Over the last couple of months, NEFBA members have been busy participating in our state and national association activities.
In July, several NEFBA members attended the Southeast Building Conference hosted by the Florida Home Builders Association in Kissimmee.
Following our annual tradition, more than 35 members attended the NEFBA family dinner at Café D’Antonio in Celebration. The dinner always is a great opportunity for members from various areas of our association to come together and get to know each other.
The trip was much more than a social event.
Members attended the FHBA business meetings throughout the week.
The trip culminated with NEFBA members participating in the FHBA board of directors meeting, where under the leadership of 2016 NEFBA President Chet Skinner, they led the effort to have FHBA pass a resolution opposing the National Association of Home Builders’ dues increase set to take effect in 2017.
Shortly after SEBC, Skinner, Rick Morales, Lee Arsenault, Ron Harris and Jerry Dean, NEFBA’s delegates to the NAHB board of directors, headed to Miami to participate in the board’s midyear meeting.
Past President Greg Matovina also was on hand to help frame NEFBA’s message.
While there, NEFBA collaborated with the Michigan state association and leadership from FHBA to strengthen the challenge to the NAHB dues increase.
At the board meeting, with quite a bit of opposition from the NAHB Budget and Finance Committee, the full board voted to allow for a vote at the International Builders Show in January to suspend the increase for one year.
That means in January, two-thirds of the NAHB board must vote in favor of suspending the increase for one year.
“We feel good about progressing this far and we will work hard to have the full Florida delegation participating and supporting the vote to suspend the increase,” said Corey Deal, NEFBA executive officer. “In addition, we as an association plan to increase our role at the national level so we can be involved earlier in the decision-making process.
“NEFBA President Chet Skinner played a key role at both FHBA and NAHB in communicating NEFBA’s message that while we support the federal advocacy effort provided by NAHB, we oppose the $16 per member dues increase based on the fact that between 2015 and 2016, they increased their expenses by 14 percent,” Deal continued. “President Skinner encouraged NAHB to operate with the same stewardship of their budget that NEFBA operates with our budget.”
A second item that will take place in 2017 is a full review of the NAHB business model.
Deal said NEFBA and many other associations throughout the country believe the NAHB business model needs to be updated to remain a viable entity in the coming years.
The Builders Association of the Twin Cities, the eighth largest association in the federation, has already severed its affiliation with NAHB.
That was roughly a 1,100-member hit to the bottom line of NAHB and it reflects the level of frustration among the locals with the overall federation.
Deal and Skinner have requested NEFBA be given a seat at the table on the task force addressing that item.
“If we are going to remain in the federation, the only way to turn the ship is to get on board, which will happen as we get much more involved,” Deal said. “If you have interest in getting more involved at NAHB, please let me know.
“I especially want to thank the NEFBA board of directors. Talking to other executive officers from throughout the country and participating in the NAHB process reminds me how thankful I am for our NEFBA family and what this place means to each of you and to me,” Deal continued.
“We run efficiently and effectively under the executive committee’s leadership. And that leadership — and our members — make our association great,” he said.