News-Leader: Springfield metro area is fastest growing in Missouri

The Springfield News-Leader reported on Saturday, March 27 that the Springfield, Missouri MSA remains the one part of the state that continues to expand in terms of population. It is an underlying economic strength that is often overlooked here, but it bodes well for quicker and more complete economic recovery in the area, particularly in the area of residential and commercial construction. Among those interviewed for the article was Matt Morrow, CEO of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield.

Springfield metro area is fastest growing in Missouri
March 27, 2010

By: Cory de Vera
News-Leader

The Springfield area is the fastest growing metro in the state, according to data released by the U.S. Census this week.

The five-county metropolitan area grew by an estimated 4,756 residents between July 2008 and July 2009, the Census reported. That number represents a 1.1 percent growth rate for one year, but it makes for a 17 percent growth rate since 2000.

"An increase in population is good for commerce, and it is generally a sign of a healthy community," said state demographer Matt Hesser. "Areas with decreasing population usually have a declining tax base."

The data isn't really a surprise to area leaders who watch population trends.

Matt Morrow of the Home Builder's Association of Springfield said the Census growth is consistent with the data his organization tracks.

"What we measure is not population growth, but home sales and housing starts," he said. " For the last year and a half we've been closing sales on new homes at twice the rate we've been starting new homes."

In areas where population is declining, it can be very tough to make a living as a homebuilder, said Morrow.

The federal government considers Springfield's metropolitan area to include Greene, Christian, Webster, Polk and Dallas counties.

Schools see more students

In Christian County, Nixa Superintendent Stephen Kleinsmith said his school district's pre-K through grade 12 population stands at 5,535, which is 60 more students than at the same time last year.

"Our growth in Christian County has slowed down, but as the economy gets better, vacant housing will fill up," he said.

Kleinsmith said his district's long range plan calls for a bond issue in 2011 that would finance construction of a second junior high.

At some time in the future the district expects to have to expand the high school from its current capacity of 1,800 to 2,300, he added.

"We'll probably hit our max capacity at the high school next year," he said.

This April, several area schools are seeking voter approval for building projects, including Marshfield, Conway, Spokane, and Clever.

Sabrina Drackert, a marketing manager with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, said people move to the area for its educational opportunities, hospitals and the variety of businesses in the area.

While the newly released census data isn't specific enough to indicate reasons for population growth, Drackert said the Chamber does track some statistics that show the increase in employment from area hospitals, as well as enrollment in area colleges.

For instance, in 2001 at Missouri State University -- then called Southwest Missouri State -- enrollment was 18,468; in 2009 that jumped to 20,842.

"It isn't just at Missouri State. Drury has grown, Evangel has grown, and of course (Ozarks Technical Community College) has grown," said Drackert.

Now ranked 111th

The newly released census data also indicated the 2009 estimated population of 430,900 in the Springfield area earned it a rank as the 111th most populous city in the United States. In 2000 the city ranked 125th.

Drackert said breaking into the top 100 most populous cities would be exciting for the city.

"Once you break 100, you are on the radar for other businesses to move here," she said. "They are kind of looking for the top 100 metro areas."

Hesser said the U.S. Census compiles its population estimates each year by starting with the 2000 census data, each year adding birth and death records from the state's vital records office.

The bureau is able to track migration in and out of an area by tracking addresses and Social Security numbers people use when filing tax forms, or by Medicaid enrollment records for those over age 65, the demographer explained.

Additional Facts


Census preview
Census data, recently released by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, shows each city's percentage of population growth between 2000 and 2009, its estimated 2009 population, and where each metropolitan area ranks among the nation's most populated areas.
- Springfield 17% 430,900 111
- Columbia 14.1% 166,234 242
- Kansas City 12.6 % 2,067,585 29
- Joplin 10.8% 174,300 233
- St. Louis 4.8% 2,828,990 18

HBA Remodelers Staff KY3's "Ask An Expert" Panel

On Wednesday, March 24, several members of the HBA Remodelors™ Council answered phones and responded to on-line questions from the public about remodeling projects. KY3's Cara Restelli also reported on the EPA's upcoming April 22 deadline for lead safety renovation training. This rule applies to projects, including window replacement, which disturb a lead painted surface of a certain size. To see a transcript of the story on KY3's website, click here.

The "Ask An Expert" Panel fielded phone calls and on-line questions through two KY3 newscasts from 5 to 6:30 pm. To see the transcript of the chat with the HBA's remodeling experts, click here.

KOLR: Small business, builders, share healthcare fears with Blunt

U.S. Congressman Roy Blunt (R-MO 7th), who is running for Missouri's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Kit Bond, visited Beaman Electric in Springfield Friday. Former Missouri Treasurer Sarah Steelman joined Blunt for a small business roundtable that gathered input from, among others, a number of members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield. Chief among their concerns was the potentially harmful impact pending healthcare reform legislation could have on the economy generally and on small businesses in particular.

KOLR-10's Kevin Schwaller covered the event and this story appeared on the evening newscasts Friday, March 19. Lee Beaman, president of Beaman Electric, is interviewed in the story. Beaman is a member of the board of directors of the HBA of Greater Springfield.

KY3: Building codes for new homes require better life-saving smoke alarms

Contact KY3's Cara Restelli reported on Tuesday (March 16, 2010) that a fatal house fire on Monday morning has some wondering about fire protection in their own homes. Modern fire codes for new homes require at least one smoke detector in each bedroom and on each floor. They must be interconnected so, when one sounds, they all sound, and they must be hard-wired with a battery backup. Thousands of older homes aren't required to meet these new guidelines, putting families at risk.

Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield President Rusty MacLachlan is interviewed in the story and discusses the improved fire protection in newer homes due to modern building codes and smoke detectors.

Branson Tri-Lakes News: Mixed reaction to code changes

By Mindy Honey
Society Editor, Branson Tri-Lakes News
Originally published March 10, 2010

Matt Morrow, chief executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, said making sprinklers mandatory in new residential homes would be a mistake in Branson.

“The greatest impact will be on those who can least afford it,” Morrow said Monday.

Last week, the city held a public meeting to discuss the proposed changes that would occur if the city was to adopt the 2009 International Building Codes. If the city adopts the 2009 codes as is, sprinkler systems would be required in all new built homes after Dec. 31, 2011.

Morrow said Branson’s biggest housing issue is affordable housing for its work force and believes that sprinkler systems in new homes would price many buyers out of the new home market.

Morrow said residential sprinkler systems can cost between $3,000-$15,000.

The best thing that can be done is replace older housing stock with new homes, Morrow said, adding that new homes follow modern building codes, require hard-wired smoke detectors and are typically much safer than older homes.

But, Branson Fire and Rescue Division Chief Ted Martin believes sprinkler systems are an excellent idea, so much that he retro-fitted his own home with a system.

“It truly is about life safety and property conservation,” Martin said.

He said sprinkler systems cost about $1.61 per square foot, often less than a cabinet, appliance and lighting upgrade or many other options in new home construction.

“A good rule of thumb is one to one-and-a-half percent of new housing,” Martin said.

He said the international codes do a very good job protecting commercial property and multi-family housing, but not single family residences “where most people feel safest.”

“Eighty percent of fires occur in residential homes,” Martin said.

Every 79 seconds a single-family residence burns, he said.

There are many myths about sprinkler systems, Martin said during the meeting. He said people often believe that residential fire sprinkler heads activate accidentally, all sprinklers go off at once and sprinkler heads leak.

Martin said the fact is, there is only a one in 16 million chance of accidental activation. Fire sprinklers react to heat and only sprinklers exposed to heat activate. He also said sprinkler systems operate at the same pressure as household plumbing.

Jim Lawson, Branson’s director of planning and development, said in a month or so, the board of aldermen will be looking to adopt the 2009 codes.

In 2008, the International Code Council voted to require residential fire sprinklers in every one and two family dwellings built under the 2009 International Residential Code, according to Martin.

Missouri House Bill 103 reached a compromise between the Home Builders Association and Missouri Fire Service Alliance requiring home builders to offer residential fire sprinklers to every homebuyer as an option, but on Dec. 31, 2011, house bill 103 will sunset.

After this date, all residential fire sprinkler adoption will be at the local level. If the Branson Board of Aldermen does not make an amendment to the sprinkler requirement, starting in 2012, all new built homes in the city limits would be required to have sprinklers installed.

The city operates under 2003 international codes. The city is looking to move forward with more current codes, in order to maintain its Insurance Services Office, commonly known as ISO, rating. ISO ratings affect homeowners’ insurance rates.

News-Leader: Job Prospects in the Ozarks - It's Looking Up

Local employers in hiring mode, though cautiously

By Didi Tang

The Springfield News-Leader carried a front page story by Didi Tang (complete with accompanying sidebars) on the gradual return of job creation to the Ozarks. Specific sectors were analyized, including an anticipated uptick in job opportunities in the construction field in 2010. HBA of Greater Springfield Matt Morrow was among local officials to comment on the prospects for this year.

The story is not available online, as it is a part of the local paper's new "NL First in Print" strategy of placing many of its hottest feature news stories only in the physical hard copy of the Springfield News-Leader, with no accompanying Internet version. So, if you want to read this one, you'll need to pick up a copy of the Sunday, March 14 issue of the Springfield News-Leader.

Click here to find a newstand location to buy the print edition

Click here for an explanation of the new "NL First in Print" strategy from Springfield News Leader Executive Editor Don Wyatt

KY3: Efforts to cut lead exposure will add costs to some home remodeling projects

Contact KY3's Cara Restelli reported on the March 11 newscast that a new federal law aimed at reducing the risk of lead poisoning in children will also make your home remodeling projects more expensive.  While some say the law is necessary for your health and safety, others say it couldn't have come at a worse time.

The Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield is offering the EPA-mandated lead certification training classes to its members and others in the remodeling industry. HBA remodelor Adrian Rhoads (Rhoads Design & Construction) and HBA builder Trent Cowherd (Cowherd Construction Company, Inc.) are interviewed for the story.

SBJ: Group forecasts 28 percent hike in U.S. housing starts

The March 1 issue of Springfield Business Journal featured a series of guest columns entitled "Forging Ahead: Economic Outlook 2010." The series included perspectives all major sectors of the local economy with analysis regarding what to expect from their sectors and industries in 2010. Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield CEO Matt Morrow wrote the outlook column on the topic of the area's residential construction sector.


Housing: Group forecasts 28 percent hike in U.S. housing starts


By Matt Morrow
Guest Columnist

The news was sobering at the National Association of Home Builders’ annual International Builders Show in Las Vegas earlier this year. Nationwide, fewer homes – 571,000 – were built in 2009 than in any year since World War II.

The good news, however, was that 2009 likely was the bottom of what has become a painful downward economic spiral.

In 2010, NAHB is projecting a 28 percent increase in new home construction...

TO READ THE FULL COLUMN ON SBJ.NET CLICK HERE