BLAR Fund (Builders Legal Action and Research Fund)

Geographic Scope: Wisconsin statewide

Focus Areas:

• Legal action in courts
• Research on housing and construction issues
• Advocacy efforts
• Policy advancement benefiting housing industry

Purpose:
The BLAR Fund is a resource for advancing policies that benefit housing in Wisconsin through legal action, research, and advocacy efforts. It provides financial support for court cases, research projects, and advocacy initiatives with statewide impact.

Fund Administration:

• Financed annually by all WBA members
• Segregated from other association programs
• Administered by WBA Executive Committee

Legal Action

• Court advocacy against illegal local ordinances
• Establishing important legal precedents applicable statewide
• Primarily funds cases at Court of Appeals or Supreme Court level
• Filing amicus briefs in important construction and development cases

Research

• Studies on alternatives to Wisconsin property tax
• Reforms to Wisconsin wetland laws
• Administrative rules and guidance improvements
• Streamlining of one and two-family building codes
• Economic impact studies demonstrating housing's positive financial impact

Advocacy Efforts

• Legal assistance and lobbying support for WBA advocacy agenda
• Legislative session support

Eligibility Criteria for Funding:
Requests evaluated on:

• Availability of matching funds from member applicant and local HBA
• Whether request addresses specific WBA policy priority
• Legal issues that will adversely impact cost of housing in Wisconsin
• Likelihood of establishing important legal precedent affecting housing costs
• Whether WBA participation helps/harms outcome
• Good likelihood of success

Who Benefits:

• All WBA members
• Homeowners (through policies keeping housing affordable)
• Members without financial resources for protracted legal efforts

Funding Cap:

• Current cap: $5,000 per local HBA per calendar year
• WBA Executive Committee may waive cap if request deemed vital to housing and land use policy

Grant Distribution:
Grants issued directly to law firms or consultants handling cases or research projects.

BLAR Fund Application Process

Application Requirements:

• Applications must be submitted by a local home builders association (not individual members)
• Local HBA must provide matching funds alongside member applicant
• Applications must be completed in full

Process:

1. Submit application to local home builders association for approval of matching funds
2. Local association reviews and approves matching funds contribution
3. Submit application to WBA staff for consideration
4. WBA Executive Committee reviews and makes funding determination

Evaluation Criteria:

• Does the request have matching funds from member applicant and local HBA?
• Does the request address a specific WBA policy priority?
• Does the request involve legal issue(s) that will adversely impact cost of housing in Wisconsin?
• Is there likelihood that request may establish important legal precedent affecting cost of housing in Wisconsin?
• Would WBA's participation help or harm the outcome?
• Is there good likelihood of success?

Note on Legal Expenditures:
Funding primarily provided for cases at Court of Appeals or Supreme Court level because these establish legal precedents applicable across courts.

Policy Approval Date:
Current policy and application approved by WBA Executive Committee on September 7, 2017.