Matt Morrow

The Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield is a professional organization representing builders, remodelers and associates. We are committed to ethical business practices, the highest construction standards, the education of our members and the community, and serve as the political voice of the industry.

Who is eligible for HBA membership, and how many members are there?

This year, our membership reached an all-time high of 400 members. Home builders, residential remodelers and associate members (mostly suppliers and subcontractors) all are eligible for HBA membership. We require current and annually updated proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance coverage. References from customers and others in the industry are collected and checked. Builders and remodelers must have been building in the local area for at least two years and completed at least five homes before they may be considered for membership. Those homes are then inspected at various stages of completion by existing builder members for quality. After all of these requirements have been fulfilled, a company is submitted to our board of directors for membership approval.

Tell us about the history of the local organization.

In 1954, a small group of local builders who were committed to the highest construction standards and to keeping housing affordable banded together to form this association. In that year, they received a local charter from the National Association of Home Builders. That group included Ralph Manley, J.D. Gillenwaters, Shorty Clingan, Gerry Doran and John Q. Hammons. Staff and facilities were gradually added as finances allowed. Today, the HBA of Greater Springfield employs a staff of five, housed in a facility built by our members. Among our many member services are two subsidiary organizations, both added in the last five years: the HBA Charitable Foundation and the Coalition for Building a Better Tomorrow, a political action committee.

What have been some of the recent industry changes to affect local home builders?

The quality of construction, overall, continues to improve. Generally, new and constantly updated techniques and materials give home buyers more variety of a higher quality than ever before.

Other recent changes have greatly affected housing affordability. Materials and labor costs are increasing faster in the construction industry than in most others, gradually pushing the price of new homes upward. But the fastest increasing component of the price of a new home is regulatory fees and governmental costs. As communities grow, local officials sometimes mistakenly believe the only way to keep pace financially is to impose large building fees for anything remotely related to new construction. In reality, these policies are regressive and have a long-term negative impact on economic growth and job creation.

What has been HBA’s role in bringing about those changes – or helping members understand and adjust to them?

We work to raise the overall quality of construction by encouraging consumers to hold their builders and remodelers to the highest possible standards. We also provide industry education opportunities to introduce our members to the latest innovations in our industry.

On the affordability issue, we have had a great deal of success identifying creative and successful funding methods that will be reliable in the future, without deterring the very growth that has brought about the prosperity we all enjoy. Government is responsible for making sure dwellings are safe. Most other costly issues should be left to consumers to determine.

What are some goals for HBA in 2006?

One of the largest challenges facing builders and remodelers is the rising cost of the insurance that is necessary to properly conduct business. Our board president, Russel Caldwell, has convened an insurance task force with the charge of identifying possible solutions that could be implemented on local or statewide levels, by private entities and/or through legislative or regulatory efforts. We also are investigating the possibility of a partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to make HBA work sites safer, while at the same time allowing those who commit to that partnership greater flexibility in inspections and other dealings with OSHA.

How has increased awareness of environmental issues affected local builders?

HBA members care deeply about our shared environment. They know that a significant part of the appeal of living in the Ozarks is our extraordinary natural environment. That means that good environmental stewardship is not only responsible behavior, but it also is good business. Stormwater and groundwater management issues are probably the environmental issues of greatest immediate significance within the residential construction industry. For example, municipalities could offer developers the option of building narrower streets without curbs and gutters, or limit sidewalks in new developments to one side of the street rather than two. Solutions like these can reduce nonpermeable surfaces, control runoff and improve water quality. Many similar win-win solutions exist for those who are willing to explore them. These are the kinds of answers we should all seek together.