Business View Magazine - April 2024

Association of Greater Austin (HBAGA), a non-profit, professional trade association that serves the residential building and home remodeling industries in and around the capital city of Austin, Texas. HBAGA was formed in 1953 by a small group of builders who wanted to present a unified voice when working on regulatory issues with the then-much smaller municipality. Since that time, Austin, as well as its neighboring cities and counties, have exploded in population. The HBAGA has also grown from its original five members to 750 companies and over 2,000 individuals and community members who live and work in Travis, Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Lee, and Williamson Counties. “Our core members are builders,” says Chief Executive Officer, Taylor Jackson.“They represent just over half of our member companies. And that ranges from custom builders who build two to five homes per year, to our production volume builders who are building over 500 homes a year in the Greater Austin area. We also represent residential developers and suppliers, who are associate members of the HBA. Our mission is to advance the professionalism of the home building industry. And we do that through advocacy, education, and networking.” MEMBER-DRIVEN The HBAGA facilitates its mission through its standing committees: Government Relations, Membership, Workforce Development, Finance, Political Action, Issues Fund, and Executive & Board of Directors. Professional development for its member companies is the domain of its various councils: Custom Builders and Remodelers, Developers, Professional Women in Building, Sales and Marketing, Volume Builders, and Young Professionals.“Each of those councils provides a continuing education component, plus networking and connection within the industry,” Jackson explains. The HBA also educates its members through various meetings, classes, summits, and events. “We bring in speakers,” says Jackson. “For example, in the next couple of weeks, we’re bringing in all the building officials from all the different cities in the Greater Austin area for a session. It’s an opportunity to find out what’s going on in the different cities, but also to facilitate those relationships between our members 21 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 04 HOME BUI LDERS ASSOCIAT ION OF GREATER AUST IN