BIA Advocacy Update
BIA CEO Bryce Johnson meets with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law, Webinar for ND Energy Code on July 30 and Keeping workers safe from wildfire smoke
BIA CEO, Bryce Johnson meets with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and other community leaders to discuss affordability
On July 19, BIA CEO Bryce Johnson met with U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (Minnesota, District 2) and other local leaders to discuss affordability challenges facing the region. Topics included housing, childcare, healthcare, food assistance and other community concerns. Moorhead Mayor Shelly Carlson also participated in the discussion.
Johnson stressed that rising regulatory costs have continued to make it more challenging to deliver housing at an affordable price. She also noted mortgage rates remaining between 6-7% have discouraged many homeowners from selling their homes with COVID-era rates near 2.5%, limiting housing supply.
Click here to see the full picture of rising regulatory costs. It includes a breakdown of regulation accounting for $131,734 of the final house price.
To read an article by The Forum covering this meeting, click here.
BIA is your voice of the housing and building industry at the local, state and national levels, and we were honored to be part of this conversation.
Photo by Brina Beyer / The Forum
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act becomes law
This major housing bill became law on July 11, becoming law after President Trump did not sign or veto the bill within the constitutional 10-day window.
It includes more than 50 provisions addressing housing supply, financing, disaster recovery and more.
Key priorities identified by the National Association of Home Builders Includes:
· Land use and zoning: Directs HUD to work with stakeholders, including builders and developers, to identify best practices, help governments increase housing production and reward pro-supply policies.
· Aging housing stock: Authorizes grants and forgivable loans for home repairs and health-hazard mitigation in older homes.
· Multifamily financing: Raises Federal Housing Administration-insured multifamily loan limits for the first time in 12 years and indexes them to inflation to better reflect construction costs and support new apartment development.
· Environmental reviews: Streamlines National Environmental Policy Act reviews for small and infill housing projects so they can move to construction more quickly.
· Community banks: Strengthens community banks and expands access to housing credit for builders who depend on these lenders.
ND Energy Code alternative construction methods webinar July 30
The North Dakota state energy code became effective January 2026. The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance is hosting a webinar that dives into alternative construction methods that can facilitate meeting the new energy code.
Webinar: SIPs, ICF, and Modular
*SIPs: Structural Insulated Panels
*ICF: Insulated Concrete Form
Date: Thursday, July 30
Time: 11 a.m.
Attendees can also earn AIA and/or ICC continuing education units for participating.
News from National: Keeping workers safe from wildfire smoke
With the recent smoke in our region, and across the northeastern parts of the U.S., the National Association of Home Builders is sharing resources on how to keep workers safe.
Click here for a full list of resources.
They emphasize that employers and workers should plan for and implement procedures to reduce exposure to smoke as necessary, including:
- Monitoring air quality conditions in the area.
- Relocating or rescheduling work tasks to smoke-free or less smoky areas or times of the day.
- Reducing levels of physical activity when possible, especially strenuous and heavy work.
- Requiring and encouraging workers to take frequent breaks in places that are free from smoke.
- Limiting workers smoke exposure by making accommodations.
Powered By GrowthZone