Investment propertyHow "Connected" Are New Home Builders to Their Real Roots?
In many industries, it"s easy to lose sight of the main purpose (besides
monetary gain) that they are in business. Homebuilders throughout the nation
have the opportunity to be part of the force of "greater good" when taking
stock of the real reason behind their quest for the highest quality and best
value.
The American Dream has always viewed as the ownership of an affordable,
clean, safe dwelling in which our families can grow and flourish. With this
year"s celebration of the National Housing Act of 1949, it"s only appropriate
to look at one of the major organizations behind the Act"s implementation,
the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Founded in 1942, NAHB is organized as a federation of more than 850 state and
local home builders associations nationwide who actively promote policies
that help provide and expand opportunities for all Americans to have safe,
decent and affordable housing. They work hard to enact pro-housing
legislation and pursue regulatory and judicial changes that have a positive
impact on our nation"s building industry.
What is unfortunate these days, is that, due to a "hot" new home market, many
builders do not see the need for membership in this honorable institution,
primarily because of the lack of knowledge of the NAHB"s benefits and
history. As with any "grass roots" tradition, membership in the NAHB is
something new homebuyers may want to look for in their new homebuilder"s
priority list. Knowing that they are members and participants in this
venerable institution may give them the confidence that their builder is one
that cares about the basic principles of shelter and quality home ownership.
The NAHB is a not-for-profit trade association whose primary goal is to keep
housing a top national priority. In this endeavor, they are recognized as
"the voice of America"s home building industry." It is comprised of 200,000
members, who together employ over eight million Americans. Representing a
wide diversity of industry-related professions, including builders,
remodelers, subcontractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and much more, NAHB"s
members contribute five percent of the economic activity in the country.
The organization is a nationally-recognized source of quality education that
is affordable, accessible, timely, and relevant, offering hundreds of
educational opportunities in a variety of formats to meet the needs of
builders nationwide.
Year-round national and regional workshops, seminars, and conferences
covering everything from building codes and standards and OSHA (safety)
regulations to critical state and local issues and new construction
techniques.
One of the main reasons builders benefit from membership in the NAHB is not
something they can touch and feel, however; it is an intangible that helps
the future of the homebuilding industry. How can builders collectively be
heard when local, state, or federal agencies unwittingly shut down their
efforts to provide housing through burdensome regulatory practices or special
interest groups? As a part of NAHB, however, their voices becomes a powerful
instrument of change and influence. The fact is, the opinion of 200,000
members matters. Lobbying efforts on behalf of builders nationwide that
support pro-housing initiatives are only a small part of what the NAHB
provides its constituents.
Add to that their influence with media, government agencies, and industry
coalitions to enhance the image and conditions of the building industry, and
you have a recipe for power with those in political circles on the issues
that matter to homebuilders everywhere. This may translate into the
continuing ability for Americans to participate in that Dream of which we
speak so nobly, a Dream that carries us into the new millenium with promise,
hope and prosperity.
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