The Fredericksburg Area Builder’s Association (FABA) held their annual Bourbon & Oysters meeting at Spotsylvania’s A. Smith Bowman Distillery on September 12 to network and discuss upcoming industry needs.
Karl Eckhardt, Vice President of State and Local Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders, discussed his efforts to engage with local and state governments, emphasizing the importance of advocacy in addressing housing development challenges. He discussed the hurdles posed by new Housing and Urban Development (HUD) energy regulations and the national shortage of skilled labor needed for home construction. Eckhardt also highlighted upcoming tax reforms that could impact small businesses and shared his outlook on potential shifts in Congress after the next election. He stressed the importance of financial support for FABA’s Political Action Committee (PAC) to help support legislative decisions in favor of the housing industry.