The Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) is a member-run trade organization originally conceived in the early 1940s to foster a healthy business environment while improving the professionalism of home builders in the Twin Cities. This is still its mission today.
Membership in BATC also includes membership in its parent organizations, the Builders Association of Minnesota (BAM) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Members gain the experience and knowledge of thousands of individuals and companies, as well as wield tremendous political clout for the industry at the local, state and national level.
BATC’s endeavors encompass five specific areas — education, networking, marketing, public policy, and community service, with volunteer members setting the agenda while a professional staff manages the day-to-day operations.
Education
BATC offers its members numerous educational opportunities throughout the year. Both Minnesota Residential Contractors and Real Estate Continuing Education classes provide members with low-cost, high-quality courses that are required to maintain their state licenses. Members can also take advantage of many exceptional courses created by its national affiliate, the NAHB. These classes were designed by the top builders and remodelers across the nation to provide the best information available in areas like construction, business, marketing and management.
Networking
Like all trade associations, networking is a big part of why members join. Getting together with peers in social settings provides an opportunity to share intelligence as well as connect with vendors and suppliers.
Marketing
BATC’s marketing brand, the Parade of HomesSM, has built the largest and most successful home tours in the United States. Begun in 1949, the new home tours offer members an incredibly effective way to promote their homes to the public. The over 20-year old remodeler tours have also grown to be the largest in the US and have provided remodelers with a unique opportunity to showcase their work to their prospective clients. A comprehensive web site (www.paradeofhomes.org) with year-round functionality has enhanced the Parade of HomesSM brand to its current status as a well-known and highly regarded housing information resource for regional home owners and home buyers. Association members also have numerous opportunities to promote their products to other members through a bi-monthly member magazine, an annual membership directory, and online. BATC also has several award programs for our members that recognize excellence in construction and in business practices.
Public Policy
Home building, land development and remodeling are often targets for governmental action that is usually well-meaning, but in many cases, uninformed. BATC’s public policy efforts seek to provide legislators and public servants with important information to help them make better decisions. The goal of BATC’s public policy is to foster a healthy business environment which will keep housing affordable, safe and durable, while providing consumers with the choices they desire.
Community Service
The Builders Outreach Foundation (BOF), BATC’s charitable arm, offers its members a chance to give back to their community. Officially chartered in the mid 1990s, this group has been constructing homes for families that could otherwise not afford a home. Working primarily in the Frogtown community of St. Paul, BOF has been able to help a dozen families become homeowners who take pride in their homes and their neighborhood, and in the process bringing a much-needed stability to the area. BOF has forged several partnerships with other local groups that includes Habitat for Humanity and Homeward Bound, as well as taken on projects like Operation Dream Makeover (renovating the home of a wounded Iraq war veteran) to use industry skills for the betterment of the community. The public helps fund BOF’s work when they visit the BOF Dream Homes during Parade of HomesSM tours and pay a tax-deductible $5.00 donation. In October 2008, BOF added its first full-time executive director, Jann FritzHuspen to provide day-to-day management while enhancing their service to the community.