Press Release: April Proclaimed as New Homes Month

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Alicia Naleid, Communications Manager

(608) 242-5151 ext. 13

April Proclaimed as New Homes Month
WBA Applauds Gov. Evers for Designation

April 6, 2020 – During what has been a critically important time in Wisconsin’s economic climate, the Wisconsin Builders Association (WBA) is thanking Governor Evers for proclaiming April as New Homes Month.

“First and foremost, we want to take this opportunity to thank the Governor for considering construction, especially residential construction, essential. It is not lost on us that home builders in other parts of the country have not been seen and treated as the same,” said WBA Executive Director Brad Boycks. “While April is New Homes Month all across the United States, we are especially grateful for Governor Evers in seeing the importance the homebuilding industry brings to the economy and communities across Wisconsin, and thank him for designating this month to new home construction.”

Currently, there are over 2.6 million housing units across the state: 66 percent of those units being single family homes. Wisconsin has a strong home ownership rate of 67 percent with an average median value of just over $173,000. While the homebuilding industry in Wisconsin has strengthened since the Great Recession, there are newfound roadblocks that has increased the cost of building a home.

“A recent study found that every time the cost of a home increases by $1,000 in Wisconsin, 3,561 families would be priced out of purchasing that home as they would no longer qualify for a home mortgage. There are several factors that drive up the cost of housing such as the lack of skilled labor and minimum lot sizes required by many municipalities, as well as regulations required at the state and federal levels," said WBA President Jeff Dorner. "The lack of affordable housing is a topic of frequent conversation and one that we are looking to continue to address as the state's builders association to ensure further new home affordability and economic contribution.

“Nearly 64,000 Wisconsin residents work in residential construction,” said Boycks. “This proclamation provides great accolades to those tradesmen and women who work tirelessly to provide safe and affordable housing across the state.”

About the Wisconsin Builders Association

The Wisconsin Builders Association is a professional trade association comprised of 21 local associations dedicated to helping members build communities around the state. We advocate the interests of 4,000 home building industry members to keep housing affordable and accessible for Wisconsin families, Protecting the American Dream for over 70 years.

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Proclamation PDF
Wisconsin Housing Economic Data
Press Release PDF