APR I L 2021 NEWSLETTER To promote, educate and advocate for the Residential Building & Remodeling Industry; providing resources that benefit industry professionals and consumers in the communities we serve. HBR Events are back in swing! 80+ golfers, volunteers and visitors came out for a cool, rainy day for Anybody’s game at Top Golf picking up where we left off a year ago when the pandemic put a stop to most of our social events. Check out the pictures, scores and sponsorship recognition on the following pages. WHATS INSIDE Upcoming Events Apr 22 - Power Women Luncheon & Earthworks Tour May 21 - Sport Clay Shoot Challenge RANKEN TECHNICAL COLLEGE Virtual Job Fair SAVE THE DATE: June 24 - Bury The Hatchet / Axe Throwing Event July 16 - Herschel E. Johnson Golf Classic Membership Announcements HBAI Legislative Session Update NAHB News: Lumber Prices Effecting Home Repairs Legal Victory for CDC Eviction Moratorium PROGRESS UPDATES Illinois Policy Institute: Government Units effecting property taxes Page 1
Bays with a view brought comfort and appreciation to HBR Members being back together and enjoying a fun filled afternoon. Catching up with familiar faces, meeting new industry professionals and just enjoying time together was the theme. Top notch service with food, beverages and smiles in abundance. BAY SPONSORS Most participants came over by bus but everyone was ready to get the party started! The HBR is forever honored to bring our Industry together on all levels. Page 2
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This wasn’t our typical competition with prizes for the best scores but….scores were kept and those that did great will have bragging rights until next time at TopGolf. Team Name (only top 4 scores used) Carrollton Bank / Light Brite Henges Interiors Yaekel & Associates Fulford Home Remodeling / Parksite Arrowhead Building Supply Superior Home Products / Wausau Supply First Mid Bank & Trust (Groober) CertainTeed Custom Marble / First Mid Bank & Trust (Coolbaugh) Guaranteed Rate (Cara) Sherwin Williams Guaranteed Rate (Chandler) & C.A. Jones, Inc. First Mid Bank & Trust (Tricia) Fulford Homes LLC Johnson Home Contracting / Pella STL Score - TopGolf 550 409 374 366 360 337 305 301 276 Team Fulford Home Remodeling & Parksite Team Yaekel & Associates 275 275 268 251 244 242 Team CertainTeed Team Guaranteed Rate / Cara Srogus Team Superior Home Products & Wausau Supply Team Carrollton Bank & Light Brite Team Arrowhead & ProVia Team Fulford Homes LLC Page 4
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Team Name (only top 4 scores used) Yaekel & Associates Carrollton Bank / Light Brite Custom Marble / First Mid Bank & Trust (Coolbaugh) Fulford Home Remodeling / Parksite Henges Interiors Arrowhead Building Supply First Mid Bank & Trust (Groober) First Mid Bank & Trust (Tricia) Guaranteed Rate (Cara) Superior Home Products / Wausau Supply CertainTeed Johnson Home Contracting / Pella STL Guaranteed Rate (Chandler) & C.A. Jones, Inc. Fulford Homes LLC Sherwin Williams Score - TopShot 400 319 316 304 286 271 268 237 227 224 177 144 140 100 31 Team First Mid Bank & Trust (Groober) INDIVIDUAL SCORES TOP GOLF 248 Dan Abegg, Carrollton Bank 175 Taylor Nott, Sherwin Williams 149 Ken Heidbreder, Fulford Home Remodeling 126 Dave Naumann, Henges Interiors 126 Mark Gau, Henges Interiors 124 Shawn McNew, Superior Home Products 119 Jason Kell, Wausau Supply 116 Matt Kraft, Custom Marble 113 John Whiteside, CertainTeed 112 Mike Vogt, Yaekel & Associates Page 6 TOP SHOT 146 Tim Pace, Yaekel & Associates 122 Matt Kraft, Custom Marble 110 Jason Kell, Wausau Supply 101 Matt Warren, Carrollton Bank 100 Dan Abegg, Carrollton Bank 99 Chad Doyle, Guaranteed Rate 96 Kevin Benson, Yaekel & Associates 91 Trent Ketchum, Fulford Home Remodeling 89 Tim Murphy, Arrowhead Building Supply 89 Jeremy Kocinski, First Mid Bank & Trust Team C.A. Jones and Guaranteed Rate (Chandler) Team Johnson Home Contracting & Pella STL Team Henges Interiors Team Custom Marble & First Mid Bank & Trust (Coolbaugh) Team First Mid Bank & Trust (Tricia)
Illinois House & Senate Highlights SPEAKER Bill Ward, Executive Vice President The Illinois General Assembly has made it to the midway point of the 2021 Spring Session. The remote session now takes a two-week break before returning to conclude the State’s business by May 31. The following bills affect the housing industry and have received committee approval in the Illinois House or Senate. HB804 – Williams – Clean Energy Jobs Act will require electric car chargers in all parking spaces on new home construction and remodeling. It also allows municipalities to go beyond the State’s Energy Conservation Code to adopt a Stretch Energy Code that requires homes to be built with a site energy index of 50% of the 2006 ECC. HBAI Opposes. HB116 – Guzzardi – Repeals current state statute prohibiting localities from imposing rent control ordinances. HBAI Opposes. HB1932 – McCombie – Allows units of local government to waive any fees for permits and inspections for construction after a natural disaster. HBAI supports. HB1738 – Smith – Extends the Registered Interior Designers Registration Act to December 31, 2032. HBAI supports. HB246 – Creates the Landscape Architects Registration Act. No person shall use the title “Landscape Architect” without being registered with the Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation. HBAI is Neutral. SB2201 – Sims – Provides that a zoning ordinance cannot prohibit residential construction of an industrialized residential structure or manufactured home provided the structure is compatible with the character or the development; meets aesthetic compatibility; and meets applicable standards for exterior design. HBAI is Neutral. Bills Held in Committee The following bills have not received favorable passage out of House or Senate Committees at this time. HB567 – Yingling – Expanded Use of Vacant Lot Act. HBAI Supports. HB812 – Gabel – No Municipal Prohibition of ADUs. HBAI is Neutral. HB798 – Willis – Allows NICET Level II Inspectors for Fire Sprinkler Systems. HBAI Supports. HB847 – Meier – Landlord Protection on Prohibition of Evictions. HBAI Supports. HB2927 – Mazzochi – Zoning Freeze after Plat Approval. HBAI Supports. HB190 – Ford – Abandoned Property Petition. HBAI is Neutral. Page 7 HB36 – Stuart – Lowers trailer fees from $118 to $18. HBAI Supports. HB117 – Guzzardi – Lowers Employee Threshold for Secure Choice. HBAI is Neutral. HB47 – Mason – 50% fee reduction on LLC registration. HBAI Supports. HB805 – Tarver – Property Tax Incentive for Affordable Rental Housing. HBAI Supports. HB2555 – Gabel – State Standards for Household Appliances. HBAI Opposes. HB2767 – Mah – 3rd Party Appeals on EPA Permits. HBAI Opposes. HB3492 – Moylan – Allows forced annexations and allows localities to write their own rules on disconnection of real estate. HBAI Opposes. HB74 – Flowers – Paid Family Leave Act. HBAI Opposes. HB860 – Davis – Allows Assessors to assess rental property based on the value of the property AND the income it produces. HBAI Opposes. SB120 – Harmon – Local Government Fuel Tax. HBAI Opposes. SB1972 – Fine – State Wetlands Protection Program. HBAI Opposes. SB17178 – Castro – Mandates electric car chargers in all residential parking spaces and allows localities to impose the Stretch Energy Code on new construction and remodeling. HBAI Opposes. HB3530 – Ammons – Eliminates Illinois as an “At Will” State. Requires employers to discharge employees for only “Just Cause.” HBAI Opposes. HB3898 – Gordon-Booth – Provides employees with 40 hours paid sick leave for a 12-month period or a pro rata number of hours for less than 12 months. HBAI opposes. SB1660 – Joyce – Allows a one-time $118 payment for a permanent trailer license plate or $18 per year. HBAI Supports. If you want to know more about each of these legislative initiatives, go to ilga.gov. If you have questions or concerns regarding our position on these bills, you can call or write me at (217) 753-3963, or billward@hbai.org.
Critical Home Repairs Delayed Because of Sky-High Lumber Prices Florida. “Insurance companies paid out too many of these customers six to 18 months ago at a rate that was current at the time. This has created a huge difference in money received versus current costs today. A repair project we have had on the list for a year would now cost us almost three times as much to do compared to a year ago.” Home Owners Feel the Impact Cost increases have had an impact on home owners across the board, from those in need of critical assistance to those As lumber prices remain sky high, home-building activities continue to suffer across all aspects of the industry — including remodeling projects. Home owners have had an opportunity while sheltering in place to examine their homes and identify key areas in need of repair. But many have been apprehensive to tackle these projects because of the uncertain costs and availability of project materials. “When talking to prospective clients about projects, lumber pricing is now always part of the discussion, as they are aware of the issue, and are all concerned about how that may impact the cost of their projects,” shared Kenneth Kostecki, a contractor/remodeler from Virginia. “Availability of other materials — such as windows, doors, appliances, plumbing fixtures, tiles, etc., — have also been in very short supply and/or with extended lead times,” he added. “This has led to additional project delays, which has impacted both cash flow and the overall project schedule, meaning that home owners are left in the middle of a construction project with their house torn apart and unfinished for a longer period of time.” Such an uncomfortable and unsafe living environment for a prolonged period of time is a deterrent not just for general updates, but for critical repairs as well, which many home owners are forgoing or having to find creative workarounds to help ensure their home is safe and functional. “Twice this year I have had to put plywood over a customers’ patio door to prevent them from falling out of the back of their home. Why? Because their deck was unsafe and needed to be demolished, but there wasn’t enough new material available to rebuild it within the value of their home improvement loan when material prices escalated,” stated Jarrett Kravitz, a builder/remodeler from Connecticut. “Due to rising lumber cost and shortages, we have had to put many projects on hold. This greatly impacts our customers, especially those still attempting to get hurricane repairs done,” shared Gabrielle Pumphery, a builder from who have been planning projects for years. “I had a home owner that was a disabled vet that couldn’t afford a wheelchair ramp due to the rising cost in lumber,” stated Dennis Sweet, a builder in Michigan. “We partner with charitable community organizations that provide housing repairs for lower-income families,” noted Chris Winters, a remodeler from Washington. “These are volunteer organizations that rely on donations to purchase needed materials. With the increase in lumber prices, the charitable donations are not able to accomplish as much.” “We’ve been saving for quite a while to finish our basement and finally reached the point a few weeks ago that we felt comfortable to do it,” Jaime Patterson, a home owner in Pennsylvania, explained. “We had anticipated $35,000 to $40,000 to finish and furnish our basement. We were told that, with the price of lumber going up so much, we were looking at $35,000 to $40,000 just to finish it.” “We are beyond disappointed after having saved up for so long, only to find out that we still can’t afford to do what we’d like to do,” she added. “We weren’t looking for anything extravagant — just more living space. Now we can’t even have that.” For many of these home owners, these projects are stalled for the immediate future at least — if they ever get started at all. “Since our last hurricane, I have been in the process of repairing damages around my property, including fences, storage buildings, etc. — all of which are not covered by hurricane insurance,” shared Robert Quint, a home owner in Florida, who is retired and on a limited budget. “The other day I decided to repair a section of fence and went to Home Depot to get pressure treated 2x4s, and I couldn’t believe the price — almost $9 each.” “Needless to say, my fence project never took off,” he added. “The cost of other lumber I would need for other repairs is ridiculous. I guess things won’t get fixed for a while.” Page 8
This is the official rendering of the Showcase Home. The excitement is contagious for all the selections made and to start the construction. The appraisal has been completed coming in at a value of $385k, builders risk insurance is in place, building permit is approved and the construction loan is closed. This month the plan is to start: • Basement excavation • Re-stake foundation • Install footers • Set and Pour foundation walls • Install sewer and water • Basement plumbing rough • Back fill foundation • Pour basement and garage floors As we continue to complete the milestones we are documenting the steps for consumer awareness that is posted on our website and social media. Click on the video picture to the right to view the videos we have completed. NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION FLOOR PLAN SELECTION CHOOSING YOUR LENDER FOR NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION Page 9 CHOOSING THE LOT FOR YOUR NEW HOME
Victory for Members! In an important example of the value of membership, NAHB has scored a major victory for all our members nationwide regarding a recent legal ruling that overturns the federal eviction moratorium decision by the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC). As a result of this legal decision in favor of NAHB, the CDC eviction moratorium is currently set aside with respect to all NAHB members nationwide. However, the eviction moratorium may still apply to landlords who are not NAHB members. Moreover, NAHB members must still comply with state or local eviction restrictions. On March 10, NAHB won a key legal decision when the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio ruled that, by issuing an eviction moratorium, the CDC exceeded the authority granted to it by Congress. NAHB brought the lawsuit as a plaintiff on behalf of its members and we were the only association to do so. On March 24, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that the district court’s order applies to all NAHB members across the nation who rent residential properties to covered persons who submitted CDC declarations — not just those who reside in Ohio. In other words, pending further guidance from the district court or subject to an appeal by the DOJ, the CDC eviction moratorium is currently set aside for all NAHB members. This distinction – “all NAHB members” – is crucial. The reason the decision was set aside for all NAHB members across the nation and not all landlords is because NAHB was a plaintiff in the case and we had “representational standing.” This means NAHB was acting as a representative of its members who have been impacted by the moratorium. When an association wins a case like this, the decision applies to all its members. This victory for all NAHB members shows how our association is working on behalf of our entire federation and producing concrete results to help your businesses and our industry. And while this is an important win, NAHB continues to urge members to seek access to the $46.5 billion of rental funding through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program via your local government and housing authorities. NAHB worked for a year with Congress and two administrations to ensure flexible funding so tenants are able to pay their rent and stay safely housed during the pandemic. Although funds have not been released as quickly as anticipated, NAHB has always stated that the best way to help all parties is through emergency funding and not moratorium mandates. Finally, recent media reports indicate that the CDC may seek to extend the federal eviction moratorium, which is set to expire on March 31. Given the district court’s ruling on March 10, even if the CDC does take action to extend the eviction moratorium, it should not apply to NAHB members. For more information on the legal decision, contact Tom Ward, NAHB’s Vice President for Legal Advocacy Page 10
RENEWING MEMBERS McCullough’s Flooring Enterprise - 17 years NEW MEMBERS REMODELERS COUNCIL Sherwin Williams PROFESSIONAL WOMEN IN BUILDING COUNCIL 1st National Bank of Waterloo AUTCO Home Appliances Belleville Supply Company BOS C.A. Jones, Inc. (4 - Three New!) Earthworks (2) Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (3) Michael Cushing CMC Electric, Inc. PO Box 938, Maryville, IL 62062 O: (618) 345-2008 Info@cmcelectric.com www.cmcelectric.com Shellie Dawson Granite Heroes 552 E. Osage St., Pacific, MO 63069 O: (636) 393-0000 sdawson@graniteheroesstl.com www.graniteheroesstl.com Keith Carver Show Me Blinds 7 Shutters 933 S. Kirkwood Rd., Kirkwood, MO 63122 O: (314) 909-1177 keith@showmeblinds.com www.showmeblinds.com Page 11
Ranken students focus on hands-on training “learn by doing” style. Construction programs include Carpentry, Building Construction Technology, Engineering, Estimating, Plumbing & HVAC. Students in the final semesters take their learned skills to the job site to build a home for practical experience. REGISTER HERE! Past graduates and current students in attendance. This site also allows you to post job openings Contact Janie Summers 314.286.3665 Email: jksummers@ranken.edu Page 12
TOO MANY GOVERNMENT UNITS MEANS PROPERTY TAXES ARE TOO HIGH Patrick Andriesen Budget & Tax Illinois has more units of local government than any other state and the second-highest property taxes in the nation. House Bill 1861 would have given Illinoisians the power to potentially reduce both at the ballot box. Illinois is home to nearly nearly 6,000, layers of government, excluding school districts – over 1,000 more than Indiana,... Illinois has more units of local government than any other state and the second-highest property taxes in the nation. House Bill 1861 would have given Illinoisians the power to potentially reduce both at the ballot box. Illinois is home to nearly nearly 6,000, layers of government, excluding school districts – over 1,000 more than Indiana, Kentucky and Iowa combined. The average Illinoisian lives under six layers of government, which are often duplicative and share overlapping duties. Illinoisians find themselves paying those multiple layers of government for nearly identical services, leading to excessive property taxes. Sponsored by state Rep. Jonathan Carroll, DNorthbrook, the aim of HB 1861 is to empower taxpayers to consolidate townships at the local level without relying on permission from Springfield. The bill failed to make it out of a House committee by the March 26 deadline, but it could return in the fall. While Illinois has more than 1,400 townships, only McHenry County residents currently have the power to eliminate them. A county-specific bill was signed into law in 2019, giving McHenry County taxpayers the opportunity to eliminate any of the county’s townships by a referendum. Evanston and Belleville were both required to appeal to the Illinois General Assembly to dissolve Evanston Township and Belleville Township. Both cities shared identical boundaries with the townships. Despite a vote showing two-thirds of residents favored dissolution, Evanston could only move forward after Springfield lawmakers approved. The move ultimately saved taxpayers almost $800,000 in 2015 and will save approximately $19.4 million over 20 years, according to The Civic Federation. Belleville taxpayers saved $260,000 after Belleville Township was eliminated in 2017 following a multiyear effort including the special legislation. The township’s sole function was to hand out a small amount of aid to about 40 qualifying residents. HB 1861 would expand the power granted to McHenry County to all counties in Illinois, giving Illinoisans greater autonomy to cut taxpayer-funded government inefficiencies in their local community. House Bill 433, the Citizen’s Empowerment Act, would take HB 1861 a step farther. It, too, failed to advance to the full House by March 26 but could resurface in the fall or a version could be taken up in the Illinois Senate. By obtaining signatures from 5% of the total residents who voted in the preceding general election, taxpayers could put a referendum on the next ballot to dissolve a local government entity. While the aim of government consolidation is to save property tax dollars, there currently is no guarantee taxpayers’ dollars cannot be used against their efforts to eliminate government layers. House Bill 566, sponsored by state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, would prohibit the governmental unit targeted for elimination, and public officials of that unit, from using public funds to oppose the measure. It, too, remains in a House committee and will not be considered by the full House during the current session. Ultimately, Illinoisians should get to choose their local government, not have local and state government choose what is right for them. Consolidation is an essential step toward improving efficiency and transparency in those local governments while reducing Illinois homeowners’ crushing property tax burdens. Page 13
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OFFICERS P L A T I N U M President, Ryan Butler Remington Properties 1st Vice President, Mike Lippert Liese Lumber 2nd Vice President, Mike Needles C.A. Jones, Inc. Associate Vice President, Mindy Shafer Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Treasurer, Scott Gruber First Mid Bank & Trust Secretary, Jerry Yaekel Yaekel & Associates, Inc. Immediate Past President, Aaron Klemme Klemme Construction DIRECTORS G O L D S I L V E R Allen Roofing & Siding B R O N Z Page 15 Jason Klein - Ameren Illinois Barry Buchman - Arrowhead Building Supply Matt Warren - Carrollton Bank Coy Mullenix - CMI Construction Michelle Rauk - Eagle Flooring Mark Fulford - Fulford Construction John Snapat - Fulford Home Remodeling Steve Macaluso - Halloran Construction Jon Elder - Henges Interiors Robert Dee, Jr. - Homes by Deesign, Inc. Scott Blumberg - Huntington Chase Ken Diel - Kerber, Eck & Braeckel Mike Lippert - Liese Lumber Josh McDermott - J.T. McDermott Remodeling Contractors Derek Brandmeyer - Light Brite Jason Huelsmann - New Tradition Homes David Padgett - Padgett Building & Remodeling Ron Padgett - Padgett Building & Remodeling Scot Lehr - Quality Installation & Home Improvement Jeff Schmidt - RLP Development Sue Schultz - Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C. Mike Rathgeb - Spencer Homes Mark Vogt - Vogt Builders, Inc. Jim Vernier - Village of Shiloh
6100 West Main Street Maryville, IL 62062 Phone: 618-343-6331 E-mail: tbutler@hbrmea.org Web: www.hbrmea.org
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