colin Peterson has been a longtime friend to NAHB. He is in the race of his life right now. He has supported everything NAHB has stood for and has co-sponsored every piece of legislation we have asked.    

BATC has fielded an increased number of calls regarding the enforcement of Minnesota’s Stormwater Management Rules and Requirements. Please be aware of the requirements for homebuilders in the Stormwater Program for Construction Activity. 

If you are looking for a training on Stormwater Management, the University of Minnesota’s Erosion and Stormwater Management Certification Program offers courses throughout the year. 

It was a very busy weekend for the Fall Parade of Homes. The KARE 11 BATC Backyard saw 200 visitors. The Parade also received some air time in the process!

Also, the Parade of Homes/BATC Free BBQ Cookbook was featured on Bring Me the News. 

BATC entered into a new partnership with Minnesota Homes Matter. Minnesota Homes Matter is a coalition of Minnesota citizens and businesses that recognize the important role the Minnesota mortgage interest deduction plays in the state housing market and our economy.

Here are just a couple of reasons why this partnership makes sense for BATC >>

We had a great sponsorship luncheon today at BATC headquarters. If you missed today's luncheon set up a meeting with Kori and Brad for great sponsorship opportunties! 

• The Dream Homes saw over 1,100 visitors in the first weekend.
   
• The 2nd Annual BATC Foundation Golf Open
  is now SOLD OUT! Sponsorships are still available or join us for dinner. More info >>
   
• The Big Night is fast approaching! We are still in need of silent auction items. Donate here >>

Spots in BATC's code classes are going fast! Reserve your seat in class today!

Get the lead out! Registration is open for our BATC-U Lead Recertification classes. Sign up here >>

Autumn is historically the start of the slow season for home sales, but after a sluggish spring and summer, wrought with still-tight supply and higher costs, the stage may be set for a small rebound in U.S. housing this fall. According to a new report from Redfin, a real estate brokerage, housing is on the rebound. Read more >>

The federal debt routinely captures headlines and continually grows but is there a crisis? Should congress fix the debt immediately, or have we made enough progress? Our favorite economist Elliot Eisenberg has the answers in his latest blog >>

September 17- December 3
New Building/Energy Code Courses [Register]
September 23
BATC Foundation Golf Open [Register]
October 2014-June 2015
BATC-U Lead Recertification [Register]
October 7
BATC Clay Shoot [Register]
October 11
Builders' Warehouse Sale [Contact Perri]
October 23
BIG Night [more info]
November 4
Election Day - VOTE
November 13
Member Orientation
November 13
Give to the Max Day
November 18
Fast Foreward Education
December 4
BATC Buck Auction & Holiday Food Drive [more info]

For a complete list of events, visit our website at WWW.BATC.ORG.