1. Kickstart your membership! All new and old members are invited to join us for our new and improved membership orientation on November 10th. See details below.
    
2. Enter the Spring Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase today! The deadline is Nov. 23rd. Enter your home >> New to the tours, orientation is Nov. 10th. See details below.
    
3. BRS booth reservations are open! Early bird registration ends Dec. 31! Reserve your spot >>

Our nominating committee has put forth the following slate for our 2016 Board of Directors. 

EXECUTIVE BOARD:
President: Meg Jaeger, Mega Homes, Inc.
Builder Vice President: Bob Michels, Bob Michels Construction, Inc.
Associate Vice President: Jason McCarty, Westwood Professional Services, Inc.
Immediate Past President: Chris Contreras, CalAtlantic Homes
Past Associate Vice President: Todd Polifka, Brush Masters
Treasurer:  Tom Wiener, Cardinal Homebuilders, Inc.
Secretary: Charlie Bradburn, Automated Building Comp.-Millwork Division
Past Presidents Advisory Council: Mike Swanson, JMS Custom Homes, LLC

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Public Policy: John Rask, Hans Hagen Homes, Inc. (one year remaining)
Remodelers Council: Andy Michels, Bob Michels Construction, Inc. (one year remaining)
Parade of Homes: Tim Fohr, Lennar  (two-year term)
Small Volume Builders: Tony Wiener, Cardinal Homebuilders, Inc. (one year remaining)
Large Volume Builders: Bill Burgess, Lennar  (two year term)
Membership: Jill Murphy, Martha O’Hara Interiors (two year term)
National Directors: Shawn Nelson, New Spaces  (two year term)
At large: Jim Kuiken, Accent Homes, Inc.  (one year remaining)
At large:  Dennis Galligan, In-Focus Systems (two year term)

We'll need your vote. Your ballot will be coming soon.

BATC leadership will participate in two key meetings this week with leadership from the Minnesota House of Representatives  and Met Council.

With the legislative session on the horizon and regional comprehensive planning processes commencing, BATC is working with government leaders to ensure that our housing affordability priorities are central to the upcoming housing policy discussions. Look for meeting recaps next week.

357 permits were pulled in October. With a drop in the number of permits pulled for the month, Twin Cities residential construction fell two percent when comparing year to date statistics over last year. For 2015, single-family permits remain relativity flat, down only one percent from the same time period in 2014. Multi-family permits, however, are down 17 percent year over year.
Read more >>

Total private residential construction spending increased to 395 billion in September. NAHB believes the pace of multifamily spending is gradually slowing. and they anticipate accelerated growth for single-family spending in 2015.
Read more >>

BATC Related Headlines: 

Trends You Can Feel Good About
An industry insider's view on how going green has gone mainstream, and what changes are here to stay.
Read more >>

Housing Activity Down in October
Pioneer Press coverage of the October permit numbers.
Read more >>

Our new KickStart Membership Events will boost your BATC ROI. Members old and new are welcome.

You Will Discover:
- How to best use BATC’s consumer marketing
- How we communicate
- What’s happening in the industry
- Getting your CE credits
- Best way to connect and network
- How members serve the community
- November 10, 2015 at BATC.
- Free to all members.
RSVP >>

Are you a Parade of Homes or Remodelers Showcase rookie? Join us for our mandatory orientation Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 1:00 pm. We'll give you all the information you need to make the most of the tour. RSVP today >>

The date has been set for the keys of the specially adapted home to be handed over to Army Veteran Marco Solt and his family. The BATC Foundation would love to see a huge BATC crowd to celebrate the final step of this amazing project. 
 

Army SPC Marco Solt Key Ceremony
When: November 21, 2015 10:00 AM
Where: 6774 153rd Lane NW, Ramsey, MN 55303

A special thank you to all of the volunteers and donors to this project, especially build partner Accent Homes.

Donate today! Your BATC Foundation’s newest program, HomeAid Twin Cities, is launching this fall with a little help from BATC’s Young Professionals (YP's). Our dedicated young BATC members will be facilitating a drive to provide necessities and gifts for the young  people who are served by Avenues for Homeless Youth. Donate over the next two months, and earn BATC Bucks. Contact Heather Griffis to donate, or bring your items to our December 3rd, BATC Buck Auction. What we need >>

It's that time of the year again! BATC's newly renamed Contractor University is set to start class this December and will run through March 2016. Don't miss the first course!
 

New Home Construction from Permit Application to Final Inspection 
Peter Kulczyk, Green Codes Knowledge
When: December 15, 2015 - 8 AM to 3:30 PM
What: 7 hours of Credits: MN & WI Contractor (includes MN Energy), MN Real Estate
Price: $98 per person - includes lunch
Where: Builders Association of the Twin Cities Seminar Room – 2960 Centre Pointe Drive, Roseville, MN 55113

This full-day program will focus on the construction process for a single family home in Minnesota under the provisions of the 2015 Minnesota Residential Code and 2015 Minnesota Energy Code.

Learn the permit process, plan review, alternative materials and the inspection of the footings, foundations, waterproofing, foundation insulation options, framing, water-resistive barriers, exterior envelope, wall and attic insulation materials, vapor retarders, interior air barriers, thermal barriers, unvented roofs, emergency escape and rescue, roofing materials, guards, means of egress, emergency escape and rescue, wood-plastic composite materials and interior finishes.

Details and registration at www.ContractorU.com

Nov. 10
Membership Kickstart [RSVP] 
Parade of Homes & Remodelers Showcase Orientation [RSVP]
Nov. 21
Marco Solt Key Ceremony 
Dec. 3
BATC Buck Auction & Donation Drive [Register]
Dec. 15
Contractor University [Register]
Jan. 14
Annual Meeting & Board Induction
Jan. 20
BATC Hospitality Suite at IBS
Feb. 18
BATC Job & Career Fair [Register]

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