A Reflection on Belonging

This article first appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of Pro Builder.

As members of the National Association of Home Builders gathered in Washington, D.C., in early June for NAHB’s annual Legislative Conference and spring leadership meetings, I was struck anew by the feeling of connectedness I have when among my peers. Home builders, remodelers, marketers, architects, educators, and other industry professionals all gathered in one place, working together to make residential construction, and our country, stronger.

I also thought about you, the reader. You may be an NAHB member; you may have even joined us in D.C. in June. But it’s likely you don’t yet belong to our association. Certainly, you strive for excellence in your craft, providing the best possible products and services for your customers. You wouldn’t be taking the time to read this publication to learn more about the latest in housing news and ideas if you didn’t believe in innovation and personal and professional growth.

NAHB Membership: Investing in Your Future, and the Future of the Industry

Which is why I write to you now. Being a member of NAHB is an investment in yourself and in your business. It’s also an investment in the future of home building. During our Legislative Conference, more than 700 housing professionals engaged in more than 300 meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, advocating on behalf of our industry. And when builders speak up, legislators listen.

Transformer shortages, workforce development funding, energy codes, and regulatory overreach were at the top of our meeting agendas, and I believe we will see intentional action as a result. Since we spoke with Congress, we’ve already seen several key pieces of legislation move forward:

Bills in the House and Senate protecting transformer production for the next five years.
A House bill that would restore meaningful congressional oversight of regulatory rule-making.
And a bill in the House seeking to protect consumer access to gas stoves.

These are all important issues, and NAHB is on the front lines for the whole industry. Our staff experts in Washington—including leading housing economists developing critical data, a robust legal team fighting for housing in the courts, and experienced regulatory analysts working for commonsense rules—are a resource not found anywhere else.

Advocacy is our core business, but building homes, enriching communities, and changing lives is our core mission. We accomplish this by fostering an environment where industry professionals can learn from leaders in the industry and from one another. We have tools and systems in place, such as a members-only networking platform and mentoring programs that connect the industry from coast to coast and everywhere in between.

Diversifying and growing NAHB’s membership is about much more than the success of this association, it’s about your success.

Each day, you go to work at a jobsite or an office and work with your team. But as an NAHB member, you go to work knowing you’re a part of something much larger, working for a mission bigger than all of us: housing opportunity and attainability for all. Every time you swing a hammer, design a room remodel, or counsel an apprentice, you know you’re doing so alongside thousands of others working together to make one another great.

As our industry grows and changes in the wake of a global pandemic and major economic shifts, we need more backgrounds, experiences, opinions, and expertise to future-proof our industry. Whether it’s supply chain issues or inflation uncertainties, we will continue to face headwinds, but with new voices, we can identify and implement new ideas. Diversifying and growing NAHB’s membership is about much more than the success of this association, it’s about your success.

You will find belonging within NAHB, so come join us. Pull up a chair: We have plenty of seats at the table.

To learn more, visit nahb.org/value. And remember to join us at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Feb. 27-29, 2024. Registration opens Sept. 1.

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IBS Registration Opens Sept. 1: Registration for the NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS)—the premier event for the residential construction industry—is just around the corner. The show offers the latest, most innovative products, outstanding education programs, and the best networking opportunity of the year. Don’t miss your chance to join us in Las Vegas, Feb. 27-29, 2024. Registration opens Sept. 1, 2023, at buildersshow.com, with significant savings for NAHB members through the end of September.

Professional Women in Building: The NAHB Professional Women in Building Council (PWB) is the voice of women in the building industry—dedicated to promoting industry professionalism and supporting members at the local, state, and national levels. Through education, professional development, and networking opportunities, PWB helps members acquire and develop leadership and business management skills that boost career success. This Sept. 11-15, NAHB will celebrate women in our industry during Professional Women in Building Week. Visit nahb.org/pwbweek to help raise awareness of the opportunities for women in the home building industry.

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