Ok, so I tricked you, but the government tricks you all the time. So read this and you could save thousands, literally.
A few years ago, your HBA led the fight against legislation requiring mandatory fire sprinkler installation in all new homes across Missouri. This would have increased new home costs thousands of dollars and priced many people out of the purchase of a new home.
Instead of mandatory fire sprinkler installation in all new single family and multifamily units of four or fewer units, a compromise of a mandatory option was enacted where builders would inform their customers that it was an option they could choose. In Missouri, we have heard of only two homeowners who chose that option, and both had direct ties to the fire sprinkler industry. More people chose pink as an exterior color than chose fire sprinklers.
If the mandatory option sunsets in 2019, then the law states that fire sprinklers will be mandatory in all residential construction. We believe this year is our best chance at permanently removing the sunset from the mandatory option. We are quietly working with legislative leaders to make sure this gets done as it is our number one priority.
It is this type of Big Government that gets in the way of your business. Many people say they don’t like politics, and with just cause. The simple fact is that you need to stay informed and involved so we get the type of representation we want, not what we are given.
At the HBA, our job is to help you make that process easier. We focus on the minutiae of politics and government so you can focus on your business. But you have to be an active participant when we need to rally the forces for issues like mandatory fire sprinklers. It could mean the difference of thousands of dollars of revenue for your business.