Attention Council members: the NAHB Membership Committee has made official federation membership available to Council members who are employed by a Builder or Associate member for a significantly reduced dues investment. The idea is a decrease in dues for the ‘employee’ membership category in exchange for an increase in official member participation—a structural shift that could yield big benefits for would-be members who currently participate in local-level events without being counted in industry totals.

This means if your employer is a Builder or Associate member, and your local HBA recognizes the Affiliate category, you are now eligible for full membership via the Affiliate category for a significantly reduced fee (the national portion of the dues investment is only $5). Why bother? Because it’s the full memberships that count when it comes to taking care of our industry.

By reducing the already low Affiliate member dues structure from $25 to $5 at the national level and breaking down the financial barrier to membership, the NAHB Membership Committee is raising priorities in other areas:

1. The dues decrease is designed to increase official participation and therefore our ability to protect and serve the industry.

2. The dues decrease will amplify valuable member involvement at all levels of the federation.

“Numbers are just as important in managing the business of our association as they are in the business of building homes,” said 2006 NAHB Membership Committee Chair Larry Stege who led the 2006 Committee in an exploration of possibilities regarding this membership category last year culminating in the change, “The only difference is that our bottom line is measured by the vitality brought to the scene by our members and by the strength we have in our legislature’s office…in order to lead this industry into the future, we have to be able to officially count and welcome in the thousands of Affiliate members who are involved in our Councils,” Stege added. 

As an Affiliate member, individuals may serve on NAHB committees, task forces, working groups and more, and are included in the official membership number of the federation. Council members who are eligible (employed by a Builder or Associate member) are encouraged to participate by seeking Affiliate membership. If your local HBA does not offer the category, contact your Executive Officer to request availability.

More details are available online at www.nahb.org/AffiliateInfo or contact Emily Fitzsimmons at efitzsimmons@nahb.com. [ return to top ]