NAHB fall leadership meeting update
December 14, 2022
NAHB State Representative, Nick Scheel shares some highlights from the 2022 Fall Leadership Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. With the retirement of NAHB CEO Jerry Howard approaching and a general feeling that NAHB has become disconnected from local home building associations, there was a lot of discussion regarding the association’s future.
While Nick has not been shy with his critiques when he felt it was justified, the conversations at this meeting left him feeling more optimistic that the current and future leadership recognize the challenges ahead and seek real solutions moving forward.
Association news
Applications for committee appointments closed on Nov. 20. You can find specific committee reports at nahb.org/leadership-and-committees and on the NAHB Meetings app.
Associate Senior Leadership position: A bylaw amendment to create an Associate Senior Leadership position was pulled before the Leadership Meeting.
Fall leadership meeting locations through 2025: NAHB announced future fall leadership meetings in Palm Springs (2023), San Antonio (2024) and Denver (2025).
Design/Construction Week: NAHB expects DCW to be the largest show to date, co-located with the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and National Hardware Show. Attendees will have over 1.2 million sq. ft. of show floor to visit.
Government Affairs
Material shortages: NAHB’s regulatory and legislative teams continue their work to encourage the administration to take action on issues relating to material shortages. With lumber futures beginning to stabilize, the global transformer shortage has become the latest hot-button issue limiting development.
Webinars on “Inflation Reduction Act:” NAHB has held two webinars on the potential impacts of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act on our member’s businesses. You can find those recordings at nahb.org/advocacy/industry-issues/inflation- reduction-act.
Independent contractor rules: The team is also closely monitoring the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed independent contractor rule changes.
Economic Update
Dr. Robert Dietz, NAHB’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Economics and Housing Policy, provided his latest economic forecast. He sees interest rate hikes continuing into the next three quarters, likely a 75 basis point hike, followed by 50, then 25 basis point increases. He predicts the ‘soft landing’ the Fed is aiming for is likely optimistic. Dietz forecasts a slowdown over the next 15 months, with housing beginning to rebound in 2024 as interest rates begin to retract.
*Original article was written by Nick Scheel NAHB State Representative and featured in the Nov./Dec. issue of Building Insight magazine.