BIA Advocacy Update

Primary Election: June 11, 2024!

The BIA has been following the races for Fargo City Commission, West Fargo City Commission, Horace City Council and Cass County Commission. 

We hosted forums for Fargo, West Fargo and Horace this month and plan to host a forum for Cass County Commission after the primary. 

We are also partnering with the FMWF Chamber and Downtown Community Partnership (for the Fargo forum) on additional candidate forums. They are free and open to the public. 

Fargo City Commission, May 14: click here to register.

West Fargo City Commission, May 15: click here to register.

We encourage you to get involved! Attending a forum is a great way to hear from those hoping to be elected officials in your community. 

Please return back to this update later this week as we will share the recordings from the BIA forums. 

Action: Encourage Minnesota Senator Rob Kupec to vote 'NO' on HF4444/SF4483 (Worker Misclassification proposal), included in HF5242, the Labor, Housing and Transportation Omnibus Bill

Worker Misclassification proposal concerns:

• The commissioner’s authority to issue stop-work orders. If an employer has a single, isolated violation at one job site, they would be subject to the closure of all job sites. We believe that this authority should be limited to locations at which a violation has occurred, and an opportunity for due process to correct potential violations before being forced to halt work should be outlined.
• The penalties are not limited to intentional acts of misclassification. 
• Builders are experiencing significant administrative and compliance challenges with the state’s new suite of labor laws from last year’s legislative session. The expanded rules, obligations, and penalties only add to the confusion. This is especially true for smaller companies. 

If you live or own a business in Minnesota, please consider reaching out to Sen. Kupec today and explain how it will impact you and the housing and building industries.

There are many unintentional consequences this proposal could have, including decreasing housing production and increasing cost! 

You can view the current version of the bill here. The employee misclassification section is what we are asking be removed.

Click here for Senator Kupec's contact information.

NAHB announces a 10-point plan to tame shelter inflation, ease the housing affordability crisis

1.  Eliminate excessive regulations. 
2.  Promote careers in the skilled trades.
3.  Fix building material supply chains and ease costs. 
4.  Pass federal tax legislation to expand the production of affordable and attainable housing. 
5.  Overturn inefficient local zoning rules. 
6.  Alleviate permitting roadblocks.  
7.  Adopt reasonable and cost-effective building codes. 
8.  Reduce local impact fees and other upfront taxes associated with housing construction. 
9.  Make it easier for developers to finance new housing.  
10. Update employment policies to promote flexibility and opportunity. 

While impact fees aren't applicable in our region, these other points are areas in which we aim to make a difference. 

Click here to read more.