Business View Magazine March 2023

70 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 3 you would want to hire,” he says. “They are committed to doing the right thing, engaging in continuing education, and staying on top of the latest changes in the industry and codes.” Since Connecticut does not require licensing or continuing education for home builders, the association is a critical resource in helping members and others in the construction industry stay abreast of any changes in the industry and best practices while collectively sharing that information. As an industry advocacy association, the HBRA of Central Connecticut was instrumental in lobbying the state government to recognize the building and remodeling industry as essential at the height of the COVID pandemic. “Neighboring states like New York and Vermont shut construction down, but we wanted to ensure our members kept working,” Person says. “We argued that we didn’t just want to keep building new houses, but our members’ services were essential for health and life safety reasons, especially in home breakage cases.” This categorization proved to be highly successful for the association’s members. “Members confirm that being allowed to keep working helped keep their businesses open,” Person says. “Some said if they had closed for 4 to 6 months, they probably wouldn’t be in business today, confirming the importance of what we did. “Something else we were very proud of during COVID was helping members sift through all of the information coming from federal, state, and local authorities by consolidating it in one place.” One type of information the association helped simplify and consolidate was the different loan programs by the SBA, assisting members to act quickly to take advantage of available opportunities. High inflation affects the US building and construction industry, putting pressure on contractors and home buyers. The ongoing inflationary pressures have driven the cost of crucial building materials up, including lumber, steel, and concrete.