JANUARY 2022 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. HO HO HO Home Builders & Remodelers Christmas Party The Season of Giving was in full force at the HBR Christmas Party with PAC donations presented from C.A. Jones, Inc., & New Tradition Homes completing the challenge and exceeding the goals set forth. WHATS INSIDE NAHB Challenges We Faced in 2021: Housing Affordability Chris Jones - 2015 President, Ryan Butler - 2021 President & Mike Needles, 2nd Vice President Upcoming Events Jan 21 - Government Official Reception & HBR Installation & Awards Banquet Feb 8-10 NAHB International Builder Show Feb 25, 26, 27 2022 Home Show Christmas Party pictorial The House That She Built Book New Home Starts thru October 2021 Annual Sponsorship Program 2022 Membership Renewal Updates 2022 EXHIBITOR BOOTH REGISTRATION Illinois Policy Institute: How Unions Flood Politicians with Cash and the Clout it Buys NAHB Safety Basics Video for employees HBAI New Leadership & Lobbyist Page 1
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Congratulations to all of our winners at the Christmas Party and to our lucky Sleigh of Spirits winner: Laura Schmidt w/ Custom Marble Page 4
Thank you all for coming and supporting the HBR Christmas Party and PWB Raffles. We had a great turn out to end the year. Page 5
Government unions in Illinois have tremendous power. Most are allowed to go on strike and can bargain over virtually anything.1 It creates an uneven playing field, with unions able to demand costly provisions in their contracts and threaten to strike – denying Illinoisans needed services – to get what they want.2 Until recently, the potential monetary influence of unions3 been adequately investigated. Using records from the Illinois State Board of Elections, the Illinois Policy Institute performed an in-depth study of the contributions received by current members of the state’s General Assembly during 2019-2020.4 ANALYSIS That analysis revealed more than $15.7 million flowed directly from unions and union political action committees to the campaigns of current lawmakers during 2019-2020. But those millions don’t tell the whole story. To better put that $15.7 million in context, the Institute’s review also found: The majority of sitting lawmakers – nearly 88% – received money from unions. More than one-third of the General Assembly received more than 20% of their campaign funds from unions. Some lawmakers received even more, with two members receiving more than half of their funding from unions and union political action committees. Democratic lawmakers were the main recipients, receiving nearly 95% of the direct union contributions. Of the more than $15.7 million dollars unions contributed to state lawmakers’ political campaigns in 2019-2020, over $14.9 million (94.9%) went to Democratic members. Recipients included 109 of 110 Democratic lawmakers who campaigned in 2019-2020. On the Republican side, 42 of 62 who campaigned in 2019-2020 received funds from unions, but the overall union share of those lawmakers’ receipts from unions was lower than those of their Democratic counterparts. Contributions from businesses or other associations paled in comparison to union contributions. While businesses frequently come under fire for corporate lobbying, records with the Illinois State Board of Elections show unions’ direct contributions were more substantial. For example, ComEd and its parent company, Exelon, together directly contributed just over $173,000 to lawmakers campaigning for election in 2019-2020. That compares to $2.7 million contributed by affiliates of the American Federation of Teachers and $1.9 million given by affiliates of the Service Employees International Union. Unions also funneled money to candidates in other ways. Besides direct contributions, unions also directed millions of dollars to Democratic Party campaign funds and former party chairman Michael J. Madigan, who re-directed money to candidate campaigns. In other words, the $15.7 million isn’t the only money unions used to fund sitting lawmakers who campaigned in 2019-2020. Why does this influx of union money to lawmakers matter? Because money is influential and can drive legislative decisions.5 In fact, union pressure contributed to the demise of multiple pieces of bipartisan legislation during the 2021 session.6 Most sitting lawmakers – nearly 88% – received money from unions, totaling at least 20% of funding for more than one-third of the Illinois General Assembly. The majority of current lawmakers received funds from unions in 2019-2020, with 151 of the 172 who campaigned receiving contributions.7 Perhaps more compelling is just how large a share these union contributions were of lawmakers’ total funds, with more than one-third of lawmakers receiving 20% or more of their funding from unions. Many lawmakers received more.8 The share of lawmakers’ contributions coming from unions helps explain the unions’ hold over what happens in the Illinois General Assembly – including whether popular bipartisan bills are passed or rejected. Democratic lawmakers received nearly 95% of direct union contributions. Unions demonstrated a clear political leaning in their campaign contributions. Not only did nearly all Democratic lawmakers who campaigned in 2019-2020 receive money from unions, but the overall amount of union contributions to Democratic lawmakers vastly outweighed that contributed to Republicans. Of the more than $15.7 million dollars unions contributed to lawmakers’ political campaigns in 2019-2020, over $14.9 million (94.9%) went to Democrats.9 Unions also funneled money to candidates in other ways. While unions funneled over $15.7 million to lawmakers in 2019-2020, that doesn’t represent the full amount.. That’s because unions can contribute to candidates in multiple ways, including: • Direct contributions to lawmakers’ campaign committees (i.e., the $15.7 million) • Contributions to political party committees, which then pass funds to the lawmakers’ campaign committees • Contributions to Michael Madigan’s campaign committee, which then pass funds to lawmakers’ campaign committees. CONCLUSION Unions’ monetary power over lawmakers cannot be precisely determined – in part because unions funnel money to candidates in multiple ways – but the union block of contributions appears to be unmatched in Illinois. In 2021, this influence helped unions kill bipartisan legislation that otherwise carried popular support. Evidence of unions’ financial contributions to sitting lawmakers, and the relative weight of those contributions in comparison to funding from other entities, cements unions as a lobbying powerhouse in Illinois. Not only do current labor laws favor unions over residents, but clearly unions use their wallets to ensure their power to advance their interests ahead of the interests of others. Endnotes and more data here Page 6 over lawmakers and the legislative process hadn’t
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Challenges We Faced in 2021: Housing Affordability Housing affordability has been an ongoing concern surrounding the home building industry, as factors such as lot and labor shortages continue to impact housing prices. The issue was compounded in 2021 by skyrocketing material prices, which had far -reaching effects on multiple aspects of the building industry, including affordable housing through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and teaching materials for much needed skill labor courses. Lumber price spikes sidelined buyers during a period of high demand, and forced builders to put projects on hold at a time when home inventories were already at a record low. Record-low mortgage rates helped to offset some of the rising costs at the beginning of the year, but many home buyers continued to be priced out of the market. NAHB research also noted a greater disparity for housing affordability challenges among minority households. NAHB closely monitored the administration’s response to these housing issues, while actively engaging in dialogue and challenging inefficient efforts around the factors contributing to a lack of housing affordability: • NAHB Senior Officers Bring a Housing Agenda to Capitol Hill (April 15, 2021) • Bringing Housing Home: Rising Lumber Prices Tops the Agenda (April 21, 2021) • NAHB Continues to Engage the Administration, Congress on Lumber (April 30, 2021) • Move to Double Lumber Tariffs Shows White House Does Not Care About Housing Affordability (May 22, 2021) • Real Estate Industry Unified Against White House Tax Proposals (May 24, 2021) • NAHB Tells HUD to Prioritize Housing Affordability (June 24, 2021) • NAHB Chairman Urges Congress to Boost Lumber Production from Federal Lands (June 29, 2021) • NAHB Urges Congress to Enact Policies to Help Builders Boost Housing Production (July 14, 2021) • Biden Administration Announces Steps to Increase Affordable Housing Supply (Sept. 1, 2021) • NAHB Calls on Biden to Act on Lumber and Supply Chain Bottlenecks (Oct. 7, 2021) • Action on Supply Chain Bottlenecks, Tariffs Needed to Boost Housing Affordability (Oct. 20, 2021) • NAHB Joins With Key Lawmakers to Stand Up for Housing (Oct. 20, 2021) • NAHB Leaders Discuss Lumber Tariffs with Canadian Officials (Dec. 6, 2021) • GOP Lawmakers Hear Firsthand Account on How Supply-Chain Woes Delay Home Construction (Dec. 9, 2021) Housing affordability has remained steady over the course of these efforts: According to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), 56.6% of new and existing homes sold during the second and third quarter of 2021 were affordable to families earning the U.S. median income of $79,900. However, it’s still the lowest affordability level since the beginning of the revised series in the first quarter of 2012. NAHB will continue to be outspoken on the challenges surrounding housing affordability and work diligently to ensure that they are taken into account as part of any housing efforts on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the factors contributing to housing affordability and how it can be addressed at nahb.org. Page 8
All inside booths are 10’ x 10’ with exception of booth # 103 and include rear curtain, side rails and 110v electric. Tables and chairs are included in booth investment. $800 for HBR members $950 for non-HBR members. 2022 All Outside booths are 10’ x 10’ with 110v electric, a table and chairs included. Outside booths do not include any curtains. $250 for HBR members $350 for non-HBR members. NEW FRIDAY 25 2pm—8pm Floor Plan Facility Improvements & Management SATURDAY 26 10am—7pm SUNDAY 27 11am—4pm Page 9 200 S Belt E, Belleville IL Interactive floorplan www.hbrmea.org/ home-show FEB FEB FEB
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Cover the Safety Basics with a New NAHB Video Toolbox Talk Working in construction can be dangerous. Workers can be exposed to hazards such as falls, powered and heavy equipment, and harmful chemicals. Before your employees step on the jobsite, be sure they are familiar with the basic safety hazards and understand how to protect themselves while at work. NAHB has published a new safety video toolbox talk, Safety Basics, to help home builders familiarize their staff with the hazards of a residential construction site. While construction work can be inherently dangerous, understanding hazards and creating a safety plan to address them will help keep everyone safe on the jobsite. The first step is recognizing the most common causes of construction site injuries, like: • Falling from heights • Electrical shock • Defective or unsafe equipment • Falling objects • Improper ladder usage • Manual material handling • Trench cave-ins and collapses NAHB has detailed video toolbox talks on each of these hazards. But for new workers, perhaps as a part of orientation, the Safety Basics video (below) covers the most important topics. HBAI has officially installed their 2022 Officers with the following slate: President: Dean Graven from Springfield Area HBA - former President of HBAI (pictured top right) 1st VP: Allen Drews from Northern IL HBA - former President of HBAI Treasurer: Mark Vogt from HBRMEA - former President of HBAI Secretary, Jason Huelsmann from HBRMEA Associate 1st VP: Tim Stephens from Effingham Area HBA Associate 2nd VP: Alan Hupp from East Central HBA (Champaign) Other HBR Appointments: Director, Mike Rathgeb Local VP, Steve Macaluso HBAI New Lobbyist is Mike Mannion (pictured bottom right), is a regulatory and public policy lawyer with nearly 25 year of experience advising senior executive-level clients, boards of directors, CEOs and Presidents of corporations and trade associations on a wide range of matters, including federal and state regulatory and legislative issues. Page 11
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RENEWING MEMBERS Allen Roofing - 25 years Huntington Chase Corporation - 17 years REMODELERS COUNCIL RENEWALS Yaekel & Associates Insurance Services NEW MEMBERS Kim Thomas 1012 Plumber Dr., Ste 202, Edwardsville, IL 62025 O: 618.692.6141 x5925 C: 217.341.1587 Email: kim.thomas@iltitlecenter.com www.iltitlecenter.com Mike Thomas 6467 Konarcik Rd., Waterloo, IL 62298 O: 618.960.6394 Email: mthomas@kbcontracting618.com Page 13
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6100 West Main Street Maryville, IL 62062 Phone: 618-343-6331 E-mail: tbutler@hbrmea.org Web: www.hbrmea.org
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