Homeownership is the foundation of the American Dream! The North Dakota Association of Builders and the home building industry celebrates this by recognizing June as National Homeownership Month. Headlines across the country are highlighting the challenge of housing affordability. According to estimates from NAHB, more than three out of four (76.9%) U.S. households cannot afford a median-priced new home. In response, members of the residential construction industry continue to advocate for housing policies that will improve affordability in our state.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Americans own their homes and millions more aspire to become homeowners. Now more than ever, builders in our state are speaking up about housing affordability challenges so more families can have a place to call their own. With a nationwide shortage of 1.5 million housing units, the lack of homes is the primary cause of growing housing affordability challenges.

There is no single solution to addressing the housing shortfall and making homes more affordable. A complex equation involving labor and materials prices; interest rates and financing costs; federal, state, and local regulations; density and growth restrictions; and supply and demand are among many factors that determine housing costs. The effort requires comprehensive strategies and a variety of tools that can be used alone or in combination to reduce costs, boost supply, and empower aspiring home buyers in our state.

Another approach to solving our community's housing affordability crisis is investing in skilled trades training. Despite the competitive pay, the residential construction industry continues to experience labor shortages, which leads to higher home building costs and construction delays. Alleviating regulatory burdens and making sustained investments in workforce development are a snapshot of several issues our association and NAHB are advocating to make the dream of homeownership a reality!

With the summer season upon us, golf tournaments are about to be in full swing! Don’t forget to register for your local golf event. First up, is the WABA Golf Scramble on June 14^th at the Eagle Ridge Golf Course, followed by the BMHBA Golf Tourney on July 9^th at Hawktree. MAB will host their Birdie with the Builders event on July 15^th at the Minot Country Club and on July 18^th, the BIA will have their first golf tournament of the summer at the Hawley Golf Course. Their 2^nd golf outing will also be in Hawley on August 15^th. The summer concludes with the DABA Golf Scramble on September 5^th at Heart River Golf Course and the FORX Golf Tournament on September 12^th at Valley Golf Course in East Grand Forks.

Upcoming Dates

• NDAB Summer Social/BUILD-PAC Event & Meetings: July 30-31 (Grand Forks)
• NAHB Fall Leadership Meeting: October 1-3 (San Antonio, TX)
• NDAB Annual Banquet & Meetings: November 12-13 (Williston)

Please reach out to me with any questions about NDAB or your membership! brittney@ndbuild.com or 701-240-3540.

Brittney Roehrich, NDAB CEO