The Digest | Oct–Dec 2019 by Housing First Minnesota

THE

OCTOBERâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;DECEMBER 2019

IT'S OFFICIAL: WE ARE HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA Page 13

SHINING LIGHT ON PERMIT FEE PROBLEMS Page 18

GOLFERS SWING FOR A CAUSE Page 42

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THE

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2019

STAFF :: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

David Siegel

CR E AT I V E SE RV I CE S DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & CREATIVE

Dawnita Parmely

EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

EVENTS

Laura Burt

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

EXECUTIVE BOARD ::

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ::

PRESIDENT

ADVOCACY CHAIR

All of the Golf! John Rask M/I Homes

REMODELERS CHAIR

Custom One Homes

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT GOLF OPEN

2019

GOLF

Carla Warner Warners’ Stellian Appliance

Dennis Galligan O PIn-Focus E N Systems

Golf SECRETARY OpenEd Engelbrecht

ARTISAN HOME TOUR CHAIR

John Kraemer John Kraemer & Sons, Inc.

6:30 p.m. Dinner only - AVAILABLE

WHERE ::FIND

Majestic Oaks Golf Club 701 Bunker Lake Blvd Andover, MN

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 KC Chermak

BATC.org $150 per player $45 for dinner only

QUESTIONS ::

DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY

MEMBER AT LARGE

Nick Hackworthy Creative Homes, Inc.

ADVOCACY COORDINATOR

Kristen Ober

ME E T I NG & E V E NT S MEETING & EVENT MANAGER

Nicole Coon

MEETING & EVENT COORDINATOR

Emily Youngs

BATC.org $45 for dinner only

E D U CAT I ON

DONATE ::

EDUCATION & SPECIAL PROGRAMS MANAGER

If you’d like to make a donation of any amount visit: BATC.org/donations

Kori Meewes 612.801.9874 Kori@BATC.org

LAST ISSUE ::

It could be hidden in a photo, disguised in a body of text, or tucked away in a margin. (It will never be in an advertisement though.) This nail below is just an example. We’ve concealed the real one elsewhere in this issue,

FIND THIS!

Tom Gavaras

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR BOTH GOLF EVENTS ::

EDUCATION & SPECIAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

Mary Beth Blom

Brad Meewes 651.269.2399 Brad@BATC.org

GOLF OPEN C0-PRESENTING SPONSORS

(Not to be confused with the Building Housing First nail on page 69)

ACCOUNTING MANAGER

Katie Elfstrom

Keep your eyes peeled!

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

THE NAIL

and it could be a different size or color.

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & DEVELOPMENT

Nick Erickson

The Legends Golf Club 8670 Credit River Blvd Prior Lake, MN

50 || THE DIGEST || July–September 2019 || BATC.org

James Vagle

REGULATORY AFFAIRS MANAGER

WHERE ::

A nail is hidden somewhere in every issue of The Digest, SEE COMPLET E SCHEDULE AT BATC.ORG including the one you’re holding right now!

F I NA NCE , ME MB E R SHIP & A D MI NI ST R AT I ON

Mark Foster

6:00 p.m. Dinner only - AVAILABLE

Nicole Coon 651.697.7571 Nicole@BATC.org

est_Q3-BD19_3.indd 50

A DVO CACY

Jim Fuschetto Lyman Lumber Co.

Partner, Inc.

Be on the Lookout!

MEMBER AT LARGE

PAST PRESIDENTS ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR

1:00 p.m. 7:00 a.m. Cardinal Homebuilders, Inc. Pillar Homes Afternoon shotgun – SOLD OUT Morning shotgun - AVAILABLE 1:00 p.m. Afternoon shotgun – SOLD OUT

Casey Scozzari

PARADE OF HOMES CHAIR Foundation Tim Fohr Golf OpenLennar

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT WHEN

Thursday, August 2019 Tom1,Wiener

Clare Buche

CREATIVE SERVICES & TECH COORDINATOR

Art Pratt Pratt Homes

& Stone Company, Inc.

Jim Slaikeu D.R. Horton, Inc. -Minnesota

Pella Windows & Doors

WHEN ::

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

SMALL VOLUME BUILDERS CHAIR

LARGE VOLUME BUILDERS CHAIR

PAST ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT

Laurie Spartz

Jason Myrlie J Carsten Remodeling

Bill Burgess Lennar

BUILDER VICE PRESIDENT AMBASSADOR CHAIR Our golf events are back again! Connect and mingle with industry Gary Kraemer Pattie Martin partners before and after the shotguns and while on the course. John Kraemer & Sons, Inc. Twin City Fireplace There will be two simultaneous afternoon shotguns and a morning

Golf Open and an afternoon shotgun for the shotgun at the TREASURER Open. Foundation Golf Todd Polifka

Hannah Swan

ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP FULFILLMENT COORDINATOR

Tammi Hall

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

Heather Griffis

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Nicolle Mechelke EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR

Mary Schweich H O U SI NG F I R ST MI NNE SOTA F O U NDAT I ON FOUNDATION MANAGER

Donnie Brown FOUNDATION COORDINATOR

Shelly Barrett A DV E RT I SI NG & SA L E S INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

Kori Meewes Brad Meewes

A-ha!is! ThereEit50 PAG

IF YOU FIND IT :: 1. Y ou must be a member to participate. 2. Contact MARKETING us to let us & EVENTS know what page it’s on: Laurie@HousingFirstMN.org or 651-697-7574 3. All who successfully find the nail will receive $100 in member bucks. 4. Entries must be received by November 30, 2019.

4 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

Janice Meyer

6/28/19

THE DIGEST magazine is the official publication of Housing First Minnesota. THE DIGEST is published and distributed four times per year to its members and others associated with the housing industry. Neither the advertisers, nor Housing First Minnesota, will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, etc., herein contained. For advertising rates, resource file or address change information, contact Housing First Minnesota. Suggestions, ideas and letters are welcome. If circumstances 12:57 PM require, Housing First Minnesota reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of THE DIGEST issues published on an annual basis. Housing First Minnesota 2960 Centre Pointe Dr. Roseville, MN 55113-1182

651-697-1954 HousingFirstMN.org

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

Legends Legends of Woodbury of Woodbury Senior Senior Living Living - Woodbury, - Woodbury, MNMN Legends Legends of Woodbury of Woodbury Senior Senior Living Living - Woodbury, - Woodbury, MNMN

22 0022 1100 8811 88W WW WII N NII N NN NN NE EE ER RR RO OO OF FF FF FF FII V VII V VE EE ET TT TR RR RII LLII LL IILLU UII U UM MM MA AA AW WW WA AA AR RR RD DD DS SS S

FINISH FINISH CARPENTRY CARPENTRY | | | | PREFINISH PREFINISH | | | | MILLWORK MILLWORK || ||DOORS DOORS FINISH FINISHCABINETRY CARPENTRY CARPENTRY PREFINISH PREFINISH MILLWORK MILLWORK DOORS DOORS CABINETRY | | HARDWARE HARDWARE | | DESIGN DESIGN STUDIO STUDIO CABINETRY CABINETRY RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL | | HARDWARE HARDWARE | | DESIGN DESIGN STUDIO STUDIO & &COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL& &COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL

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CONTENTS 8

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA 8 :: Letter from the President 10 :: Elite Sponsors 13 :: We Are Housing First Minnesota

PERMIT FEES HIGHLIGHTED IN CAPITOL PRESS CONFERENCE

ADVOCACY 17 :: Q3 Advocacy Update

Letter from the Director of Advocacy Permit Research Legislative Advocacy Regulatory Advocacy Legal Advocacy Research Advocacy

24 :: Hot Sheet

26 32

FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT

EDUCATION 26 :: Ask the Building Inspector 28 :: Contractor University

MARKETING & EVENTS 30 :: Designated Green Path Builder 32 :: Food & Beverage Trends 34 :: Calendar of Events 36 :: Photo Galleries: Golf Open Kickstart Happy Hour Foundation Golf

47 :: Upcoming Events: BIG Night

Member Buck Auction Green Path Conference State of the Industry BRS

59 :: Parade of HomesSM 61 :: Housing First Minnesota in the Media

Clay Shoot

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION 64 :: Offering Hope to Women Veterans 66 :: Housing for Veterans on Penn Avenue

NEW BENEFITS FOR HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA MEMBERS

MEMBERSHIP 68 :: Member Voices

72 :: Affinity Programs

69 :: New Members

73 :: Member News

70 :: New Member Benefits

74 :: 5 Things

On the cover: It's always a good time at our annual Golf Open! Shreve Parsley and Keith Horkey celebrate a great swing from Gary Horkey.

6 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

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PRESIDENT'S LET TER

Advancing Homeownership for All We’ve arrived at Q4, 2019 and this is the last of my four columns for our Digest magazine. It seems like a good time to reflect on our accomplishments during this amazing year. ADVOCACY SUCCESS CHANGES THE CONVERSATION

narrative, and it hasn’t been easy.

Lobbying. And we’ve lobbied

How did we do it?

successfully. Our efforts resulted

Most powerfully, we’ve found our voice

Research. We produced research—our

in the formation of the Legislative

and have truly assumed the leadership

first major research paper, Priced Out:

role in statewide conversations about inventory and affordability. We have bent the arc of these discussions substantially.

The True Cost of Minnesota’s Broken Housing Market, was followed by our just-released study of permits, Building

We are the organization protecting the

Permits: Boosting the Bottom Line for

American dream of homeownership

Cities. We launched a powerful digital

in Minnesota. In fact, we’re really the

issue advocacy campaign toward

only enterprise equipped with the

influencers called Priced Out.

knowledge of the industry, the modern, comprehensive advocacy platform, and

Courts. We used the courts as we

perhaps most importantly, the will to

filed a lawsuit against the city of Dayton

take up the fight.

regarding roadway impact fees, a practice

Just a few years ago, if you were to have sat in a Legislative hearing on housing,

they have yet to cease despite Harstad v. Woodbury.

Commission on Housing Affordability and the Senate Select Committee on Homeownership and Affordability. Both of these legislative bodies will dedicate time and resources to better understanding what’s driving our inventory and affordability challenges and then, proposing solid legislative solutions for the full body to consider.

Regulatory Affairs. Of course, we’ve been engaged in other advocacy efforts as well. Most notably, we’ve been extremely active in the code development process with the Minnesota

the entire committee agenda would have

Communications. We have used our

Department of Labor and Industry, which

been about housing subsidy and low-

communications platforms, such as this

is set to release final versions of the codes

income housing programs. You would

Digest and our Housing Industry News,

in the near future. We believe our efforts

not have heard about the challenges that

which reaches every licensed contractor

have prevented expensive code changes

market-rate housing is experiencing and

in the state, all building officials, mayors,

and we anticipate the most reasonable

about the regulatory decisions that have

legislators, and other key influencers.

and continue to drive up housing costs.

code revisions in years. Our affordability

We’ve also been extremely successful at

arguments are making a difference as

Today, we’re having an entirely different

generating media coverage—and that’s

code officials weigh the benefits of new

discussion. We have changed that

by design.

requirements against their costs.

8 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

PARADE OF HOMES CONTINUES TO INNOVATE While achieving these demonstrable results, we’ve also continued to advance in other areas. With our Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase, we’ve innovated significantly, reworking our guidebook content, enhancing builder and remodeler listings both online and in print, experimenting with new advertising concepts, and beginning efforts on a Parade of Homes app, which we’ll launch in the spring of 2020. The next step in the evolution of our home tours is to leverage this powerful platform and beloved consumer brand to tell the story of homeownership and elevate awareness to bring public support to our advocacy challenge of reimagining housing in Minnesota.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MOVES THE NEEDLE Project Build Minnesota, which we helped to found, continues to gain footing and is growing as a recognizable brand promoting construction industry careers in Minnesota. The nonprofit has a strong website and social media presence; a growing outreach effort to counselors, school administrators, county fairs, job and career fairs, and community organizations; and will launch new training efforts in 2020 that are actually going to put students through a short-course in construction. At our Builders and Remodelers Show, we brought in six teams of two students to construct adjacent walls and frame in windows. In 2020, we anticipate 12 teams of four students, and each will build a functioning playhouse that charities can use as fundraisers. We are also working on a Boy Scouts of America Explorer Post in construction in collaboration with several other construction-related associations. Workforce is part of our advocacy story— as we seek to reduce the cost drivers making Minnesota unaffordable, we bring forward the challenge of an adequate workforce to build what is necessary. Policymakers are listening and have agreed to discuss the idea of allowing 16- and 17-year-olds onto a jobsite.

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

AUTO DISCOUNT AND HEALTH INSURANCE MONEY-SAVING BENEFITS LAUNCHED

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION REFINES ITS MISSION AND VISION

If the advocacy, Parade of Homes, and workforce development efforts aren’t enough, we’ve launched two major money-saving benefits for our membership this year. Our new auto program with Jeff Belzer dealerships brings a $750 discount on every truck or vehicle you purchase. And our new Housing First Minnesota Health Plan will launch this quarter providing muchdesired discounted health insurance for member companies through Blue Cross Blue Shield. This isn’t just a discounted prescription program or a super-high deductible crisis plan, it’s the real deal, a fully insured plan. Watch for more about this tremendous new offering in the coming months.

Our charitable arm, the Housing First Minnesota Foundation, has been engaged in powerful discussions as it narrows its mission and vision. Our vision: to end homelessness in Minnesota. Our mission: to work in partnership with others to provide safe, durable, affordable housing for Minnesota’s homeless, veterans, and others in need. This effort, too, contributes to our efforts to protect the American dream of homeownership for Minnesotans. We help to move people from homelessness to housing stability, and ultimately hope they can enjoy the tremendous pride and benefits of homeownership. Several projects are in the works and we anticipate breaking ground on at least one this fall—a Homes for our Heroes project to build a transitional facility for homeless veterans.

GREEN PATH ADDS VALUE WITH 20,000 HPRS AND A NEW DESIGNATION With the issue of building affordably so prominent, the desire of today’s youth to work in an industry that meets a cause, and the growing awareness by consumers of climate issues, green building is getting attention. We launched our Designated Green Path Builder program this year, and already some 30 members are enrolled. We expect this program to grow. We also hit 20,000 Home Performance Reports issued by Minnesota’s Green Path this year. That’s 20,000 new homeowners who now have information about their HERS score and their air exchanges. The program has become so substantial that RESNET asked us to present at its annual conference. The demonstrated success of our builders in providing such a high-quality product with an average HERS of 51, fourth best in the country, has been important in conversations about the new energy code. In other words, Green Path is yet another way in which we advance our advocacy agenda of homeownership and affordability.

I know I went long—but as I said at the beginning, it’s been an amazing year. This doesn’t even cover all of our efforts. What’s most important is for you as a member to know and appreciate that your association is working very hard to advance the dream of homeownership. We are deeply concerned about the ability of our children and their children to own homes, and it’s a value worth fighting for. I hope you agree and will seek to get even more engaged and inspired by our work.

What an honor it has been to serve this great industry and this powerful association. I do believe we are making a difference and that motivates me. Let’s finish 2019 strong.

JOHN RASK :: PRESIDENT HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA M/I HOMES

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 9

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10 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

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We are Housing First Minnesota Why rebrand? We are the glue that binds the industry together, and together we can do more. Our Builders Association of the Twin Cities brand inspires memories of a quality organization, but we know that name is limiting our future growth in a fast-changing world. The work that we do is for more than just builders. We work for a healthy housing market where homebuyers can easily find affordable housing. We work for a strong economy that includes a strong housing market. We work for fair housing policy that helps our housing inventory grow so that area businesses can find homes for their workforce. Our work impacts all Minnesotans and the programs that we offer have statewide participation and benefit. Recognizing the importance of our name and that it must reflect the broad scope of our cause, we are evolving in order to lead.

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

HousingFirstMN.org || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 13

Why now? Housing is at a critical point in our history with a two-pronged problem—inventory is at an all-time low and affordability continues to price too many families out of the housing market. While there has been much talk surrounding the problems facing housing, there has been little talk of specific solutions. We know we offer unique insight into those solutions, and we know we are positioned to lead the efforts to reimagine housing in Minnesota. Experts from all corners of this issue agree on one basic answer to the problem: we must build more homes. This is a challenge though, as we cannot get anywhere close to delivering homes at the necessary price points to properly resupply our

housing market. So, we remain stuck in a loop with worsening affordability, which worsens the inventory crisis, which further worsens the affordability, and it goes on and on. The end result is challenged homeownership opportunities for the next generation of Minnesotans. Given that homeownership is so vital for strong and safe communities, there is urgent need to solve this problem. At the same time the industry and business landscape is changing. More than ever, consumers expect businesses to take the lead on important issues. With the resources and insight that we have into the housing market we must lead when it comes to the housing crisis facing our state.

This is our opportunity to drive meaningful change to protect Minnesota’s proud legacy of homeownership. Creating clarity of identity and purpose is key to our success. Housing First Minnesota seeks to advance the American dream of homeownership for Minnesotans. This is our calling!

14 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

Housing First Minnesota The voice of Minnesota’s builders, remodelers, homeowners, and the entire housing industry.

What you need to know. As a member of Housing First Minnesota you are a part of a movement to elevate housing and solve important issues facing our communities and housing market. This is an exciting time for our association as we make progress on issues that have for too long been ignored. At the same time, your association will continue to deliver the programs and services that have made it so great. At the core of our broader mission is helping our members build their businesses through advocacy, industry events, and marketing.

What changes? While our name is changing, the brands and programs you know and love remain unchanged and, in fact, will be strengthened. Over the past two years, we have successfully integrated Housing First Minnesota into all of BATC’s programs. Beginning in October 2019, everything will now be rebranded Housing First Minnesota. What this means for you. Your membership is even more powerful. You’re not only a member of an industry-leading organization, you are a part of the housing movement. Housing and homeownership is integral to a strong community and healthy families. We seek to make housing as vital in government and politics as it is to Minnesota's economy. What do members need to do? In the next few weeks we will be sending out updated logos and media kits. We ask that you help with the rebrand by updating your websites and other materials that display our logo.

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

How can I use the new brand? Join the housing movement. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to our blog. Come to events. Participate in our Parade of Homes, Remodelers Showcase, and Artisan Home Tour. Do a project with our Foundation. Have your home Green Path tested. Become a brand ambassador. Look for opportunities to engage and serve. What if I have more questions? If you have any further questions about the rebrand please reach out! We’d be happy to discuss any comments or questions you have. Contact us at 651-697-1954 or visit HousingFirstMN.org.

HOUSINGFIRSTMN.ORG

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 15

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ADVOCACY UPDATE

ADVOCACY UPDATE 2019

Homeownership and Housing Affordability Take Center Stage After a strong finish to the 2019 legislative session

The next was the convening of the Senate Select

in May, Housing First Minnesota moved into a

Committee on Homeownership Affordability and

summer of work advancing our primary goals of

Availability. This group of Senators has already

homeownership and housing affordability.

begun digging into the issues surrounding our

Two major items highlighted our work and pushed these issues to the center stage of Minnesota policy discussions. The first was the release of the permit study, Building Permit Fees: Boosting the Bottom Line for Minnesota Cities. This study was undertaken by our research arm, the Housing Affordability Institute, and it proved to be a

inventory and affordability challenges, and gives Minnesota a great chance to reimagine housing. As always, our success in elevating and advancing this important discussion comes as a result of true teamwork. Our board leadership, fleet of volunteer committees, and our professional staff continue to take our shared cause to new heights. Onward,

game-changer in terms of public awareness and understanding about the relationship between regulatory costs and home prices.

JAMES VAGLE :: DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

ADVOCACY

HousingFirstMN.org || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 17

Member Tony Wiener, president John Rask, and executive director David Siegel testify in front of the Senate Select Committee on Homeownership Affordability and Availability

Permit Research Raises Questions For many years housing industry members have questioned how permit fees for inspections and plan review were being administered, reported, and whether or not they were in accordance with Minnesota law. This summer the Housing Affordability Institute, the research arm of Housing First Minnesota, set out to learn more about the issue. Its findings were released in August in Building Permit Fees: Boosting the Bottom Line for Minnesota Cities. The report studied disclosed data on Minnesota municipal permit and inspection finances from 2014-2018. 18 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

BACKGROUND Municipalities customarily impose building permit fees for their administration and enforcement of the various state codes for building, remodeling, and home improvement projects. If a municipality collects more than $5,000 in annual fees, it is required to report the permit fees and expenditures to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. State law is straightforward on how building permits should be collected and managed. Statute, rule, and agency guidance lay it out simply and clearly: building permits and plan review are a fee-for-service that must bear a rough proportionality to the costs to provide the building code oversight and review. From permit to permit, from year to yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;there should be no substantial surplus or deficit.

ADVOCACY

RESEARCH

This means that local governments must

Legislative leaders have responded to

find an efficient way to review plans and

the research by calling for further audits

inspect projects for safety and durability,

and refunds for homeowners who have

price those services fairly, and charge that

overpaid. The Senate Select Committee on

price to homeowners.

Homeownership held a hearing to cover this issue, and it is likely that legislation

PERMIT STUDY FINDINGS The report found—in spite of clear statutory direction that permits be proportional, that local governments not accrue ongoing surpluses, and that excess permits not be used for general fund or special project purposes—that many cities appear to do just that.

will be introduced in 2020 to address the problem.

MOVING FORWARD As members of the housing industry, we know that pressure to build affordably has never been greater. State leaders have unanimously called on our industry to lead a surge in the construction of newly built

So, what does that mean for homeowners?

homes to address the inventory crisis. But

It means that homes are more expensive,

we know that our regulatory costs are the

sometimes $3,000 or more than they need

highest in the Midwest, and moving our

to be, just for permitting costs.

housing market to a healthier place will

There is no call from the housing industry

require a reimagination of how housing

to eliminate reviews and inspections—we all support that. We also support that the

is regulated, including how we permit, review, and inspect projects.

costs of those services should be paid for

The Housing Affordability Institute is

with a reasonable permit fee.

continuing the permit study as new data

But researching the publicly available data, shows us that it isn’t that simple.

The report found— in spite of clear statutory direction that permits be proportional, that local governments not accrue ongoing surpluses, and that excess permits not be used for general fund or special project purposes—that many cities appear to do just that.

emerges. This is a challenging conversation for local governments, but it is the necessary conversation to begin to bring

If it’s true that cities are depending on

our housing market back, and to provide

permit revenue to help balance a city’s

fairness to homeowners building and

budget—we have a massive problem.

remodeling their dream home.

Read the full report at HousingAffordabilityInstitute.org

ADVOCACY

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 19

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

Senate Select Committee Dives into Housing Issues, Legislative Commission Gears Up During the 2019 legislative session, the Legislative Commission on Housing Affordability and the Senate Select Committee on Homeownership Affordability and Availability were established. The new forums come at a time when the region’s housing ecosystem is experiencing a myriad of structural challenges. The chronic lack of supply of available homes for sale, dearth of affordable options, and overall inability for the housing industry to construct affordably priced homes, highlight the many roadblocks impacting the market. While the Legislative Commission will get started later this year, the Senate Select Committee on Homeownership Affordability and Availability has hit the ground running. Chaired by Senator Rich Draheim, a builder and developer from Madison Lake, the committee held its first meeting in August where they heard testimony from David Siegel, executive director of Housing First Minnesota; John Rask, 2019 president of Housing First Minnesota; and Tony Wiener, Cardinal Homebuilders. The three focused on the lack of inventory, the inability to meet the market demand, and why it costs so much more to build in Minnesota. Following their first meeting, the Senate Committee took their work on the road in September coming out to visit with Housing First Minnesota and the housing industry on a job site. D.R. Horton hosted the committee in its Woodbury development

and gave Legislators and their staff an in-depth look at what goes into the cost of housing. Additionally, the Committee held an entire hearing in September to dive deeper into the Housing Affordability Institute’s most recent report, Building Permit Fees: Boosting the Bottom Line for Minnesota Cities. Siegel and Nick Erickson, the author of the report, testified at this hearing. “We were the first folks, probably in the state, to dig into this data over the past 20 years. And what we found was startling. From scant compliance to excess revenue, many cities are not following state law and Department of Labor and Industry guidance,” stated Erickson as he introduced the research. “Permits are a fee for service, not a cash cow for local governments. We found cities, in their own publicly available statements and plans, openly celebrating and utilizing permit fees for special projects and transfers to the general fund—both of which are counter to state law,” Siegel stated. The Legislative Commission on Housing Affordability is set to meet for the first time in October. We are pleased with the early progress the Senate Select Committee has made on diving into the issues facing housing. We are hopeful that with the addition of the Legislative Commission we will see additional progress.

"Permits are a fee for service, not a cash cow for local governments. We found cities, in their own publicly available statements and plans, openly celebrating and utilizing permit fees for special projects and transfers to the general fund—both of which are counter to state law.” David Siegel, Executive Director, Housing First Minnesota

D.R. Horton, Inc.-Minnesota hosts the Senate Committee at their Woodbury development to discuss factors affecting the cost of housing

20 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

ADVOCACY

ADVOCACY UPDATE

LEGISLATIVE HOUSING FORUMS Legislative Commission on Housing Affordability

Senate Select Committee on Homeownership Affordability and Availability

KEY OBJECTIVES •

Study issues relating to housing affordability.

•

Review emerging issues impacting housing affordability and homeownership access.

•

Review housing policy innovations and workforce issues.

•

Review policies to reduce the homeownership equity gap.

•

Define housing affordability.

KEY POLICY ROLE

Make recommendations to the legislature on issues relating to housing affordability. The commission model has served other complex policy areas well by providing specific legislation that has broad support from the underlying Commission.

KEY OBJECTIVES

Review and study issues relating to homeownership, housing affordability, and housing availability.

KEY POLICY ROLE

Make findings and report recommendations to the Senate regarding issues affecting the availability of affordable owner-occupied housing.

TIMELINE

The Select Committee dissolves by the constitutional deadline to adjourn the 2020 legislature.

TIMELINE

The commission expires on June 30, 2023.

New Laws Are in Effect. Are You Compliant? Cities Must Provide a Consultant Estimate Cities and towns routinely use technical consultants to provide expertise in

evaluating various permits, licenses,

or other applications in which special expertise is required. Applications in which outside consultants are used include residential and commercial

building permits, cell tower/water tank permits, grading and utility permits,

or similar requests.

In these situations, while the

municipality hires and directs the

outside consultant, the fees charged by

that consultant are paid by the applicant as an added charge to the permit itself. Such consulting fees routinely run into the thousands or tens of thousands of

dollars and even more depending on the complexity of the permit application. The amount of these fees is often a

surprise to the applicant. If the permit

applicant objects to the amount of the fees charged by the city’s consultants,

they are not able to obtain their permit. During the 2019 Legislative Session,

Chapter 27 was signed into law by Gov. Walz. This new law allows applicants to request that a city provide a written

ADVOCACY

nonbinding estimate of the consulting fees. If the applicant requests this estimate, the application shall not be deemed complete until the city has provided an estimate to the applicant; received the required application fees, as specified by the city; received a signed acceptance of the fee estimate from the applicant; and received a signed statement that the applicant has not relied on the estimate of fees in its decision to proceed with the final application from the applicant. Minnesota Statute § 15.99 requires that cities must approve or deny written land use applications within 60 days (the “60-Day Rule”). An application is not complete for purposes of the 60Day Rule until all four requirements of Minnesota Statute § 471.462 are met.

Hands-Free Cell Phone Law This new statute expressly allows a driver to use a cell phone to make calls, text, listen to music, podcasts, and receive directions, but only by voice commands or single touch activation without holding a cell phone. The statute applies when a motor vehicle is in motion or a part of traffic. A motor vehicle is not in motion or part of traffic if the vehicle

is lawfully stopped, is in a location that is not designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, and is not obstructing traffic. While stopped at a stoplight, a vehicle is still considered to be part of traffic. The fine for the first violation of this new statute is $50 and $225 for a second violation.

Wage Theft Regulations and Disclosure Requirements

Employers in Minnesota are subject to new regulations and requirements as part of this law, including new recordkeeping requirements, additional requirements for data sharing with the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), and new penalties and fines on employers found guilty of wage theft. Most notably, any contractor convicted of wage theft will have their business name removed from the state’s “responsible contractor list.” Further, employers who repeatedly commit wage theft against employees will be fined a new $5,000 fee and are subject to further enhanced penalties under Minnesota’s criminal statutes. For additional information, go to www.dli.mn.gov.

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 21

REGULATORY ADVOCACY

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Releases Proposed Minnesota Residential Building Code After working for the past year on developing the new residential building code for

Minnesota, the Department of Labor and

Industry released the proposed residential

building code, Chapter 1309, in September. The new building codes are set to go into

effect on March 31, 2020. Department staff and subject matter experts on several

Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) have been working on the model code changes since January 2018.

Ross Anderson of The Energy Network

Worldwide (Energy Code), Mike Barden of Pulte Homes (Structural Code), and

Mike Swanson of Brandl Anderson (Code

Administration) represented Housing First Minnesota and its members during this initial review of model code changes.

During the code process, Housing First

Minnesota submitted several rounds of

comments, advocating for no changes in

Minnesota’s residential energy code and fighting the inclusion of fire sprinklers in single-family homes. The TAG recommendations were presented to the council in June 2018. The Construction Code Advisory Council has held two meetings this year to review the code process and proposed codes. A third meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21. Housing First Minnesota will again submit official comments on the proposed code changes to the Department of Labor and Industry in the coming days. Industry members are encouraged to provide their own comments as well. If you would like more information about providing comments on the proposed Minnesota building codes, contact Nick Erickson at Nick@HousingFirstMN.org. Additional proposed codes are available at via the Department’s website.

Legal Action Taken Against City of Dayton to Protect Housing Affordability and Homeowners Following the city of Dayton’s decision in July to create an off-site transportation fee, Housing First Minnesota initiated legal action against the city in Hennepin County District Court in

August. The creation of such a fee is in violation of established law in the State of Minnesota. The Minnesota Supreme Court addressed

this issue just last year, unanimously finding

that requiring off-site transportation fees is illegal in the Harstad v. Woodbury case.

“Dayton’s attempt to use a development

agreement to make the transportation fee

requirement appear ‘voluntary’ is simply against the law,” said David Siegel, executive director

of Housing First Minnesota. “Our developments

pay for themselves to ensure all infrastructure is in place for the development to commence and be successful.”

The city of Dayton is requiring additional

dollars from new homeowners for off-site transportation infrastructure for the city at large. This is precisely what the Supreme Court ruled was illegal. “At a time when we are facing a housing affordability crisis, adding on illegal and unauthorized costs to housing is the last action any city should be considering,” said Siegel. "Cities should be working to remove housing affordability road blocks, not add them.” Housing First Minnesota communicated its opposition to the city of Dayton prior to its decision on this issue and urged the council to take a different approach. Considering the clear violation of the law and affordability crisis in

LEGAL ADVOCACY

our region, Housing First Minnesota ultimately determined that this legal action was necessary in order to protect homeownership and housing affordability for all.

22 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

ADVOCACY

RESEARCH ADVOCACY An August press conference highlights the findings of the Housing Affordability Institute's latest research

Shining Light on Permit Fee Problems The Housing Affordability Institute’s most recent report, Building Permit Fees: Boosting the Bottom Line for

Minnesota Cities, started a far-reaching and ongoing conversation.

Housing First Minnesota and legislators held a press conference following the release of the report in August. This

spurred coverage of the report in all

major print publications across the state as well as TV and radio coverage.

In a follow-up article, the Star Tribune showcased an eye-opening story

featuring an email from building officials where they admit that “cities had ‘got their hand caught in the cookie jar.'” “We all have to agree we know it has

been happening. We all know that when we said something about it [it] fell on

deaf ears,” James Williamette, chairman of the Association of Minnesota

Building Officials, wrote to the group’s board members—most of them city

building officials—regarding the prior

day’s news conference at the Capitol.

“We all know that pushing this issue with management was always difficult and a few of our peers were let go over this.”

ADVOCACY

Following the release of this story, Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) renewed his call for a thorough audit to be conducted. “The emails confirm that it had been practice for cities to overcharge for permits, raising the costs of new homes by thousands of dollars, and totaling $80 million over the last 5 years alone based on publicly available documents,” he said. “State law is clear: building permits should not be a revenue-generating source for cities. The Department of Labor and Industry is clear: building permit finances should be segregated from other city funds. What is not clear is why cities have strayed so far from the law and guidance provided by the Department on this issue. A full audit of this practice is needed, which is why I have requested both the State Auditor Julie Blaha and the Legislative Auditor Jim Nobles look into cities breaking the law on this issue. We have a housing affordability crisis in our state and if cities are adding, unnecessarily and illegally, to that burden, it needs to end, and homeowners are due a refund and an apology.”

The Star Tribune followed the press release with an eye-opening story featuring an email from building officials where they admit that “cities had ‘got their hand caught in the cookie jar.'"

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 23

7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Twin Cities Construction Employment -0.3% of workforce

HOT Apr. 19

9,412 9,384 9,269 8,848 10000 8,577 9000 8000 FOLLOW THE HOUS ING FIRS T MINNES OTA 7000 6000 BLOG AT BLOG.HOUS INGFIRS TMN.ORG 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Love Industry News & Data?

AU G U S T 2 0 1 9

May 19 Apr. June 19 19May 19 July 19JuneAug 19 19 July 19

Aug 19

S P ON S OR E D B Y

SHEET

esTwin All Property Cities AllTypes Property Types Twin CitiesTwin Median Cities Price Median New Price SingleNew SingleApr. 19 May 19 dian Sales Median PriceSales Price Family Home Family Home 6.0%

Y-Y Change

$275,000 $259,000

$259,000 300000

Y-Y Change

$275,000

200000

100000

$416,533 500000

400000

300000

200000

July 19

Aug 19

Twin Cities Price New Median Sales The Price Family Home state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment

100000 Aug. 18 0

rate decreased 0.1% to 3.3% in August, ending

Aug. 19 $259,000

$275,000

$416,533

500000 a nine-month stretch where the rate increased -0.3% Twin Cities Construction Employment from 2.8% last October to 400000 3.4% in July. 200000 TC Housing Twin PermitsCities Authorized of workforce Twin Cities All Property Median Sales Price 300000 300000

Aug 19

Housing

Twin CitiesTwin Construction Cities Construction Weekly Weekly Wages Wages 3,969 Aug 18 (49.47%)

Aug 18 (49.47%)

1,069 Twin Cities Inventory of Homes for Sale Aug 18 1000

Aug 18

12,953

1000

Twin Cities Inventory Twin Cities Total $259,000 0 0 300000 Mar. Apr. 19 for Mar. MaySale 19 19 Apr. June19 19 May July 19 19 June AugClosed 19 July Sales 19 Aug 19 of19Homes Total Building

Metro

2000

1,943

2000 1,277

852

1,277749

1000

751

Metro Building Permitted Units Past 12 Months November

December

January

February

March

April

May

June

August

SOURCE: KEYSTONE REPORT

September

October

0 Aug 19

2.1%

MSP

2.9%

2.6%

2.5%

3.0%

Aug. 19

3,969

919

Aug. 18

Aug 19 (50.53%) Twin Cities Single-Family Permits

July

Aug 18 (49.47%)

Aug 18

Aug. 19

Aug. 18

Unemployment Rate Snapshot

Twin Cities Twin Cities Total Closed Sales July

SOURCE: KEYSTONE REPORT

Twin Cities Inventory of Homes for November December January February March April May Sale August

$416,533 Aug 19

SOURCE: DEED-MN 100000

Y-Y Change

Aug 18

Aug. 19

749

Aug4,054 18

919

962

Jul. 19

Jun. 19

May 19

Apr. 19

Mar. 19

Feb. 19

Jan. 19

Dec. 18

852

1,410

Aug 19

962 751

1,410

1,480

852

Nov. 18

Oct. 18

Sept. 18

1,480

919

749

October

100000

1,559

1,363

1,333

400000

1,559

1,363

1,333 962

1000

1,410

1,363

1,277 1000

1,480

1,410

300000 Twin Cities Total Construction Weekly 200000 Wage

1,943 TC Housing Permits Authorized

1,559 1,333

500000 0 Mar. 19 Apr. 19 May 19 June 19 July 19

Units - Past 12 Months 1,943

1,338

Twin Cities Median Price Family Home

500

SOURCE: US CENSUS

2000

1,376

$275,000

- PastTotal 12 Months200000

Metro Building Units - PastBuilding 12 Months Metro Units

1,342 1,069

6,646

SOURCE: US CENSUS

1,178

Twin Cities All Property 1000Types 6,646 Median Sales Price

Aug 19

12,238 12,238

500

12,238

Twin Cities Construction

May 19 June 19 July 19 Aug 19 Twin Cities Construction Weekly Employment SOURCE: DEED-MN Wages

6,708

12,953

500

June

Construction Weekly Wages SOURCE: DEED-MN

1,410 1,376 1,342residential 1,338 Other Indicators According to the Minneapolis Area REALTORS , the latest numbers for Twin Cities real estate 1,178 September

October

November

December

January

February

12,953 March

6,708

April

May

June

August

July ®

show some signs of deceleration. The median sales price continued to rise, landing at $286,800 for the month.1,069 Pending sales—a measure of signed 6,646 12,238 contracts and future demand—rose 3.2% but are down slightly for the year so far. New listings slipped 2.0%, thwarting some buyers’ hopes of 1000 taking advantage of historically low rates. Closed sales were down 0.9% for the month and are down 1.4% for the year. 500

24 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

Metro Building Units - Past 12 Months

2000

Aug 19

Y-Y Change

1,069 Twin Cities Total Closed Sales

Aug 19

Aug 18

Apr. 19

Aug 19 (50.53%)

Change SaleY-Y 1,178

1,178

9,384

Aug 19

Aug 19 (50.53%)

Twin Cities Inventory of Homes for Twin Cities Total Closed Sales Twin Cities Inventory of Homes for Sale 1,410 1,410 Cities Total Sales -5.5% -0.9% 1,376 1,342 1,342 1,338Twin1,376 1,338Closed

8,848

8,577

Aug. 19

10000 9000 8000 Aug 18 7000 4,054 6000 TC Housing Permits Authorized Homebuilders continue to make up for the slow start to the year with another strong 5000 3,969 4000 month of permit activity. For the month of August, 711 single-family permits were 3000 4,054 of last year. That brings the yearly total up pulled a nearly 10% increase over August 3,969 2000 2% over 2018 year to date. Multifamily construction had a relatively flat month with 1000 Aug 18 (49.47%) Aug 19 (50.53%) permits pulled for a total of 699 units, a 1% drop from August 2018. 0 0

4,054

100000 9,412 9,269

Jun. 19

TC Housing Permits Authorized

$424,5

200000

SOURCE: MPLS REALTORS

Jul. 19

Aug 18 Aug 19 Aug 18 New Single-Family 100000Home

May 19

Aug 19 Types Median Sales Price

Aug 19 Aug 18

SOURCE: MPLS REALTORS

September

June 19

According to the Minnesota Department of $424,511 Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota gained 1,100 Twin jobs in Cities August. Median All Property Types

$424,511 $416,533

Apr. 19

Aug 18

500000

Aug. 19 100000 0

Aug. 18

Jobs

2.6%

1,943

ADVOCACY

0 Mar. 19 Apr. 19 May 19 June 19 July 19

Aug 19

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ASK THE BUILDING INSPECTOR

ASK THE

BUILDING INSPECTOR with Peter Kulczyk, Green Code Knowledge

We intend to install ¾-inch Tongue and Groove (T & G) wood boards on a ceiling of an existing flat roof to save head room. There is no living space (dwelling) above this area. Do we need to install a poly vapor retarder or house wrap prior to installing the interior sheetrock?

Are gutters and/or downspouts required on new homes?

No. They have never been required. The code addresses drainage away from the house/garage of at least 6 inches of drop in the first 10 feet away from the house but no gutters.

This is an interesting question and the answer can vary based upon if the space you are asking about is considered habitable or not. I would like to offer a couple of different answers based on two slightly different scenarios.

We have heard that some sort of special bracing is needed for the tracks of overhead doors installed in new homes and that the windows in these doors also need to be impact resistant. Is this true?

First, if your example is that of a detached garage with a flat roof above, then there is no requirement for insulation, vapor retarder, or sheetrock (gypsum board) on the interior side, plus there is no requirement for a house wrap (house sheathing paper) on a ceiling or roof area. An approved house wrap would only be applied to an exterior wall under a cladding material.

Not in Minnesota. The International Residential Code (IRC) contains language that requires special bracing and impact resistant glazing in regions where the basic wind speed equals or exceeds 110 miles per hour. The entire State of Minnesota is in a 90 mile per hour basic wind speed area. Keep in mind that the entire house and garage needs to be designed for 90 MPH and this includes the ability of the framing around the overhead door to resist this load. The garage door installer should be placing a sticker on the overhead door to indicate that it was installed and meets ANSI/DASMA 108.

Second, if your example is that of an attached garage, then the answer is the same as above except that the building code requires a fire separation between the attached garage and the house. There are no requirements in an attached garage for insulation or vapor retarders. Third, if you decided to heat this space and install wall and ceiling insulation, then you would need to install a Class I (poly) or Class II (faced fiberglass batt insulation) on the warm side of the wall and ceiling insulation. The exposed poly would need to have a flame spread rating less than 25 if left exposed unless it was covered with ½-inch regular gypsum board.

Can a guardrail on a deck have horizontal components that might be considered as climbable?

Yes. The code has never prohibited the use of horizontal components in a guard (guardrail), it only notes the structural design loads of the components and top rail, along with the opening limitations.

Fourth, to change it up slightly, if you decided to install a rigid foam insulation on the bottom side of the ceiling, then you would need to install at least ½-inch-thick regular gypsum board over the rigid foam prior to installing the ¾-inch T & G wood boards as the foam needs to be separated from the space.

26 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

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EDUCATION

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GREEN PATH

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identify and market themselves as an industry leader in energy-efficient construction. Benefits: • Recognition in the Parade of Homes magazine and on the Parade of Homes website (if entering a home on the tour), on Minnesota’s Green Path website, and in the annual Housing First Minnesota printed membership listing.

Qualifications: • Commitment to energy testing a minimum of 75% of single-family homes built in the following year, attend the Green Path Building Conference, and be a Housing First Minnesota member.

2019 Designated Green Path Builders as of 10/1/19 Brandl Anderson Homes, Inc. Christian Builders & Remodelers Country Joe Homes Creative Homes, Inc. David Weekley Homes Dingman Custom Homes Donnay Homes, Inc. D.R. Horton, Inc.-Minnesota Fieldstone Family Homes, Inc. Fitzke Construction, LLC Gordon James Construction, Inc. Gorham Communities, LLC Gorham Custom Homes, LLC Hagstrom Builder, Inc. Hanson Builders, Inc. KEY LAND HOMES Kootenia Homes Lang Builders Inc. LDK Builders, Inc. Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, Inc. Michael Lee, Inc. NIH Homes, LLC OneTenTen Homes, LLC Parent Builders, Inc. Robert Thomas Homes, Inc. Ron Clark Construction Stone Cottage Construction, Inc. Sustainable 9 Design + Build TJB Homes, Inc. Ziegler Custom Homes, Inc.

GR EEN PAT H IS S PONS OR ED BY

• Access to a comprehensive marketing/digital/social media kit to promote your designation. • Registration to the annual Green Path Building Conference on Nov. 7, 2019 at the Hilton Bloomington ($49 value). Additional registrations may be purchased.

Designated Green Path Builders get access to a digital marketing kit to promote their businesses on social media.

DETAILS & REGISTRATION AT MNGREENPATH.ORG

30 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

trends FOOD & BEVERAGE

Holiday season is already upon us and all that goes along with it—including planning parties, hosting events, and selecting what to serve. Keep this information in mind when planning your next business events: open houses, client appreciation parties, and showroom events. We got the scoop on what’s hot from a few of our chef friends from Mystic Lake Casino Hotel: Banquet Chef Jason Robertson and Executive Chef Mark Stankey. Plus, Twin Cities National Association for Catering and Events (NACE) Chapter President Lindsay Frank shares the top trends she’s seeing.

happy crafting!

What are the top trends you’re seeing in Food and Beverage (F&B) now?

JR: Wild weeds like dandelion greens have started to replace things like

kale, charcuterie boards, gluten-free

Think fusion: naan tacos and tandoori chicken poutine or spicy lamb burritos. Hyper-local supply chains, like our use of Wozupi Native Farm, just ½ mile away. Great produce.

foods, fermentation is becoming

Gut-friendly foods. Pickling,

and bug-based foods are expected

on top. Probiotics, like kimchi, miso,

More authentic and creative Latin

Last, but certainly not least, is the

popular again, CBD-infused products,

fermenting and preserving are back

to become more popular this year.

kefir, and kombucha are here to stay.

cuisine; while Italian continues to be the favorite. Single-barrel whiskeys and bourbons have become wildly

popular, as well as loaded cocktails. MS: Robotics and automation will see a push into the market as the labor

pool dries up. Anything from making

bread rolls and mixing different types of “bowls” to building sushi is being automated as chefs try to find ways of getting things done in a timely

fashion. Plant-based diets are all the rage—burgers, milks, and cheeses

are all hitting the market. Just like animal-based foods, plant-based

foods will taste differently depending upon how you cook them.

Shifting away from sugar-added products will continue. We are

always looking for ways to stop adding sugar to everything.

Diabetes and heart disease are too prevalent in our society.

Indian foods are on the block.

32 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

sustainability piece where we take part in recycling, composting, and making an effort to keep as much

as possible out of the trash. We are

currently at 50%+ clean and moving toward our goal of 90%.

LF: Homemade continues to grow in

the F&B world. This has been a trend since mid-2017. However, now more

than ever consumers are interested in homemade, one-of-a-kind items. There is no longer value in a mojito tasting the same at all of the bars

down one street. Homemade simple syrups, curated infusions with

alcohol, and fermentation to create a different cocktail experience

than anywhere else in town is what

consumers are spending their dollars on. Being able to create dishes with

sauces, seasoning, and other finishes that are created in house give the venue a point of distinction and

credibility to today’s consumers.

MARKETING & EVENTS

FOOD & BEVERAGE TRENDS

What should clients be aware of when working with a catering team or selecting a menu?

JR: Most culinary teams try to be trend forward. When selecting a menu, dietary restrictions and price points seem to be the main concern. PRO TIP:

M A R K S TA N L E Y Executive Chef, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

If it’s a small group and you know what each attendee enjoys pull that into your menu design. At one small meeting there was a snack specifically for each person based on what they enjoyed. Most didn’t pick up on it, but the one that mentioned it said he felt valued and appreciated that the event organizer went out to their way to get something specific for him.

What ways can guests explore innovation in menu planning?

JR: Always ask if there is something different the staff can do. Generally, the answer is yes, but it may cost more money.

Q. JA S O N R O B E R T S O N Banquet Chef, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

As far as dietary restrictions, are there trends right now to accommodate those needs?

JR: Gluten-free food is probably the biggest trend followed closely by more plant-based entrees. Doing zucchini, carrot, or butternut squash noodles instead of pasta are great substitutions.

What’s the scoop on plant-based protein?

JR: Plant-based proteins, lab-grown protein, and a big push toward sustainability are all trending, so people are looking at creative ways of getting that fix and getting that experience with a healthier approach.

L I N D S AY F R A N K Chapter President. Twin Cities National Association for Catering & Events (NACE)

MARKETING & EVENTS

MS: It certainly has been getting bigger these days with the advent of Impossible Burgers and Beyond Burgers. Again, how you cook them may help in how you feel about them. It may be a bit more expensive than one would think.

Is anything old new again when it comes to F&B?

MS: Pickling, fermenting, preserving, smoking, and curing are all ancient methods of keeping foods.

What is a recent innovation you’ve seen in F&B lately that made you say “wow!”?

JR: For me its single barrels becoming as popular as they have. MS: Automated sushi machine—super cool. And the popularity of the crafted drinks— alcoholic and non-alcoholic—which 25 years ago seemed like a phase.

What is trending in F&B for customization or branding?

JR: People are more willing to brand and make it more personal to them. Everyone loves customizing. PRO TIP:

Branding makes for a memorable experience. Use your brand for reinforcement, or for a truly unique gift, customize it for each recipient.

How can a company offer a trending F&B on a small scale or budget? (i.e. holiday parties, client appreciation events, open houses, etc.)

MS: Small plate events are growing. Similar portioning and being cognizant of the prices help with what you want to serve versus what your budget allows. PRO TIPS:

• 1 server to 20 guests is the standard ratio for a dinner—with shorter time for service, plan on 1/10. • If guests are all arriving at the same time, plan 1 bartender for every 50 people (with interval arrival 1/75 or 1/100 is adequate). • Plan 8-12 hors d’oeuvres per person for a reception, if hosting a reception before dinner cut that to 4-6 per person or 1 kind per person.

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 33

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Upcoming Events OCT 25

NOV 7

NOV 14

DEC 10

MEMBER BUCK AUCTION

Mystic Lake Center Prior Lake, MN | 4:30 PM

Hilton Bloomington Bloomington, MN | 7:30 AM

Housing First Minnesota Roseville, MN | 3:00 PM

Housing First Minnesota See details for additional dates

DEC 12

FEB 4

FEB 12

start

Housing First Minnesota Roseville, MN | 9:30-11:00 AM

Metropolitan Ballroom & Clubroom Golden Valley, MN | 4:30PM

MAR 7-APR 5

MAR 23

Housing First Minnesota Roseville, MN | 9:30-11:00 AM

Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, MN | 2:00-7:00 PM

MAR 26

APR 3-5

MEMBER HAPPY HOUR Spring Parade of Homes Thurs.-Sun. | 12:00-6:00 PM

InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront St. Paul, MN | 11:30 AM

Location TBD 4:00 PM

Spring Remodelers Showcase Fri.-Sun. | 12:00-6:00 PM

DETAILS :: Contractor University Classroom & Online Registration Is Open

Parade of Homes & Remodelers Showcase Entries Close Jan. 6

Classroom Dates:

We've changed up the entry process and simplified things. We are accepting spring entries now through Jan. 6, when all final information is due. It’s the final day to banner a home, add a new entry, adjust price, edit home descriptions and directions, upload photos—everything and anything to do with your entry! Late fees will apply for any missing items.

Dec. 10, 2019 Jan. 15, 2020 Jan. 21, 2020 Feb. 6, 2020 Feb. 12, 2020

Feb. 19, 2020 Feb. 20, 2020 Feb. 25, 2020 Feb. 27, 2020 Mar. 3, 2020

Mar. 10, 2020 Mar. 18, 2020 Mar. 24, 2020 Mar. 25, 2020 Mar. 26, 2020

CONTRACTORU.COM

HOUSINGFIRSTMN.ORG

Register for Events & Find All Details at HousingFirstMN.org/Events 34 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

Digest_Q4-BD19_v2.indd 34

MARKETING & EVENTS

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Golf Open AU GUST 1 , 20 1 9 The annual Golf Open at Majestic Oaks Golf Club was a fun-filled day with great prizes, delicious food, and wonderful company. Thank you to all our golfers and sponsors who made it a fantastic day on the green!

2019

GOLF O PE N 5

1. Brian Pellinen (Robert McNearney Custom Homes, Inc.) & Brian Peterson (Builders FirstSource) :: 2. Raffle prizes galore! :: 3. Morgan Molitor (construction2style) :: 4. Shreve Parsley (Lyman Lumber Co.), Keith Horkey, & Gary Horkey (KEY LAND HOMES) :: 5. Doug Truax (Synergy Products), Andrea Swan (Swan Architecture), Kristy Raasch (Alexander Design Group), & Gary Kraemer (John Kraemer and Sons, Inc.) :: 6. Chad Smith & Tom Streff (The Energy Network Worldwide, LLC)

36 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

9 T H A N K YO U S P ON S OR S CO-PRESENTING SPONSORS

HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSORS (ALL DAY)

HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSOR (P.M. ONLY)

PUTTING GREEN SPONSOR

MJ's Contract Appliance, Inc. STAFFED GAME SPONSORS (ALL DAY)

ABC Supply Co. Inc. Arrow Building Center Black Hawk Garage Door Brush Masters, Inc. CenterPoint Energy Christian Brothers Cabinets Cosentino Center-Minneapolis DPIS Builder Services

FocalPoint Flooring Cabinets & Design IDC-Automatic Garage Door James Hardie Building Products Lampert Lumber Lyman Lumber Co./ ABC Millwork Division Quarrix Building Products

STAFFED GAME SPONSORS (P.M. ONLY)

All American Title

Pillar Title Services

Andersen Windows

Schwieters Companies, Inc.

In-Focus Systems

Water Doctors Water Treatment Co.

Martha O'Hara Interiors Marvin

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Xfinity

Pella Windows & Doors STAFFED BRAT SPONSORS (ALL DAY)

STAFFED BRAT SPONSOR (P.M. ONLY)

Ferguson Enterprises

Warners' Stellian Appliance

JL Schwieters Bldg. Supply/Const., Inc. STAFFED BEER SPONSOR (ALL DAY)

STAFFED BEER SPONSOR (P.M. ONLY)

Krech Exteriors

Schluter Systems CONTEST SPONSORS

All, Inc.

LP Building Products

Bayer Built Woodworks, Inc.

Marvin

Excelsior Capital 7. Jerry Decker (Brush Masters, Inc.) :: 8. Topher Rose (construction2style), Ethan Kindseth, Kristen Erickson (Alma Homes, LLC), Jordan Willaby, Morgan Molitor, & Jamie Molitor (construction2style) :: 9. The carts are packed and ready to go! :: 10. Gabriela LaBoy, Gabe Lindberg, Martha O’Hara, & Trish Jones (Martha O'Hara Interiors) :: 11. Curt Swanson & Kym Swanson (Swanson Homes) :: 12. Brad Sorensen (Hamernick's Interior Solutions) & Jon Coty (AVID Audio Visual Installation & Design/Dwell 44)

MARKETING & EVENTS

SEE COMPLETE PHOTO GALLERY AT HOUSINGFIRSTMN.ORG

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 37

PHOTO GALLERY

Kickstart AU GUST 7, 20 1 9 Members old and new connect at our Kickstart events to learn how they can make the most of their Housing First Minnesota membership. Want to learn how you can get more involved? Join us at our next Kickstart! UP COMING DATE S: DEC EMBER 12, FEBRUA RY 4

1. Donnie Brown (Housing First Minnesota Foundation) & John Hernandez (Litty Solar) :: 2. Roger Zierman (Plato Woodwork) & Greg Feda (The Builders Club) :: 3. Tara Gearing (JL Schwieters Construction) & Kathy Raph (Gotcha Covered North Suburbs) :: 4. Kickstart is a great place to network with members old and new! :: 5. Becca Schwartzbauer (Grey Duck Staging & Design) & Michelle LaFrance (Smarty Pants) :: 6. Dan Borowicz (Edina Realty Commercial) & David Siegel (Housing First Minnesota)

38 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

Partnering with Minnesota Builders for over 45 years

Garage Door Install

Garage Door Service

763.786.4730

Emergency Service

idc-automatic.com

PHOTO GALLERY

Happy Hour

J U LY 27 | AUG . 2 2 | S E PT. 2 5 Our happy hours are a great place to enjoy a refreshing beverage and connect with industry partners. No agenda—just good drinks and socializing!

1. First one's on us! :: 2. Tami Stauffacher & Tara Simons (Creative Lighting) :: 3. Jake Smith, Simon Brooks (In-Focus Systems), & Tracy Kelly (Hook Agency) :: 4. Sue Marshall (Marshall & Koopman Real Estate), Jon Coty (AVID Audio Visual Installation & Design/Dwell 44), Greg Livermont (Andersen Windows), Brad Sorensen (Hamernick's Interior Solutions), & Constance Koopman (Marshall & Koopman Real Estate) :: 5. Patti Martin (Twin City Fireplace & Stone Company, Inc.), Kristin Reinitz (Admit One, Inc.), Kristina Kraemer-Johnson (Breakwater Interiors, LLC), Emma Helmer (Mission Contracting, LLC), Angela Warner (Warners' Stellian Appliance), Kimberly Bednar (Hallmark Building Supplies, Inc.), & Kelly Contreras (Edward Jones)

40 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

Same commitment. Same values. Same family.

Since 1930.

www.SchererBros.com

S U P P O R T I N G L O C A L B U I L D E R S F O R G E N E R AT I O N S

PHOTO GALLERY

Foundation Golf Open SEPT EM B ER 1 7, 2 019 Members teed off at the annual Foundation Golf Open to work on their swing, network, and help support the work of the Housing First Minnesota Foundation.

1. Swinging for a cause at the Foundation Golf Open :: 2. Denise Kraemer, Dustin Propp, Jeff Kraemer, & John Kraemer (John Kraemer and Sons, Inc.) :: 3. Golf carts at the ready! :: 4. Bob Bennett takes on the chipping challenge :: 5. Eddie Near (Nor-Son Custom Homes) :: 6. Keith Horkey (KEY LAND HOMES), Michele Thompson, & Ryan Zurn (Southern Lights) :: 7. Nolan Schamberger, Dan McCabe (Lennar), Tom Smith (LP Building Products), & Brett Pletcher (Lennar)

42 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

12 10

T H A N K YO U S P ON S OR S HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSORS

STAFFED GAME SPONSORS

DPIS Builder Services James Hardie Building Products Lyman Lumber Co./ABC Millwork Division Pella Windows & Doors Scherer Brothers Lumber Co. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage STAFFED BRAT SPONSOR

JL Schwieters Bldg. Supply/Const., Inc. STAFFED BEER SPONSORS

Scherer Brothers Lumber Co. Shaw/Stewart Lumber Co. CONTEST SPONSORS

Contract Interiors, Inc. Kohler Co. LP Building Products 8. Paul Woodward, Josh Moe, & Michael Jacobs (American Building Contractors, Inc.) win first place in the tournament :: 9. A beautiful day for golf :: 10. Denise Scherr, Kasey Luby (Shaughnessy Flooring), Kyla Burgoyne, & Brandon Worthley (D.R.Horton, Inc.-Minnesota) :: 11. Marisa Navarro (Twin City Fireplace & Stone Company, Inc.) accepts her award for Women's Longest Drive :: 12. Meg Jaeger (Mega Remodel) & Lynne Jensen-Nelson (Conversion-omics Speakers & Consultants) :: 13. Derek Pauling & Ben Schnackenberg (Biffs, Inc.) :: 14. Todd Polifka (Custom One Homes), Sean Doyle (SD Custom Homes), Michael Laumann (Michael Paul Design + Build), & Brett Remme (In-Focus Systems) :: 15. Trace Mills (Lyman Lumber Co.), John Zirbes (Lyman Lumber Co.), Bob Bennett, & Jeremy Lason (Hampton Companies, LLC)

MARKETING & EVENTS

HousingFirstMN.org || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 43

PHOTO GALLERY

Clay Shoot

OCTOB ER 1 , 20 1 9 PULL! The Clay Shoot is a highlight for many members, and this year was no exception! Members took their shot on the range and went home with lots of wonderful prizes.

1. Nice shot! :: 2. Aiming for success :: 3. Kicking things off at the Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club :: 4. Bill Gschwind (Minnesota Construction Law Services, PLLC), Randy Marttinen (IDC-Automatic Garage Door), Jason Myrlie (J Carsten Remodeling), & Mitch Ward (IDC-Automatic Garage Door) :: 5. Ryan Goetz, Shelly Houde, Julie Beitler, & Jake Schwietering (CenterPoint Energy)

44 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

T H A N K YO U S P ON S OR S "THE BIG SHOT" PRESENTING SPONSOR

STAFFED AMMO SPONSOR

SAFETY SPONSOR

SKILLED CONTEST STATION SPONSORS

BEER SPONSORS

Windows • Doors • Cabinets

STATION SPONSORS

Arrow Building Center Marvin Minnesota Construction Law Services, PLLC REGISTRATION SPONSOR

Pella Windows & Doors 6. Rain won't stop our members from taking their shot! :: 7. Jeff Kraemer, Dustin Propp, John Kraemer (John Kraemer & Sons, Inc.), Charlie Simmons (Charlie & Co. Design, Ltd.), Dan Boldt (Admit One, Inc.), T.J. Majdecki (Murphy & Co. Design), Lance Anderson, Kristin Reinitz, Mark Searles (Admit One, Inc.), Sunny Bowman (Dakota County Lumber Co.), Ross Agnello (ALL, Inc.), & Peter Hagstrom (Hagstrom Builder, Inc.) :: 8. Cary Becker, Josh Chouinard (Becker Building and Remodeling, Inc.), Jorde Christoferson, & Matt Handlos (Provo Electric)

MARKETING & EVENTS

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 45

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EVENTS

BIG Night FRIDAY, O CTOB E R 2 5, 2 019 Join your peers for the industry’s largest celebration of the year, the BIG Night at Mystic Lake Center. Bigger and better than ever before, the event is now on a FRIDAY night! The evening will be filled with incredible networking, countless bars, and chef creations to satisfy your appetite all while celebrating our industry’s award-winning projects, individuals, and companies in the showroom. NEW! Don’t miss the after-party back in the ballroom which will go strong until midnight. Nosh the night away, grab a drink (did someone say champagne?), and get ready to boogie.

WHEN ::

CO M P L ET E DE TA I L S AT B I GN I G H TMN.ORG

Friday, October 25, 2019 4:30 p.m. Social 7:00 p.m. Awards Presentation 9:00 p.m. After-Party

WHERE ::

Mystic Lake Center 2400 Mystic Lake Blvd NW Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372

HousingFirstMN.org 651-697-1954 $135 per person; walk-ins welcome

FEATURING ::

Special Guest & Emcee Jason DeRusha

PRESENTING AWARDS ::

ReggieSM, Trillium, ROMA, & Bennie Awards Builder, Remodeler, & Associate of the Year Advocate, Legislator, & Housing Industry Leader of the Year Minnesota Green Path Leadership, Rising Star, & Building Housing First Minnesota Awards Robert L. Hanson Lifetime Achievement Award

SPONSORED IN PART BY

“

B R S I S A GR E AT WAY TO R E C ONNE CT W I T H AL L OU R LOC AL T R ADE PA RT NE R S AND ME E T P OT E NT I AL NE W T R ADE PA RT NE R S I N A FAC E -TO- FAC E , CASUAL L E A R NI NG E NVI RON M E NT. I T 'S MU CH M OR E P E R SONAL AND LOCAL LY R E L E VANT T HAN A NAT I ONAL SHOW.” A RT P RAT T, P RAT T HOM ES

REG ISTER TO AT TEN D AT B R S M N.ORG

56 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

EVENTS

Associates Book Today! EA R LY B I R D R ATE S E X PIR E O C T. 3 1, 2 019 Connect with builders, remodelers, registered contractors, interior designers, and architects!

EDUCATION :: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Exhibitors are invited to attend education.

EXHIBIT :: 2-7 p.m.

Showcase your products and services along among the 25,000+ square feet of exhibit space. Reconnect with current customers and tell your story to prospective customers. All exhibitors can enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres stations throughout the show floor. Booth staffing limitations will be strictly observed. Badges for additional exhibit staff may be purchased for $30/each and will include access to the food stations. Badges are required to be worn at all times during exhibit hours. Any company that provides products or services to Minnesota’s residential construction industry will find value at BRS.

BOOK YOUR BOOTH :: Easy online booth booking available. For questions or bulk discounts, contact booth sales consultant, Emily Youngs, at Emily@HousingFirstMN.org or 651-697-7570.

“

GU E ST S W E R E VE RY AP P ROAC HAB L E . W E R E C E I VE D SOME GR E AT L E ADS! T HANK YOU!” KENNET H C OP P ES,

BUILT ST RONG EXT ERIORS, LLC

BOOK YOUR BOOTH AT B R S M N.ORG

MARKETING & EVENTS

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 57

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PARADE OF HOMES

S AV E T H E DAT E S Parade of Homes March 7–April 5, 2020 Remodelers Showcase April 3–5, 2020

A D V E RT I S I N G

Get your message in front of thousands of consumers in the Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase guidebooks! Kori Meewes 612-801-9874 | Kori@HousingFirstMN.org

Brad Meewes 651-269-2399 | Brad@HousingFirstMN.org Reservations due Dec. 20, 2019

Now Accepting Spring Entries Entries open Oct. 15, 2019–Jan. 6, 2020 Enter online at HousingFirstMN.org

New!

We’re changing up the entry process for the 2020 Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase. Rather than the usual preliminary entry deadline followed by a late fee to enter, we’ve simplified things. We are now accepting spring entries from Oct. 15, 2019—Jan. 6, 2020. That means it’s open season right now! But on Monday, Jan. 6 all your information is due. It’s the final day to banner a home, add a new entry, adjust price, edit home descriptions and directions, upload photos—everything and anything to do with your entry! If any details are not complete after that date, a $250 late fee will be applied for any missing items. Questions? Contact Casey Scozzari 651-697-7569 | Casey@HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 59

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IN THE MEDIA

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In the Media NEWS COVERAGE ::

From our latest research to the Parade of Homes and everything in between, Housing First Minnesota is making headlines. Check out some of the places we’ve recently been covered in the press.

PARADE OF HOMES

PERMITS & HOMEBUILDING

MARKETING & EVENTS

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

HousingFirstMN.org || October–December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 61

SOCIAL MEDIA ::

We want to see those Housing First Minnesota moments! Taking home a haul from the auction? Toasting to your award at the BIG Night? Share your photos on social media and tag us when you’re working on anything related to Housing First. We’ll share a few of our favorites in the next Digest!

62 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

MARKETING & EVENTS

FOUNDATION

SAVE THE DATE

FUNDRAISING

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! GIVE TO THE MAX DAY RETURNS NOV. 14, 2019

Saturday, April 18, 2020 J.W. Marriott | Mall of America Join us to celebrate and support the work and mission of Housing First Minnesota Foundation at the fifth annual Gala. $150 Early Bird Pricing $175 After April 1 Registration Opens February 15 Sponsorships Available

Give to the Max Day is a statewide collaborative effort between Minnesota nonprofit organizations committed to helping make our state a better place. Last year, we raised $7,000 on this day of giving that helped support life-changing housing projects.

HELP US REACH OUR 2019 GOAL:

$10,000 LOG ON TO

GIVEMN.ORG AND DONATE TO OUR NEXT BUILD PROJECT

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION

HousingFirstMN.org || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || THE DIGEST || 63

FOUNDATION

OFFERING HOPE TO WOMEN VETERANS Written by: Maura Keller

When the Housing First Minnesota Foundation/ HomeAid Twin Cities and Lennar recently built a new home in Maplewood for veteran women, the goal was that the residence would have a dramatic impact on the lives of homeless women veterans— most of whom are seeking the safety, security, and consistency that this new five-bedroom transitional home offers.

64 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION

FOUNDATION

Teresa Marshall, a Minnesota veteran who

growing segment of the homeless veteran

sanctuary of sorts where residents can

spent 13 years in the US military, has been

population nationwide.

enjoy a relaxing atmosphere filled with

greatly impacted by the opportunity to live in this beautiful home while experiencing the transitional housing services provided by the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV). The organization’s goal is to help end veteran homelessness by providing housing, employment, and legal services.

To address the issue of homeless women veterans, the Foundation donated the

“I've lived with other female veterans

completed Maplewood home to MACV

before but currently there are six women

in mid-2018. The lot for the home was

living in the house,” Marshall says.

donated anonymously to the Minneapolis

“Hopefully, my stay will be no more

Area Association of REALTORS®, which

than nine months to a year. My plan

proceeded to transfer the lot to the

is to eventually get in a rental.”

Foundation for this project. Together

Marshall first joined the U.S. Army

with Lennar, many different building

immediately upon graduating high school.

trade partners donated their time,

During her time in the military, Marshall served two terms in both Desert Storm and Desert Shield. After completing her two tours of duty, Marshall joined the National Guard for an additional three years. “In 2017 my husband passed away suddenly. He was 48 years old,” Marshall says. “I lost my way and found myself just drifting.”

privacy and solitude.

materials, and services to provide a newly constructed home to Minnesota’s veteran women. These trade partners were more than eager to build something that would help those who have served our country. Ultimately, the goal of providing this new housing to Minnesota veterans is to provide a safe environment while helping

Indeed, as Marshall and her fellow female veterans gain much-needed stability in their lives, they will eventually leave this home and establish their own housing— with the help of MACV professionals. As verterans like Marshall transition out of the home, other homeless or nearhomeless veterans will move in and gain the stability they need for their future success.

them get solid footing to eventually find

Marshall says being a part of this

their own stable housing. The veteran

structured independent living

As Marshall struggled with her husband’s

women living in the home work closely

environment has greatly helped her

sudden death, she recognized that she

with MACV case managers to identify their

through the depression and PTSD from

also needed help finding an affordable

needs and gain the tools and resources

which she suffers.

place to live.

they need to deal with employment,

“Being a part of this program and housing

“I heard about the home through the

housing, legal, and other issues they may

continues to build my confidence in

Community Resource Referral Center and

be facing. They also are provided with help

the system and the support for women

Minnesota Assistant Council for Veterans

and resources in dealing with the issues they may be facing—from post-traumatic

veterans,” Marshall says. “This home

and applied,” Marshall says. While many people may think of homeless veterans to primarily be male,

stress disorder (PTSD) to drug and alcohol dependency to physical and sexual abuse.

means so much to me and it is a lot more than simply being a ‘building.’ It means I’m able to sleep, eat, and think in a safe

the Department of Veteran Affairs says

The five-bedroom, five-bath home was

place, while setting myself up to get my

that women now comprise the fastest-

built with women in mind, offering a

own place.”

“

This home means so much to me and it is a lot more than simply being a ‘building.’ It means I’m able to sleep, eat, and think in a safe place, while setting myself up to get my own place.” — Teresa Marshall, Veteran & MACV Resident

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION

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FOUNDATION

HOUSING FOR VETERANS ON PENN AVE. It took a year of dedication and hard

served our country. This home marks the

work, but the Housing First Minnesota

third project for veterans on which Lennar

Foundation’s efforts to secure a vacant lot

has partnered with the Foundation.

from the City of Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) have come to fruition. After months of environmental testing and platting the lot, the Foundation purchased a vacant property lot located at 9416 Penn Avenue in Bloomington—for just $1. In October, construction begins on of a four-bedroom residence that will serve the needs of four homeless veteran men. With its proximity to transit, the local VFW/American Legion, and the VA, along with the concentration

The Foundation, Lennar team, MACV, and Felhaber Larson have expended countless hours to secure the lot from the HRA and obtain plat approval from both the city and county. Now, the time spent seems small in the whole scheme of what is about to unfold: a housing facility built specifically to serve veterans—one which they can call home. MACV will own the facility, provide client services, and run property management services.

of neighboring businesses in the

"The Minnesota Assistance Council

surrounding area, our latest project is

for Veterans has made great strides

situated in an ideal location for

toward ending veteran homelessness in

veterans who need stable housing.

Minnesota. It is a privilege to support

Once completed, this new transitional housing residence will serve clients of the Minnesota Council for Veterans (MACV). The nonprofit organization provides housing, employment, and legal services to veterans in Minnesota. Lennar is the build partner and is no stranger to

veterans and MACV with the support of Lennar by doing what we do best— building a home,” said Donnie Brown, Housing First Minnesota Foundation manager. “MACV is a nonprofit beneficiary that Housing First Minnesota is pleased to support.”

creating stable housing for those who

“

The Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans has made great strides toward ending veteran homelessness in Minnesota. It is a privilege to support veterans and MACV with the support of Lennar by doing what we do best— building a home,” — Donnie Brown, Housing First Minnesota Foundation manager

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HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss a beat. Follow Housing First Minnesota

MEMBERSHIP

Member Voices Housing First Minnesota is an amazing community of smart, dedicated members that work to make the industry a better place. Here, members share their thoughts on the rebrand of our association.

W E A S K E D : W H AT D O E S T H E R E B R A N D M E A N T O YO U ?

The rebrand to Housing First Minnesota is very exciting because the name speaks very clearly to what we are about as an organization. That clarity will elevate awareness around the housing industry in general, which will benefit all stakeholders, and will communicate without a doubt that housing is our first priority." Carla Warner

Warners’ Stellian Appliance

The most exciting element to the rebranding is how our name now readily identifies the priority we place on housing in Minnesota. We put housing first. The Housing First Minnesota Foundation is focused on creating partnerships that lead to sustainable housing for the underserved communities. Stable and quality housing not only helps our families, but provides a much needed base for further economic growth within the Twin Cities area."

Jody Kern

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

I think the rebrand as Housing First Minnesota is great because it gets the word out that we're not just builders. We're an entire industry committed to making the housing market better for all.”

Anthony Weiner

Cardinal Homebuilders, Inc.

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MEMBERSHIP

NEW MEMBERS

H OUSI N G F I R ST MINN E S OTA

New Members

JUNE–AUGUST 2019

Mega Remodel Meg Jaeger 612-518-1105 MegaRemodel.co

Gotcha Covered of Woodbury Gressa Schroeder 651-571-0525 GotchaCovered.com/ woodbury

BPI (Building Products, Inc.) Jim Welch 612-490-5682 BPI.Build Carpet King, Inc. / Trade Direct Traci Posusta 612-287-1710 CarpetKing.com

Grey Duck Staging & Design Becca Schwartzbauer 612-600-7811 GreyDuckStaging.com

Core Exteriors Branden Hubbard 763-498-4316 CoreExteriors.com

Holly Home Renovations, LLC Todd Johnson 651-706-0972 HollyHomeRenovations.com

Dwell 44 Jon Coty 612-369-2574 Dwell44.com

Hook Agency Tim Brown 612-772-9555 HookAgency.com

Gotcha Covered North Suburbs Kathy Raph 612-910-8215 GotchaCovered.com/northsuburbs

Gotcha Covered of South Minneapolis Nathan Manthei 952-260-2913 GotchaCovered.com/southminneapolis

NEW MEMBER RECRUITERS

Napoleon Fireplaces Paul Nigon 612-618-7919 NapoleonFireplaces.com Orchard View Homes, Inc. Jason Kasanezky 612-207-1377 OrchardViewHomes.com

JUNE–AUGUS T 2019

Thanks to these members who have helped grow our Housing First Minnesota community by recruiting new companies to join our association.

Telos, LLC Erik Olson 763-334-5050 TelosMN.com

Jeff Belzer's Jarret Petsch 952-469-7063 JeffBelzer.com

Gotcha Covered of Historic St. Paul Daniel Sogin 651-376-1120 GotchaCovered.com/historicsaint-paul

Moms Design Build Helen Bednar 952-277-6667 MomsDesignBuild.com

Timberwall Landscape & Masonry Products, Inc. Kent Edwards 952-443-2808 Timberwall.com

Joseph R. Miller Construction Joe Miller 612-597-3606

TruStile Doors Ted Reiter 612-701-8816 TruStile.com

Level Contracting, LLC Montgomery Jensen 612-562-9959

Kristin Reinitz Admit One, Inc.

Jon Coty AVID Audio Visual Installation & Design

Jeff Warren Divine Custom Homes, LLC

Tim Shimek Glowing Hearth & Home

Greg Feda The Builders Club

HAVE A HOT PROSPECT?

Contact Heather Griffis Heather@HousingFirstMN.org

start

You’re a Member, Now What? Join us for breakfast or happy hour and learn how to kick-start your Housing First Minnesota membership. Members new and old are welcome!

DECEMBER 12

FEBRUARY 4

APRIL 8

THURSDAY | 9:30-11AM

TUESDAY | 9:30-11AM

WEDNESDAY | 3:30-5PM

All events are held at Housing First Minnesota Register on our Calendar of Events on HousingFirstMN.org Questions? Call Heather at 651-697-7573

MEMBERSHIP

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NEW MEMBER BENEFIT!

COMING SOON!

Housing First Minnesota Association Health Plan for Members We are excited to announce the launch of an upcoming member benefit, an Association Health Plan exclusively for Housing First Minnesota members! It will provide fully insured health insurance options for members through Blue Cross Blue Shield, as well as dental, vision, and other ancillary insurance through MetLife. Association Health Plans empower businesses to pool together to provide health insurance plans for their employees. This new membership benefit is anticipated for launch on Jan. 1.

STAY TUNED TO THE WEEKLY VOICE E-NEWSLETTER AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CONTINUED UPDATES THIS FALL! We’re always on the lookout for membership benefits that help you build your business.

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MEMBERSHIP

NEW MEMBER BENEFIT!

750 REBATE

Save on Your New Ride Announcing our latest members-only benefit: a $750 vehicle rebate through Jeff Belzer Auto Dealerships for Housing First

Jeff Belzer has seven brands to choose from: Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ram, Dodge, Ford, Kia, and Jeep, and is a BBB A+ rated company. This exclusive membership benefit joins several other money-saving opportunities for members, including a Verizon phone discount program, fleet gas discounts from Speedway and Holiday Stationstores, and manufacturer rebates through HomeSphere. As you approach year-end, if you need new vehicles, this is the time to call Jeff Belzer and save $750 on each vehicle you purchase.

Minnesota members! The rebate is provided on top of any existing dealer or manufacturer rebates—an exceptional offer! But, that’s not all. Beyond that, our new program features several additional benefits: •

A free service loaner

•

Free pickup and drop-off for service work

•

Free delivery of any vehicle purchased

•

Express commercial service

BONUS!

THE FIRST 25 MEMBERS WHO CONTACT JARRET PETSCH, OUR JEFF BELZER CONCIERGE, ABOUT THE PROGRAM WILL GET A $50 GIFT CARD FOR GAS ON US! Contact Jarret at 952-469-7063 to start the purchase process or visit HousingFirstMN.org and select Membership > Member Benefits. We look forward to seeing you pulling up to your next Housing First function in your new wheels.

MEMBERSHIP

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AFFINITY PROGRAMS

Money-Saving Member Benefits Housing First Minnesota has brought together an array of members-only benefits that positively impact your bottom line. We seek companies that thoroughly understand the building industry and provide products at rates generally not available on the street. Give these folks a chance to see what they can do. We think you will find they can save you money and provide you better service.

SAVE $750 from the one of the most popular auto dealers in Minnesota when you purchase any NEW vehicle. Other great incentives include free service loaner vehicle, free pickup and drop-off for service work, and express commercial service.

Speedway is now in Minnesota! Save up to 10 cents per gallon with a Speedway Fleet Card for your business. Robert Schafer: 612-212-7496 Robert.Schafer@wexinc.com SpeedwayFleetCards.com

Jarret Petsch: 952-469-7063

Learn how you can join over home 2,000 builders Connecting new builders receiving incentives and rebates from to the top manufacturing building product manufacturers. brands nationwide Melissa Wolf: 331-431-7433

Save 22% off monthly cell service or 18% off personal cell service for companies performing a significant amount of physical construction services, as well as architects, engineers, and surveyors. Contact NPP at 800-810-3909

Learn MWolf@HomeSphere.com how you can join over 2,000 builders receiving incentives / rebates from building product manufacturers

CustomerService@MyNPP.com

Save 5 cents on every gallon of gas from Holiday Stationstores. Special promotion for Housing First Minnesota members who are new applicantsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;10 cents off the first 90 days.

Competitive and customizable pricing for members on architectural coatings, chemical coatings, industrial coatings; and paint supplies/rollers. Members also have the option of receiving a local quote on wall coverings, floor coverings, window treatments, and spray equipment.

Don Keis: 952-830-8889

Contact NPP at 800-810-3909

Get Started today!

Don.Keis@HolidayCompanies.com

CustomerService@MyNPP.com (331) 431-7433 | mwolf@homesphere.com North Central Local Contact Melissa Wolf - Regional Sales manager HOUSINGFIRSTMN.ORG /A FFIN IT YPROG RA MS www. h o m esp h er e.c oom m

72 || THE DIGEST || Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org HomeSphere 1/4 Ad.indd 1

6/6/17 2:48 PM

MEMBERSHIP

Staying Connected There’s a lot going on in the lives of Housing First Minnesota members—and we love to share those exciting updates in the Member News! We feature awards, marriages, condolences, promotions, and all sorts of other milestones.

Remember to send all your important news and announcements to Laura@HousingFirstMN.org.

AWA RDS ::

NEW HIRES :: DAVID CHARLEZ DESIGNS WINS 2019 AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL DESIGN AWARDS Congratulations to David Charlez Designs for being named one of the American Institute of Building Design’s top designers in the twelfth annual American Residential Design Awards (ARDA). David Charlez Designs was awarded two Grand ARDA trophies in the Custom Home Design category and one ARDA trophy in the Model Home category.

FEATURE S :: GREY DUCK STAGING & DESIGN FEATURED ON HGTV Grey Duck Home Staging took on prime time this fall on HGTV’s Stager Things. Congratulations to Becca from Grey Duck Staging for this exciting opportunity!

MEMBERSHIP

IN-FOCUS WELCOMES GREG ELSNER In-Focus Systems is pleased to announce and welcome the addition of Greg Elsner to their team as commercial operations manager. Greg has over 25 years of experience in the low voltage industry and most recently led the custom division for another company.

CLARE BUCHE JOINS HOUSING FIRST AS GRAPHIC DESIGNER We are excited to welcome Clare Buche to the Housing First Minnesota team as our graphic designer! Clare joined Housing First Minnesota in July and is the talent behind the design and production of many of our printed publications, event materials, and digital graphics. Clare joins our creative team after seven years as a freelance designer where she worked with local nonprofits on special events, marketing materials, and annual reports. She is also the former art director for American Cake Decorating magazine and has a Bachelor of Science in architecture from the University of Minnesota. Clare lives in Mahtomedi with her husband and daughter. When she’s not designing up a storm, Clare loves spending time at her cabin, cheering on the Vikings, and trying her hand at watercolor.

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THINGS THAT MAKE MEMBERSHIP A SMART DECISION

DAVID SIEGEL :: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

Your Housing First Minnesota team works diligently every day to add value to membership. Here are five things that make membership a really smart business decision for you.

Advocacy Simply put, Housing First Minnesota can take actions and address issues collectively that no single member either can or will want to. Here are several examples of advocacy action we’ve driven that benefit our industry: •

We’ve taken legal action against the city of Dayton for its problematic transportation fee.

•

We’ve issued two major reports showing how regulation is driving up housing costs.

•

We’ve successfully lobbied at the Legislature for the creation of a five-year Housing Affordability Commission that will propose legislation to aid our industry in producing more homes.

•

We worked at the Capitol to add a management component to builder licensing continuing education.

•

We asked the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to look at changing state rule to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work on our jobsites to gain exposure to our industry. DLI has formed a task force to consider the issue.

•

We worked with DLI on its updates to our building codes that will ensure minimal additional costs for construction. Energy and building advocates proposed much more disruptive code advances that simply weren’t necessary to protect homebuyers and didn’t create a demonstrated return on investment.

Ours is a nation-leading comprehensive advocacy program that includes electoral engagement, lobbying, legal action when necessary, issue advocacy, and PR for our industry and regulatory reform.

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Senate Select Committee on Homeownership Affordability & Availability

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

Housing First Health Plan

Member Happy Hours

I’ve been in the association field for more than 30 years, and in all that time, the most consistently desired benefit has been an Association Health Plan. And I mean a “real plan” that isn’t just a discount off prescription drugs or some limited coverage for hourly employees. Housing First Minnesota is launching a powerful, comprehensive Association Health Plan through our partner Blue Cross Blue Shield and it’s an amazing benefit for our membership. If you’d like information, contact Heather Griffis at the association (Heather@HousingFirstMN.org).

This year, we launched member happy hours that have provided an excellent opportunity for important and casual member-to-member interaction. Our mission calls for us to help our members build their businesses through marketing, advocacy, and industry connections. Those connections, whether associate to builder/remodeler, associate to associate, or builder/remodeler to colleague, are an invaluable tactic for growing your business. We’ll be continuing with our member happy hours in 2020 and hope you make plans to attend. No fee, no agenda, just a chance to connect over a beer provided by your association.

Housing First Auto Discount

These are five things that make your membership a really smart business decision. They protect your business and make it easier to build and remodel; they save you money; they expand your marketing capability; and they connect you with colleagues. I could quickly name another five – from the Designated Green Path Builder program to Contractor University, from the Reggies, Romas, Trilliums, and other awards to Housing Day at the Capitol, we strive constantly to bring value to your membership. Thanks for being a member and as we close out 2019, we wish you the best in the year ahead.

This is the real deal, too. Members save $750 off every vehicle they purchase at Belzer Auto Dealerships. That includes Ford, Kia, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Chevrolet, and Jeep. You will also get additional benefits such as free loaners, free drop-off of new vehicles, and free pickup and drop-off of vehicles for servicing.

The Parade of Homes, Remodelers Showcase, and Artisan Home Tour These events are the premier marketing opportunities for this industry in Minnesota, and we are actually the biggest in the country! Year after year, they bring qualified consumers to your doorstep in numbers you couldn’t otherwise achieve. And we continue to innovate these events, deploying the latest marketing techniques and implementing cutting-edge technology. Several important innovations occurred in 2019: •

We expanded the listings remodelers receive in the guidebook and online, giving you a half page in the guidebook, allowing for before and after pictures and a more detailed description.

•

We introduced modified builder entry listings that include either one or three photos of the entered home.

•

We launched a “Coming Soon” entry for new developments and new phases of developments.

•

We modified our event marketing to expand targeted digital aimed at home-ready renters and movedown buyers. Member Happy Hour at Wild Mind Artisan Ales

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

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HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA MEMBERS RECEIVE A $750 JEFF BELZER’S EXCLUSIVE REBATE!

Jeff Belzer's is proud to partner with Housing First Minnesota. As a premier auto dealership in the Twin Cities area we are honored to provide exclusive auto sales and service benefits to members of Housing First Minnesota. Offering 7 new vehicle franchises in 2 locations, you are certain to find a vehicle that will be a perfect fit for your business.

www.HousingFirstMN.org/AffinityPrograms

DIRECTORY OF ADVERTISERS ABC Supply Co., Inc.............................................................54

James Hardie Building Products........................................ 2

Arrow Building Center........................................................... 1

Jeff Belzer's........................................................................... 76

Bell Bank Mortgage............................................................. 27

JL Schwieters Bldg. Supply/Const., Inc........................... 35

Black Hawk Garage Door....................................................50

Lampert Lumber....................................................................31

Builders FirstSource........................................................... 25

Lyman Companies ................................................................ 12

CenterPoint Energy............................... Inside Front Cover

Marvin...................................................................................... 3

Cityscape Painting Contractors, Inc................................ 52

Norbord, Inc..........................................................................49

Corporate 4 Insurance Agency, Inc.................................. 67

Pella Windows & Doors....................................................... 58

Erosion Works....................................................................... 52

RMC Solutions, LLC.............................................................50

Excelsior Capital.................................................................... 7

Scherer Bros. Lumber Co....................................................41

Ferguson Enterprises..........................................................46

Schwieters Companies, Inc.................................................. 5

First State Bank and Trust.................................................60

Shaw/Stewart Lumber Co....................................................16

Hedberg Supply....................................................................60

Synergy Products.................................................Back Cover

IDC-Automatic Garage Door............................................. 39

The Resultants...................................................................... 58

In-Focus Systems.....................................Inside Back Cover

Thermo-Tech Windows, Inc..................................................11

you belong. 76 || THE DIGEST || October–December 2019 || HousingFirstMN.org

HOUSING FIRST MINNESOTA

Today is all about bringing families closer together and staying connected. In-Focus Systems understands and listens to what is important, and then we make it FUN and easy. In-Focus Systems is your premier low voltage dealer. Our team can design, install, and service all your audio/video needs. This includes smart home devices that control lighting, thermostats, and entertainment systems. We also provide security and camera technologies and central vacuum systems. Come experience FUN in our customer experience showrooms in St. Louis Park or South St. Paul!

3305 Republic Ave, St Louis Park, MN 55426 â&#x201D;&#x201A; 952.929.0000 â&#x201D;&#x201A; 101 Bridgepoint Way #130, South St Paul, MN 55075

Interiors: StudioMurphy | Architect: Interiors: Historic StudioHistoric | Architect: & Co.Murphy Design& Co. Design JN Built | Spacecrafting Photography: Spacecrafting Builder: JN BuiltBuilder: | Photography:

Loewen Window Center 6011 Culligan Way Minnetonka, MN

Phone: 651.788.3346 Fax: 952.666.5562 www.synergy-trt.com

loewen.com

Loewen Window Center 6011 Culligan Way Minnetonka, MN

Phone: 651.788.3346 Fax: 952.666.5562 www.synergy-trt.com

loewen.com