• If you haven't already, STOP whatever you're doing and go VOTE!!!!!!
   
• Back by popular demand! More code classes scheduled for December and January. See details below.
   
• Keep your eye on the prize and gather your BATC bucks! Auction moved to Nov. 18. Also, don't forget to bring your food to help team Bel. Learn more about the food fight below.
   
• Let's Max it out! The Foundation needs your help to support several amazing projects. Click here to Give to the MAX >> Also, we're now accepting schalorship applications. Click here to learn more >>
   
• Book your booth! BRS booth sales now open to all members. Reserve your spot today >>
   
• Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase Orientation for new participants November 20th! Email Wendy to register.

Your vote counts! We want each and every one of you to be wearing your red voting sticker proudly by the end of the day. 

BATC's policy team and The Housing First Fund have been heavily involved in this year's elections. We'll be up late watching the election results come in tonight and we'll have more anaysis and data for you in the next week.

BATC’s Housing First Fund finds itself among the ‘Top 20′ organizations in the state in terms of money raised and spent in the 2014. MinnPost wrote an expansive piece on political funds and groups in the 2014 Minnesota elections. BATC’s Housing First checked in as the #4 business group and the #11 group overall. Read more >>

BATC has joined Team Bel (Belinda) in the 2nd annual KARE 11 Food Fight!
we need your help to beat Perk! Make sure to join us at our November 18th BATC Auction and food drive and bring non-perishable food items (while you earn extra BATC Bucks to spend at the auction). All food collected will be presented on air on November 25th and goes to benefit Second Harvest. If you can’t make it on the 18th, you can still help by bringing food items to BATC any time on or before November 24th.  Let’s show KARE 11 how it’s done!

The BATC Buck Auction and Food Drive
November 18th • 4:30 – 7:00
BATC
Food, Refreshments, Cash & Prize Drawings
Free, but please register here >> 

Insurance, Lawyers and Contracts, Oh MY!
Come early on the 18th for our next Fast Forward Education
From 2-4:30pm
Free! RSVP  

Get all your legal and insurance questions answered by our panelists:
Attorney Paul Smith, Larkin Hoffman
Mike Hoppe, Corporate Four Insurance
Butch Sprenger, Destiny Homes

The Senate Majority Media sent out a release on Sen. Stumpf being honored as BATC Legislator of the Year.

Read the full release here >>

Get more bang for your buck! Bell Morgtage renewed their thousand dollar match for the 2014 Give to the Max Day. Click here to give >>

Also! The BATC Foundation is now accepting Scholarship applications for the 2015-16 academic year.  Eligible applicants have (or will) complete high school, live in the Twin Cities metro area and will study an academic program in construction or a construction related field. High School Seniors may apply online here. Current college level students or adults beginning a college level program may apply online here. Paper forms are available by request.

Due to popular demand, two more New Building and Energy Code courses are being added:

Tuesday, December 9, 2014: 8 am-noon
Tuesday, January 6, 2015: 8 am-noon

Are you ready? Find details and register here >>

Be Where the Builders and Remodelers Are! BATC's Builders and Remodelers Show (BRS) is the place to be if you sell to builders, remodelers, architects and designers. And our 2015 show on April 2, 2015, promises to be as big as our theme — the Great Outdoors!

Reserve Your Booth Now! Don't wait, just $200 will hold your chosen spot. Log on to our interactive show floor plan now to save your space.

Watch video tutorial for online booking here >>

  "We're very disappointed to see the Twin Cities lag other parts of the nation in home buying," -- BATC President Shawn Nelson

While year-to-date residential permit statistics remain behind 2013, an 18 percent increase in planned units in October (over October 2013) helped reduce the year-to-date decline. Total year-to-date units permitted at the end of October are down 4.4 percent over the same time period in 2013, an improvement over year-to-date numbers at the end of September (down by eight percent). Read more >>

The seasonally adjusted homeownership rate, according to Census Bureau’s quarterly survey, was 64.3% in the third quarter of 2014, down from the prior quarter and the reading from one year ago. The homeownership rate remains below the historical 20-year average of 66.9% and has not been this low since the fourth quarter of 1994 when the homeownership rate was 64.1%. Read more >>

Like it or not, where you decide to live often says a lot about you.
You're not totally defined by your zip code, but a website spotted by Reddit seeks to show people what zip codes say about the average demographic, culture, and lifestyle in one's area. Check out what your zip code says about you >>

Minneapolis came in as the 6th most liberal city in the United States. At least according to The Economist, which pulled data from an MIT study on how city governments reflect their constituents’ politics to produce a ranking of cities with populations of over 250,000. The results, overall, are predictable – San Francisco is the most liberal, while Mesa, Arizona is most conservative. 

Check out the full ranking here >>

It's pretty great to live in several Minnesota 'Burbs according to Business Insider. In a national ranking of "The 50 Best Suburbs in America" six were here in Minnesota. Kasson, Shoreview, Arden Hills, Eden Prairie, Edina, and Plymouth all made the list. Read more here >>

October - December
New Building/Energy Code Courses [Register]
November 4
Election Day - VOTE [early voting info and details]
November 13
Member Orientation [more info]
November 13
Give to the Max Day, Plan to Support your Foundation
November 18
Fast Forward Education [More Info]
NEW DATE: November 18 after Fast Forward!!!
BATC Buck Auction & Holiday Food Drive [More info]
November 20
Parade of Homes Orientation [More info]
December 2014-June 2015
BATC-U Lead Recertification Course [Register]
December 10
EPA Lead Refresher Course [Register}
January 7
Lead Refresher Course [Register]
January 8
Industry Forecast and Dinner Meeting [Register]
January 21
IBS Hospitality Suite in Las Vegas
February 18
Builder Day at the Capitol
February 19
Job and Career Fair at Mall of America [Get a Booth]
February 24
Foundation Annual Recognition Lunch with Belinda Jensen

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