BIA Advocacy Update

City of Fargo: 2024 newly adopted building codes and local amendments; IFCG and IMC

Fargo adopted new building codes July 2, 2025. They will begin enforcing them Jan. 1, 2026.

For a list of all current codes, click here.

Mechanical license holders and mechanical contractors should've received the following memorandum from the city. It includes important changes to be aware of. 

We encourage all those that work with mechanical contractors to review the changes as well. 

*We know that new codes can be daunting. The Association hopes to feature a Building Officials Corner in the upcoming months, providing a summary of important code changes to be aware of. 

NAHB News: Gas bans impacting housing affordability 

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, residential electricity prices in the U.S. are surging, with costs up 4.3% in 2025 and projected for another 4.1% increase in 2026. 

Some of this can likely be attributed to artificial intelligence (AI) data centers which require an increased demand for electric power. According to NAHB, another reason may be local and state bans on using natural gas for newly constructed homes. 27 states have some type of preemption law that prevents a natural gas ban, including North Dakota.

However, some states have gas bans, including New York, which recently passed a statewide ban impacting new buildings up to seven stories starting in Jan. 2026 and new buildings of more than seven stories in Jan. 2029. Local governments have also been exploring legislation, including Montgomery County, M.D., which placed a ban on gas on new home construction beginning in 2027.

One piece of legislation at the federal level attempting to block this trend, is the Energy Choice Act (H.R. 3699) which the House of Representatives introduced in June 2025. This was an item brought to Washington, D.C. in June at the NAHB Legislative Conference. While our North Dakota delegation is highly supportive of energy choice, it’s important to consider the nationwide impacts that state and local government bans could have on affordability. 

Click here for more information.

Helpful resource for housing and economic stats: NAHB's Eye On Housing

For all those interested in statistics and real-time housing information, NAHB's Eye On Housing website is a terrific resource. It includes data on interest rates, single-family, townhome and multifamily construction, home sales, the rental market and more.

You can also access the NAHB Metro Area Dashboard, which includes demographic, housing market and local economic data. Click here to access the dashboard, where you can sort by state and metro area.