Virginia's # 1 Resource for the Building Industry
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Virginia E-Builder
June 2018
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on May 25 that it will issue an additional 15,000
H-2B guest worker visas
for fiscal 2018, which ends on Sept. 30. This will be in addition to the annual allotment of 66,000 visas, all of which have already been claimed this year. H-2B visas allow employers to hire foreign workers to come temporarily to the United States and perform temporary non-agricultural services or labor – including construction work – on a one-time, seasonal, peakload or intermittent basis. Given the chronic labor shortages facing the home building industry, NAHB has been urging DHS to significantly expand the number of H-2B visas available for the year.
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Membership Benefits Links
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Please take three minutes to fill out our survey
so we can help better cater to all of your
insurance needs.
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The HBAV Insurance Agency can provide HBAV members with all their insurance needs. HBAV Insurance Agency has been successful catering to the needs of members of the Home Builders Association of Virginia and only marketing competitively priced and high-quality insurance products. We want to work with our members by providing Business Insurance, Personal Insurance, Supplemental Employee Benefits, and Health Insurance. Contact Craig Toalson at ctoalson@hbav.com to receive a free, no obligation review of your insurance policies and coverage.
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Business Coaching for HBAV Members
HBAV is participating in a pilot program with a cutting-edge small business growth firm, referred by the Wisconsin Builders Association. They specialize in helping builders, remodelers, and trade businesses systematically grow their businesses, utilizing a proprietary process they have developed through concentrating on our industry. The benefits also include valuable ebooks, blogs and articles on marketing, hiring, sales, strategic planning, and other educational topics critical to the building, remodeling and trade industry. The results and feedback from Wisconsin Builders Association members has been incredible.
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Recruit and Retain a Member Today!
HBAV, Local HBA's and NAHB are hosting a Spring Membership Drive! HBAV has a goal of growing its statewide membership by a net of 95 members by June 30, 2018. Please help by telling someone about your local association, HBAV, and NAHB today! HBAV is reliant on membership to support the industry. Let those that you do business with know that we want them to join our great association! Contact Craig Toalson at ctoalson@hbav.com for more information.
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HBAV is active on Social Media!
Help HBAV to help you by following our social media presence. We currently have 927 likes. Please like our HBAV Facebook Page and ask your colleagues to do the same! HBAV regularly updates our social media platforms with ways to help your business grow and thrive . The HBAV facebook page is the easiest way to stay up to date on HBAV happenings throughout the month.
Click HERE to go to our HBAV Facebook Page!
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Promote your business in the HBAV Annual Report, Online Buyer’s Guide & Association App
Advertising space is now available in the 2018/2019 HBAV Annual Report & Membership Directory and the NEW Industry Online Buyer’s Guide Website and Association App. The Association App will be available in the Apple Store and Google Play). Rates start as low as $449 and enhanced member listings start as low as $69.
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Digital Media Solutions for HBAV Members
HBAV is pleased to announce a new partnership with Geofence Media, to provide digital media solutions for startups to enterprise level businesses. Geofence Media specializes in location based digital advertising, and offer solutions to leverage behavioral data and automation to reach highly targeted audiences in real-time.
HBAV is partnering with Geofence Media to provide effective and affordable digital media solutions to HBAV members businesses regardless of their size or familiarity with the ever-changing digital media landscape. Members of the Geofence Media team will be reaching out over the next few weeks to businesses throughout Virginia, including many reading this announcement. Please feel free to reach out to them directly with any questions by calling
469-619-3788
,
or emailing
hbav@geofencemedia.com
.
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New Year, New Discounts from NAHB
Don't leave money on the table! NAHB has added
Capital One and Amazon Business
to their list of member discounts. To review the complete list of NAHB member discounts,
CLICK HERE.
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Government Affairs Corner
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Softwood Lumber Prices
HBAV recently sent a letter to Governor Northam and members of his cabinet about the need for action at the federal level to address the rising cost of softwood lumber. One of the most significant challenges facing HBAV members is the increasing cost of construction and the price of materials. In November, the PPI for input prices for construction industries rose 5.6% year over year, marking the fastest rate of growth since 2010. Lumber prices are adding $8,600 to the price of a home.
Make your voice heard and Send a Message to Congress
1. Contact Congress: Visit
http://www.capitolconnect.com/builderlink/
to ask your member of Congress to sign onto a bipartisan letter urging the Trump administration to reach a lumber trade solution with Canada.
2. Vote Pro-Housing in your state's June primary election: Your vote matters and Elections are closer than ever this year. Check
www.vote.org
for polling locations.
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Construction General Permit - Draft Regulations
Earlier this year, HBAV was asked to serve on the Department of Environmental Quality’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to assist the Department in development of a draft regulation for a general permit. The current General VPDES Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities expires on June 30, 2019. The regulation establishing this permit must be amended to reissue the general permit for another five-year term. The TAC started meeting in January and there are several meetings scheduled for the next several months.
If you are interested in reviewing the changes that have been discussed or proposed so far, please contact HBAV’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Andrew Clark, at
AClark@HBAV.com
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Housing Starts Fall on a Pullback in Apartment Building
According to the Wells Fargo Economics Group, housing starts fell 3.7% in April, with multi-family projects account for all the drop. Single Family starts edged higher. Although the headline numbers may raise concerns, the Wells Fargo/National Association of Home Builders Index rose to 70 in May and has remained at or above that level for most of this year. Home builders report strong demand for new homes across virtually all price points and in most major markets.
You can read the full report here.
- Nationwide Single family starts through the first four months of this year total 279,600 homes – which is 8.3% higher than the first four months of 2017.
- The supply of new homes and apartments will almost assuredly increase in the coming months - the number of single family homes under construction rose 1% in April, but the number of homes in the pipeline still lags considerably behind past building cycles.
- The supply of apartments, on the other hand, appear to be topping out at levels well ahead of the past two cycles.
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HBAV Build-PAC:
Since the General Assembly adjourned in mid March, HBAV has attended
41
fundraisers for members and candidates of the General Assembly that are pro- housing. The HBAV Build-PAC is the vehicle that allows members to financially support the HBAV legislative efforts by supporting candidates for office that are pro-housing. Please consider a contribution to the HBAV Build- PAC. Your contribution will allow the HBAV legislative team to have your voices heard and support candidates that are supporting our industry.
Click the link below to support pro-housing candidates!
Every dollar helps!
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HBAV Annual Conference - June 21-24 -
Registration Deadline this week!
Join fellow members of the Home Builders Association of Virginia for the 2018 HBAV Annual Conference. The meeting will be held June 21-24, 2018 at LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. If you're looking for business development and networking opportunities with leaders in the home building industry from across Virginia, this is a can't miss event.
Turnout has been overwhelming and the hotel is almost sold out! Book your reservation today!
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Thank you 2018 HBAV Keystone Club Members!
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Thank you for your loyalty and your support of HBAV.
Sincerely,
Home Builders Association of Virginia
804.643.2797
707. East Franklin Street
Richmond, VA. 23219
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