Page 10 - Greater San Antonio Builders Association Builder Brief June 2022

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM IS HEADED TO WASHINGTON, DC
The power of the home building industry lies with our grassroots advocacy efforts. The Greater San Antonio Builders Associations (GSABA) leadership team will be participating in the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Legislative Conference on June 15th in Washington, D.C. This will give us an unparalleled opportunity to lobby members of Congress on our critical issues. President Mike Sowry and his wife Molly, Immediate Past President and SABPAC Chair Ed Berlanga, GSABA Past President and NAHB BUILDPAC Trustee Michael Moore, TAB Past President and NAHB BUILDPAC Trustee Justin MacDonald, TAB Multifamily Chair and NAHB BUILDPAC Trustee Debra Guerrero, GSABA Education Chair Kathy Howard along with GSABA staff member Haley King and I will be attending these importantmeetings. Wewillworktoprotectyourbusinessandourindustry, establish relationships and ensure that NAHB’s and GSABA’s issues are heard by Washington policymakers.
GSABA’s meetings are confirmed and will be held on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. These meetings are a critical part of our Federation’s advocacy efforts to keep housing issues a priority with federal lawmakers. Your future participation can make a huge difference. Now more than ever, it is vitally important for our lawmakers to understand the industry’s key issues as housing is poised to play a critical role in the nation’s economic recovery.
We have confirmed face-to-face meetings with Congressmen Henry Cuellar, Tony Gonzales, Vincente Gonzalez and Chip Roy on June 15th to share our concerns and also offer resources to each of them on the greater San Antonio new home and remodeling industry as well as provide recent statistics on housing affordability.
Our message will be focused on what our Congressional delegation and what the Administration can do to alleviate the trade and supply chain issues that continue to plague the homebuilding and remodeling industry. It is crucial that we work to suspend the tariffs on Canadian lumber imports and that the Biden Administration sit down with Canada and negotiate a new trade agreement. We also need to review tariffs and broaden exclusion on goods from China.
We will push for increased domestic timber production from federal lands and work to pass the No Timber from Tyrants Act. Another urgent request is for our elected officials to support measure to help goods and materials get to jobsites by passing ocean shipping reform as well as a truck driver incentive act.
A majority of GSABA members continue to report widespread labor shortages. Wewillshareourconcernsthiscriticalissueandwhymaintaining a robust, skilled workforce is vital to meeting our nation’s housing demands. We are also working diligently on workforce development on a local level. You will find additional information in the July Builder Brief on our new college student chapter outreach program and how we can ‘match’ you and your company with a student from St. Philip’s College and/or the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
KRISTI SUTTERFIELD
We recently launched a job board on the GSABA website. All GSABA members can login and post open positions at no charge. GSABA has partnered with local veteran organizations and colleges to drive job seekers to this resource. Visit www.sabuilders.com to post your jobs today!
Thank you for your continued support of GSABA, TAB and NAHB and for all you do for our industry. We will keep you informed on our advocacy efforts!
Warm Regards,
10 JUNE 2022 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION