Pub. 10 2015-2016 Issue 6

March/April 2016 11 Extraordinary Service for Extraordinary Members.  President’s Message — continued from page 7 Reach Richard J. Baier at the Nebraska Bankers Association at (402) 474-1555 or richard.baier@nebankers.org. An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. We’re honored to offer NBA members group health insurance for more than 20 years To learn about our plans, visit www.nbaveba.com lack of available building lots, a dire shortage of general and specialty contractors, and high construction costs. In some regions, local interest in seeing new housing growth is nil, despite a growth in job creation. Fortunately, several Nebraska communities are pushing for new housing construction and are actively taking steps to ensure the renovation of their existing housing stock. The North Central Development District, for example, has aggressively pursued owner-occupied housing rehabilitation for more than 20 years. North Platte, with significant input from the local banking community, recently created a local grant program to stimulate new speculative home construc- tion. Response to the program has been overwhelming and builders have agreed to construct at least 43 new homes dur- ing the coming two-year cycle. Officials in Scottsbluff have aggressively conducted a purchase-rehab-resale program that buys older homes, renovates them with support of lo- cal correctional inmates, and then puts them back on the market. Finally, more than 20 Nebraska communities are utilizing locally driven and locally approved tax increment financing (TIF) strategies to open new lots for construction. Without TIF, costs to install the modern, necessary, public infrastructure would make lot construction cost prohibitive. Over the next 18 to 24 months, the NBA’s NExt Genera- tion Housing Task Force will review the gaps that exist in the housing continuum. This includes examining the existing housing inventory in our state by region and community, ana- lyzing job and demographic trends, identifying impediments to housing growth, considering the availability of skilled trades to support the construction industry, and looking at best practices in other states. When complete, the HTF hopes to offer new strategies, programs, and ideas to help our Nebraska communities tackle their respective housing challenges in a proactive, diligent way. Ultimately, community success will depend upon strong local leadership, a commitment of resources, and collabora- tion with a shared vision of the future. The successful recruitment and retention of the “NExt Generation” of Nebraskans depends upon our state’s collec- tive ability to create housing alternatives and communities that meet and exceed the expectations and demands of fu- ture Nebraskans. I encourage you to think creatively about how your bank can take an even more active role in helping to stimulate local housing growth. Likewise, I invite you to share any ideas you have with me via email. 