Toolbox Newsletter March 2026
Overall Housing Starts Inch Slightly Lower in 2025
Total housing starts for 2025 were 1.36 million, down 0.6% from the 1.37 million total in 2024. Single-family starts in 2025 totaled 943,000, down 6.9% from the previous year. Multifamily starts ended the year up 17.4% from 2024. “Single-family home building dipped in 2025 because of ongoing affordability challenges, fueled by high housing price-to-income ratios and elevated financing and construction costs,” said Buddy Hughes, a home builder and developer from Lexington, N.C. “NAHB expects single-family starts will move slightly higher this year, as mortgage rates are expected to moderate.” “Multifamily construction was down in high-density markets but up in the low-rise sector,” said Jing Fu, NAHB senior director of forecasting and analysis. “Multifamily starts are anticipated to fall 5% in 2026 to an annual pace of 392,000 units and decline an additional 6% in 2027 to a 367,000 rate, leveling off near pre-pandemic levels.” Looking at regional housing starts for 2025, combined single-family and multifamily starts were 8.7% higher in the Northeast, 7.2% higher in the Midwest, 4% lower in the South and 0.8% lower in the West. Total permits for 2025 were 1.43 million, a 3.6% decline from the 1.48 million total from 2024. Single-family permits in 2025 totaled 909,600, down 7.4% from the previous year. Looking at regional permit data for 2025, total permits were 7.7% lower in the Northeast, 3.0% higher in the Midwest, 5.2% lower in the South and 1.9% lower in the West.
A GENEROUS THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Board of Directors 2026 -President, Kevin Maurer -Vice President, Jeff Wedding -Secretary, Zach Phillips -Treasurer, Mindy Ball -Immediate Past President, Jeremy Morgan Director Mark Eneix Director Morgan Hallmark-Grab Director Matthew Paruch Director Jamie Richmond Director Lisa Sears Director Mike Zemla Executive Officer Christy VanSchoten
Leadership List
Calendar of Events (Dates Subject to Change) 2026/27 PARADE OF HOMES Registration is now open, email info@hbaofmidmichigan.com for more information. Bowling For Builders with the SEDP March 24th General Membership Meetings March 18th September 16th December 2nd Annual Meeting & Holiday Party 4th Annual Clays for Contractors May 19th at the Grand Blanc Huntsmans Club 2nd Annual Pull & Plate September 24th HBAM Summer Convention 8/5-8/7 in TC Trunk or Treat with Carter Kitchen & Bath October 22nd
HBA OF MID-MICHIGAN MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
NAHB Awards Legal-Support Funds At its recent meeting at IBS in Orlando, NAHB's Legal Action Committee reviewed requests for Legal Action Fund assistance and recommended a total of $125,000 in legal grants, which was approved by the NAHB Board of Directors. The funds went to fund litigation in Texas (energy codes), Georgia (impact fees), Florida (septic permitting), Florida (impact and mobility fees), Louisiana (construction defects), and Virginia (transportation impact fees).
Almost 75,000 Housing Pros Attend IBS in Orlando Nearly 75,000 registrants filled the Orange County Convention Center as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) hosted the NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS), the largest annual light construction show in the world, Feb. 17-19. IBS and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) combined for the 13th annual Design & Construction Week® (DCW), which drew close to 117,000 registrants for the final show in Orlando. In all, DCW featured 2,250 exhibitors occupying 1.15 million square feet of exhibit space. Next year, IBS and DCW will return to Las Vegas, Feb. 2-4, 2027. See Who Won The Nationals At Builders' Show in Orlando NAHB’s National Sales and Marketing Council (NSMC) honored top achieve- ments in residential real estate sales and marketing at The Nationals℠ Awards Gala during the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando. Awards were also presented for the 55+ housing, NAHB Honors and Global Innovation categories. The gala was sponsored by Chase. The Nationals represent the industry standard for new home sales and marketing. See who took home the hardware at the 2025 NSMC Awards Gala.
Tariff Uncertainty Persists The Supreme Court has ruled that President Trump’s use of emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) was not valid. While the Supreme Court’s ruling reins in presidential authority to impose tariffs under IEEPA, Trump still has wide latitude to set tariffs. Indeed, shortly after the Supreme Court verdict, the president announced he would impose a new, global tariff of 10%, then he raised it to 15%. NAHB urges the president to exempt building materials from his tariff strategy.
Free Videos Explain 2024 IECC As states and local jurisdictions consider updates to their energy codes, builders need to know what’s new in the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and how it may impact their work. NAHB is now offering members free educational videos on the new code, the 2024 IECC Overview Series. These videos break down the key differences between the 2024 IECC and past editions, focusing on changes that improve usability and what they mean for construction.
NAHB Members elected four senior officers to top leadership positions within the federation during the recent NAHB International Builders’ Show® in Orlando. Taking the helm as NAHB’s Chairman of the Board this year is Bill Owens, a Worthington, Ohio-based remodeler and home builder with more than 40 years of experience in the residential construction industry. Owens is founder and principal of Owens Construction, a leading residential design/ build firm in central Ohio that he established in 1982. Also moving up on the association’s leadership ladder were Bob Peterson of Fort Collins, Colo., to First Vice Chairman, and Gary Campbell of Lowell, Mass., to Second Vice Chairman. Atlanta-based home builder and developer Jim Chapman joined the NAHB leadership ladder with his election as Third Vice Chairman of the Board. 2025 NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes remains on the leadership ladder as Immediate Past Chairman. Rounding out the leadership team is NAHB President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Tobin.
Remodeling Expected to Grow The remodeling sector is getting stronger, according to industry experts speaking at the recent IBS in Orlando. There are many factors contributing to the continued growth of the remodeling market, according to NAHB Economist Eric Lynch. These include the nation’s aging housing stock, the rise in home equity after the pandemic and the mortgage rate lock-in effect. Remodeling is growing as a share of the residential construction market, Lynch noted, with home improvement spending's share of the total market increasing from 33% in 2007 to 44% in 2025.
Nation’s Home Builders Elect Leadership for 2026
Multifamily Expected to Cool The rental market has slowed following a pandemic-era boom due to demographic changes, softer labor market and rising vacancies and is moving toward a more constrained development environment, according to economists speaking at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. The composition of multifamily production has shifted toward larger properties as 50+ unit buildings accounted for 54% of completions in 2024, the highest share in decades. The “missing middle” sector —townhouses, duplexes and other small multifamily properties—remains limited.
If you're looking to showcase your business at a home show this year, the HBA of Great Lakes Bay Region has extended an opportunity to our local with member pricing, enter the code listed at check out.
NAHB Announces 2025 BALA Winners at Builders' Show
BALA Home of the Year: El Milagro Residence Photographer: Manolo Langis Photography
NAHB announced the winners of the 2025 Best in American Living™ Awards (BALA) during the recent IBS in Orlando. The awards are sponsored by Smeg. See the full list of winners here. The winners include: Home of the Year: El Milagro Residence; Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Architect/Designer: Landry Design Group Inc.; Builder: Sweig General Contracting Inc.; Interior Designer: Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Best Single-Family Community: Summerlin West, Las Vegas; Architect/ Designer: Land Design Inc.; Builder: Howard Hughes; Developer: Howard Hughes; Land Planner: DTJ Design; Photographer: Robb Williamson. Best Remodel Over $750,000: Fanfol Remodel, Paradise Valley, Ariz.; Builder: BedBrock Remodel. Best Multifamily Condominium, Built-for-Sale (5 stories or less): Ocean 17, Carlsbad, Calif.; Architect/Designer: BSB Design; Builder: R&R Construction; Interior Designer: Michelle Harris; Photographer: GaryKasl.
AJ Johnson Construction Co. Inc Acrisure Alexandra Edwards of Phillips Insurance Alliance Grounds Services LLC Antcliff Windows & Doors Architectural Glazing Systems, Inc. New member Beth Roman of Carter Kitchen & Bath Ben Staley of Staley Construction Company LLC Bois Insurance Agency Boots Construction Bossman Construction Co LLC Brokaw Group/Brokaw Commercial Builders First Source Lapeer Builders First Source Saginaw Brian Christiansen of Staley Construction Company LLC Carbs Contracting LLC NEW Cardinal Roofing Corp. Carter Lumber Company Carter Kitchen & Bath Chuck Thompson Holdings Inc. Church's Insulation CF Legal, PC Construction Management Services LLC Consumers Energy Creekside Hearth Patio & BBQ Davison Overhead Door Co Dallaire Heating Cooling & Electrical Deborah Sipes of Phillips Insurance Dynamic Home Solutions DF Floor Covering D&M Service Pros
HBA OF MID-MICHIGAN MEMBERSHIP 2025
Forsythe Bros Lawn Services LLC Genesee Ceramic Tile Glendale Construction LLC Grand Legacy Homes Inc. Great Lakes Grills LLC GreenStone Farm Credit Services Gross Construction Harrod Painting Hill Steel & Builders Supply Hodges Supply IL Construction Iversons Lumber Company JW Morgan Construction LLC Kile Sayer of the Stone Specialists Lake & Land Custom Homes LLC Lake Michigan Credit Union LeaSon Builders LLC Linda Leach of Genesee Ceramic Tile Linden Kitchen & Bath Lucas Brothers Construction Lunghamer Ford of Owosso Mark Elasivich of Staley Construction Company LLC Markita Henige of Phillips Insurance Mason Burgess Title Agency Master Seal Asphalt Maintenance Inc. Maurer Heating Co Metamora Building & Development Metcalf Electric Meyer Electric Inc M I Homes NEW Michigan Lumber Company Michigan Propane Commission Midwest C ommercial Construction LLC
Mike Building Co. Modern Concrete NEW PHI Home Services Phillips Insurance Pine Hollow Custom Homes Group Inc. Pinkleman Custom Homes Purves Construction Randal J Cizek Architect Raptor Pest Control Rod Kulhanek Builders LLC Roe Enterprises Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership Signet Residential Inc Sherman Heating and Cooling Shiawassee Chamber of Commerce Staley Construction Company LLC Staley's Plumbing & Heating Inc Stone Specialists Inc Superior Lawn & Landscape Inc Swank Builders Inc Sweers Roofing The Cabinet Gal NEW The State Bank Timothy Elasivich of Staley Construction Company LLC Timbergate Construction LLC Triple H Ideal Contractors LLC Vantage Homes, Inc Vetcon Inc Vets Access LLC NEW Vylla Home Weekes Forest Products Weir Building Company Werth Roofing & Siding Co Wimsatt Building Materials/SRS DIstribution Yeo & Yeo CPA's & Advisors