BIA Advocacy Update

City of Fargo: Significant Changes In 2024 Codes

The city's inspections department would like to remind members of the following changes included in the 2024 codes adoption. 

These changes took effect on Jan. 1, 2026 and apply to all applicable residential projects submitted. The link above outlines the key changes and expectations to ensure compliance during plan review and inspections. 

City of Fargo Recycling Department Seeks Collaboration

Please read the information below provided by the department.

The City of Fargo is looking to partner with local entities who’s industries generate construction related waste and recyclables, primarily cardboard. Their goal is to reduce or eliminate recyclables from this waste stream.

The Fargo Landfill is permitted by the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and has a mandated goal of at least a 40% reduction of waste disposal within our community, businesses and schools that the Fargo Landfill services.

Cardboard remains a valuable commodity in the recycling industry, is easily recyclable and requires minimal effort to separate from other wastes.

The City offers several options for recycling cardboard (dumpsters, roll offs, etc.) both long-term and temporarily such as on active construction sites.  Private haulers operating in the City also offer options for separate cardboard containers.  Cardboard kept separate can be delivered directly to the local recycling facility, Minnkota Recycling.

It is the responsibility of both the customer and hauler to ensure that waste delivered to the Fargo Landfill does not contain excessive amounts of cardboard. Containers or loads with excessive amounts of cardboard may be rejected and returned to the customer.

Please contact the City of Fargo Recycling Department with any questions, (701) 241-1449. 

House Prices Decline in Local Markets Despite National Growth

According to NAHB's economics team, based on information from the third quarter, home prices in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA declined by 0.66%. 

Nationally, home prices have continued to rise, but the picture varies by market. Some areas are still seeing growth, while others have started to decline after several years of rapid increases.

Since the start of the pandemic, housing prices have climbed drastically. Between the first quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2025, national home prices rose 54.9%. Local markets saw gains as well, with cumulative increases ranging from 18.3% to 88.4%. In fact, 159 metro areas hit their highest-ever home prices in the third quarter of 2025.

Despite those increases, more than half of metro areas experienced at least some decline from the peak. These declines range from a very small 0.1% decrease to a more notable 12.7%, with most of the downturns beginning in late 2024 or early 2025.

Fargo-Moorhead is experiencing this cooling trend seen in many markets, but our decline is on the lighter end. 

Read more in this article from NAHB's Eye on Housing.

One Big Beautiful Bill Changes Potentially Lowering Your Taxes

With tax season in full swing, NAHB provided some reminders on some tax changes you may be able to utilize.

Businesses:

• Full expensing (100% bonus depreciation) restored for business investments made after Jan. 19, 2025.
• Increased Section 179 limits and phase-outs for small business expensing made effective for all of 2025.
• Section 460(e) Completed Contract rules expanded to include condominiums, in addition to single-family homes. This is a key tax accounting provision that ensure home builders are not taxed on deposits paid by a buyer during construction of a single-family home. It extends the same tax treatment to deposits paid by condominium buyers during the construction phase, effective for contracts entered into after July 4, 2025.

Individuals:

• Increased Standard Deduction: For 2025, the deduction increases to $31,500 for married couples filing      jointly and $15,750 for single filers. These amounts are adjusted annually for inflation. 
• Enhanced Standard Deduction for Seniors: Effective for 2025 through 2028, individuals aged 65 and older may claim an additional deduction of $6,000 on top of the standard deduction. This deduction phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers). 
• Increased SALT deduction: The cap on state and local tax deduction (SALT) is temporarily increased from $10,000 to $40,000, effective for 2025 through 2029, with a 1% inflation adjustment after 2025. The increased cap phases out for households with incomes above $500, 000, but the cap will not fall below $10,000. 
• No Tax on Tips & Overtime: Up to $25,000 in tips and $12,500 in overtime ($25,000 for married filing jointly) are deductible for individuals with incomes under $150,000 ($300,000 married filing jointly). 

Additional tax changes will start in 2026, including:

• An increase in the estate tax exemption
• An increase in the 1099 reporting threshold 
• The ability to deduct private mortgage insurance premiums

Read the full article here.