It is time to be heard.

 

In any climate, political conversations are always tricky.   However, these days, political conversations can turn toxic fast.  Spirited debates have given way to Twitter fights and petty name calling by all parties involved.  It seems as though everyone has a VERY strong opinion of how things should be done and who should be doing that job.

 

THIS is not a political conversation but it does involve politics.  You see, it doesn’t really matter to me who you voted for or who you rally behind.  As American’s we have a right to be an individual but as builders, we have a duty to stand together.

 

Your SSHBA is your clearest path to having a voice in the political conversation.  On local, State and National levels – decisions are being made that affect the profitability and maybe even the very existence of your business.  This is not the time to stand by idly and watch conversations happen, treaties need to be negotiated, bills getting passed and laws/codes being enforced.  Too often we feel as though our opinion doesn’t matter and I am telling you now that it does.

 

By all accounts, the housing economy is booming.  According to the National Association of Realtors, listings are selling 8% faster than this time last year.  There are a record low number of homes for sale and demand is growing.  Yet, many of us aren’t racing to build new homes to the market and for good reason.

 

The cost to build a new home is escalating faster than the demand.  These costs are sure to increase further with uncertainty in the steel tariffs and the renegotiating of NAFTA.  Why does this matter?  Because lumber prices are at an all-time high and Canada is our largest provider of lumber.  This is a national issue that impacts all of us.

 

On the State and local level, our cash hungry politicians are reading positive housing headlines and you can bet that they are quickly finding ways to increase THEIR revenue by taxing your success and dumping more fees and regulations on our industry.  Can you afford that?

 

Lobby day is April 17^th and your SSHBA representatives will be traveling down to Springfield to meet with our state legislators.  We desperately need to have our voice heard.  If you would like for us to bring up a specific item, please contact Shannon as soon as possible.

 

On a different, but related note, you will be hearing more in the upcoming months about contributing to our PAC fund.  As you know, increasing the PAC fund is a task that our former President Pat Franz is passionate about and we need to listen to him.  He has dedicated a tremendous amount of his time and resources to reaching a lofty goal of $250,000 and I believe he can do it.  I believe that we can do it.  He lit the spark and now we need to feed the fire.

 

Understand that this organization exists for the sole purpose of enhancing the livelihood of each of its members.  The dues that you pay and the donations you submit will ultimately benefit you both personally and professionally.  The time you spend involved with the SSHBA is an investment in your business.

 

We will let you know about the progress we make on Lobby Day. Please join us on April 27^th for the Kentucky Derby Raffle at Harrah’s Casino and find out just how great the SSHBA can be for you!

 

 

 

If the kick off night for 2018 was any indication, it is going to be a great year of events AND attendance for our SSHBA!  I’d like to thank the great people at Southwest Fireplace Supply and Hines Supply for being Premier Patron Sponsors and Hines Supply for sponsoring the photo booth.  I think I speak for everyone when I say that a great time was had by all who attended.

 

For those of you who heard me speak, this is going to seem redundant but I think it is so important.  We have a voice and as builders, as associates, and as contributors to America’s great economy, we must be heard.  This can only be achieved by not only growing our membership and increasing our numbers but by staying informed and staying involved.

 

Once again, I am challenging each and every one of you to get at least one more member.  One.  We can double our organization and double our impact in our Nation, Springfield and on the local level.  The housing market is heating up and now is the time to make things happen.

 

Once you cross the task of getting a new member off your “To Do” list, why not take it a step further and get involved with the organization?  We all have talents and there are plenty of opportunities to use those talents in a variety of committees ranging from education to leadership to events and membership.  What do you want to do?  Give the SSHBA a call and let them help you find a spot.

 

I’d like to thank those of you who read my column last month and took the time to reach out.  This 2-way feedback is exactly what we need to make positive changes in our organization.  I’d love to hear from more of you and can be reached most easily at henry@coylecustomhomes.com.

 

It is going to be a great year and I thank you for making SSHBA a part of it!

Our first tour of homes really started out with a bang. The participating builders and their subs got together for a great kick off party at Doc’s in Mokena. It is great to see the pride everyone takes in the creation of homes. There was a large variety of homes participating in the event.

Mark your calendars for the Inaugural Ball on December 1st. We will welcome Henry Coyle as our next president. We also have the honor of welcoming our own Pat Franz as president of the Home Builders Association of Illinois. The joint event will be held at the newly revamped Mistwood in Romeoville.

As you probably know, there are many resignations or announcements not to run in the next election by our state legislators. While some are running for a higher office, it seems many are quitting due to the partisan fighting in Springfield. If you know any good candidates in one of these districts, please let Bill Ward know.
Don’t forget to register for the International Builders Show this January in Orlando.
Our own Home Builders Association of Illinois is running a HomePAC Fundraiser this year to increase our voice in Springfield. Now until December 1, the Mega 50/50 Raffle tickets will be sold for $20 each. One winner to be selected on December 1 at the Inaugural Ball. There are also monthly drawings for door prizes. Winners of a monthly prize are still eligible for the mega raffle grand prize. Please contact the office if you wish to purchase a ticket.
And as always – do business with a member.

September 2017

As I write this, we all need to be thankful for what we have. Texans are fighting floodwaters rising to historic levels as Hurricane Harvey pounds the Lone Star State. NAHB will be working closely with state and local home builder associations in the region to help them meet the needs of members who have been affected by the storm. They will also provide resources to support our members as they help families rebuild. There are many ways you can help right now. The Department of Homeland Security encourages donations to be funneled through the National Voluntary Organizations Involved in Disaster. Donations are also being directed to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts by the Red Cross and Salvation Army via their websites and by texting UWFLOOD to 41444 to donate to the United Way Flood Relief Fund.

After a year of preparation and hard work, our new Tour of Homes is here. I encourage you to come out and see all the homes that have been entered this year. Visit http://sshbatourofhomes.com/ to check out all the builders who are participating in this epic event. We are having a kick off party on September 20, 2017. Come on out and join us at Doc’s Smokehouse in Mokena where the entrants will be introduced. You can also enjoy some live music by Matt, Zach and Tom. Please call the office for more information.

I want to send a special thank you to Dave Barry and his Autobahn committee for another fun and successful outing. This years trophy has moved onto a new home, with Southwest Fireplace grabbing first place.

Don’t forget to register for the International Builders Show this January in Orlando. NAHB members can still register for their free expo pass or save $100 on a full registration. Spouse registration is also free.
The online application for the 2018 NAHB committee and council board of trustees appointments is now open, and I strongly encourage all those who may be interested in serving on a committee at the national level to submit an application. Applications must be submitted before Friday, September 22, so don’t delay. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Keep an eye out for our new Octoberfest raffle. Information will be coming out soon.

The next time you call the office, you might hear a new voice. Please say HI to our new assistant, Mary Ann.
And as always – do business with a member

We are well into the year already, and blessed with great weather.  Our program committee continues to mix up our events and locations to bring some excitement back to the general membership meetings.  On March 2, we welcomed William Strauss of the Federal Reserve Bank who gave us the 2017 economic forecast.  Looking forward to April 20, Kole’s will welcome us to their show room for our general membership meeting.

 

I hope you are all aware that your membership to SSHBA actually includes all three home builders organizations.  You belong to our local SSHBA, our state HBAI and to our national NAHB.  All three groups work at different levels and contain many resources to meet all of our needs.  Our national group, NAHB, is currently in discussions for some possible changes to the membership model and the overall governance of the organization.  We are trying to keep our board up to date as information is developed.

 

Our state home builder group, HBAI, has setup Tuesday May 9, 2017 as our HBAI Lobby Day in Springfield.  The days events will start with a briefing on pending legislation and lunch.  Then our members will meet with their legislators in the afternoon to be followed by an evening reception back at the Sangoma Club with invited legislators.  This is a free event and a great way to make your voice heard and see how the legislative process works.  Please call the office for details on transportation to Springfield that day.  I encourage everyone to try to participate this year.  Let’s have a unified voice at our capital. Also, on June 14, NAHB will be hosting our national legislative day in Washington, DC.

 

I want to remind everyone of the importance in our participation with the voter voice from HBAI.  From time to time, when an important issue arises that affects our industry, you will receive a voter voice request.  The email will automatically setup a letter from you to your appropriate legislator.  Feel free to personalize the letter and then please forward it on.  It will literally take less than a minute of your time to help make sure your voice is heard on the issues that affect your business the most.

 

 

As always – do business with a member.