Why MCG Advocates for You in Washington: My Report from the 2025 NAHB Legislative Conference
By Matt Meskimen, MCG
Did you ever watch the "Comeback" episode of Seinfeld? One of the storylines is about George Costanza coming up with a perfect comeback too late and then he spends the remainder of the show trying to create a moment so he can deliver his perfect comeback. Of course it backfires gloriously on him.
I think there are many conversations we have all had where we thought about the perfect response or solution to a problem too late. Being able to rub shoulders with fellow advocates for the housing industry, and having the opportunity to speak to our legislators regarding the important things help keep us from having those times when we look back and wish we had something better to say. It better equips us for those conversations.
Why MCG Goes to Washington
The longer I have been in this industry, the more I have come to realize how much our state and national policies affect our individual businesses at the local level. I want to use my experience and my voice to make it easier, not just for us, but for everyone in our industry and homeowners as well. When the rights of homeowners are threatened, the rights of our industry are as well and vice versa.
This year, more than 1,000 builders, remodelers and associates engaged in all facets of the residential construction industry trekked to Capitol Hill on June 11 to urge their lawmakers to support policies that will help builders unleash the housing market by allowing them to increase the production of quality, affordable housing.
The Issues That Impact Your Home
In more than 250 meetings with representatives and senators, we focused on three main issues that were discussed at the conference this year - issues that directly affect what you pay for your Amelia Island home and how long your project takes to complete.
Energy Choice: "Ban the Ban"
The first issue was what we called "Ban the Ban" - protecting the freedom of energy choice for homeowners. This particular ban was targeting the use of natural gas. Homeowners should retain the right to choose the energy source that serves them the best. That could be natural gas, solar, wind, or other means.
When government restricts your energy options, it can significantly impact both your construction costs and your long-term utility expenses. We advocated for policies that preserve your right to choose what works best for your family and your budget.
Workforce Development: Addressing the Labor Shortage
The second topic dealt with workforce development. It is no secret that we have had a severe labor shortage for years. Our home building industry has not been able to keep up with the demand for new home construction and renovations. We were urging legislators to pass the CONSTRUCTS Act - legislation that was drafted with bipartisan effort to help ease our workforce shortage by allowing funds from Job Corps to make it to the training programs for construction-related trades.
This is especially important to our local community as we have one of the most innovative apprenticeship programs in the United States. This year we had a record amount of applications and have to limit how many we can accept. We recently purchased a building over 40,000 square feet to house offices and labs for this continued training effort. Right now all of that is done through avenues of private funding and state funds.
When there aren't enough skilled workers, your project timelines extend and costs increase. Supporting workforce development directly benefits every homeowner planning a renovation or new construction project.
Tax Policy and Additional Issues
We also discussed extending the low-income tax cuts, immigration, tariffs, continuing energy credits, and more pro-housing issues. Each of these policies creates ripple effects that ultimately impact your construction costs and the availability of qualified contractors in our area.
What I Learned from Lawmakers
Our meetings with lawmakers revealed several important insights:
They have a lot to do. They meet with many of their constituents and other lawmakers on a daily basis. Many people are there to have their voice heard as well. They have to sift through a lot of noise.
Don't underestimate their staff. Often times it is more valuable to get to know them. We were not able to meet personally with Kat Cammack, and instead met with an aid, Elliott. He was engaged, asked meaningful questions, and even sent a follow up email almost immediately following our conversation. He was a rock star.
Relationships matter far beyond those hill meetings. When the Senator or Congressman knows the names of people in the room, there is something powerful about that. We need to actively engage with them at home as well. Relationships take time and familiarity.
The NAHB name means something nationwide, and on the Hill. Our senior leadership is active on the issues that matter to housing. They are a resource to many. There wasn't a conversation that didn't end with the NAHB representatives asking, "What can we do for you?"
How MCG Contributes to Solutions
This advocacy work starts by doing good business. By doing that it enables us to have the time to serve in other areas. We are involved at the local and state level combining our voice with others. We also listen to homeowners, and others in our area on the issues they struggle with. High impact fees, environmental risks, rapid growth, overregulation, eroding personal property rights, building codes, and housing costs are all issues we hear brought up and deal with.
Why This Matters to You
The housing industry and homeownership are deeply interconnected: the industry relies on demand from potential homeowners to build, remodel and sell homes, while homeownership depends on the industry to supply homes, maintain homes and facilitate purchases. This co-dependence creates an economic feedback loop, where the health of one directly impacts the other.
When the housing industry struggles, so do homeowners and potential homeowners. One thing many people forget is the housing industry is reactive. It responds to the demands of citizens. We build where people want to move, build what they want, and remodel their homes in the same fashion. When the housing industry struggles, homeowners are at risk.
That's why when MCG goes to Washington, we're not just advocating for our business - we're fighting for your right to build the home you want, with the energy sources you choose, completed by skilled craftsmen, at a fair price.
