Colorado Association Of Home Builders

TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THE HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY IN COLORADO. WE ARE THE VOICE OF THE BUILDING INDUSTRY WORKING TO MEET THE HOUSING NEEDS OF ALL COLORADOANS THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, STEWARDSHIP, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MEMBERS.

COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS STRIVES TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THE HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY BY IMPROVING THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE STATE OF COLORADO. COLORADO ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS IS COMPRISED OF MEMBERS FROM TEN LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THREE CHAPTERS ACROSS COLORADO. THE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MEMBER COMPANIES STATEWIDE BY:(1) MONITORING AND INFLUENCING THE LEGISLATIVE, REGULATORY, AND JUDICIAL PROCESSES.(2) OFFERING MEMBER SERVICES BEST PROVIDED ON A STATEWIDE BASIS(3) PROVIDING EDUCATION AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS TO SHARE IDEAS AND INFORMATION(4) PROMOTING AND ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICAL PRACTICES BY THE MEMBERS(5) ENHANCING THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE BUILDING INDUSTRY.MANY ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN HEAVILY IMPACTED BY COVID-19 AND THE RESULTING ATTEMPTS TO MITIGATE IT. THE COLORADO HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION IS NO EXCEPTION. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR US TO PIVOT FROM WORKING IN AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT TO A REMOTE ONE. OUR MEETINGS AND EVENTS EITHER HAD TO BE CANCELLED OUTRIGHT OR TRANSITIONED TO A VIRTUAL DELIVERY METHOD. ALL OF OUR LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS LOST CONSIDERABLE NON-DUES REVENUE. THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM MEMBER DUES, ALONG WITH NON-DUES SOURCES SUCH AS SPONSORSHIPS AND AFFINITY PROGRAMS. WE ALSO BRING IN INCOME FROM PERMIT FEES AND ASSESSMENTS. OUR ASSOCIATION IS COMPRISED OF BOTH BUILDER/DEVELOPER AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. OUR REVENUE STREAM WAS DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED IN A NEGATIVE WAY.OUR MEMBERS VALUE THE IN-PERSON ASPECT OF OUR GATHERINGS FOR NETWORKING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS MORE HIGHLY THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE. WHEN COVID-19 DICTATED THE ELIMINATION OR SEVERE CURTAILMENT OF THOSE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES BY OUR LOCAL ASSOCIATION PARTNERS, MANY MEMBERS DECIDED TO CANCEL OR NOT RENEW THEIR ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS. ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY AND NEGATIVITY ALONG WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES CAUSED MANY BUSINESSES TO CUT BACK AND REDUCE EXPENSES WHEREVER POSSIBLE. ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS BECAME AN EASY TARGET FOR THOSE LOOKING TO REDUCE COSTS. THE FAILURE TO REALIZE THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF LEAVING THE ASSOCIATION FACTORED HEAVILY INTO OUR REVENUE LOSSES. THOSE COMBINED REVENUE LOSSES MEANT SOME LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS COULD NOT MAINTAIN THEIR AGREEMENTS WITH CAHB TO FORWARD MEMBER DUES AND BUILDER ASSESSMENTS TO US FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN 2020 AND 2021.WE CHANGED OUR MEETINGS AND EVENTS TO A VIRTUAL "ZOOM" FORMAT WHERE POSSIBLE. OUR OFFICES WERE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND WORKERS COMPLETED THEIR DUTIES FROM HOME. THE VIRTUAL FORMAT SUFFERS COMPARED TO AN IN-PERSON ONE, ESPECIALLY WHERE LARGER GROUPS ARE INVOLVED. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY LANGUAGE CANNOT BE ASCERTAINED AS EASILY OR AT ALL. PEOPLE CANNOT BE HEARD AS READILY DUE TO TECHNOLOGY ISSUES, SMALL COMPUTER SCREENS, OR TALKING OVER EACH OTHER. IN EVERY MEETING, SOMEONE (USUALLY THE SAME PERSON) HAS INVARIABLY MUTED THEMSELVES AND CANNOT BE HEARD. VIRTUAL MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN HELD REPEATEDLY FOR MONTHS ON END, LEAD TO DISCONNECTEDNESS AND APATHY IN THE GROUP. WE FOUND THEY CONTRIBUTED TO A LACK OF EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION AND THE FAILURE TO RENEW MEMBERSHIPS AND CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO THE ASSOCIATION. REMOTE EVENTS AND MEETINGS BECOME AN ISOLATED TREK OF THE ONE, RATHER THAN A SHARED EXPERIENTIAL VOYAGE OF THE MANY. LACKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS DIMINISHES THE MEANING.IT IS A STRUGGLE TO GET OUR MEMBERS TO LEAVE THE WARMTH AND SECURITY OF THEIR SOFAS AND RETURN TO DRIVING TO MEETING/EVENT LOCATIONS AND INTERACT IN THE REAL WORLD. PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN COMFORTABLE WITH THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR OF VIRTUAL INTERACTION. EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION IS A PRINCIPAL MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS OUR MEMBERS TO BENEFIT AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER'S KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT, AND EXPERIENCES. THAT INTERACTION HELPS DEMONSTRATE THE WORTH OF WHAT WE BRING TO OUR CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS IN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WAY. THE ADVOCACY WORK WE DO IS LARGELY BEHIND THE SCENES, SO VISIBLE BENEFITS SUCH AS NETWORKING ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN CREATING/MAINTAINING OUR FUNDING SOURCES AND KEEPING THE ASSOCIATION FINANCIALLY HEALTHY.