Homeownership is the foundation of the American Dream! The North Dakota Association of Builders and the home building industry celebrate this by recognizing June as National Homeownership Month. Headlines across the country are highlighting the challenge of housing affordability. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates, 70% (94 million) of U.S. households cannot afford a $400,000 home. The estimated median-priced new home is $460,000 in 2025. In response, members of the residential construction industry continue to advocate for housing policies that will improve affordability in our state.
The homeownership rate declined to 65.1% in the first quarter of 2025, the lowest level since the first quarter of 2020, according to the Census’s Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS). Compared to the peak of 69.2% in 2004, the homeownership rate is 4.1 percentage points lower and remains below the 25-year average rate of 66.3%. 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.
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!
Registration is now live for our BUILD-PAC Summer Social! Head to our website www.ndbuild.com/events to register. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs, Heather Voorman, will be our special guest. Committee meetings and the Summer Social/BUILD-PAC event will be held on Tuesday, July 29 and the Summer Board meeting will take place the morning of Wednesday, July 30.
The 69th Legislative Session adjourned on May 3. NDAB, which includes our lobbyist Lisa Feldner with Integrity Public Affairs, had a presence at the ND State Capitol Building every day while the legislature was in session. The NDAB Government Affairs Committee met weekly to discuss important bills related to our industry. NDAB’s Top Ten Bills from the session is now live on our website.
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 13 at the Eagle Ridge Golf Course, followed by the BIA-RRV’s first golf tournament of the summer on June 26 in Hawley. The BMHBA will host their annual PAC Golf Tournament on July 8 at Prairie West and on July 14, MAB will hold their Hammers & Keys Classic at the Minot Country Club. The BIA-RRV’s second golf outing will be on July 17, and their third golf outing will be held on August 14, both in Hawley. The summer concludes with the FORX Golf Outing on September 4 at the at Valley Golf Course in East Grand Forks and the DAHBA Golf Scramble on September 11 at the Heart River Golf Course.
Upcoming Dates
- NAHB Spring Leadership Meeting and Legislative Conference: June 10-13 (Washington, DC)
- Summer Social and Meetings: July 29-30 (Minot)
- Annual Banquet and Meetings: November 4-5 (Grand Forks)
- NAHB Fall Leadership Meeting: November 17-19 (Denver, CO)
Please reach out to me with any questions about NDAB or your membership!
brittney@ndbuild.com
Brittney Roehrich, NDAB CEO
