The Home Builders Association of Northwest Indiana and Lake County IN Economic Alliance partner for Economic Outlook Breakfast

As billions of dollars in artificial intelligence and data center investment reshape Northwest Indiana’s economic landscape, regional leaders are coming together to discuss a critical question: How can communities ensure housing, infrastructure and workforce development keep pace with that growth?

The Home Builders Association of Northwest Indiana (HBANWI) and the Lake County IN Economic Alliance (LCEA) will partner to host the 2026 Economic Outlook Breakfast on Thursday, Oct. 15, at Halls of St. George in Schererville. The event is proudly sponsored by Steiner Homes, LTD. with leading support from Schillings and Pharr Nissan of Chesterton.

The event will bring together leaders from economic development, finance and residential construction for a timely discussion about the unprecedented investment coming to Northwest Indiana and what it could mean for businesses, workers, housing and communities throughout the Region.

The featured panelists are Erica Dombey of RDC 504 and Matt Reardon of MCR Partners LLC, representing LCEA, and Dan Steiner of Steiner Homes, representing HBANWI.

“Economic development and housing are deeply connected. When we talk about attracting businesses, creating jobs and investing in our communities, we also have to talk about where people will live and what those communities will need to support sustainable growth,” said Chris Salatas, St. John councilman, HBANWI Board Director & Governmental Affairs Chair, and President and CEO of the Lake County IN Economic Alliance. “Partnering with the HBANWI allows us to bring those conversations together and create a stronger dialogue between the people driving economic development and those building the communities that support it.”

The panel will explore how Northwest Indiana can capitalize on emerging developments coming to the area such as Amazon, John Deere, and Daifuku expanding their staffing as these tabulate to over 2,000 permanent jobs and 10,000 construction/contractor jobs just to bring them to life in Lake County.

For Jennifer Young, executive officer of the HBANWI, those issues demonstrate why residential construction should be viewed as an integral part of the Region’s economic development strategy.

“Growth is about more than bringing new investment into a community — it’s about making sure we are prepared to build the homes and neighborhoods that allow that growth to succeed,” Young said. “Residential construction and economic development have to move forward together. When businesses invest here and jobs are created, people need quality places to call home. Bringing both sides of that conversation to the same table is how we can make smarter decisions about the future of Northwest Indiana.”

The conversation will also address how local businesses can position themselves to benefit from new investment, the infrastructure needed to support large-scale development and how Northwest Indiana can balance economic opportunity with housing affordability and quality of life.

The Economic Outlook Breakfast is designed for business owners, builders, developers, Realtors, municipal and elected officials, economic development professionals and community leaders interested in understanding the forces shaping Northwest Indiana’s future.
For event information and to purchase tickets, visit HBANWI.com.