The Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville and Construction Development Services invite you to a FREE Hotdog Cookout

This membership meeting will be hosted by the Governmental Affairs Committee from 11:30 - 1:00, Thursday 10/20/11 at the HBAGK office. Our sponsors, Construction Development Services, will be on hand with a door prize (2 free rounds of golf and gift cards) and will provide hotdogs for everyone. We will have all the usual fixing's, side items and soft drinks ready for you and your employees. This is a casual event so just come as you are straight from work or the jobsite.

Special guest: Knoxville Mayoral Candidate Mark Padgett! Mark will address our members and outline his strategy to become Knoxville's next mayor when we vote on Election Day, November 8, 2011.

PLEASE RSVP with your guest list so we can plan for the meeting, telephone 546-4665 x25.

Local Home Builders and Realtors Endorse Mark Padgett
Highlight Mark’s Small Business Experience and Plans to Grow Knoxville’s Economy

Knoxville, TN – The Mark Padgett for Knoxville City Mayor campaign (www.VotePadgett.com) today announced an endorsement from the Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville (HBAGK) and the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors (KAAR).

“Mark is a fiscal conservative who understands that small business is the backbone of America,” said Doyle Webb, president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Knoxville and H. Doyle Webb Contractors. “We believe in his ability to support and partner with local companies to help them create jobs and grow Knoxville’s economy. We also share his commitment to protecting natural resources while still allowing for smart economic development.”

Established in 1951, HBAGK is a non-profit, trade association for the homebuilding industry. HBAGK proudly serves 424 companies in the following counties: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union Counties. The majority are small businesses and located in Knoxville/Knox County.

“As a small business owner, Mark knows how to support and partner with local companies to help them grow and thrive,” said John Blair, president of the Knoxville Area of Association of Realtors and West Knox Realty. “Knoxville has hundreds of abandoned and blighted properties and thousands of vacant parcels, which hurts the surrounding area’s property values and crime rates. We support Mark’s plan to improve codes enforcement throughout the city. Re-establishing these properties as homes or businesses will go a long way in strengthening our neighborhoods and local economy.”

Chartered in 1921, KAAR is one of the largest Realtor associations in the state of Tennessee.  KAAR serves over 3,300 individuals engaged in the various facets of the real estate industry.  The Association's purpose is to unite and serve its members and to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business ethically, professionally, and successfully and to promote the preservation of the right to own, transfer and use real property.

“I’m humbled by their endorsement and look forward to working together to move Knoxville forward,” said Mark Padgett. “I believe our next mayor should be pro-neighborhood and pro-business because Knoxville’s economy starts at the neighborhood level. When a company is looking to launch or relocate, they have to examine not only the business environment, but also the neighborhoods and quality of life for their employees. For our economy to thrive and for our people to prosper and find purpose, we must have strong, successful neighborhoods.”

Padgett also reiterated key parts of the “Padgett Plan” including

• Keep city taxes low; keep regulations reasonable and easy to understand; reform and streamline building codes; and eliminate tedious, redundant and, in many cases, unnecessary permits and back-end paperwork.
• Maintain “open-door policy” and regular communication with neighborhood associations, community organizations, the business community, and concerned citizens.
• Improve codes enforcement.
  • Restructure the organizational chart to make the position directly responsible for decreasing the number of vacant, abandoned and blighted properties a senior advisory position.
  • Utilize technology to help Knoxville’s dedicated city staff resolve codes complaints faster and more efficiently.
  • Explore local and state-level regulation changes that impose tougher penalties for code violations.
  • Pursue a Knoxville Land Bank program.
  • Empower neighborhoods and communities to reinvest rather than allow absentee landlords to encroach.
• Support smart infrastructure investment.