NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: May 16, 2011
Contact: Matt Morrow, 417.838.7009
Event Brings Lenders, Contractors, Realtors and Public Policy Makers Under One Roof
to Share Critical Local Data and Identify Opportunities for the Future
SPRINGFIELD, MO – The Ozarks Regional 
Housing & Construction Conference (ORHCC), sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, offers market forecast and economic impact data from national experts including a business economist from the Federal Reserve Bank.
“It’s clear we aren’t going to just stumble upon an improved local housing market,” said HBA Chief Executive Officer Matt Morrow. “There are very few contractors who have all the work they need and very few local governments without sales tax and revenue challenges related to the extreme contraction in housing and construction activity. It’s time to stop being passive and to start driving the change we want to see. Beyond everything else, this Conference is a call-to-action.”
By putting area lenders, contractors, builders, realtors and government officials under one roof with top experts and detailed regional data, HBA organizers have designed the conference to generate the kind of substantive problem-solving and resource building that sparks real solutions to local challenges. “Confronting these obstacles in an isolated way is a little bit like trying to play MacGuyver in the real world,” said Morrow. “In a made-for-TV world you can build an airplane all by yourself out of trashbags, bamboo and duct tape to escape from prison – but it the real world you wouldn’t even get airborne. We’ve got to start working together to identify local opportunities to strengthen the housing market or we won’t get airborne. We’ll only see very anemic improvement in local economic activity and job creation.”
Highlighted presentations at the full-day conference at Ramada Oasis Convention Center on North Glenstone, ($75 for HBA members as well as members of many other local organizations such as Chambers of Commerce, SCA, government agencies, and $125 for non-members,) include:
-“State of the Economy, Banking and the Road to Recovery,” Kevin Kliesen, Business Economist, Federal Reserve Bank, St. Louis;
-“MarketGraphics Construction Forecast: Where Are We and What is Ahead?” Edsel Charles, President & Founder, MarketGraphics Research Group;
-“Presentation of Findings from First-Ever Local Economic Impact of Housing Study,” Dr. Elliot Eisenberg, Senior Economist, National Association of Home Builders (Springfield MSA – Greene, Christian, Polk, Dallas and Webster Counties) Home building generates income and jobs for local residents, as well as revenue for local governments. Home building also imposes some costs on local governments that supply education, police and fire protection, and other public services to support the new homes. All of this has been historically difficult to accurately and fully quantify. Now, recognized economic models exist to accurately measure the costs and benefits of residential construction to a community. For the first time, these models have been applied to the Greater Springfield market to precisely demonstrate the true economic impact of local home building, and the findings will be released and analyzed in this session.
There are also a number of concurrent sessions and roundtable presentations targeted at specific segments of the industry including:
-“Innovative NEW Solutions in Renovation, Remodel and New Home Financing”
-“In It Together: Strengthening Home Appraisals for the Future”
-“Power Leadership: Data Cities, Counties and States Need (and How to Use It)”
-“What Must I Do Now? How Recent Changes in the Law Affect Your Business”
The conference ends with an on-site reception and tour of Sustainable Housing Solutions Fulbright Springs Development. “This innovative project demonstrates not only the economic impact of all housing, including tax-credit projects, it also affirms the life-changing power of a single family home,” said Morrow. For details/to register, visit https://dev.springfieldhba.com/hba-ozarks-regional-housing-construction-conference/.