We’re excited to announce the launch of our new website page and membership database atspringfieldareahba.com! This new system is designed to give our members more control, convenience, and visibility within the Springfield Area Home Builders Association. Update Your Member Directory Listing You now have the ability to update your own contact information,add your company logo, and ensure your directory listing is accurate and up-to-date—all in just a few steps: Visit springfieldareahba.com Click the "Account Service" button in the lower right-hand corner Select "My Directory Listing" You’ll receive an email with the current information we have on file. Simply review, make any necessary changes, and submit your updates.
May 2025
Explore Our New Website and Member Portal!
New Invoicing & Online Payment Options Your membership invoices will now be emailed through the new database. Members can log in to view and pay invoices online with ease. Even better—you have the option to store your payment information securely and enable auto-renewa lfor your membership. You’ll still receive a reminder when it’s time to renew, but if you’ve set up auto-renewal, you don’t have to lift a finger—your membership will stay current automatically. This improved system is all about making your SAHBA membership experience more streamlined, accessible, and efficient. If you have questions or need help navigating the new features, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help!
Leadership List 2025 Board of Directors President – Todd Rhoades, Parksite/Tyvek 1st Vice President – Chris Wellman, Wellman’s Lawn Care 2nd Vice President – Jamie Siemer, Henson Robinson Co. Secretary – Susan Day, Exciting Windows by Susan Day Treasurer – Matt Seman, United Community Bank Past President – Chris Hartsook, Big Dog Construction Director – Anne Smith, CCDC/Central Il Services Director – Fritz Pfister, Re/Max Professionals of Springfield, Pfister Team Director – Jon Stewart, Midwest Garage Door Director – Michael Trader, Flooring America Director – Brian Mulrooney, US Marble & Granite Director – Robert Ferriell, CACC Director – Brandon Koishor, Henson Robinson Co. Director – Kelly Greeley, Capitol Media Group Director – Nick Kelton, Helitech Waterproofing & Structural Repair Executive Officer - Kathy Ridley, CAE
Leadership List
Calendar of Events 2025 5/15, Thursday - Golf Outing, Edgewood 5/28, Wednesday - Board Meeting & GMM @ Casey's Pub 5:00 to 7:00 pm 7/23, Wednesday - Board Meeting 8/20, Wednesday - Sports Clay Shoot, Jacksonville Sportsman’s Club 9/24, Wednesday - Board Meeting & GMM 11/19, Wednesday - Board Meeting & Annual Meeting 12/11, Thursday - Installment Dinner GMM - General Membership Meeting The Board has eliminated the charge for all GMMs in 2025. Registration will be requested to make sure enough food is available for our members and guests. Looking forward to seeing more members at our GMMs in 2025!
Join Us for the SAHBA Golf Outing – May 15 Get ready for a day of fun, food, and friendly competition at the Springfield Area Home Builders Association's Annual Golf Outing onThursday, May 15th at Edgewood Golf Club in Auburn! This popular event is one of SAHBA’s largest fundraisers of the year—and a fantastic way to support our organization while enjoying a great day on the course with colleagues, clients, and fellow industry professionals. Whether you're an avid golfer or just looking to enjoy a day outdoors and network with others in the industry, this event is for you! Sponsorship Opportunities Available Promote your business and show your support for SAHBA by becoming a sponsor! From hole sponsorships to specialty drink stations and event signage, we have several opportunities to spotlight your company in front of local builders, remodelers, and vendors. Let’s make this year’s outing the best one yet. Don’t miss out on the fun—register your team and secure your sponsorship today! For more information or to sign up, visit www.springfieldareahba.com or contact Kathy at kathy@springfieldareahba.com.
Get Ready to Shine on Social Media! We’re launching a new Social Media Push to spotlight the incredible work of our members and show the community what the Springfield Area Home Builders Association is all about. It’s your time to stand out! Membership Moment – We’ll periodically feature a SAHBA member on our social channels. Want to be highlighted? Just send us a short video or a few photos showcasing your projects, team, or community involvement. Submit Your Video – We’re encouraging members to send in a 30–60 second video sharing what your business does and what SAHBA membership means to you. This is a simple and impactful way to highlight your business to a wider audience. Promote Your Work and Membership – Let’s show the value of being a SAHBA member while giving your business a boost! Watch your inbox – More details and submission instructions will be coming your way soon!
Proposed Name Change for Our Association: Member Vote Needed The SAHBA Board of Directors recently voted to follow the lead of the state association and many local counterparts by updating our name to better reflect the full scope of our industry. The proposed new name is: Home Builders and Remodelers of Central Illinois (HBRCI). This change recognizes the essential role that remodelers play in our industry and better aligns with how our members are serving today's homeowners and communities. To officially adopt this name, a Bylaws amendment must be approved by the membership. We encourage all members to attend the upcoming General Membership Meeting (May 28) to cast your vote and be part of this important step forward. Vote on the Name Change: New Name:Home Builders and Remodelers of Central Illinois Legal Structure:We will continue to operate as Springfield Area Home Builders Association, using HBRCI as ourDoing Business As (DBA) name. Help Shape the Look of HBRCI A variety of logo options for the new name will be displayed at the Golf Outing—stop by and share your feedback! We appreciate your participation as we evolve to better represent all facets of our membership. Your voice matters—be there to vote!
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Membership recruitment is the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth at the Springfield Area Home Builders Association. Not only does a growing membership strengthen our collective voice, it also helps build connections, opportunities, and value for every member. According to NAHB, here are five powerful reasons to prioritize recruitment at your HBA: More Revenue– The lifetime value of a member is $5,202. Building for the Future– The average tenure of a member is 8.5 years (11.75 years for council members). Larger Network– Members join to do business with other members. More members = more contacts. Opportunity for Growth– HBAs with strong recruitment cultures grow faster and stay healthier. Louder Voice– A bigger membership means more impact on advocacy and industry issues. Reason #6: Your Chance to Win! We’re adding an exciting local incentive to the mix. The member who recruits the most new members between January 1 and September 1 will receive a $250 gift card of their choice! This is your opportunity to help grow our association while earning a valuable reward. Peer-to-peer recruitment is one of the most effective tools we have—so let’s use it! Share your story. Talk about the benefits. Inviteothers to be part of something bigger. Start recruiting today—and be sure to let us know when you do!
Let’s Grow Together – Make Recruitment a Priority!
Read the Updated Impact Fee Primer As local governments increasingly turn to development impact fees as a funding solution for growth-related infrastructure, it is critical for stakeholders in the building and development industry to push back against these fees being used as a blank-check revenue source. NAHB – in conjunction with Launch Development Financial Advisors – has provided an updated impact fee primer.
Make Preparations Now For Hurricane Season As we approach the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, this is a good time for businesses, home owners and community leaders to evaluate hurricane risks, update emergency plans, and ensure essential supplies are on hand. Disasters can happen at any time. Acting now can help protect business operations, support employees, and minimize impacts to your business. Don’t delay creating or updating a continuity plan and strengthening your supply chain resilience. Explore preparedness resources by visiting nahb.org/disaster. Ford Pro Joins NAHB's Member Savings Program NAHB is excited to announce the latest addition to the NAHB Member Savings Program: Ford Pro. Through this exclusive program, NAHB members can save up to $5,000 on a wide range of Ford Pro cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. Plus, the member discounts can be combined with local dealership offers. To take advantage of these deals, members simply complete the Ford Pro Discount Request Form at nahb.org/ford. Visit nahb.org/ford to view a list of eligible vehicles, search for participating dealerships and access the discount request form.
President's EOs Promise Reg Reform President Trump in April signed several executive orders aimed at regulatory relief at both the federal and state levels. NAHB has been working closely with the administration to eliminate excessive regulations. The EOs include: Removing state-level impediments to domestic energy production. Rescinding unlawful regulations based on the outcomes of several recent landmark Supreme Court decisions. and Establishing a “Conditional Sunset Date” for certain regulations.
NAHB Evaluates Code Proposals Members of two NAHB Construction Codes and Standards Committee Proposal Oversight Groups (POGs) recently met at NAHB headquarters to review code proposals submitted for Group B of the ICC’s 2024-2026 code development cycle. POGs are working groups overseen by NAHB's Construction Codes and Standards Committee and charged with determining NAHB’s advocacy position on code change proposals going through the ICC code development process. Read the lists of proposals NAHB supports or opposes.
NAHB recently released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the first quarter, posting a reading of 63, down five points compared to the previous quarter. While the reading of 63 is still in positive territory, this is only the second time since the first quarter of 2020 that the RMI has been as low as 63. The NAHB/Westlake Royal RMI survey asks remodelers to rate five components of the remodeling market as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” Each question is measured on a scale from 0 to 100, where an index number above 50 indicates that a higher share view conditions as good than poor. The results of the RMI are seasonally adjusted.
Remodeling Market Index Down 5 Points in First Quarter
Have a Chemical Safety Plan Hazardous chemicals are found everywhere on a home building site and in many commonly used products, such as paints, cleaners, and adhesives. Providing easy-to-read information about their identity and hazards can keep everyone on the job site safe. Chemical identification and hazard notices are also required by OSHA. A strong job site safety plan includes the identification and notices for chemicals as they come onto the site. There are a number of steps that can be taken to ensure all workers are aware of chemical hazards. NAHB has created a chemical safety video that is available in both English and Spanish on nahb.org.
Record Property Tax Collections Property tax revenue collected by state and local governments reached a new high in 2024 and continued as the largest single contributor to state and local revenue. According to the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Summary of State and Local Taxes, state and local property tax revenue totaled $797 billion, up 8.2% from the prior year and making up 38% of all state/local revenue. General sales tax revenue was up 1.2% to $587 billion (28% of the total) while individual income tax totaled $537.4 billion (25.6%), up 4.7% over the year. The sharp rise in property tax collections was driven primarily by the rapid home price inflation seen over 2023 and 2024.
HOY: Midtown Modern Tudor
Higher Rates and Rising Costs Drive Starts Down
Constrained housing affordability conditions due to elevated interest rates, rising construction costs and labor shortages led to a reduction in housing production in March. Overall housing starts decreased 11.4% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.32 million units, according to the latest data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. The March reading of 1.32 million starts is the number of housing units builders would begin if development kept this pace for the next 12 months. Within this overall number, single-family starts decreased 14.2% to a 940,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate and are down 9.7% compared to March 2024. The multifamily sector, which includes apartment buildings and condos, decreased 3.5% to an annualized 384,000 pace. On a regional and year-to-date basis, combined single-family and multifamily starts were 8.6% higher in the Northeast, 3.3% higher in the Midwest, 8.5% lower in the South and 10.6% higher in the West. Overall permits increased 1.6% to a 1.48-million-unit annualized rate in March. Single-family permits decreased 2% to a 978,000-unit rate. Multifamily permits increased 9.3% to a 504,000 pace. Looking at regional permit data on a year-to-date basis, permits were 24.7% lower in the Northeast, 4.7% higher in the Midwest, 0.4% higher in the South and 8.8% lower in the West. In March, the number of single-family homes under construction is at 632,000 homes while the count of apartments under construction has fallen to 759,000 units.