GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS - 2025 Edition

• Saved business as the state began COVID-19 shutdowns by successfully advocating with DLI to keep open various CMBA member businesses.
• Negotiated a one-year delay and three-year phase-in of major St. Cloud SAC/WAC/TAC fee increases.
• Hosted local mayors and community development directors for important discussions about local housing and development issues, including quarterly meetings with mayors and connections with county development officials.
• Organized meeting between City of St. Cloud leadership and CMBA members to explore mitigating up-front infrastructure costs as a means of spurring more housing development.
• Co-hosted area-wide Housing Summits at SCSU, including presentations by CMBA members providing the builders’ perspectives.
• Participated in the area Affordable Workforce Housing Initiative, including working on local building fees and regulations.
• Conducted and shared the annual CMBA area survey of Municipal Development Fees and Regulatory Changes.
• Participated in the Benton County Housing Study Action Forum.
• Provided timely input to DLI, and information to CMBA members, regarding Minnesota’s new Worker Misclassification (Independent Contractor) tests.
• Shared information with CMBA members about implementation and employer compliance requirements of the new state Paid Family Medical Leave program.
• Co-hosted annual “Housing Day at The Capitol” at the Minnesota State Capitol with great participation among CMBA members and legislators.
• Delivered the voice of CMBA on industry-related legislative and regulatory matters.
• Held monthly CMBA Government Affairs meetings featuring local and regional guests on a variety of local development issues, legislative/legal/regulatory updates, and with frequent participation from area legislators.
• Posted CMBA Government Affairs news stories on the CMB web site, www.cmbaonline.org.
• Collaboratedwith our colleagues at HFM on several state wins:
  • Advanced legislation aimed at reducing land costs, potentially saving homebuyers tens of thousands of dollars per house.
  • Stopped unchecked local tax on new housing, up to $10,000 per home (Multiple Attempts stopped 2019-2023).
  • Delayed the 2021 Energy Code Adoption until it was folded into the 2024 code – 12 years on the same code (2023).
  • Protected the Contractor Recovery Fund from being raided by solar contractors who didn’t pay-in (Rep. Mekeland bill, 2023).
  • Advanced Minnesota Starter Home Act to remove barriers to more affordable home building.
  • Achieved stability in the marketplace in 2025 with no new laws that would make substantial labor or environmental changes.
  • Stopped a ban on Single-Family Build-For-Rent, which would have led to a decrease in housing production (2023).
  • Stopped EV Chargers in New Homes ($1,500-$2,500 per home). Stopped multiple code and legislative attempts 2023-2025.
  • Passed a bill to stop frivolous environmental lawsuits over city-initiated zoning changes, critical for zoning reform.
  • Protected building codes from being reinterpreted by DLI whenever it suits them (Oct. 2025 Court Win)
  • Held the line on the MN Lead Paint Rule for 10 years, and removed 3.5 X cost increase over the Federal Rule (2016-Present), representing huge savings in materials, labor and administrative burdens compared to the original proposal. (CMBA’s longest direct advocacy action in collaboration with HFM.)

For more information, contact:  Steve Gottwalt, CMBA Government Affairs, 952-923-5265, steve@cmbaonline.org

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