Two hundred roofing industry professionals from 32 states converged on the nation's capital April 14-15 for Roofing Day in D.C. 2026, pressing Congress to act on two issues they say are inseparable: an affordable housing crisis and a workforce shortage threatening the industry's ability to address it.

The group, organized by the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), represents a $100 billion sector employing nearly one million Americans — people who build and repair the roofs over the schools, hospitals and homes in congressional districts across the country. They came with a specific set of legislative asks and the particular credibility that comes from being constituents, not lobbyists.

“We’re focusing on workforce and affordability—how do we increase homebuilding and create more opportunities for roofing contractors to do more work?” said construction attorney Trent Cotney. 

For many attendees, the stakes are personal and immediate.

“These policies affect the whole industry—you can either assume someone else will handle it, or you can get involved and influence the decisions that impact everything," said Capital City Roofing Founder and CEO Brad Strawbridge from Alpharetta, Ga. 

It was a complicated week to visit. Congress was returning from a two-week recess, flooding Capitol Hill with packed schedules and overflowing inboxes. At the same time, escalating tensions with Iran consumed much of official Washington’s attention, creating a surreal backdrop—roofing contractors discussing tax credits in congressional offices while a foreign policy crisis unfolded just a few offices away.

Workforce shortages remain a persistent challenge for the roofing industry, reflecting broader trends across construction. Duane Musser, VP of government relations for NRCA, points to data showing the scale of the issue, noting that “the best data point we have is a projected shortfall of 349,000 construction workers in 2026—and 456,000 in 2027.” As part of the broader construction sector, roofing is directly affected, and stakeholders say the labor gap has been a long-standing issue that continues to strain the industry.

“Roofing crews are starting to age out and retire out," said T.J. Turner of Mule-Hide Products in Beloit, Wis. “We’ve done a bad job showing young people that roofing is a viable career path.”

The roofing contingent pressed on. On the workforce, the group is backing the Dignity Act, which would provide a path to lawful permanent status for Dreamers, those with Temporary Protected Status, and long-term undocumented individuals — many of whom are already working in the trades.

"Immigration is directly impacting my workforce," Strawbridge said. 

For Pancho Serrano, CEO of Roofers Going Digital, the message is deeply personal. Serrano became a U.S. citizen less than a year ago after a seven-year process. “If we’re not here advocating, nobody’s going to do it.”

Contractors are also pushing for the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, which would reform the visa system to better match employers with temporary workers, and calling for a significant funding boost for Perkins Career and Technical Education state grants.

Trade school enrollment is growing — up 16 percent in 2024, according to NRCA materials — but advocates say funding hasn't kept pace, leaving a skills gap the industry is feeling acutely.

Tibor Torok, owner and president of Bob Hilson & Co.,  in Homestead, Fla., and current president of the Florida Roofing & Sheetmetal Contractors Association, said the Perkins education grant is critical to the roofing industry because most jobs don’t require a four-year degree, and many students would be better served by technical training that prepares them to enter the workforce. As he put it, “They need some technical education to enter the workforce and be able to earn a livable wage.”

On housing, they urged members of Congress to co-sponsor the Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act, which would create federal tax credits to convert vacant and underutilized office buildings into residential housing, and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which would subsidize the construction and rehabilitation of homes in qualifying urban and rural areas. Together, advocates argue, the bills could help address the country's annual shortfall of approximately 1.5 million housing units.

"The whole reason I do this is to give back and make sure this industry continues—it’s been my entire life," said David Balistreri of Building Envelope Consultants, Inc., in Waukesha, Wis. “We could not have an industry if manufacturers, designers, and contractors didn’t work together.”

Fanned out across Capitol Hill for back-to-back meetings with their representatives and senators, participants carried one-page issue briefs and firsthand accounts of what the labor and housing shortages look like on the ground.

“Our representatives are just people—they want to help, they want to give advice, and they want to support our industry," Cotney said. "It’s a busy day from start to finish, but NRCA makes it easy—you just show up and they handle the rest."