NLBMDA, WCLBMA and Ganahl Lumber Host Congresswoman Michelle Steel

On August 17, 2022, Congresswoman Michelle Steel (R-California) joined the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and the West Coast Lumber & Building Material Association (WCLBMA) for a tour of Ganahl Lumber at their lumber yard and hardware store and in Costa Mesa, CA.

Congresswoman Steel met with President and CEO Peter Ganahl along with other company leaders and WCLBMA Board members to discuss issues affecting the lumber and building material industry, including the national supply chain and the importance of the affordable housing market in California. NLBMDA and WCLBMA coordinated the event.

“I’m grateful to Ganahl Lumber in Costa Mesa for the work they have done for decades to create jobs and promote more affordable housing for Orange County families. As we continue facing a supply chain crisis, their commitment to providing materials to Southern California is critical,” said Congresswoman Michelle Steel.

Ganahl Lumber has 950 employees across 11 locations in California and is the oldest lumberyard and hardware supply store in the state. Since 1884, Ganahl has been a family and employee-owned business selling building supplies and hardware for professional contractors and do-it-yourself enthusiasts alike, with products that include lumber, building materials, millwork, tools, paint, doors and windows.

“Michelle has been an outstanding representative in our district in her freshman term and we applaud her for her hard work,” said President and CEO Peter Ganahl.

First elected to Congress in 2020, Congresswoman Steel serves on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, as well as the House Education and Labor Committee. Next year, she is expected to join the influential House Ways and Means Committee, the chief tax-writing committee with jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs, and other revenue-raising measures. Before being elected to Congress, Steel served as the Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

After touring Ganahl’s facilities, Congresswoman Steel visited with WCLBMA Board members to discuss affordable housing and the lumber and building material industry. NLBMDA highlighted the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (H.R.2573), a bipartisan bill that strengthens the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to increase access to affordable housing using a public-private partnership program that would build 2 million homes and create 3 million jobs over the next decade. Congresswoman Steel pledged to evaluate the legislation and indicated her likely support in the near future.

“WCLBMA thanks Congresswoman Michelle Steel for meeting with our Board of Directors and seeing firsthand how our businesses are essential contributors to affordable housing in California,” said WCLBMA Executive Director John Ehrig. “WCLBMA represents one of the largest regional lumber and building materials associations in the country and the Board was proud to host Congresswoman Steel to showcase the good paying jobs and significant revenue and tax contributions our members make to the local and state economy.”

NLBMDA and WCLBMA have 250 member companies in California, many small-medium/family owned, with over 4,600 ethnically diverse employees and a $353 million annual payroll. The members generate $6.1 billion in annual gross revenue and $129 million in annual sales taxes. NLBMDA and WCLBMA members represent one of the most critical cogs in the supply chain for the preservation and construction of affordable housing.

About NLBMDA

The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) is the recognized voice and resource of the Lumber and Building Material industry to federal legislators and regulatory agencies in Washington DC. NLBMDA provides its members the resources and education to comply with federal laws, codes and regulations. NLBMDA identifies challenges and growth opportunities to the industry and collaborates with its Federateds to develop solutions that require national implementation. Visit us at www.Dealer.org to learn more.

Source: National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association