We had an outstanding year here at BATC. Looking back we tried to make a list of the top 14 in 2014. Cutting them down to 14 was tricky, but here they are. Thank you to all who made our year so spectacular!
1. Membership — 1,089 member companies make BATC the leading voice for homebuilders and remodelers. Thank you for your contributions, big and small.
2. Housing First Success – Housing First achieved all of its three major objectives and finished the year as the #3 business group in the state for political activity in 2014.
3. Artisan Home Tour Success – The AHT blew away our wildest projections for a first-year tour.
4. Parade of Homes Hits High Note – Heading into 2015 with the most Spring POH entries since 2009!
5. The Big Night ROCKED!! – 700 attendees, classic venue, award winning projects and members honored. As BATC Legislator of the Year LeRoy Stumpf stated, “…this was like a Hollywood event!”
6. Stopped Minneapolis Moratorium – The City of Minneapolis threw a curveball to the property owners in one of MSP’s hottest housing markets, SW Minneapolis. BATC engaged the city immediately and helped broker a swift resolution to the year-long moratorium by having it lifted in just over one month.
7. First Green Path Community Approved – Homestead Partners gained approval for Eden Gardens, the first MN Green Path Advanced Certified community where every home will be GP Advanced Certified.
8. BATC University was Leading Code Educator – Seeing the new building and energy codes on the horizon BATC-U sprung into action and found itself adding class after sold-out class to educate our membership on the code implications for their businesses.
9. BATC’s Getting More Social – Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, our own Press Secretary to keep BATC informed on key industry matters and to be a resource for the press covering our industry – we’re everywhere.
10. BATC Foundation Made a Difference — Successful fundraising and tremendous support from BATC member volunteers helped the Foundation complete several important projects, including the completion of a new home for a young man severely injured in a hit and run accident, and themed bedroom makeovers to create special spaces for two youngsters who had spent much of their young lives in hospital.
11. KARE 11 Backyard – BATC embarked on a partnership with KARE 11 TV, one of the most popular local brands reaching thousands of viewers each day, and giving BATC’s voice a broader consumer audience on a a regular basis. Working with a number of key BATC members, we rebuilt their iconic backyard, welcomed over 1500 visitors to see it during the Fall 2014 Parade of Homes, and will continue to provide updates over the coming year for additional exposure.
12. Met Council Population Forecast – The Met Council adjusted their population forecasts substantially after BATC turned up the pressure on them to do so. While still projecting too much urban and transit-oriented growth, the population forecasts are improved.
13. Job Fair – As the market climbs back to normalcy we need to attract talent into our industry. BATC is doing its part to elevate career opportunities and will continue to do so in 2015.
14. Builder Day at the Capitol – We took it up a notch and have created a Builder Day at the Capitol that is positioned to grow as part of our comprehensive advocacy program.
Here’s to hoping 2015 is even better! Happy New Year!
