HBA Members Distribute Water in Jackson, Miss.
Due in part to severe flooding in late August, the city of Jackson, Miss., did not have access to safe drinking water. As news of the water crisis in Jackson spread, the members of the HBA of Mississippi (HBAM) swiftly stepped up to help the community.
“Our Home Builders Association of Mississippi members were gearing up to offer help to City of Jackson flood victims,” said Pat Nelson, executive vice president, HBAM. “When the Pearl River crested at a lower-than-expected level, members directed their efforts to distribute bottled water when the city’s water treatment plant failed.”
The HBA reached out to Good360, a national charity organization that sources essential goods from corporations and provides them to communities in critical need. The goal was to connect HBAM members willing and able to volunteer with a community non-profit partner to distribute water where it was most needed.
The HBA partnered with the team at Anderson United Methodist Church and through Good360’s networks, they secured a truckload of donated water shipped through in-kind support from The UPS Foundation.
The water distribution event occurred on Friday, Sept. 9, at Anderson United Methodist Church in Jackson. HBAM members, NAHB’s disaster relief specialist, Jonathan Falk, and church members filled vehicles with cases of donated water for several hours. Water distribution at the church continued throughout the weekend. Approximately 80,000 bottles of water were provided to community members, said Nelson.
To learn how you can help the community of Jackson, visit The Community Foundation of Mississippi.
Latest from NAHBNow
ConstructionSkillsMap.org, a new nationwide tool funded by the National Housing Endowment, makes it easier to find skilled trades training opportunities in communities across the country.
The newly released 2025 National Green Building Standard (NGBS) provides many options for building more sustainably. NGBS Green Certification provides independent, third-party verification for a home, building, or land development. For those who wish to provide even more value for their clients, NGBS Green+ certifications recognize NGBS Green homes that go “above and beyond” in one or more areas of sustainability. Here are the seven certification options.
Latest Economic News
Existing home sales continued to slow in July as record-high home prices and elevated mortgage rates weighed on buyers. Mortgage rates resumed an upward trend after the ceasefire ended in early July.
Demand for all types of residential mortgages was weaker, while lending standards for most were essentially unchanged in the second quarter of 2026, according to the recent release of the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS).
Wage growth for residential building workers continued to lose momentum in the second quarter of 2026, reflecting softer housing construction activity and weaker labor demand. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, both nominal and inflation-adjusted wages have weakened further, extending the cooling trend that emerged after the strong wage gains of the post-pandemic period.