BIA Online Magazine - October

October 2021

Southern California

BUILDER The Magazine of the Building Industry Association of Southern California

Industry Game Changers Featuring the Industry and Community Leaders that are building industry advocates and housing champions.

• Spotlight: Q&A with OCBC Business Champion Lucy Dunn • Spotlight: Q & A with Metropolitan Water District GM Adel Hagekhalil • Rebuild SoCal Partnership: Q&A with Executive Director Jon Switalski • The Business of Building – Tracy Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer, BizFed Los Angeles County Business Federation • Plus – Additional guest writers, member spotlights, industry news, upcoming events, and much more!

BUILDING INDUSTRY SHOW

Exclusive Recap!

See Page 18

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Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

What’s Inside

Southern California

New Members

4

BIASC Chairman’s Message - Dave Bartlett

5

BIASC CEO’s Message

5

Governing Board

6

Letter From Editor Craig Foster

7

The Perfect Storm

8-9

Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception

10-11

BIASC Team Roster

17

Back To BIS-ness

18-31

Elected Official Spotlight: LA Supervisor Kathryn Barger

33

Renewing Members

34-35

Inside Edition: The Industry Game Changers

37

Q&A With President & CEO, Orange County Business Council Lucy Dunn

39-45

Q&A With GM, Metropolitan Water District Adel Hagekhalil

47-51

Q&A With Executive Director Jon Switalski, Rebuild SoCal Partnership

53-56

Q&A With CEO, BizFed Los Angeles County Business Federations Tracy Hernandez

59-62

BIASC Installations

63-71

Q&A With Executive Director, California Homebuilding Foundation Terri Brunson

73-77

BIA Staff Spotlight

79

GSMC Recognition & Awards

80-81

GSMC Recognition & Upcoming Events

82-83

Council on SAGE Update

85

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

BUILDER October 2021 Chief Editor Craig Foster BIASC Executive Vice President Editor & Production Coordinator Karissa DiStefano BIASC Public Affairs Manager Production Editors Randy Carver Elain Ng Kovach Marketing BIASC Reporter Laer Pearce 2021 BIASC Chairman Dave Bartlett Brookfield Residential Vice President, Land BIASC CEO Jeff Montejano Chief Executive Officer

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUILDER is a copyrighted publication produced by the Building Association of Southern California. Advertising and editorial inquiries and materials should be emailed to: kwillette@biasc.org. All publication rights are fully reserved.

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WELCOME

PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS

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Learn More at biasc.org/membership Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

BI A S C Chairman’s Message: I want to begin by acknowledging the BIASC team for a phenomenal Building Industry Show (BIS) this year. After being forced to cancel last year’s BIS due to the pandemic, this year’s show was better than ever. Special thanks to our sponsors, exhibitors, guest speakers, and attendees who helped make BIS a huge success. However, I was disappointed to hear that BIASC’s Immediate Past Chair Tom Grable didn’t get the chance to play a little one-on-one with our Keynote Speaker Magic Johnson. Despite a bit of a height differential, I believe Tom would have given Magic a tough game! Grable on the dribble drive…pivots left, moves right…oh my, a baby sky hook..it’s over Magic and goes off the backboard and into the hoop!! As the late, great Chick Hearn would say…This game is in the refridgerator, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter is getting hard and the jello is jiggling!!

With BIS behind us, we’re looking forward to BIASC’s upcoming Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception featuring a Special Commemoration Honoring General William Lyon, which will take place at the Lyon Air Museum on Thursday, October 28th. The program features an outstanding lineup of special guest speakers, including local and county elected officials, along with leaders in the homebuilding industry. Immediately following the Summit, BIASC will host a VIP Reception honoring the legacy of General William Lyon. If you haven’t already done so, you can register today at www.biasc.org/events.

Dave Bartlett

2021 BIASC Chairman VP, Land Entitlement, Land & Housing Development Brookfield Residential

In addition, BIASC continues to aggressively advocate for our builders and associates in terms of regional policy in its efforts to meet the Governor’s housing goals and mandates via RHNA. BIASC’s new membership, advocacy, and legal support programs are making a difference. To stay up-to-date on the latest BIASC news impacting our members, make sure you follow BIASC on social media.

Finally, I’d like to congratulate Jeff Roos of Lennar Homes for his induction into the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame. Jeff has been a stalwart in the homebuilding industry and a valuable member of BIASC. This is an incredible honor and is well-deserved. Congratulations Jeff! 

BI A S C C E O’s Message:

Jeff Montejano

BIASC Chief Executive Officer

As California’s housing crisis dominates the policy arena, we must relentlessly grow and diversify our outreach efforts to those who align with us, including those who share a different opinion. This edition of Southern California Builder will showcase some of BIASC’s advocacy successes due to our extensive collaboration with our strategic partners. Working with these reputable “industry game-changers” makes a difference for our industry and our future success.

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

Our organization’s interest and curiosity continually rise thanks to our exceptional staff and member volunteers who tirelessly work to help reinvent our networking, education, and advocacy initiatives. I want to give a special thanks to BIASC staff for the incredible work with all of the events this past year, including the tremendous success of this year’s Building Industry Show.

Please enjoy this month’s exceptional and informative magazine. BIASC is becoming a difference-maker for our industry and the region thanks to your continued support. 

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BIA of Southern California

GOVERNING BOARD MEET THE 2021 BIASC GOVERNING BOARD

DAVE BARTLETT

TOM GRABLE

ALAN BOUDREAU

MICHAEL BATTAGLIA

BIASC CHAIRMAN

BIASC IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN

BIASC SECRETARY & TREASURER

BIASC VICE CHAIR

BIASC VICE CHAIR

ALI SAHABI

PETER VANEK

BIASC VICE CHAIR

BIASC VICE CHAIR

MARK HIMMELSTEIN BIASC VICE CHAIR

MIKE BALSAMO RANCHO MISSION VIEJO

DAVE LITTLE WILLIAMS HOMES

JONATHAN WELDY

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MERIDIAN LAND DEVEOPMENT COMPANY

NICOLE MURRAY

JEREMY PARNESS

BIASC VICE CHAIR

BIASC VICE CHAIR

CHARLES GALE

MIKE GARTLAN

METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT

KB HOME

GREG MCWILLIAMS FIVE POINT

RICK WOOD WOOD CONSULTING

ERREN O’LEARY LEWIS GROUP OF COMPANIES

JEFF MONTEJANO

VALERIE HARDMAN OUTDOOR DIMENSIONS

JENNIFER HERNANDEZ HOLLAND & KNIGHT

RANDY RICHARDS RELIABLE WHOLESALE LUMBER

CRAIG FOSTER

BIASC CEO

BIASC.ORG

STEVE SCHUYLER IRVINE COMPANY

CHRIS EDGAR

WES KEUSDER KEUSDER HOMES

MIKE TAYLOR TRI POINTE HOMES

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP

BIASC COO

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

Letter From The Editor:

Craig Foster

BIASC Chief Operating Officer

Greetings to all, This edition of Southern California Builder Digital Magazine is focusing on “Industry Game Changers” in Southern California. These industry leaders include Lucy Dunn, former President of BIA/CEO of the Orange County Business Council (OCBC), followed by General Manager Hagekhalil of Metropolitan Water District, Jon Switalski of Rebuild SoCal, and Tracey Hernandez with Biz Fed. This is a powerful group that has formed alliances with BIASC and for our building industry, among many other fronts.

Our Building Industry Show 3.0 just wrapped after a 2020 Covid postponement. Over 1,000 people registered and came to see our 90 exhibitors and partake in our most successful “Meet the Builder” program ever - which had over 105 participants. Our winery tour, golf tournament, and 70’s themed Casino Night “Boogie Wonderland” BIS After-Party were well-attended, and the cherry on this sundae was having Earvin “Magic” Johnson speak to a select group of attendees. “Magic” was an engaging, charming, and inspirational keynote speaker, and so down to earth that we may have to invite him back next year.

Stay tuned for more information on the 2022 Building Industry Show’s new location as this was our last year at Pechanga for a while.

The Lyon Air Museum will be hosting our Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception with a Special Commemoration to General William Lyon with our Governing and Chapter Boards on Thursday, October 28th.

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

Tickets and sponsorships are going fast so register at biasc.org/events or reach out to Laura Barber at lbarber@biasc.org to sponsor.

The Perfect Storm Education Series is rolling out starting with Part One: Understanding the Four Elements of the Storm (SB12/VMT/Green Print/Construction and Stormwater permits). Learn not only how each element can harm our industry in addition to affiliated industries, but also how all four could devastate housing as we know it today. Join our Part One Webinar via Zoom on Thursday, November 4th from 12:00pm to 1:30pm for this educational lunch and learn series. Please note: BIASC is encouraging all our members to allow their staff to register for this series. The Perfect Storm will impact all industry members at all levels, and we need to harness not just our 1,000 company members but their 5,000+ employees to help us navigate through and conquer this storm.

Regarding BIASC Operations, your association is exceeding budget expectations and is hopeful to close out the year strong. Please flip through this issue for information on our four upcoming Chapter Gala & Installation Dinners, and upcoming BIA Desert Summit & Golf Tournament on December 6-7th. We hope to see you at all these events as we celebrate the close of another year. 

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EDUCATIONAL SERIES

There is a regulatory Perfect Storm descending on us. You’ve heard warnings like this before, but the threat now is so dire that if it hits us with its full strength, it threatens to put most California homebuilders out of business. The storm’s four converging new threats will ravage builder’s profits and in the worst case, national builders would be forced to leave the state for less regulated markets and local builders would have to cut back or close.

BIA exists for challenges like this, but this is the biggest challenge we have ever faced. To succeed in beating back any of these threats, we will need our Builder Members, our Associate Members and their employees to join us.

EDUCATIONAL SERIES INTRO

The Perfect Storm Educational Series is intended to give Builders, Associates, and all their employees an understanding of the building industry regulatory elements and how they could change your business and impact staff.

WHO SHOULD JOIN

All members and their employees are invited to participate in these webinars.

WEBINAR 1 An introduction to the four elements and how they will change our industry.

Speakers: Adam Wood and Jennifer Hernandez. Moderator: Craig Foster.

Thursday, November 4, 12:00 - 1:00pm

WEBINAR 2 WEBINAR 3 WEBINAR 4 Topics, Date and Time To Be Announced.

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

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Southern VISIT BIASC.ORG/THE-PERFECT-STORM-EDUCATIONAL-SERIES/ California BUILDER | October 2021

EDUCATIONAL SERIES

THE PERFECT STORM WEBINAR 1 - Thursday, November 4th 12:00pm - 1:00PM An introduction to the four elements of the Perfect Storm threatening the building industry and how they will change our industry.

Speakers: BIAOC Vice President Adam Wood and Jennifer Hernandez, Holland & Knight.

Moderator: BIASC COO Craig Foster

INTRO

Part One: Understanding the Four Elements of the Storm (SB12/VMT/Green Print/Construction and Stormwater permits). Learn not only how each element can harm our industry in addition to affiliated industries, but also how all four could devastate housing as we know it today. Join our Part One Webinar via Zoom on Thursday, November 4th from 12:00pm to 1:30pm for this educational lunch and learn series. Please note: BIASC is encouraging all our members to allow their staff to register for this series. The Perfect Storm will impact all industry members at all levels, and we need to harness not just our 1,000 company members but their 5,000+ employees to help us navigate through and conquer this storm.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: BIASC Member Companies and all their employees.

REGISTER NOW AT BIASC.ORG/EVENTS ENCOURGE YOUR TEAM TO ATTEND THIS WEBINAR AS A LUNCH & LEARN OPPORTUNITY

Southern California

VISIT BIASC.ORG/THE-PERFECT-STORM-EDUCATIONAL-SERIES/ | October 2021 BUILDER

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Boarding Now Join the BIASC Governing Board & BIA Chapter Leadership at BIASC’s Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception with a Special Commemoration Honoring General William Lyon at the Lyon Air Museum on

October 28

th

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Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) Chair Dave Bartlett (VP - Land Entitlement, Land & Housing, Brookfield Properties Development) and the BIASC Governing Board invite all BIA members to join BIASC’S Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception featuring a Special Commemoration Honoring General William Lyon at the beautiful Lyon Air Museum in Orange County on Thursday, October 28, 2021.

BIASC’S Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception will feature a Special Commemoration Honoring General William Lyon. The summit will feature panels of special guest speakers, including local and county elected officials discussing current housing elements and strategies as we approach 2022. Additionally, special guest speakers will be discussing business intelligence (BI) in the housing industry and the successful impacts it will have on all companies. Joone Kim Lopez, General Manager Moulton Niguel Water District, Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva will all be in attendance offering opening remarks.

The summit will be followed by a VIP Reception honoring the legacy of General William Lyon in our industry at his beautiful museum.

Expert speakers are broken down into two panels, The Builder Panel and The County Board of Supervisors Panel. Attendees will hear from Builder experts Tom Grable (Division President, Tri Pointe Homes), Bill Lyon (Director, Taylor Morrison Home Corporation), Michael Maples (Principal, Trumark Homes), Leonard Miller, (Former President & CEO,

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

New Home Company and Nicole Murray, Shea Homes. Elected Representative guest panelists will include Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Orange County Supervisor Chairman Andrew Do, Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez, San Bernardino County Supervisor Chair Curt Hagman, and Ontario Mayor Pro Tem and SCAG Past President Alan Wapner.

Founded by building industry legend Major General William Lyon, the Lyon Air Museum features an exhibit comprised of authentic aircraft, rare vehicles and related memorabilia, with emphasis on the defining event of the 20th century – World War II. Through captivating and thought-provoking exhibits based on historical scholarship, visitors gain a better understanding of the important role the United States plays in shaping world history.

We are proud to continue honoring General Lyon’s legacy at this event.

“We are honored to be hosting yet another strategic, Southern California regional event,” said BIASC CEO Jeff Montejano. “We pride ourselves in being industry leaders and are excited to have many powerhouse speakers presenting and providing invaluable insight, further pushing our members and the overall industry to be innovators, problem-solvers and leaders in their profession.”

To purchase tickets, please visit the Housing Strategy Summit registration page or biac.org/ events. Sponsorships are available – reserve yours today. 

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GUEST SPEAKERS ELECTED OFFICIAL PANELS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE IN THE HOUSING INDUSTRY VIP RECEPTION TRIBUTE TO GENERAL WILLIAM LYON

AT THE LYON AIR MUSEUM

ASSEMBLYMEMBER

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERVISOR

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR CHAIRMAN

RIVERSIDE COUNTY SUPERVISOR

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SUPERVISOR CHAIR

MAYOR

MAYOR PRO TEM

SHARON QUIRK-SILVA

KATHRYN BARGER

ANDREW DO

V. MANUEL PEREZ

CURT HAGMAN

FARRAH KHAN

ALAN WAPNER

65TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

5TH DISTRICT

1RST DISTRICT

4TH DISTRICT

4TH DISTRICT

CITY OF IRVINE

CITY OF ONTARIO SCAG PAST PRESIDENT

BIASC CHAIR

IMMEDIATE PAST BIASC CHAIR

PAST PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PRINCIPLE

DIVISION PRESIDENT

GENERAL MANAGER

DIRECTOR

DAVE BARTLETT

TOM GRABLE

LEONARD MILLER

MICHAEL MAPLES

NICOLE MURRAY

JOONE LOPEZ

BILL H. LYON

BROOKFIELD RESIDENTIAL

TRI POINTE HOMES

THE NEW HOME COMPANY

TRUMARK HOMES

SHEA HOMES

MOULTON NIGUEL WATER DISTRICT

TAYLOR MORRISON HOME CORPORATION

SPECIAL COMMEMORATION HONORING GENERAL WILLIAM LYON

SPECIAL GUEST ATTENDEES INVITED BIASC GOVERNING BOARD BIA BALDY VIEW CHAPTER BOARD BIA LOS ANGELES/VENTURA CHAPTER BOARD BIA ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER BOARD BIA RIVERSIDE CHAPTER BOARD TOP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUILDERS TOP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LAND OWNERS LOCAL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

You're invited to BIA of Southern California's Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception featuring a Special Commemoration Honoring General William Lyon at the Lyon Air Museum with BIASC Leadership, Chapter Presidents, and special guests panels featuring local elected representatives.

Network with Southern California's top builders and landowners. Sponsorships available.

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OCTOBER 28, 2021 LYON AIR MUSEUM 19300 IKE JONES RD, SANTA ANA, CA 92707

TO SPONSOR PLEASE CONTACT LAURA BARBER LBARBER@BIASC.ORG

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

GUEST SPEAKERS ELECTED OFFICIAL PANELS BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE IN THE HOUSING INDUSTRY VIP RECEPTION TRIBUTE TO GENERAL WILLIAM LYON

AT THE LYON AIR MUSEUM

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE GOLD SPONSOR (6 TICKETS) - $2750 SILVER SPONSOR (4 TICKETS) - $1750 BRONZE SPONSOR (2 TICKETS) - $1250 BIASC MEMBER TICKET - $87 NON-MEMBER TICKET - $150 VIP RECEPTION SPONSOR (5 TICKETS) - $2500 SPECIAL COMMEMORATION HONORING GENERAL WILLIAM LYON

EXPLORE THE LYON AIR MUSEUM

You're invited to BIA of Southern California's Housing Strategy Summit & VIP Reception featuring a Special Commemoration Honoring General William Lyon at the Lyon Air Museum with BIASC Leadership, Chapter Presidents, and special guests panels featuring local elected representatives. Network with Southern California's top builders and landowners. Sponsorships available.

OCTOBER 28, 2021 LYON AIR MUSEUM

BUILDER

19300 IKE JONES RD, SANTA ANA, CA 92707 Southern | October 2021 California

TO SPONSOR PLEASE CONTACT LAURA BARBER LBARBER@BIASC.ORG

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Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

UPCOMING BIASC & CHAPTER EVENTS OCTOBER 10/28/2021 BIASC HOUSING STRATEGY SUMMIT & VIP RECEPTION - SPECIAL COMMEMORATION TO GENERAL WILLIAM LYON AT THE LYON AIR MUSEUM 10/29/2021 BIA BALDY VIEW CHAPTER ADVANCED MECHANICS LIEN SEMINAR

NOVEMBER 11/9/20201 Q AWARDS LUNCHEON 11/10/2021 GSMC WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST 11/12/2021 BIA ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER INSTALLATION GALA 11/19/2021 BIA RIVERSIDE CHAPTER INSTALLATION GALA

DECEMBER 12/6/2021 BIA DESERT HOUSING SUMMIT 12/7/2021 BIA DESERT GOLF TOURNAMENT 12/9/2021 BIA BALDY VIEW CHAPTER INSTALLATION GALA 12/16/2021 BIA LOS ANGELES/VENTURA CHAPTER INSTALLATION GALA

QUESTIONS? Southern California

PLEASE CONTACT BIASC VICE PRESIDENT OF EVENTS LAURA BARBER AT LBARBER@BIASC.ORG

2021 BUILDER R| EOctober GISTER & SPONSOR AT BIASC.ORG/EVENTS

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Although our fiber service usually means 100% fiber-optic network to your residence, in limited circumstances Quantum Fiber may need to deploy alternative technologies coupled with a non-fiber coconnection from a certain point (usually the curb) to your residence in order to provide the advertised download speeds.

Customer speed experiences will vary, particularly when accessing the Internet wirelessly from various devices. Download speeds are via a wired connection. Internet speeds are not guaranteed due to conditions outside of network control, including customer location, devices, equipment, and access through a wired or wireless connection; see www.centurylink.com/InternetPolicy for more information.

Service is not available everywhere. Quantum Fiber may change, cancel, or substitute offers and services, or vary them by service area, at its sole discretion without notice. All products and services listed are governed by tariffs, terms of service, or terms and conditions posted at www.centurylink.com/terms. Restrictions apply. © 2021 Q Fiber, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Quantum, Southern Quantum Fiber and Quantum Fiber Internet are trademarks of Quantum Wireless LLC and used under license to Q Fiber, LLC. October 2021

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California

BUILDER |

BIA of Southern California

CURRENT TEAM ROSTER MEET THE BIASC EXECUTIVE TEAM

JEFF MONTEJANO

CRAIG FOSTER

LAURA BARBER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER BIASC

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER BIASC

VICE PRESIDENT EVENTS/HR BIASC

LOU MONVILLE

ADAM WOOD

INTERIM EXECUTIVE OFFICER RIVERSIDE CHAPTER

VICE PRESIDENT BIA ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER & BILD ADMINISTRATOR

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ EXECUTIVE OFFICER BALDY VIEW CHAPTER

DIANA CORONADO

JORDAN BRANDMAN

VICE PRESIDENT LOS ANGELES/VENTURA CHAPTER

BIASC LABOR RELATIONS

MEET THE BIASC TEAM

KARISSA DISTEFANO

DR. MARK GREY

ANA GROMIS

LISA LUNDRIGAN

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

BUILDING INDUSTRY SHOW SALES MANAGER

DAISY REYES

ANREA SANTOS

DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING

MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATOR

MICHELLE PETERSON SIGN OPERATIONS MANAGER

KAITLIN RADCLIFF DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP

LISA MEADOWS

CLAUDIA MU

MEMBER SERVICES MANAGER

ACCOUNTANT

MARC TROAST DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHP COACHELLA VALLEY

BIASC ADVISORS QUESTIONS? MATT CATE BIASC WATER POLICY ANALYST

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Southern California

RICH LAMBROS

BUILDER | BIASC LABOR RELATIONS

*

FELIPE FUENTES BIASC LA ADVOCACY

*

MATT PETTERUTO BIASC ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS

October 2021 *

CHUCK HAHN BIASC DIGITAL ADVOCACY & CAMPAIGNS

ROB REDWITZ BIASC CONTROLLER

*

JENNIFER HERNANDEZ

*

BIASC LEGAL (BILD)

*

CHRIS KHAN BIASC SACRAMENTO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

*

Learn more about BIASC at BIASC.ORG

DAG WILKINSON BIASC GENERAL COUNSEL

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BIASC Vendor/Consultant

Back to BIS-ness After a year hiatus due to a worldwide pandemic, one of the biggest building trades shows in Southern California, the Building Industry Show 3.0 returned with glowing reviews to Pechanga Resort and Casino.

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Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

DAY 1

Utility & Water Boot Camp Part One - Water Our 3rd annual Utility & Water Boot Camp kicked off the Building Industry Show 3.0 bright and early on day one with a panel featuring water industry experts Brad Coffey (Group Manager, Water Resource Management, Metropolitan Water District), Brian Probolsky, (President, Moulton Niguel Water District), Lanaya Voelz-Alexander, P.E., (Assistant General Manager, Planning, Engineering and Construction Branch, Eastern Municipal Water District), and moderator BIASC Dr. Mark Grey (Director of Environmental Affairs).

Topics discussed included California’s drought, strengthening the relationship between the water and building industries, how a revised stormwater permit from the State could impact public works and private construction projects, success stories and more. As Moulton Niguel Water District President Brian Probolsky said, “We aren’t looking for customers to use less water, we are looking for customers to waste less water.”

Part Two – Utilities Expert teams from utility companies SoCalGas, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric presenting on a variety of topics ranging from energy efficient new homes programs, expediated project approvals, meter availability, labor availability, builder account managers, online portals, tools, and resources.

Special thanks to the following team members for participating: Southern California Gas Company: Curtis Frazier (Planning Manger - Gas Operations), Gina Viveros (Project Manager II), Lacy Coutts (Senior Account Executive), Matt Noon (Principal Account Executive), and Mark Drake (Manager, Residential New Construction).

Southern California Edison: Tobias Leonard (Senior Manager, New Development Planning), DJ Gallagher (Manager, Southern TPM, New Development Planning) and Ruby Rose Yepez (Senior Advisor, Residential New Development).

San Diego Gas & Electric – Erika Schimmel-Guiles (Director Design and Project Management) and Jennifer Summers (Director Tribal Relations & Land Services).

Thank You to our Sponsors: SoCalGas, Eastern Municipal Water District, and Moulton Niguel Water District.

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

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Golf Tournament Over 100 golfers joined our BIA Golf Tournament on the beautiful Journey Course at Pechanga Resort & Casino for a warm and relaxing day of networking on the golf course.

Thank you to our Sponsors: Richard Lopez Construction, COE Real Estate Group, MiTek, and Saxe, Doernberger & Vita Law.

Winery Tour A select number of BIS attendees chose to embark on our exclusive winery tour which included stops at Oak Mountain Winery, Somerset Vineyards, and Leoness Cellars. This tour provided the opportunity for BIA members and potential new members to meet, network, and mingle in a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere.

“The winery tour was the perfect blend of business and pleasure,” said BIA Member Katie Pringle Cawelti (Director of Operations, Curt Pringle & Associates). “Some of the best industry connections of the BIS happened at the tasting as guests had ample time to mix and mingle over a glass of wine!”

Thank you to our Sponsors: BluSky Restoration Contractors and Valued Engineering.

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Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

Builder Kickoff Reception Excitement ran high at our Builder Kickoff Reception as exhibitors, winery tour attendees, golfers, BIASC leadership and builders gathered on the event lawn at Pechanga. The evening’s entertainment included a live DJ, beverages, appetizers, and cigar bar. Networking extended far beyond the DJ’s music and the shake of the bartender’s last drink as many members continued inside to the casino floor to continue enjoying the eve before the show start.

Thank you to our Sponsors: Eastern Municipal Water District, Nortek Control, Simpson Strong Tie, TWR Framing, and Architectural Design Collaborative.

Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

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DAY 2

Meet the Builder & Show Floor Our slogan Expect More for the Building Industry Show 3.0 was that and more! We delivered on that promise with a packed agenda of networking events for our exhibitors and sponsors, as BIS is what fuels their business for years to come!

Exhibitors brought their “A Game” with their dazzling booths and high energy and smiles. We started off the day with our most well-attended Meet the Builder event to date. Builders were eager to source new vendors and the exhibitors commented on how many important new connections they

made throughout the day. Attendance was strong and the hall was always busy with attendees, proving that nothing else quite replaces traditional face-to-face networking.

Our Building Industry manufactures waited over 19 months during the show postponement to showcase their new product lines and service offerings and they all delivered.

Exhibitors loved the new floorplan layout offering lounges to network and gather, and the addition of coffee to keep them going throughout the day.

Builders & Developers roamed the hall eager to source new products and meet the needs of their product hungry customers. The show floor provided the opportunity to reconnect with our vibrant community of builders, associates and suppliers.

Thank You to Our Sponsors: GMEP Engineers, Loan Depot, Paragon Framing, Professional Staffing Ventures, Trinity Framing, Western Municipal Water District, and United Paving.

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Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

BIS HIGHLIGHT: SHOW FLOOR EXHIBITORS

The Unanimous Exhibitor View of this Year’s BIS Show: “It’s Great to be Back!”

The 2021 Building Industry Show, BIS 3.0, was a great success for attendees and exhibitors alike. On the show floor, exhibitors had nothing but positive comments, which we will start sharing here and continue in upcoming issues.

If you exhibited in BIS and aren’t included in these writeups, you probably were busy talking to a customer and or potential customer when we came by, and we weren’t about to interrupt a potential sale!

More than anything else, exhibitors were excited about being able to see people in person again after 18 months without a BIS Show because of COVID. “It feels fantastic to be back,” said Chris Francis, Director of Sales of Brinks Locks. “Everyone wanted to get out of

Southern California

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October 2021

the cave after 18 months, so they’re all in good spirits and everyone seems to be enjoying the show. Quite a few builders have come by, so it’s been good for us.”

Cassandra Troutman, Marketing Manager of Boudreau Pipelines said, “It’s so good to see everyone in person – I’ve missed everyone. It’s crazy how we went from event fatigue to just craving for events and wanting to be back out there in person again!”

Courtney Gress, Vice President of Plumbing Concepts, Inc., echoed their views: “It feels good to be back, for sure. It’s great – there are lots of people that we are excited to see after a year off, both our existing customers and some who hopefully will become new ones.”

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Many exhibitors mentioned the Meet the Builder event Thursday morning as the highlight of the show, and others mentioned the fun they had at the golf tournament, the winery tour and the kick-off party. Mitchell Whittington, Regional Technical Support for Elkay Manufacturing summed it up nicely: “A lot of the events they did before the show, with the golf outing and the winery tours, helped to break the ice so we could actually start having those conversations before the builders started walking the floor and seeing the products.

Then, when they got here to the booth, we could really show off the things that we came here to show off.”

each interaction. The combination of the people, venue, events, good food, and open bar is definitely something we look forward to at the next show.”

Taking the prize as the most enthusiastic BIS Show exhibitor was Lori Worthington of TruWood Siding and Trim, who gushed, “The kick-off party was a blast last night and the Meet the Builder event was amazing – so much insight, so many great connections were made there! And now we’ve just come back from the Magic Johnson speech and we’re all pumped up and ready to make a difference in this world!

It was so exciting! Oh my gosh, it was so fun! The place is abuzz about it.”

The team from PDPlay said, “The BIS Show provided us great windows to have some Key conversations. Good times were had by our team as the positivity was clearly felt through

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Southern California

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BIS Highlight: BIASC Governing Board and BIA Chapter Leadership Meeting While BIS Show attendees were anxiously awaiting the arrival of BIS Keynote Speaker Earvin “Magic” Johnson in the Pachanga Resort and Casino’s Grand Ballroom West, the combined Boards of Directors of BIASC and all its chapters were getting down to business in the Grand Ballroom East. A smattering of elected officials around the room were noted, so the discussion stayed in the public realm, leading off with BIASC CEO Jeff Montejano after BIASC’s Immediate Past Chair Tom Grable (Division President, TRI Pointe Homes) called the large assembly to order.

Montejano recalled how when he accepted the CEO position three years ago, he was directed to either kill BIS or make it better, and with the help of COO/EVP Craig Foster, Vice President Laura Barber and the rest of the BIASC staff and his Board of Directors, he has done the latter.

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“We’ve put out a lot of effort running towards problems instead of away from them, and it’s paid off,” he said. “In a few minutes, we’ll be listening to Magic Johnson, who we invited here because he is game-changer, just as we must be game-changers. We need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable – that’s how we can face all the challenges of homebuilding in California.”

“The state’s housing policy is off, and we are going to do things to make it better that might have made the old BIA uncomfortable, things like sponsoring recalls of elected officials who don’t support new housing, filing Public Records Act requests to find out what’s going on out of the public eye, and playing huge in the upcoming election – we are taking the names of those who aren’t with us. We are going to push for policy changes by making game-changing decision, because we refuse to accept the idea of ‘Go out of business or go out of state.’”

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Craig Foster followed with an operations update, saying that, “2020 was a firestorm that required severe decisions regarding BIA’s operations. We not only survived, we excelled, with our budget for 2021 growing by 25 percent over 2020, strong member events, membership growth and member retention. With that, we expect the 2022 budget to grow again, by 15 to 17 percent.”

and now we just have 100 active projects because so many products are so hard to get. We can’t get homes built, with cycle times reaching nine months. And it’s worse in Northern California.”

Foster then announced the Perfect Storm Educational Series outreach effort that will launch soon to get members, associates and their employees more engaged in industry advocacy efforts. “We are facing four threats – Vehicle Miles Travelled, new stormwater regulations, SB 12’s wildfire legislation and the SCAG SoCal Greenprint, which is an open door to more CEQA abuse. These will impact our members, their staff, their employees, their families. To limit cutbacks and closures, the Perfect Storm program will educate and motivate so we have more people rallied for our cause.”

BIASC Governing Board Member/Past BIASC CEO Mike Balsamo (Senior Vice President, Governmental Relations, Rancho Mission Viejo) presented the land developer’s perspective, staring with a warning that the unions are planning a full-on assault on prevailing wage and Sacramento will be pushing hard on affordable housing and inclusionary zoning.

Foster also gave a hat tip to Tom Grable for starting BIASC’s “Builders Prefer Members” campaign to help drive the Association’s membership, noting that more members mean BIA will be capable of greater advocacy.

BIASC Governing Board Member Randy Richards (CEO, Reliable Wholesale Lumber) started the round-table reports, recounting COVID’s impact on the lumber supply chain as mills closed and thefts plagued every level of the lumber industry. He said that when the big box lumber retailers saw customers refusing to buy lumber at COVID-caused higher prices, they cancelled their orders and created a market shock, but now they are beginning to order again, which is a sign of a return to a greater level of supply and stability.

BIA Riverside County Chapter President Greg Shaia (Regional President, Richmond American Homes) recounted how early fears about COVID’s impact were unrealized as the market began running hot after just three months, leading to a boom. But, he said, “This industry is not built for booms. The jurisdictions can’t handle them, the trades aren’t built for it. In Riverside County in 2017 we had 300 active projects

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But, Shaia concluded, with COVID-triggered urban flight continuing, he’s bullish about the years ahead.

He said that SB 9, which allows two homes to be built on one single-family lot, had the unintended consequence of harming the industry’s image with home-rule loving local elected officials, so fences will have to be mended. He also noted that the school bond fund is now $2 billion oversubscribed, which means builders would have to pay the full cost of a new school - $75 to 80 million for a K-8 school – unless a new school bond is passed. “Expect to be asked to contribute heavily to that campaign,” he said.

Finally, he noted that Caltrans’ goals do not include building the roads we need, but are more focused on cultivating excellence, leading in climate action and advancing equity and livability in all communities. “That’s all fine, but will we continue to have Caltrans as a partner when there are roads that need to be built?” he asked.

BIA Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter President Dave Little (Williams Homes) noted a strong market in Los Angeles but with many trouble spots including an effort by the city to ban wood construction and ongoing shortages. “Now all of a sudden, we can’t get breakers, and we can’t get occupancy permits if we don’t have breakers – or garage doors for that matter. We recently sent some guys to Utah to get some doors to Montana, where they were needed.”

Southern California

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Baldy View Chapter President Tim Roberts (Director, Land Entitlement, Brookfield Residential) reiterated the challenges of keeping on schedule under the lingering effects of COVID and the various market shocks, but, he added, “Ontario Ranch is going great and is the fastest-selling masterplanned community in the nation, at least when Rancho Mission Viejo doesn’t outsell us.”

BIA Orange County Chapter Incoming President Eric Nelson (Vice President, Community Development, Trumark Homes) said BIA is the tip of the spear in the battle against a state that is trying to legislate its way to housing affordability through regulations. “That’s not the way. We have to remove regulations because we now have agency gridlock with approvals at all levels slowing to a crawl. We must stop this if we are going to come out of time when we can’t deliver

Southern California

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enough product to meet demand. Otherwise, Sacramento’s policies will eventually destroy this industry.”

Tom Grable discussed SB 12, the wildfire bill which was stopped this year but will be back next year, “because the fires continue to burn making it an issue everyone in Sacramento wants to fix. Of course, Sacramento’s fixes rarely fix anything. They don’t seem to want to understand that since the 2008 Building Code, the number of homes built to that code that have been lost to fire can be counted on two hands. We are the protectors of the established neighborhoods, so we should not be the target of legislation like this.” Fortunately for all, Magic Johnson followed and quickly dispelled all the dark clouds that gather whenever BIA boards meet to discuss the issues the industry faces.

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Keynote Speaker Earvin “Magic” Johnson Anticipation grew and applause erupted as 6’9” basketball legend, entrepreneur and philanthropist Earvin “Magic” Johnson joined BIASC Immediate Past Chair Tom Grable on stage for the 2021 BIS Keynote Presentation that captivated the attention and left every attendee smiling and feeling inspired.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment conglomerate that provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Having left the basketball court for the boardroom, Johnson parlayed the skills and tenacity he acquired on the court into a winning formula for his successful business ventures.

For the last two decades Johnson has consistently turned heads with his unprecedented partnerships. In his early years as an entrepreneur, he forged an alliance with Sony Pictures to develop Magic Johnson Theatres. In 1998, he teamed with Starbucks to become the only franchisee in the history of the company, acquiring and eventually selling 125 stores in a lucrative move which further solidified his position in the business world. Both ventures served as catalysts for redevelopment in urban communities and are widely recognized as the corporate blueprint for engagement and success with urban consumers across America.

Throughout his presentation, Magic would select members of the audience to interact with him and help illustrate his stories of growth and strategies for success.

One BIS Attendee, Michael Harris (Vice President, Business Development and Client Relations, Motivational Systems, Inc.), shared on LinkedIn, “Magic was one of the most interactive and personable speakers I’ve ever seen. He probably interacted with over a dozen people in the audience. After each one, he stopped his speech and took a photo with each of them. It was incredible and the reactions from everyone was unforgettable.”

We would like to thank Mr. Johnson for a memorable and uplifting experience, and we hope to welcome him back to the Building Industry Show sometime in the upcoming future.

Thank You to our Sponsors: Daltile and First Team Real Estate.

Still a commanding presence in the sports world, he made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a Major League Baseball franchise that was purchased for an astronomical $2 billion dollars. It was the highest purchase price for any professional sports team at the time. He also co- owns the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Football Club, and eSports franchise Team Liquid.

Southern California

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70’s Casino Night “Boogie Wonderland” BIS After-Party With the closing of the BIS 3.0 show floor, it was time to get groovy for a post-show celebration throwing it back to music and the funky dance moves of the 70’s. Attendees were greeted by 70’s inspired looks as they enjoyed specialty cocktails, delicious eats, and a live DJ. Many attendees found themselves in our private casino room exclusive to BIA attendees. While only our top gamblers walked away with prizes, every BIS attendee walked away from the Building Industry Show 3.0 as a winner with invaluable connections, new business opportunities, and irreplaceable industry friendships.

Thank You to our Sponsors: Gothic Landscape and Omega Products. 

Southern California

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October 2021

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October 2021

Elected Official Spotlight:

Q & A with Los Angeles

Supervisor Kathryn Barger The last time I was featured in the Southern California Builder magazine, we were celebrating its launch.

Meanwhile, we were in a much more challenging circumstance with the onset of the pandemic. After serving as Chair of the Board of Supervisors during that time, I am so glad to see us pivoting back to some normalcy. Last year, we had to make a lot of difficult decisions to prioritize the safety of our residents while also balancing the need to continue providing housing and protecting jobs. I am proud that we were able to keep development moving by ensuring that building was an essential service.

Leading up to 2020, we had worked to move permitting and other planning functions online through EpicLA, our online electronic permitting and inspection portal that brings components of the building processes to remote access. Just before the pandemic, our system was online and fully functional, so when we had to close County buildings and public counters, we were able to quickly pivot to maintain service remotely.

The experience of the industry and the County working together via EpicLA enabled us to understand how technology can help us do our jobs more efficiently.

Though, it has also shown us some of the pinch points and challenges that remain. Based on the extensive feedback my office received from the development community and construction industry, I led a motion unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors to develop a steering committee to further streamline the County’s permitting systems with an emphasis on creating workflows to ensure consistency in responses and timelines.

Southern California

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Kathryn Barger

Los Angeles Supervisor

This year, the County has had to take a hard look at the policies that go into our land use planning. We were given an updated Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) number, which makes us responsible for providing more than 91,000 units of housing over the next seven years. Additionally, we are working on updates to the Housing and Safety Elements of the County’s General Plan. These documents will help guide the thoughtful integration of new development and the creation of new housing units to meet our RHNA goals and to address the housing shortage and affordability crisis the region faces. The County appreciates BIA’s advocacy efforts and looks for opportunities to partner with organizations like yours to weigh in on these types of policies to plan for the County’s future. We know we cannot meet these goals without the building industry, and we welcome the investment you all make within our communities!

As we move forward, my focus for the next 18 months is focused squarely on continuing the fight to stem the tide against homelessness, pushing for greater development of housing to address the current shortage, and streamlining County processes to ensure that government does its part to help our private industry partners by getting out of their way.

I look forward to continuing to work with BIA on issues that matter to our communities most, whether it’s homelessness and housing affordability or jobs and the economy.

I wish your membership continued success!

Supervisor Kathryn Barger

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PLEASE WELCOME BACK OUR

RENEWING MEMBERS JULY 28, - SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

2-10 Home Buyers Warranty

Development Planning & Financing Group

2nd Avenue Sales & Marketing

DoubleTree Hotel Ontario

AA Ready Mix Concrete, Inc.

DR Horton LA Holding Co. Inc.

Action Plumbing Supply, LLC

DRC Engineering, Inc.

Addition Building & Design, Inc

Eastern Municipal Water District

AI Design

EA-VE Construction

Airplus of California Inc

EcoMaster Corporation

Alpaca Enterprises, Inc.

Emily Grene

Amerifirst Financial Inc.

Encore Capital Management

Bank of America

Environmental Construction, Inc.

Bassenian/Lagoni Architects

Esfahani Construction Company

Best Management Construction, Inc.

Fenceworks, Inc.

BHE Management Corporation

First American Property Disclosure Services

Bio Clean Environmental Services, Inc.

Foremost Pacific Group

BJ Palmer & Associates, Inc.

GMEP Engineers

Boudreau Pipeline Corp.

Good Seed Community Development Corporation

Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara, LLP

GT Commercial Concrete, Inc.

BrightView Design Group

H.A. Lewis, Inc.

Brooks Street

Hagle Lumber Company, Inc.

Builders Termite, Inc.

Harbor Field Holdings, LLC

Burbridge Design Group, Inc.

Holiday Carpet & Floor Covering Inc

Cabinets 2000 LLC

Holland Partner Group

California Mantel & Fireplace

Housing Capital Company, A Division of US Bank

CBC Framing, Inc.

Housing Partners I Inc

Chameleon Design

HPI Architecture

Clover Masonry Construction

Hur Flooring Co.

Concept Builders

Infinity Plumbing Designs, Inc.

Contech Engineered Solutions

innobath

Cornerstone Specialty Insurance Services, Inc.

INpower Global Commercial Services

Crawford & Bangs, LLP

Integrated Mobility Stairlifts

David Taussig & Associates, Inc. (DTA)

International Conference Management

DCSE Associates, Inc.

Irvine Company

Denis Wolcott - The Wolcott Co.

Jag Interiors, Inc.

DePinho Roofing, Inc.

JBR Engineering, Inc.

JOIN OUR GROWING NUMBER OF INDUSTRY PARTNERS.

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Learn More at biasc.org/membership Southern California

BUILDER |

October 2021

PLEASE WELCOME BACK OUR

RENEWING MEMBERS JULY 28, - SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

Jeffrey Court Inc.

Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.

Just Like The Model

SB & O Inc.

Kevin L. Crook Architect, Inc.

Sharp Business Systems

Land Care Inc.

Shaw & Sons

Larrabure Framing

Simpson Strong-Tie Co., Inc.

Law offices of Helene Z. Fransz

Snyder Langston Residential

Marina Landscape, Inc.

Spinnaker Development, LLC

Marinita Development Co.

Stantec

MConsensus

Stuart Kane LLP

Mega Western Sales

Sub-Zero Group West, Inc.

Mike Rovner Construction

Sukut Construction, Inc.

Minuteman Press of Rancho Cucamonga

Tait & Associates, Inc.

Mission Springs Water District

Teserra

Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC

The Dolphin Group, Inc.

NMG Geotechnical, Inc.

The Englander Co.

Northtown Housing Development

Therma-Tru Doors & Fypon

Orange Coast Building Services Inc.

Tinnelly Law Group

Pacific Cove Development Inc.

Torrent Resources (CA)

Pacific National Group

Transtech Engineers Inc.

Pacific Utility

TrustLink Mortgage

Parisi Portfolio

TSIB

Parkco Building Company

United Civil, Inc.

PatioShoppers Commercial Pool & Outdoor Furniture

United Engineering Group

Peter Mayer Productions, Inc.

USS Cal Builders, Inc.

Precast Innovations

Vanguard Builders, Inc.

Propp Christensen Caniglia LLP

VCA Structural

ProTec Building Services

Vicki Higginson - American Trim Inc.

QTative

Waterlogged

R.D. Olson Construction

Watson Legal Group, APC

Renco Sales Inc

Weiland Design Group, Inc.

Resource Building Materials

Western Community Housing Inc.

RM Project Development

Whitney/Petchul

Robert Hidey Architects Inc

Win-Dor

Sapetto Real Estate Solutions, Inc.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP

JOIN OUR GROWING NUMBER OF INDUSTRY PARTNERS. Southern California

Learn More at biasc.org/membership BUILDER | October 2021

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Bond Opportunities for Land Development (BOLD) BOLD is a financing program offered by the California Municipal Finance Authority (CMFA) that allows for the financing of public infrastructure and impact fees for development projects through the use of a Community Facilities District (CFD). CMFA will pool eligible borrower CFD obligations into a single-pooled bond issue or provide funding on a stand-alone basis.

Benefits

Eligible Improvements

• Low cost infrastructure and fee financing to make development feasible

• Streets and sidewalks/ Street Lighting • Parks and Open Space • School Facilities • Flood Control • Sewer/Water Treatment Capacity • Water and Sewer Lines

• Allows smaller development projects the ability to cost effectively access the tax-exempt public markets • Financing available for both small and large projects on an efficient, cost-effective basis • Formation in advance of development and bond issuance as development occurs, reducing carrying cost • Individual CFD’s created for each development project. No cross collateralization between projects • Partner with local agency staff and local municipal advisors who can assist in implementing local goals and policies

The BOLD Program also allows for the financing of City and/or County Fees, School Fees and Special District Fees.

Borrowing Requirements: • Minimum bond size of $500,000 • Local agency must approve the use of BOLD and approve the facilities and fees to be financed • Required deposit to pay for formation of the CFD • While a CFD can be formed, bond issuance will typically need to meet the following conditions:

• Reduction of local agency staff time forming a CFD and no ongoing administration

- Project must have all discretionary development entitlements - Tax burden (including all other taxes) cannot exceed 2% of the estimated value of the home. Local agencies’ goals and policies may require a lower percentage.

- Value of the property must be at least 4 times the CFD lien and overlapping debt - Project must meet the goals and policies of the local jurisdiction

• Local agency name does not appear on tax bill • Ability to structure financing to meet project needs

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Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR) is a leading investment bank driven to help clients Realize the Power of Partnership®. Securities brokerage and investment banking services are offered in the U.S. through Piper Sandler & Co., member SIPC and NYSE; in the U.K. through Piper Sandler Ltd., authorized and regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority; and in Hong Kong through Piper Sandler Hong Kong Ltd., authorized and regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission. Alternative asset management and fixed income advisory services are offered through separately registered advisory affiliates.

Southern California

©2021. Since 1895. Piper Sandler Companies. 800 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7036

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October 2021

THE INDUSTRY

Lucy Dunn Southern California

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Adel Hagekhalil

October 2021

Jon Switalski

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

: n o i t i d E e d i s n I

Tracy Hernandez

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Q & A with Lucy Dunn

President and CEO, Orange County Business Council For the last 16 years, Lucy Dunn has been the voice of business in Orange County as President and CEO of the Orange County Business Council (OCBC), but before that she was one of the state’s strongest voices for housing.

Californians first heard her calm, well-researched and logical arguments for new homes when she was Koll Real Estate Group’s senior management representative on Bolsa Chica in Huntington Beach, one of the longest and most contested entitlement efforts ever in California history. Then she became the first woman to be president of BIASC, followed by being named Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then, at OCBC, her support for housing and her challenges to governmentmade restrictions on housing supply only became stronger, as workforce housing became one of the organization’s four Core Initiatives.

Within hours of Dunn sharing her thoughts with Southern California Builder, she announced that she will retire as OCBC’s CEO at year-end, telling the Orange County Register that OCBC is on firm footing, so she wants to spend more time with her sons and grandkids, continue volunteering with area nonprofits, and travel.

Lucy Dunn

President & CEO, Orange County Business Council

housing is a subset. We think housing for the workforce is critically important and thus, that’s our definition.

Because of the lack of available housing throughout the state and the growing homelessness issue, which is a direct result of the failure of this state to make housing easier to build, OCBC was charged as well with looking at Orange County homelessness. Our board directed me to reinvigorate the Orange County Housing Trust beginning with a generous grant of $5 million from Disneyland Resort, funding from Brookfield Residential, Union Bank and many other organizations. The Orange County Housing Trust was thus reborn and open for business to help the vulnerable.

It is more nimble and efficient than the Orange County Housing Finance Trust, which is comprised of government leaders, and in our first few months of operation, we rolled out all of our funding in order to kickstart the building of both affordable housing and homeless shelter units. We’re looking now for more private sector donations in order to do a next round of funding. The great part about our funding is

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

Industry Game Changer:

Southern California Builder: Orange County Business Council’s focus is on workforce housing. Can you explain the difference, if there is one, between the Council’s housing focus and BIA’s housing focus?

Lucy Dunn: OCBC advocates for the business community, working with government and academia. We chose the term workforce housing to include housing for everyone who has a job, from CEOs to, unfortunately, folks living in cars but employed — to emphasize the importance of increasing overall housing supply. Some people connote workforce housing as affordable housing, but affordable

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Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

that the awarded funds for today’s projects will be repaid to the Trust over time, enabling the next generation of housing to be built.

SCB: The Business Council has been compiling a Workforce Housing Scorecard since 2008. How has the county’s housing situation changed over those years?

LD: The Scorecard lets us see who’s making a difference and how – like when Anaheim under Mayor Curt Pringle’s leadership innovatively planned for the future, and it’s now playing out in the Platinum Triangle around Angel Stadium.

Other cities that may not be ranked as high are taking a look at their antiquated strip malls and asking themselves how they can add something experiential, something retail and something housing instead of just another retail center. Over the years, I think the Scorecard has shown that cities are getting smarter – we’re seeing more creativity, more experiential places like Irvine Spectrum, a redo of MainPlace in Santa Ana and ocVIBE and Angel’s Stadium in Anaheim both including new homes in their planning.

Besides the OCBC Housing Scorecard, the other big measuring device is RHNA, the Regional Housing Needs Assessment, but it has a subjective component that makes it so you can’t replicate the calculations, and that makes everybody crazy. At OCBC, we decided that for every city in

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Orange County, all we want to measure is how many jobs did you create, what was your population increase, and how many building permits did you issue? That means we have completely replicable measurements with a formula every city could check, and it lets us rank the cities and show who the leaders are. I think it’s one of the fairest standards to show us where every city is, and we’re about to start a 2022 edition to take a look at it again.

SCB: In your view, how has the problem of short housing supply and the resulting high rents and home prices affected Orange County?

LD: Orange County prides itself on its economic prosperity and a great quality of life, so seeing hundreds of people lining the Santa Ana riverbed without shelter was an abomination to people of faith and people who understand how important shelter is to society as a whole. The overarching issue, of course, is that ever since this governor declared that California has a housing crisis, we’ve actually issued even fewer building permits than before he declared a crisis. That is the performance metric that the state has to grapple with – it’s about building stuff! When I was State Housing Director in 2003 and 2004, we were at a peak.

We had a good economy and funds in the bank, and Gov. Schwarzenegger rolled out that funding to produce enough housing units for all income levels. The bottom line is that now, under the best-case scenario, we still need 180,000

Southern California

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October 2021

CONGRATULATIONS

RANDY CARVER VP Client Services, ervices, ovach Marketing arketing 2021 SOCAL MAME AWARDS

ASSOCIATE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Southern California

BUILDER

THE BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA & SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUILDER TEAM | October 2021 ARE PROUD OF YOU!

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Southern California

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SCB: On a scale of one-to-ten then, with one being “What were they thinking?” and 10 being “They’ve finally done something right!” how would you rank Sacramento’s efforts to solve the state’s housing crisis?

LD: They refuse to tackle the issues they need to address to make this work, so they get a zero. One performance metric says it all: We’re actually issuing FEWER building permits than ever before. The legislature nibbles around the edges on new laws, but they don’t understand housing.

They don’t understand the costs and the process and/or they don’t really want to fix it. On top of that, the state’s climate change goals are not aligned with the state’s housing goals, and neither will succeed until folks realize they’ve got major flaws here. For California to succeed in its climate change goals, without new housing, we will be sending young families and high paying jobs to other states.

That’s not climate change success. On top of that, for all our Democratic leadership’s touting of diversity, equity and inclusion, California’s Black and Latino communities have the lowest homeownership rates since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Shame on this Progressive state!

Shame on it! Shame on them for not recognizing that the best path to wealth creation is owning a home of your own.

Our governor and our legislature have failed us on this.

SCB: Cities often frame the housing supply crisis, and other crises, in terms of the state taking local control for them, and generally BIA supports the cities in this because we’d typically rather work with a city than the state. What are your thoughts on this?

LD: That’s a simple question with a complicated answer.

Senate Bill 12, which fortunately is now dead and gone, is an example of this. It would have sent the issue of fire safety to the State’s Office of Planning and Research, which almost no one even understands what they do. Those of us who do understand know that the climate change rules they just imposed on us actually added $50,000 to $2 million per home [through Vehicle Miles Travelled regulations], according to a study conducted by the San Diego County

Southern California

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Board of Supervisors. It makes zero sense to encourage public agencies to make it harder to build housing projects and costlier to buy homes. On the other hand, because our environmental regulations and our litigation processes are so obtuse and progressive, at the local level it’s become very difficult for elected local officials to say yes to projects because anyone with a couple hundred bucks can sue to stop anything. There is a solution out there that honors local control, planning and compatibility but also allows for certainty in the process for builders. So, until we can show that we can put more homes on the ground for people, the argument about local control vs. state control is academic.

SCB: What can we do about regulatory over-reach, which so often seems like an unstoppable force?

LD: California is a one-party state with union control. It’s clear that the building trades’ agenda is to unionize the private sector homebuilding industry, and the private sector homebuilding industry for the most part, especially in Southern California, chooses not to do that. So, litigation by unions to stop projects is a whole additional strategy on top of specious environmental issues to stop projects. It’s the pile-on. To overcome some of these things, the California Environmental Quality Act does need modernization. I do not believe it needs to be repealed, but it needs to be modernized, and I’d start with three things.

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

units annually just to meet population and jobs growth, and we’re nowhere near meeting our annual need, let alone making up the millions of housing units that we’re behind.

And thus, the price of a median home in Orange County is now $900,000 – are you kidding me? That’s all because of the state’s constraint on housing. It’s Economics 101: When supply is down, demand is up and prices are up.

The first thing is no more anonymous lawsuits. If you’re Sierra Club you have to show yourself in the papers; you can’t just form a coalition group. The second needed reform is that the remedy for a CEQA lawsuit can only be additional mitigation as determined by a judge. In other words, building trades, you don’t get a project labor agreement.

Legitimate environmental issues need legitimate additional mitigation, and a court should decide that. And the third item is no more serial lawsuits. If you’ve lost one lawsuit, or won one lawsuit, that’s it, you’re done. One lawsuit on a project. Those are just three things; they’re not perfect, but they would make a difference.

BIASC: What are the chances of that?

LD: Well, people ask me how would I modernize CEQA and I say, start with three things. This isn’t abolishing CEQA, it’s just three things and it’s based on good research by Holland & Knight (“In the Name of the Environment: Litigation Abuse Under CEQA,” August 2015).

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BIASC: BIA and OCBC often work together on common causes. Can you talk a bit about the state of the relationship between the two groups, and what can be done to make more effective?

LD: The relationship is very solid, which you saw recently in the great team effort between Jeff Montejano at BIASC, Tracy Hernandez at BizFed in LA and me on an op-ed that was part of our larger, successful campaign against SB 12.

We work well together because housing is a competitive issue for the business community. You can’t attract talent and retain good jobs without having a good supply of housing. It’s a little-known fact that as a major job center, the City of Irvine doubles in population every business day, and that applies to all of Orange County. Some people still perceive Orange County as a bedroom community of LA, but the reality is more people commute to Orange County to work than we send out, making LA our bedroom community, because LA and the Inland Empire are where the less expensive housing is. So, making sure that Orange County is doing its fair share of housing is critically important to the business community so we can retain a talented workforce and attract new business – and BIA is a valued partner to us in these efforts.

SCB: Do you in fact see businesses leaving the county because of home costs?

LD: We have just recently seen Disneyland Resort send 2,000 high-paying jobs to Florida because its regulatory and tax climate are far more favorable to both employers and employees. Every tech company in Silicon Valley is either talking about leaving or actively planning to leave California — they know their employees can work from anywhere, including states that are far more economically competitive. And yet, BIA and OCBC also know that Orange County has the lifestyle and the educational talent to keep people here, if they can afford it. Many of our students, the next generation of brains and drive for local companies, are already housed here, so our companies need to snatch them up and keep them here with internships and mentorships before they leave for other states.

SCB: In your view, how hard were the county’s businesses hit by COVID-19?

LD: Most of my members are global companies, so they did as well as anyone, as most global companies were able to weather the storm and still make sure their working

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environments were safe. They switched to remote work and some learned they were still able to meet performance metrics and have quality of life for employees.

The hardest hit were the small businesses. Although OCBC’s membership is not small business, we pivoted hard to be able to help connect small businesses to resources, to get them the latest science and data out there, and to help them focus on the health issues, because good health is good business, especially at times like this. One of my proudest accomplishments with OCBC was coming up with a way to encourage restaurants to be as safe for their employees and guests as possible. Supervisor Do got behind it and the Board of Supervisors approved it, and we then managed the County contract awarding over $10 million to 2,100 restaurants in Orange County for reimbursements at $5,000 per restaurant for their masks, their Plexiglas, their cleaning supplies, whatever it would take to help them stay in business, stay safe and stay open.

We did all of that – a new website, forms, changing our newsletter from once every two weeks to every day, and even going through an audit – and we did it all in three months! That’s something OCBC had never done before, and we did it as we ourselves were learning how to work under COVID-19 restrictions. Now my staff and my members have an answer to the question, “What did you do during the pandemic to help people get through?” There are so many one-on-one stories, like when my staff members got in car and brought groceries to a senior couple who called us.

That isn’t what OCBC does – we deal with major regional issues – but in the pandemic, we had to do all of our regular work, and also just help people stay healthy.

SCB: There is a lot of BIA in your background, including being president of BIASC in 2001, the first woman to hold that position. How did your involvement in BIA help and influence you?

LD: My time with BIA goes back to a time when I was working in the private sector as senior vice president for Koll Real Estate Group on Bolsa Chica in Huntington Beach, which was one of the first projects with a 20-year history of controversy, community engagement, and press every day. As senior management representative, I worked with the community and the project team on how to take 2,000 acres of an oil field with 250 active oil wells and injector wells, restore 1,000 acres of wetlands, work with the environmental community … and build some homes. Every issue known to humankind existed at Bolsa Chica except

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Because of that, I was asked to come in and join BIA of Southern California, so I never went through the chairs at BIA Orange County. For some reason, [former Orange County BIA Executive Officer] Christine Diemer Iger and [former Irvine Company Executive Vice President] Monica Florian tapped me to go in through BIA of Southern California.

That was a really wonderful education because I was at a Southern California regional level, learning the issues from the desert to Ventura and every place in between. Then, ultimately, I became the first woman president of the BIASC Board President in the 80-year history of the organization.

I told them I didn’t want to be the first woman president, I wanted to be the best president, who happened to be a woman, and it was a lot of fun. What particularly touched my heart was that at the BIASC office in Diamond Bar, they had a wall of all the pictures of all the presidents over the years. Seeing all these idols of mine in the building industry and suddenly see my chick picture put it there – it was very cool! From there, I was tapped to be the first woman to go through the office at CBIA and become the first woman president of the California Building Industry Association, but before that could happen I was tapped by Gov. Schwarzenegger to be the state’s Housing Director.

SCB: We imagine that BIASC’s presidency isn’t your only “first woman” experience. As BIASC increases its focus on greater diversity with the formation of a Women and Diversity Council, what advice would you give newcomers to our changing, but traditionally white male dominated, industry?

about teaching our men that there are advantages that men have had in past all-male environments, so they don’t see the differences women face, and the responsibility they have to encourage women. Women have to encourage women, it’s true. But it’s men in leadership who are women’s best cheerleaders. A man might raise his hand if he’s only 60 percent qualified for that next job, so having a CEO say, “Lucy, you need to raise your hand and go after that job because you’re ready for it” is important because a lot of women won’t raise their hand unless they think they’re 100 percent qualified.

SCB: Finally, we live in a world where people need to remember to relax, so what’s your favorite thing to do when you don’t want to be Lucy Dunn at OCBC for a while?

LD: Most people who know anything about me know that in my secret life I do a lot of singing. I’m so miserable at golf and you have to have another alternative to work creativity so you can sharpen the saw, as Steven Covey said in his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. For me, that’s been music, even though I started really late. I didn’t start singing until I was in my early 30s when I was in a church choir. Then in my 40s I took my first voice lesson, and now I’ve toured all over the world, singing from Carnegie Hall to Sydney Opera House. What’s cool now is that I get to sing with 20-year-olds, and I’m not in their league but we’re all working together to do a good performance and elevate someone’s life, and then there is the church choir, where you try to make that moment different, adding a spiritual component to elevate us and inspire us to be better people. 

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

gnatcatchers – but I had six other endangered species – and community engagement came from school boards literally to the White House.

LD: What I love about people like Joan Marcus Webb at The New Home Company and the leadership of BIA is that they’ve encouraged women for decades to rise up through the ranks. More and more women are in leadership at homebuilding companies. It used to be that there were three senior women in real estate development who weren’t in marketing and sales, but in land entitlement and community engagement – Monica Florian and Carol Hoffman at the Irvine Company and me. Now to see other women come up through the ranks is great.

The issue isn’t only about women, it’s also about our daughters. It’s about making sure men with daughters recognize that their daughters have opportunities, and

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Q & A with

Adel Hagekhalil

GM, Metropolitan Water District

In June, Adel Hagekhalil became the 14th General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which is responsible for ensuring a safe, reliable water supply for the region. With a $1.9 billion annual operating budget, Metropolitan is a water wholesaler that serves 26 member public water agencies, which in turn deliver water to 19 million residents in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.

Hagekhalil, a Fullerton resident, joins Metropolitan after serving as Executive Director of General Manager of the city of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Street Services and Assistant General Manager of its Bureau of Sanitation. He succeeds Jeff Kightlinger, who was Metropolitan’s general manager for 15 years.

This article references people and projects you might not be familiar with, including William Mulholland, who was the General Manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power from 1902 to 1928 and is famous for building the Los Angeles Aqueduct from the Owens Valley to Los Angeles.

An acre-foot of water is 325,851 gallons, equivalent to the amount used by three families in and around their households in a year. When Mr. Hagekhalil refers to 3.2 million acre-feet of water in storage, that’s enough to meet Metropolitan’s demand for about two years. Delta Conveyance refers to the contentious effort to build a tunnel (originally two tunnels) under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as part of the State Water Project, which conveys water to Southern California.

Southern California Builder: While most of our readers are familiar with Metropolitan, they would be interested to hear the agency’s new General Manager’s perspective on Metropolitan’s system and purpose.

Could you share that with us?

Adel Hagekhalil: The Metropolitan Water District was formed nearly 100 years ago to bring together a cooperative of cities and build the 242-mile Colorado River Aqueduct to

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Adel Hagekhalil

GM, Metropolitan Water District

convey water across the desert to serve a growing region with limited water resources. Again foreseeing the needs of the Southland, Metropolitan later became a State Water Project contractor to import water from Northern California.

Today, our mission remains the same – to do the work necessary to ensure our region has the safe, reliable water it needs to thrive by supplementing local supplies. However, with climate change and shrinking imported water supplies, the way we deliver reliability continues to adapt. We must create more local water supplies, manage our groundwater, capture stormwater and build more connectivity into our water systems to ensure that each one of our member agencies and every area of our region has access to a diverse portfolio of water resources. That way, if one of our water resources is impacted, we have other sources to rely on.

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Industry Game Changer:

This is all part of creating a strong, resilient water future.

SCB: With so large a system, so many stakeholders, and so many challenges, what are your top priorities at the start of the Hagekhalil Era at MWD? AH: As a regional water provider, Metropolitan faces many challenges. Historically we have relied on snowpack in the Sierra and the Rockies to melt and flow into our reservoirs and canals. But today, much of our yearly snowpack is evaporating or being absorbed into dry soils before it reaches our water systems. We’re seeing the impacts of climate change – now.

The drought we’re facing this year is a great example, and something we’ll see more of in the future.

My solution is what I call the One Water approach: the ability to develop a diverse portfolio of water, to innovate, to integrate and to be more inclusive in how we serve. Our future is going to look different than our past; it’s going to be a new chapter in the book of water management.

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I’m asking everyone to join hands with us in moving us forward. I use this term, We Are One – we are one region working together to create a reliable water supply.

SCB: As we enter a second year of severe drought and climatologists warn of more frequent, more severe droughts ahead, Metropolitan is calling for voluntary, not mandatory, conservation. Why is that?

AH: Every region of our state is different in terms of their situation during this drought, and every region of Southern California is different, so I support an approach that is adaptable to each area according to their needs.

Here in Southern California, ratepayers in many agencies have invested in local supplies to strengthen their resilience to droughts like the one we’re facing today. For example, Orange County has led the way in recycling water to recharge its groundwater basins, so that is an additional drought-proof supply for their service area. So, if you mandate the reduction of water use in homes in that area, what’s going to happen is that the amount of water that’s available for recycling there is actually going to diminish.

Southern California is well positioned to get through this drought because its residents have done an exceptional job conserving. Water use has remained low, which has helped Metropolitan store a record amount of water for use during times like these. However, I know we can’t sustain these conditions forever, and I believe the solution requires us all to come together for a unified strategy. That’s why Metropolitan declared a Water Supply Alert in August to ask the region to conserve. We’re asking every one of our member agencies to take a look at their drought contingency plans and evaluate the actions they have to take to reduce their water use.

We are also asking Southern Californians to conserve, consistent with Governor Newsom’s voluntary cut of 15%. If these drought conditions continue, we will look at additional measures and potential restrictions for our residents and

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businesses to use less water to ensure we maintain a reliable supply.

My team also is working hard on finding ways to increase conservation in all our communities, particularly our underserved communities. Leaky pipes are a good example.

There are a lot of communities that have leaky pipes from the mainlines to the homes. If we can help to replace those pipes, it will create jobs, reduce water consumption, and reduce water bills. We believe there are things like this we can do together to help us prepare for drought. People are responsible enough to know that this is a serious condition. They know water is life and they see that this is a wake-up call for the future.

SCB: BIA stands by Southern California’s water providers in supporting new water infrastructure. We actively support the Delta Conveyance tunnel, water recycling and banking, private sector efforts like Poseidon and the Cadiz Water Project, and we hope to support the Carson recycling project if that moves forward. Why are projects like these important?

AH: Metropolitan’s board will look at all potential solutions and supplies and will consider future investments based on the projects’ ability to meet our needs for resilience, sustainability and affordability. That’s part of our One Water approach, which looks at the gap between supply and demand over time and considers how we are going to balance our needs with the available supplies. That includes creating new local water supplies. But the solution is not singular – we need everything in our toolbox. Storage, recycled water, stormwater, connectivity between all these sources will be important.

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

Really, I see this as a Mulholland Moment, and by that I mean the opportunity for us to be creative and take action to ensure Southern California has the water it needs for the next century. We’re doing some good work on increasing storage in our system, but it’s not enough. It’s time for us now to plan for the next 100 years, to be adaptive to climate change, to create and store more water supplies, to recycle every drop of water, to connect our systems so we can move water to where it’s needed. Conservation is what has helped us get through the dry years, and we need to continue to grow that conservation ethic.

I’m excited about our Regional Recycled Water Program in Carson, which is in the environmental planning phase. This is a partnership with the Los Angeles Sanitation Districts is looking to create a new, drought-proof water supply for hundreds of thousands of homes and reuse water that is currently sent to the ocean.

I support our work on the Delta Conveyance project because we have to consider the impacts of climate change and other challenges in the Delta, which is the start of the State Water Project, the conveyance system that brings vitally important Northern California water supplies to our region. In addition to balancing the needs of the environment, we also need to ensure that the system is resilient to earthquakes. However, with climate change, my concern is that you can build the biggest pipe in the world, but if you don’t have the water to go into it, what’s going to happen? We all have seen the shrinking

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Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

water supply. The snowpack that used to be our reliable storage, that used to build slowly over the winter so we could use it over time as it melted and flowed into our reservoirs, was at 80 to 90 percent of normal this year, but what made it to the reservoirs was 30 to 35 percent of normal.

That’s telling me that the snow is evaporating, and the dry earth is absorbing the water, so there’s not as much water getting into the reservoirs. Our old normal of relying on the snowpack is not going to work, so we have to build our own virtual snowpack in our region. I tell people my goal is to essentially build the fourth aqueduct, and it’s not going to be a pipeline; it’s going to be a virtual puzzle of different systems and sources coming together – recycled water, stormwater capture, ocean desalination, conservation, groundwater recharge – these are the parts of the puzzle that we need for our future. This is exciting to me. I’ve worked all my life on water issues locally, at the state and at the national level and I came here with this vision of all of us working together. If you can’t get people to work together to do it, you can’t move forward.

SCB: Tell us about the Delta Conveyance project. Will we see construction starting any time soon?

AH: It’s in the planning phase now. There are also discussions underway now about how we can work together to balance the needs of the environment with urban water use.

Right now, unfortunately, the State Water Project has an allocation of just five percent which may drop to zero next year. That’s a great concern to all of our member agencies, but particularly the ones that are heavily dependent on this water source for their residents. So Metropolitan is going to work on building accessibility and resiliency so any member agency or anywhere within our service area can get multiple sources of water. We cannot have a single resource because we all know we have to diversify our portfolio.

SCB: Do you see homebuilders as partners in conservation, since the homes we are building conserve water both inside and outside the home, which has helped to keep water demand level?

AH: Your industry has been a strong partner with us in conservation. The region is growing and thanks to conservation, including the great things you’re doing with new homes, we’re still using the same amount of water we used 30 years ago despite that growth. The partnership with the building industry is expanding our practices of conservation and reducing the use of water is an example of my message

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in action: let’s come together, let’s plan for the future. Let’s continue to conserve and to create new local water supplies.

SCB: The 2020 Regional Housing Needs Assessments prepared by the Southern California and San Diego Associations of Government call for cities and counties in Metropolitan’s service area to plan for 1,370,000 new homes in coming years, which at a conservative rate of three people per household would more than four million people. BIA is concerned that in their 2020 Urban Water Management Plans many water districts may have used population forecasts that are generally lower than this.

Are you confident that MWD will be able to provide water for this many additional households?

AH: As we embark on this One Water approach, we’re going to look for any gaps between demand and supply. To me, you plan for the highest demand you can reasonably foresee, then use adaptive management so you track, looking at where you are and how things are moving, and manage accordingly.

That’s why our partnership with organizations like the BIA are critical. We are going to have an integrated stakeholder One Water planning approach to bring everybody into the tent, so I’m hoping that all stakeholders bring their concerns to the table so we can discuss and address them.

Our job is to make sure we meet the needs and demand in a very efficient, cost-effective way, so our job is also to work with you, and I look forward to having more discussions with BIA. SCB: BIA/SC represents over 1,000 homebuilding and affiliated companies with hundreds of thousands of employees. What can we do now to help MWD address its most immediate challenges?

AH: I look forward to partnering with everyone. BIA’s support will be very important. I would like you to join Metropolitan in advocating for investments at the state and federal level.

People may look at Metropolitan and say, “You’re doing OK there so maybe the money should go elsewhere,” but my message is, “Invest in us here. Invest in Southern California’s new water, conservation and storage and you are investing in the entire state of California and Southwest.” I would ask that you continue leading the way, supporting an alternative and diversified water portfolio as critical for you as an industry.

Let me tell you, your advocacy for conservation through your construction methods is an example of how to do it the right way. You are adapting to the needs of the region. Continue sending the water conservation message! When I was with

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SCB: Is there anything we’ve missed that you’d like to share with our readers?

AH: Southern California is a diverse community with diverse needs. We’re all different. I want to make sure we all remember that what made us great is that we came together, that it was not just “What’s in it for me?” I’m hoping we all continue to think as a collective. That’s why Met was created, because it’s our collective power to leverage resources to build the infrastructure we need, the storage we need, and now to build the recycling and the new water systems that we need.

I encourage everyone to really think hard about putting our

regional hats on and not just the individual hat because we can’t do it alone. A lot of people may not see what’s in it for them when we make a large investment in a large project, but for example, if we recycle water and the water’s not coming to you from that system, we’re saving water in the overall system that will come to you. The solution isn’t just about what you’re getting, it’s about how it all fits together. I encourage people to put the “We Are One” hat on.

Also, we tend to sometimes have short memories, so maybe next year we’ll get rain and snow and people feel comfortable that we have more than enough water. But even with more snow in the mountains, climate change reduces the snowmelt that flows to our streams, rivers and aqueducts. So we cannot let go of the investments that we have to make, the planning that we have to do, and our culture of conservation, regardless of what happens in the short term. I want to make sure that we continue the pressure, telling folks that we cannot respond to drought when it happens. It takes time, it takes investments. I hope that people can heed the call, come together and invest in the future. 

Don’t Call Me If You’re Having Fun.

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

the city of Los Angeles and working on the Low-Impact Development Ordinance, we didn’t always agree, but we were able to come together on how to manage rain and stormwater locally. The partnership came together because you saw that we have to build homes in more sustainable ways, such as using native and California-friendly landscapes, using porous pavement, installing rain barrels and cisterns, reducing consumption and using low-flush toilets and high-efficiency appliances. So let’s continue partnering on advocacy and education in this area.

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Q & A with Jon Switalski Executive Director at Rebuild SoCal Partnership Jon Switalski has been at the helm of the Rebuild SoCal Partnership since June, which hardly seems like enough time to become a leading voice for infrastructure – and housing.

But the former Michigan legislator and life-long advocate has done just that, shepherding Rebuild SoCal’s 2,750 contractors and their 90,000 union employees as they work together to show elected officials and the people who elected them the critical importance of funding the construction and maintenance of the region’s airports, bridges, ports, water projects, railroads and roads. But to Jon it’s about much more than concrete and rebar: He sees infrastructure and increased housing production as the means to irradicating the social inequities that plague our state, and he shared his views with Southern California Builder.

Southern California Builder: BIA is a member of the Rebuild Southern California Partnership because it advocates for clean water, safe bridges and roads – all of which are vital to our efforts to meet California’s critical housing shortage. Tell us about your other members and how they work together in the Partnership’s efforts to improve Southern California’s infrastructure.

Jon Switalski: Rebuild Southern California Partnership, or Rebuild SoCal, advocates on behalf of 2,700 contractors both large and small ranging from those with a global footprint to those who are very local. Those 2,700 contractors employ 90,000 workers represented by organized labor, specifically the Laborers Union, LiUNA, the Operating Engineers Local 12 and the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. Our members realized that their voices are stronger together rather than advocating separately, so Rebuild SoCal provides a unique voice in advocacy – we speak for both union labor and construction management on issues pertaining to advantageous public policy and infrastructure investment. My overall goal is to be a trusted source of information for public policymakers, the news media and most importantly, residents of Southern California, so they realize that investing in our

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Jon Switalski

Executive Director, Rebuild SoCal Partnership

physical infrastructure supports families and ensures we will continue to have a vibrant regional economy that is globally competitive.

SCB: What is your playing field – local, state, federal or all of the above?

JS: Our focus is always where the infrastructure debate is whether that’s financing or policies affecting infrastructure and jobs, so we’re very nimble. We certainly engage our federal representatives, but we primarily work from the state on down. The regulations that are written in Sacramento are implemented regionally and locally, and there are layers and layers of regulations, so it takes strong relationships and bringing that unique labor-management voice together to cut through it all. As a result, we are engaged everywhere from the Speaker of the Assembly and his community in southeast LA County to the Southern California Association of Governments to various boards of supervisors. We are not partisan; we stick strictly to public policy.

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

Industry Game Changer:

We have another layer to our advocacy, which is direct engagement with citizens, educating the population to ensure that they’re up to speed on these issues and value these issues, so they can weigh in and communicate with their own elected officials. That’s where Rebuild is different from BIASC and other advocacy associations because we focus on broad based communications, outreach and education.

SCB: Your career has centered on advocacy – for energy, the LA River, electric vehicles and now infrastructure. What attracted you to the advocacy arena, and how did your experience prepare you for the big challenge the Partnership has taken on?

JS: I grew up around advocacy, having political issues debated at my parents’ kitchen table, but my career projection was cemented by my tenure as a Michigan State legislator during the domestic automotive industry collapse and subsequent

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housing crisis – a very much different type of housing crisis than we face in California today. What I witnessed in Michigan was the devastating result of very bad public and economic policy. I’m committed to advocacy because I want to be in the fight to help prevent anything like that catastrophic fallout from bankrupted domestic auto manufacturers, when hundreds of thousands of auto workers didn’t have jobs, United Auto Workers and white-collar workers alike. I don’t want to see that happen in my own community now. In turn, what I equally know is that good public policy and responsible, thoughtful public investment in infrastructure can have extraordinary effects on middle-class families, on our economy and the amount of good-paying jobs, and on our way of life.

My past work here in Los Angeles, advocating for the LA River, gave me such a critical view into what disadvantaged communities face, and their relationship to a piece of infrastructure. People may not think of the LA River as a community asset but there’s a significant lack of open space in many of the communities adjacent to the river – generations ago, planners and developers built communities without enough park space especially along the 710 corridor. The river is the only open space option there, and it can be invested in again and become an asset for communities throughout that 51-mile corridor, if done correctly. The parallel with our work at Rebuild is that, like the LA River, there is underinvested if not neglected infrastructure throughout disadvantaged communities that we aim to highlight and advocate for significant investment because any responsible infrastructure investment has to look at disadvantaged communities first – without that our state will continue to have huge inequalities.

SCB: This isn’t just along the LA River, right? Haven’t you also been working on the other side of the state, in the town of Needles along the Colorado River?

JS: Yes. Needles had one water well fail and they were less than 24 hours from the entire city of 4,500 people being without healthy drinking water, so we had to coordinate an emergency parts and repair. There are dozens of communities in similar condition throughout the Central Valley and the desert. From an infrastructure funding standpoint, towns like Needles don’t need much. We’re seeking $1.5 million for the funding of one well that will support all its residents. What Rebuild is saying is that this is more than just a well, more than just one community. This is a cause, a cause that the people of California and the representatives they elected need to get behind. The fact that there are communities that don’t have reliable and safe drinking water, or are at risk of not having any drinking water, is not acceptable and there’s no government process or grant application that will ever satisfy these needs because they cannot happen fast enough.

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In California getting these funds is a two-year process that requires filling out an application that is so intense and so riddled with engineering that communities like Needles don’t have the expertise. We’re providing this expertise pro bono, committing to pay for the cost of preparing the application, and then we’re advocating for the immediate approval of this application, not a year or two later. That’s just one city, so the people and state government need to awaken to the fact that we need public works projects for these communities.

SCB: We just witnessed the horrifying collapse of a condominium in Florida. That’s not infrastructure, but it is reinforced concrete which is synonymous with most infrastructure, and we all remember reports of infrastructure failures. Are these aberrations, or is our infrastructure in bad shape?

JS: Overall, our infrastructure is in bad shape. The catastrophe in Miami provided a unique lens to see our infrastructure through and I hope that it is a turning point in the sense that elected officials, public policy makers and the society finds infrastructure and infrastructure maintenance as must-haves, rather than just nice-to-haves. We must have infrastructure that’s ranked A, not D, because whether it’s a high-rise in Miami or a bridge in Southern California, lives are inherently at risk and there’s a direct correlation between investment and public safety. The collapse of that tower may be an aberration, but we cannot assume that. We have a lot more work to do.

There are people who do not have safe drinking water. There are people who use bridges that must be invested in and improved, so I hope that this is more of a cultural awakening, a cultural understanding, that we just can’t allow another catastrophe like Miami.

SCB: The Partnership is advocating for projects throughout the BIASC region. Please highlight what you’re doing in these counties, so our readers understand the scope of the Partnership’s advocacy.

JS: Let’s start with the public policy framework and then focus on projects. At the federal level, of course, we are very supportive of an infrastructure investment legislation and we’re delighted that it’s bipartisan. We want to make sure that Southern California gets its fair share. At the state level, we are also actively monitoring the SB1 funds and making sure that state government stays true to the voters’ intention for these funds.

Regarding projects, we are supportive of projects large and small and are very happy with all the investments that are happening in LA County – the continuing build-out of the Metro transit system, and the significant and … how do I put

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SCB: The new Regional Housing Needs Assessment from the Southern California Association of Governments allocates a total of 1,340,000 new housing units to our region to meet the pent-up and future housing needs of our population. That many homes would generate new annual demand for about 400,000 acre-feet of water – 130 billion gallons. Is Southern California’s water infrastructure prepared for that?

JS: In short, we are not. Homes, housing of all types, need to be built throughout Southern California. We have an undeniable housing crisis that has so many negative consequences, which requires a massive investment from the private sector and the public sector. In tandem, it’s going to require a massive investment in water infrastructure to ensure that the inequities that we just spoke about that exist in communities today don’t continue for this and the next generation.

SCB: Similarly, those million-plus new housing units would put new strains on our transportation infrastructure. Are we ready for that?

JS: No, it’s the same on roads. Southern California roads and highways are gridlocked today in part because our housing growth doesn’t match employment centers and the public

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transportation network cannot make up for it. We just don’t build enough roads, transit or water infrastructure in California and we can’t build it fast enough to meet demand – not just a demand for housing, but a demand that we keep up with all our infrastructure to ensure that we are leveling those inequities. If you’re going to eliminate the inequities, you can’t just invest in housing because you need all the related infrastructure.

SCB: Builders and developers know all about the incredible complexities and costs involved in getting their proposed projects approved. What sort of regulatory hurdles do large infrastructure projects like highways, bridges and new water infrastructure face?

JS: It won’t be a surprise to your readers to learn that the regulatory hurdles are immense, colossal. The numerous environmental reviews, the numerous rounds of litigation, not to mention the power that those who don’t want to see any development have, means that they’re often successful and get their way.

High Speed Rail is probably the best example. There is no doubt that increased High Speed Rail options between major employment and population centers is needed, and the voters have supported it, but our system is set up so that it can’t get done inside a generation. If one generation is paying for something they won’t realize the benefits of, you run the risk of eroding political support. We have a unique culture in Southern California, where we’re willing to invest in infrastructure, projects and quality of life, but when we can’t get these projects completed in a generation, we erode our civic fabric so we may no longer make these investments in our future. About 10 years ago, Caltrans said it takes 17 years to build a major road project in our state, and it’s only gotten worse. We had SCAG do an analysis of how much money we could save in the region if we could shave five years off that window, so it just takes 12 years, which seems reasonable, right? It was massive, savings of billions of dollars, and accelerating the positive job creation of infrastructure. That’s

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

this? … delightful upgrades to LAX. We’re advocating for bus rapid transit in Orange County as well as the widening of the 405, and on the border of Orange and Los Angeles counties, a reconfigured interchange between the 57 and the 60. On the water side, we continue to be supportive of the Cadiz Water Project in San Bernardino County and want to be even more supportive. In Ventura County, we are supporting enhancements to roads to allow more resilient responses to wildfires and in San Diego County, we’re supporting State Route 11 enhancements from the border into Otay Mesa and their North County Corridor. We are supporting many other projects too.

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SCB: Are those regulatory hurdles the biggest roadblock preventing the infrastructure maintenance and new infrastructure we so obviously need, or is it something else?

JS: Yes, certainly the regulations and navigating the regulatory bureaucracy is the biggest challenge. We can help by turning out labor and management together at a hearing to show the decision-makers how much support a project has – literal, physical, diverse support that is grassroots. The funding by and large is there, both federal and SB 1 funds, but having these huge funding commitments is hardly automatic. Rebuild was one of the leading voices in the state for the passage of SB 1, supporting the bill and defending the seats of legislators who voted for it.

SCB: Is the infrastructure regulatory environment worse in California, and is that part of what makes the Partnership’s advocacy so challenging?

JS: I think it’s worse here than almost anywhere. They seem to be building aggressively in places like New York City and Seattle. It needs to improve and that’s part of our mission – to ensure that the policymakers and the public will understand

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that building is the only way out of this inequitable system.

At what point do we say the system is broken? At what point do we say that people driving two hours to work each way is unacceptable, or hundreds of thousands of homeless people is unacceptable, or the next generation of productive workers moving out of state so they can afford a home is unacceptable? There is a structural problem in the way that these projects are approved that the state needs to assess and change. Anywhere else in the country, the builders would be meeting the need, and the fact that we can’t here tells us that it’s the government and regulatory structure that’s the problem.

SCB: Finally, does all this make you pessimistic, are you still optimistic that our infrastructure will someday get a grade that’s better than a D? JS: I am optimistic because Rebuild’s work in and of itself is a reason to be optimistic. It shows us that management and labor can come together because there’s such a shared, bipartisan, across-all-boards understanding of the importance of infrastructure. The fact that we can bring such a broad swath together tells you this is an issue people can support.

With the kind of education programs we undertake, you attain new levels of understanding and gain wide community support, so at least with infrastructure, there’s reason to be optimistic. 

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

the core purpose of Rebuild. We can plan infrastructure all day, but it only benefits the people and economy if we build it.

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Q & A with Tracy Hernandez Chief Executive Officer, BizFed Los Angeles County Business Federation Tracy Hernandez is the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, BizFed, a highly effective voice for economic vitality that includes BIASC in its membership. After a career in journalism that started in high school in Idaho and culminated at the helm of the Los Angeles Daily News, she and other visionaries saw the need for Los Angeles businesses to have a common voice on economic issues. That led to the formation of BizFed and her ongoing role as its CEO, where she has been one of the most powerful voices for business – including the homebuilding and development businesses – in California. She also has served on the boards of many area civic, educational and charity organizations, and has received countless accolades, including the USC Dornsife/Lee Cerrell “Trailblazing Women” award. Southern California Builder thanks her for sharing her thoughts with us.

Southern California Builder: BizFed describes itself as “a massive, diverse grassroots alliance that unites and amplifies the voice of business.” How massive and how diverse is BizFed, and what are you working to accomplish by amplifying the voices of your members?

Tracy Hernandez: Thanks for asking – it’s a pleasure to talk about this! We started in 2008, not that long ago, with this crazy idea to merge business organizations represented by 40 dreamers whose organizations represented 68,000 companies into one federation so that together, we could represent every sector, every size of company and every level of government. Our goal was to provide fast-moving intel whenever government is doing anything that could have an impact on business, and then, secondly, to vet that policy, law, regulation, tax or fee to see if we should get behind it, or if is it bad and needs productive amendments – and that’s when we lean in and bring expertise to the table

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Tracy Hernandez

Chief Executive Officer, BizFed Los Angeles County Business Federation

to help the electeds come out with better public policy, laws, regulations or fees, all for the common cause of having a robust economy in Southern California.

Today we serve all 88 cities in the county and have over 215 different organizations like BIASC which have as their direct, dues-paying members 410,000 companies, and those companies employ almost 5 million people. So BizFed is a behemoth of intel sharing and civic engagement and activation with elected officials at all levels. We fill an important role. For small companies, we amplify their voice, and if you look at your publicly traded companies in homebuilding, or really at companies in any industry, public or private, they have to be careful about what they say for a lot of reasons, which is why BizFed is here. We can speak up on behalf of the broad and diverse business community and say what needs to be said, do what needs to be done, and give our people cover.

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

Industry Game Changer:

The idea caught on and we started getting Orange County and Inland Empire businesses, and a lot of the regulatory boards like the Air Quality District and SCAG. Three years ago, businesspeople in the Central Valley came to us and said, “We’re getting beat all the time, our voices aren’t being heard, let’s do a BizFed Central Valley.” We explored it and now we have a Central Valley franchise representing five counties and 44 cities, with 68 member organizations with around 38,000 companies.

SCB: That’s very impressive! You have a challenging and important job – how did you go from a kid at the beginning of her career to founding CEO of Biz Fed? TH: I started in high school, in Twin Falls, Idaho, at my school newspaper, then my local hometown daily newspaper at 17, and never looked back. I became the General Manager of a newspaper at 23 and full CEO of

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a newspaper company at 26. I became what they call a fix-it publisher, so they put me into communities with newspapers that needed turning around in a time of changing dynamics in the newspaper industry. I was the first female publisher any of them had ever had in their history, and most of those newspapers were over 100 years old. Then I did mergers and acquisitions, buying up newspapers in a region for greater efficiency; what’s called cluster management. Then the internet came in, and a newspaper I ran in Fall River, Massachusetts became one of the first newspapers in the country to go online. Next, I owned my own chain of newspapers that went from Boston, Massachusetts to Walla Walla, Washington – that’s when I started having kids, which has been another great adventure – and it is also what brought me to Los Angeles in 2002 as editor and publisher of the LA Daily News, again, the first woman in that role in the paper’s 100+ year history – in Los Angeles, the most progressive city around!

This was all about giving communities information, telling them about things that are great and shedding light on things that aren’t, to empower people to get in there and change it, and also to hold those who have power over others accountable. And that is very much what we brought to BizFed. I and my founding partner, David Fleming, a civic philanthropist, saw that the business owners were a missing piece of the civic dialog on an ongoing basis.

Other groups like organized labor, environmental groups and schoolteachers were well-represented and had their act together, but business owners weren’t as sustainably involved civically and weren’t covering each other’s backs.

We thought we could make the economy better if we could get people who employ people to be more civically active, and that’s what became the heart and soul of BizFed. SCB: Housing, Land Use and Development is one of 12 issue areas BizFed is focused on in its advocacy programs. How important is it for Los Angeles to address its housing crisis?

TH: It’s vital. A part of BizFed’s ongoing, sustained effort is polling; we constantly poll and survey to see what’s important to our massive and diverse group of business owners. Poverty and homelessness have really surfaced in recent years – they used to not even show up at all in our first years. It came out of nowhere, both housing affordability, and following, its impact on homelessness, in the last few years becoming the first, second or thirdhighest problem identified by our members.

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Anecdotally, we have business owners who are working on workforce retention and recruitment who always tell us two things. First, gridlock makes it impossible to recruit and retain employees and second, housing affordability is a constant problem. We have companies like Northrup Grumman with tens of thousands of employees and have at any given time literally hundreds – 300, 400, 500 – readyto-fill engineering jobs, very good paying jobs, that they cannot fill because of housing affordability coupled with gridlock issues. That’s just one example of something we hear all the time, so on the ground we are trying to open the eyes of, really, city councils because they are the end of the road for most housing projects’ approval and denial, and that’s where NIMBYs show up in force and stop projects. It doesn’t matter what it is; projects of all shapes and size get defeated by neighbors of all shapes and size because they don’t want any change. Our electeds then get a free pass to say no to housing that we need.

Obviously, the elimination of the Redevelopment Agencies and funding by Gov. Brown made a great difference.

He eliminated a sustainable $2 billion a year fund for affordable housing, and then people are all surprised eight years later that we have a crisis on our hands.

Come on! Pay attention! And then there’s the California Environmental Quality Act. We like the Act and support its initial premise, but the lawsuits and their focus on issues not related to environmental quality are just not acceptable.

We’re not opposed to people using the system, but there has to be a shot clock, a limit, when their time runs out for more challenges and it comes to an end.

SCB: We remember BizFed’s involvement a few years ago in securing a 4-1 vote by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approving the 14,000 proposed homes of Centennial on Tejon Ranch. Was that the biggest residential developments you’ve advocated for, and what are some of the ways BizFed is supporting new housing today?

TH: There was also Net-Zero Newhall, with the net-zero greenhouse gas emission package that got it through the Board of Supervisors. But we think all good housing projects are part of the solution, which is why we’re working on a BizFed-sponsored bill right now that Sen. [Anthony] Portantino (D-CA 25), a great, pragmatic lawmaker, is running. It’s SB 15, and it provides for the sensible reuse of abandoned commercial properties, like the big box retail that all the cities were rushing to build for their sales tax revenues. The bill makes it easier for the properties, which

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Then we just get on the ground city by city, project by project, to get the backs of elected officials, since the “no” side comes out in force and is relentless. BizFed is geared to be a fearless voice that shows up with numbers, collaborating with Jeff Montejano and BIA are doing with their seriously upped game of turn-out, social media, letters and calls. BIA moves the building industry and we come in on the side, and bring in restaurant owners, and hospital workers and car dealers – all these different kinds of people that aren’t builders speaking up for a housing project. That seems to make these lawmakers feel a little stronger about getting to a yes vote.

I also want to give Sandy Sanchez at FivePoint some props.

She was our chair last year, and she really brought a lot of leadership to the importance of housing and homebuilding.

Her leadership was welcome and needed; she was the

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right person at the right time. It took a lot of her time – and she has a big job with a lot of things to focus on at FivePoint – so I’m very grateful to her for giving her time and her expertise to help all these non-homebuilder people understand the importance of housing to a community. She deserves credit for a lot of good work.

SCB: Are you noticing a change in how local governments in L.A. County are looking at residential development proposals since SCAG finalized the new Regional Housing Needs Assessment numbers, which call on the County and its cities to identify 812,060 new housing units?

TH: Some change, yes. The RHNA numbers are huge, and some cities that have had a problem approving projects because neighbors are fierce have embraced these numbers, like LA City, believe it or not. A lot of cities are freaked out by it because they don’t know how they’re going to meet it, but they have to do it and Gov. Newsom has leaned into suing some cities that aren’t making their RHNA numbers. It’s helpful. We have to do something. We need 300,000 housing units a year to keep pace and we’re only building 100,000, on average, so every year we’re deeper in the hole, let alone keeping up.

Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

already have infrastructure and parking and neighbors, to be quickly converted to workforce or mid-market housing by removing hurdles. Then, to make it favorable for the cities, the bill would have the state give the cities five to seven years of the tax income that they were going to get with the retail use. That would help a council say yes because it gives them a pivot to city finances, and we’re working now to push the bill through..

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Inside Edition: THE INDUSTRY GAME CHANGERS

SCB: On a scale of one-to-ten, with one being “What were they thinking?” and 10 being “They’ve finally done something right!” how would you rank Sacramento’s efforts to solve the state’s housing crisis?

TH: 1.2. Senate Pro Tem President Toni Atkins, even when she was Speaker of the Assembly, has been an outspoken housing advocate and runs bills that try to get something done. She’s one of many, including Sen. Portantino, but at the end of the day, look at what gets done. They get all excited and do something, but what does it yield? We’re only building 100,000 units. The proof is in the pudding.

SCB: Regulatory Reform is another focus area for BizFed. Do you think that BizFed, BIA and other prohousing groups will ever be able to force Sacramento to regulate land use at a reasonable level instead of over-regulating it, as it typically does?

TH: I think we can moderate. I think pendulums swing. I have to believe that to my core to be doing what I’m doing, because that’s what we’re here for: we’re the never give up, always fight, always educate and always enlighten and we can make a difference people. Over time, people live with some cause-and-effect until there’s finally some breaking point. We might be moving into that sooner than later with the voice of moderation coming to the forefront because of how poverty in California is growing every single year, and the wealthiest of the wealthy are growing too. The vital middle is where we’re suffering and it’s not sustainable to continue paying that price. At some point, people will call ‘Uncle!’

SCB: BIASC recently formed a Women and Diversity Council to help increase its focus on greater diversity.

What is BizFed doing to help its members address diversity?

TH: We don’t just let the chips fall where they fall. By design, we work to get different voices involved all the time. When we’re reaching out to business groups to come to BizFed, we work on diversity. It doesn’t just happen.

You don’t just open the doors and become diverse. We purposely look for sectors and geography and ethnicity and gender, so we have women’s business groups and ethnically oriented business groups, we have really small ones and really big ones, and they all have one vote, the same vote.

You can give us $80,000 for your dues or $125 for your

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dues, and you still get one vote. We have about 350 people on our Board of Directors, and they elect our officers, about 75 or 80 people. In that process, we manage by design to make sure we have sector diversity, gender diversity, ethnic diversity, size of organization or company diversity, profit and non-profit diversity and regional diversity. We don’t let that slate go forward until we check the boxes. BizFed is focused on making itself a safe and productive place for people to come. It’s the right thing to do! It makes us more productive. It works better. Our skills level and our results level are so much higher because we spend time making sure people have a seat and feel comfortable. That’s two different things. A lot of people reach out and give people a seat, but they don’t make them feel comfortable.

Our very first chair after our founder happened to be a woman – a woman from the building industry, Holly Schroeder. She was our first chair because she had guts, was fearless and had the right attitude. She welcomed people and sought their ideas Then, early on we also had back-to-back African American chairs, a man and a woman, before that was in vogue. We went after them and put them in leadership, and they moved BizFed in mighty ways.

SCB: What advice would you give young women and members of minority communities as they start their careers? Have things already changed enough that young women, young gays, young Latinos don’t need the same level of encouragement that they needed a few years ago?

TH: In general, encouragement is always necessary, right?

That welcoming hand, that ‘I see you, I hear you. How can I help you?’ is always needed and welcomed by the aspiring person. It’s more the things that you do and the actions you take than the words you say, 100 percent. Beyond that, when you listen to them and hear what they have to say, and then you give them a platform and get behind them, then that’s when they truly know that you mean what you say. That is serious empowerment!

SCB: Is there anything we didn’t cover that you’d like to talk about?

TH: Just say “yes” to housing supply! 

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BIASC Installations

A Celebration of Heart & Leadership It’s been said that volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.

Fortunately, the BIA Southern California continues to benefit greatly from our members who generously volunteer their talent, treasure and countless hours of time for the good of our association. It is only fitting that we recognize and thank our volunteer leaders during our upcoming year end Chapter Board Installation events. While each of our four Chapters provides a unique theme for their respective Installations they all share a common thread of celebrating our volunteer leaders. We invite you to attend these special events to meet with the best and brightest industry leaders who help BIA Southern California continue to thrive during these remarkable times. Here are just a few examples of what you will enjoy while attending.

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BIAOC 55TH ANNUAL INSTALLATION GALA Induction and Installation of Incoming

PRESIDENT ERIC A. NELSON of Trumark Homes

& 2022 Board of Directors

NOVEMBER 12TH, 2021 Laguna Cliffs Marriott, Dana Point

ADVOCACY TO ACTIVISM

Registration & General Reception: 6 pm - 7 pm Dinner & Program: 7 pm - 9 pm

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SILVER SPONSOR | $2,550

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• Includes table of 10 in a prime location

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• Includes 2 tickets

• 2 tickets to a VIP Cocktail Reception with Board of Directors before the event

• Company name listed in PowerPoint presentation that scrolls during the event

• One black/white slide in PowerPoint presentation that scrolls during the event

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• 10 tickets to a VIP Cocktail Reception with Board of Directors before the event • One color slide in PowerPoint presentation that scrolls during the event • Company logo on all marketing materials

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Individual Tickets: $179 Table Of 10: $1,750

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To Register, please visit www.BIAOC.com/Upcoming-events or contact Laura, lbarber@biasc.org

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October 2021

BIA Orange County Chapter – 55th Annual Installation Gala November 12, 2021 – Laguna Cliffs Marriott

The BIA Orange County Chapter is reaching a milestone with their 55th Annual Installation Gala this year on November 12th at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott. This annual signature event, acknowledges the Chapter’s year long accomplishments under the leadership of the current president, and in turn honors and installs the incoming President and Board of Directors. The evening also presents the traditional Gwen Rosebeary Award to one deserving long standing member for their dedication and contributions to the Chapter and members. “Installation is the one night a year, where we, as an industry, gather in support of those fighting for housing and our industry,” explains BIA OC President Sunti Kumjim, MBK Rental Living. “It is the one night to recognize the hard work and commitment of our outgoing Board and those individuals that have gone above and beyond in support of our industry. The fights that our industry face are real. The opposition to housing grows stronger. Installation is an opportunity to show the incoming Board and, most importantly, our incoming President, Eric Nelson, that we stand behind them as they continue the fight on our behalf.”

Throughout the years, the Chapter has tailored the format of the evening to reflect the changing times and the incoming leadership. It has gone from a sit-down black-tie event, to a casual networking event, and back to a more formal sit-down cocktail attire evening. Regardless, the meaning behind the event has remained the same – celebrating the successes of the current year and looking forward to coming year and the Chapter goals under both the new and existing leadership.

Come join the OC Chapter at this year’s Installation Gala as we thank Chapter President Sunti Kumjim, for his leadership during an unprecedented two year presidency with the challenges of a pandemic, and Honor Incoming President, Eric Nelson, Trumark Homes and the 2022 Board of Directors as they continue to lead the Chapter into a new year! “Home Building in California is more complex than ever, opposition to new housing is savvier, and it seems like the process of obtaining permits has proved to be almost impossible in some jurisdictions,” said Nelson. “The Pandemic has undoubtedly added to the complexity of our everyday lives and our respective day-to-day jobs. Last year, we all swore in via video, departing from one of the most critical in-person events of the year, the Board Installation. More importantly, our current Board President, Sunti Kumjim continued to lead the Orange County Chapter through these choppy waters for an additional year. Without his guidance and leadership, it is undoubtedly unclear where we would be as a Chapter and industry. The great news is that we are back this year, in person, and I am inviting each of you to join me in thanking Sunti for all his hard work, determination, and commitment to this chapter and the industry over the last two years.”

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YOU ARE C O R D I A L LY I N V I T E D T O

“BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE” I N S T A L L A T I O N F O R

I N C O M I N G

M I K E &

G A L A P R E S I D E N T

F R E E M A N ,

2 0 2 2

B O A R D

L E N N A R

O F

D I R E C T O R S

F R I D A Y , N O V E M B E R 1 9 TH, 2 0 2 1 MISSION INN, RIVERSIDE 3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, CA

BIA RIVERSIDE CHAPTER Board & VIP Reception ~ 4:30-5:30 pm Registration + Networking ~ 5:30-6:30 pm Awards, Dinner, & Installation ~ 6:30-9 pm P L E A S E

D R E S S

I N

PLATINUM SPONSOR | $4000 • 10 VIP RECEPTION TICKETS • TABLE OF 10 IN PRIME LOCATION • 2 COLOR SLIDES IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT SCROLLS DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY LOGO ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

GOLD SPONSOR | $2998

• 4 VIP RECEPTION TICKETS • 8 TICKETS • ONE COLOR SLIDE IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT SCROLLS DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY NAME ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

C O C K T A I L

A T T I R E

SILVER SPONSOR | $1998

• 4 TICKETS • COMPANY LOGO LISTED IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY NAME ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

BRONZE SPONSOR | $999

• 2 TICKETS • COMPANY NAME LISTED IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY LOGO ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

ATTENDANCE FEE • INDIVIDUAL TICKET: $169 • TABLE OF 10: $1650

R S V P B Y : N O V E M B E R 1 2 TH, 2 0 2 1 F O R

M O R E

I N F O R M A T I O N ,

P L E A S E

V I S I T :

riversidebia.org or contact Laura Barber, lbarber@biasc.org

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BIA Riverside Chapter Annual Installation Gala November 19, 2021 – Mission Inn Riverside

As the world continues to reopen and we can safely gather again, it is an exciting time as we approach the 2021 Riverside County Chapter Annual Awards Instillation Gala. While our 2020 virtual gala is one we will never forget, our chapter is grateful and enthusiastic to once again be able to join together in person and celebrate the past year of success and prepare for a very full and promising 2022! “Our chapter and industry had an amazing 2021,” said 2021 Chapter President Greg Shaia, Regional President - California, Richmond American Homes. “Home sales continued to be robust and our advocacy wins continued to keep Riverside County a great place to build exciting new communities.”

The Riverside County Chapter Instillation event has a long history of fun and heartfelt tributes to those who have served our chapter with distinction. We look forward to celebrating the great work of our 2021 Chapter President Greg Shaia and the entire 2021 Board of Directors who have led us during unusually challenging times both through and out to COVID. As we have done in the past, we will recognize and celebrate the D. Greg Brown Builder of the Year, the Clayton A. Record Jr. Volunteer of the year and our annual Presidents Award. “2022 is going to be an exciting year in our industry,” said incoming 2022 Chapter President Mike Freeman, Vice President Land Acquisition, Lennar Homes. “I look forward to working with our chapter board to be strong advocates for our industry and our members.” We hope you plan to join us on join us on November 19th at the Historic Mission Inn in Downtown Riverside for what is sure to be a fun and memorable evening.

You will not want to miss it!

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B

G E THER O T R E T ET THURS.

DEC. 9TH

n o s r e In-P

2021 BALDY VIEW HOLIDAY & AWARDS GALA

INSTALLATION OF 2022 PRESIDENT TIM ROBERTS, BROOKFIELD PROPERTIES & 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SHERATON FAIRPLEX HOTEL Board & VIP Reception: 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm Registration & General Reception: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Dinner & Program: 6:30 pm - 9 pm PLATINUM SPONSOR | $4000

• 10 VIP RECEPTION TICKETS • 10 ATTENDEE TICKETS • TABLE IN PRIME LOCATION • 2 COLOR SLIDES IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT SCROLLS DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY LOGO ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

GOLD SPONSOR | $2950

• 4 VIP RECEPTION TICKETS • 8 ATTENDEE TICKETS • ONE COLOR SLIDE IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT SCROLLS DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY NAME ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT:

SILVER SPONSOR | $1950

• 4 ATTENDEE TICKETS • COMPANY LOGO LISTED IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY NAME ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

BRONZE SPONSOR | $1250

• 2 TICKETS • COMPANY NAME LISTED IN POWERPOINT PRESENTATION DURING THE EVENT • COMPANY LOGO ON ALL MARKETING MATERIAL

ATTENDANCE FEE

• INDIVIDUAL TICKET: $156 • TABLE OF 10: $1550

WWW.BIAOC .COM/UPCOMIN-EVENTS OR CONTACT LAURA , LBARBER@BIASC.ORG

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EVENT ADDRESS

SHERATON FAIRPLEX HOTEL 601 W MCKINLEY AVE POMONA, CA 91768

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BIA Baldy View Chapter – Holiday & Awards Gala December 9, 2021 – Sheraton Pomona Fairplex

As Winston Churchill once noted, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” So was the case in 2013, when incoming BIA Baldy View Chapter President Terry Kent, Crestwood Communities, began a new tradition of including charitable support of Home Aid Inland Empire to the Chapter’s Installation festivities to help support their vision to create safe and dignified housing for those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. “We have so many leaders from our Chapter involved with supporting the Home Aid IE mission over the years that it only made sense to expand our Board Installation event to help them financially.” Since then the BIA Baldy View Chapter has included a special reception dedicated to raising funds for Home Aid IE prior to the Installation Dinner and Awards Program. “While BIA remains steadfast in our focus on policy advocacy, education and providing business networking opportunities we also understood that our Holiday & Awards Gala could help encourage support of Home Aid IE by increasing awareness of their great work,” said Ali Sahabi, a 2007 Builder of the Year Recipient and Chapter President in 2016-2017. “Our Gala also provides an amazing opportunity to encourage greater collaboration with the numerous elected officials who attend.”

BIA Baldy View Chapter President Tim Roberts, Brookfield Residential, will continue to serve as President in 2022 and has emphasized the importance of gathering together (in-person) at the end of the year to celebrate our industry accomplishments, and inspire the next generation of board leaders onward. “Our Gala nurtures the spirt of giving already embedded in the DNA of the Association and culminates with the installation of the Baldy View Chapter Board of Directors,” said Roberts. “However, it also provides a platform to recognize the exceptional contributions of our tireless volunteers when we present our Industry Leadership Awards.” As noted by 2020 Associate Member of the Year, Sandipan Bhattacharjee, Translutions, who tirelessly led the Chapter’s policy briefings with cities on SB 743 – Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) implementation, “It’s an amazing feeling to have your industry colleagues recognize and express their appreciation for helping the BIA!”

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2021 BIA LA-VENTURA CHAPTER

Mask-Arade Awards and Installation Gala

HONORING INCOMING PRESIDENT BILL MCREYNOLDS OF WARMINGTON RESIDENTIAL & 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, 2021 WESTLAKE VILLAGE YACHT CLUB SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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Platinum Sponsor | $3999

Gold Sponsor | $2999

Silver Sponsor | $1998

Bronze Sponsor | $999

• 10 Tickets • Table in a Prime Location • 2 Color Slides in Powerpoint Presentation That Scrolls During the Event • Company Logo on All Marketing Material

• 8 Tickets • One Color Slide in Powerpoint Presentation That Scrolls During the Event • Company Logo on All Marketing Material

• 4 Tickets • One Black/White Slide in Powerpoint That Scrolls • Company Logo on All Marketing Materials

• 2 Tickets • Company Name Listed in Powerpoint Presentation During the Event • Company Name on All Marketing Materials

SCHEDULE

ATTENDEE PRICING

Registration & General Reception: 5:30pm - 7pm

Invididual Tickets: $169

Dinner & Program: 7pm - 9pm

Table of 10: $1650

TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT:

EVENT ADDRESS:

www.BIALAV.org Contact Laura Barber: lbarber@biasc.org

32119 Lindero Canyon Rd, Southern Village, CA 91361 Westlake | October 2021 California

BUILDER

BIA Los Angeles/Venture Chapter Installation Gala December 16, 2021 - Westlake Village Yacht Club

While there are many challenges in our industry, every year we are lucky to dedicate an evening to putting those difficulties aside; The BIA-LAV’s Annual Awards & Installation Gala allows us to recognize our members and highlight their important work within our region! Taking the time to celebrate our Board and members provides us the opportunity to refocus on the mission that drives our industry – creating communities and providing housing to individuals and families; we get to be a tangible part of the American Dream!

The Galas that the BIA-LAV Chapter has hosted over the years have transformed Los Angeles and Ventura venues into beautiful and magical settings, serving as the backdrop of what is set to be fun and special night! From photo booths and red carpets, to magicians and elected officials there is no lack of excitement and entertainment! But, each year, what leads to the anticipation of this event are the memories to be made by the friends and colleagues we get to work with and build homes alongside!

The 2022 BIA-LAV Chapter incoming President, Bill McReynolds of Warmington Residential, and previous “Builder of the Year” recipient, shared his favorite memory: “In 2017 BIA-LAV had the LA City Council President, Herb Wesson, MC the event. Despite not always seeing eye-to-eye on City policies he provided non-stop laughter and was able to relate to us in a setting that we don’t normally get to interact with or see him in. Sometimes all it takes is cutting the politics out of the situation, we have a lot more in common than we think!”

Alyssa Trebil, of Delta-Q and multi-year award winner, shared that, “Every year the Gala is like a big homecoming! I grew up in this industry and the Gala gives us an opportunity to get together at least once a year and spend time with friends that you either haven’t seen in a while or don’t get to spend enough time with. It’s so nice to see everyone dressed up and excited to celebrate each other!”

The Gala gives us the space and time to reflect on the good we are doing collectively to better our organization, our cities, and places that people get to call home. Working in housing is a noble profession, and getting to celebrate the success and dedication that goes into that work is what our Gala and our members are all about! We hope to see you at the Westlake Yacht Club on December 16. Seeing you all back again, in-person, will be the highlight of 2021 – let’s make some more exciting memories! 

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October 2021

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Q & A with Terri Brunson Executive Director, California Homebuilding Foundation Terri Brunson’s job title is Executive Director of the California Homebuilding Foundation. Her role is to guide the Foundation and its programs in support of new homebuilding in California.

Through the distribution of up to $300,000 a year in college scholarships for students in homebuilding-related studies, the publishing of key industry research findings, and innovative educational programs like BITA, the California Homebuilding Foundation offers opportunity for all to professionally flourish while building a stronger foundation for California’s future together.

While Brunson is by nature not in the forefront and works diligently in the background, she was happy to step into the spotlight with this Southern California Builder Q&A to share with you the important work of the California Homebuilding Foundation.

Southern California Builder: For readers not familiar with all that the California Homebuilding Foundation does, please tell us why it was created and what its mission is.

Terri Brunson: The California Homebuilding Foundation is a state-wide non-profit 501(c)3 committed to supporting new homebuilding in California.

We were established in 1978 as a tax-exempt organization for the purpose of offering scholarships to students pursuing a degree in a homebuilding-related programs. The Foundation was formed by Robert Rivinius, past CBIA President and CEO, and George Gentry of The Gentry Company (now deceased), beginning as the California Building Industry Foundation (CBIF), as many of our seasoned supporters still call us. We had a name change in 2007 to the California Homebuilding Foundation. Robert Rivinius is a Life Trustee and notably still serves on the Foundation board.

SCB: Assuming that as a youngster you didn’t dream of one day of heading up a foundation, tell us about your career path and what led you to become Executive Director of CHF.

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Terri Brunson

Executive Director, California Homebuilding Foundation

TB: I worked several part-time jobs during high school but got my first adult job at United Parcel Service in Santa Rosa immediately after graduating. I stayed with UPS almost 10 years before moving to the Sacramento area. Shortly after moving to Sacramento, I went back to school part-time while getting my real estate license. I worked full-time as an Executive Assistant, went to school part time in the evenings and sold real estate on the weekends, eventually earning my degree is in Vocational Education, which is now called Career and Technical Education – CTE. In 2004, I started as a Program Manager for the California Homebuilding Foundation and then was promoted to my current position in 2012.

I have had several jobs through the years but can honestly say that this is the first job that I thoroughly enjoy. I like what I do probably because I feel like I am helping make a difference and, with the help of a great staff, providing a service that offers opportunity to students in California. I also found that I like working for a Board of Trustees and the fundraising aspect of the job suits my personality as well. I like events and feel I am good with the organizational aspects of putting them on.

SCB: Since BIA members are concerned about the continuing strength of our industry, tell us about your scholarship programs. Where do the scholarship funds come from, who gets scholarships and why?

TB: I am excited to tell BIASC members more about Foundation scholarships because our scholarships are open to all students in homebuilding-related programs, and I’m sure some of your members have children, friends or themselves who could benefit from one of our scholarships.

California Homebuilding Foundation scholarships help educate and train qualified competent candidates to fill an ever-increasing number of high-skill industry jobs. We work together with over 80 California universities, community colleges and trade schools to assist the next generation of young professionals in acquiring careers in building. College is a significant pathway to a well-paying job today, and it is

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essential that every young person is given equal access to a college degree. Most years, we fund between $150,000 to $300,000 in scholarships provided through endowments established with the Foundation.

Endowment gifts donated to the California Homebuilding Foundation by generous Hall of Fame Honorees and charitable industry benefactors support our programs and the work we do. An endowment is a donation given with the original value of the gift preserved and growing over time. The funds are held in perpetuity and invested, and the principal is never touched; it is only the accumulated appreciation and income on the investment that is used to fund annual distributions supporting foundation programs, like our scholarships program.

The Foundation’s scholarship program, funded through gifted endowments from homebuilding leaders, is paving the way for scholastic success for the state’s next generation of builders.

SCB: Most of our readers are very familiar with the BITA, the Building Industry Technical Academy, because it started in Southern California. What’s become of BITA since CHF acquired the program in 2012?

TB: The Building Industry Technology Academy – now the ‘Donald Chaiken Building Technology Academy (BITA) – began in Orange County in the early 2000s. When the Foundation took over the program, BITA was operating in eight Orange County high schools. As a statewide Foundation, we began offering the program throughout California and now BITA is operating in 45 high schools.

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Most semesters, BITA serves over 3,000 students, however, COVID was a struggle for both students and Instructors.

Teaching a project-based, hands-on program online was challenging, but classes and students are now back on track.

Instructors come from the trades themselves and bring on-site knowledge and experience to the classroom.

New schools have come into the BITA program organically and through staff outreach. Jill Herman, Director of the Donald Chaiken– Building Industry Technology Academy has been with the Foundation for almost ten years. She is the mainstay of the program and has made BITA the outstanding curriculum it is today. The Foundation was awarded a $2.5 million grant by the Donald and Carole Chaiken Foundation in July of this year and the program was renamed “The Donald Chaiken – Building Industry Technology Academy” in honor of Donald Chaiken.

The grant will be dispersed to the Foundation over a five-year period and will exclusively support various hands-on and instructional training programs, scholarships, building industry workforce development programs and related activities of the BITA program.

SCB: Also in 2012, CHF acquired the Construction Industry Research Board and the permit-tracking CIRB Report.

Tell us how CIRB fits into to the CHF picture and how it benefits our industry.

TB: The respected Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB) was acquired by the Foundation at a great time in the industry.

We were coming out of the great recession and people were once again interested in permit data. CIRB has been a trusted source of housing statistics since 1954, publishing residential, commercial and energy-efficient building permit statistics

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from all 539 California jurisdictions with a 99.4% annual data compliance rate. Monthly, custom, and annual subscribers are reliant on CIRB’s strict and thorough methodology to interpret and generate the most accurate building permit report available. CIRB is subscription based for exclusive building insights by industry experts.

Joe Sanchez, Director of the Construction Industry Research Board (manages CIRB and has been with us twice – first in 2016 and 2017 working as a CIRB Research Analyst and then returning in 2019 as our CIRB Research Director. Unmistakably, community and students are very important to the Foundation, so two years ago, Joe created a CIRB college internship program, which recently transformed into an authorized Federal Work Study location for California State University Sacramento (CSUS) students. Under his supervision, data collection and recording are performed by part-time college students and qualified interns.

As the current business model at CIRB, full-time staff, student assistants, and interns leverage technology to work remotely and independently. The CIRB team uses pre-established data procedures and jurisdictional relationships to help facilitate the collection of data. The Foundation is committed to the educational success of our students through academia and hands-on experience. Students are taught key data management skills and gain countless hours of real-world experience.

SCB: Of course, the Foundation’s most visible event is the annual Hall of Fame Awards. How does the Gala come together and how important is it to the Foundation?

TB: Hall of Fame is the Foundations largest annual fundraising event. Established in 1985, to date, 238 industry leaders have been inducted into the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame.

Organizing our annual Hall of Fame gala is by far the best part of this job. I am granted the honor of meeting and working with

some of the most influential homebuilding professionals in the state. Inductees graciously welcome me into their homes and offices. I get to meet and work with their families, employees and even a few dogs and cats.

Through the years, it has become very apparent to me that individuals who are successful in the homebuilding industry are successful because they work very, very hard. They are fearless visionaries who don’t give up even in the tough times. And their generosity is boundless. Most Hall of Fame Honorees create an endowment when they come into the Hall of Fame in celebration of their induction. An endowment with the Foundation is an investment in the future of homebuilding in California. Working with our Honorees has been a great professional experience for me.

SCB: Turning to the contributions that fund CHF, do the funds all come from in the form of large donations by big companies and senior executives, or can everyone in the industry participate in funding CHF and its programs?

TB: Yes– absolutely everyone can join in! We welcome donations from both individuals and businesses. About 90% of all donations come from the homebuilding industry. We work together with builders, associates, and other nonprofits, and each partner plays a specific role in strengthening our strategies and growth. We also receive a few annual grants from private foundations.

We have several supporters, large and small, who contribute to the Foundation several times a year. Supporters see the importance of the Foundation’s programs and want to help.

They see that we are focused on results – those that can be measured and those measured in ways beyond numbers. I also feel supporters see the Foundation’s careful stewardship of our assets and the transparency of how we direct donations.

Our last annual audit reported that 82% of donations were used for our programs and services. We are very committed to using the donations we receive to support new homebuilding in California.

SCB: Tell us about the Foundation’s DreamBuilders – how does this legacy giving program work?

TB: Along with major gifts, planned gifts are the biggest donations a nonprofit can receive. There are several types of planned giving. Planned gifts can be established through a bequest of a specific sum, a percentage of a donor’s estate, a portion of life insurance proceeds, or the value of real estate or other property.

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e s i s t s r e e v n i d s A r Bu u o Y

Introducing The BIA AFFINITY ONLINE DIRECTORY Featuring Exclusive Member To Member Offers And Discounts

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Ad Size

Ad Price

Standard Ad: Includes name, company, email, phone and one sentence promoting a member discount or offer

Complimentary

3.875” x 2.5” (business card)

$95

3.875” x 5.125” (quarter page)

$125

8” x 5.25” (half page)

$250

8” x 10.625” (full page)

$495

Introducing BIA of Southern California’s New Affinity Directory! Easily browse through BIA member companies’ exclusive offers and discounts on products and services, member to member. Don’t miss out on this exclusive member promotional opportunity - Reserve your spot in BIASC’s Affinity Directory today!

For questions, please email info.affinity@biasc.org

biasc.org/affinity

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The California Homebuilding Foundation has been fortunate to be the beneficiary of several planned gifts from individuals creating a legacy that resonates throughout the homebuilding industry for generations to come. Our DreamBuilders are a society of individuals who have supported the Foundation with a planned gift. Each planned gift is appreciated and acknowledged and conveys the story of our mission.

SCB: BIASC recently started a new Council, the Women and Diversity Council, to provide women and members of under-represented communities with training, networking, and support so they can enter Association leadership. In your position, you see some of the women and minorities who hope to enter our industry. Given this and your own experience, what is the status of diversity in the industry, and what are the prospects for women and minorities who are considering a homebuildingrelated career?

Homebuilding Foundation is paving the way for scholastic success for the state’s next generation of builders.

If you would like more information on the California Homebuilding Foundation, our programs and services, or to serve on our Board of Trustees, be a guest speaker in a classroom or volunteer at one of our events – reach out to me anytime to find out how you can support and strengthen California’s construction industry. Thank you! 

TB: Prospects for women and minorities who are considering a homebuilding career and the status of diversity in the industry is top of mind for California associations and for the California Homebuilding Foundation. The construction industry remains a largely untapped well of opportunity, especially for women and minorities.

The Foundation recently started a new advisory group, Bridge Corps, with an advisory committee that includes Founder Sara Kilburn, Lori Atwater, Eleni Christianson, Barbie Davis, Ashley Gosal, Ashley Gosal, Steve Kalmbach, Colin Koch, Joaquin Pons, Jim Suth, Jeff Scofield, Catherine Tang, Donna Wetzel and Foundation staff Jill Herman and me.

The Bridge Corps is committed to creating career paths for students of the Building Industry Technology Academy and our scholarship program. We are providing opportunities for mentorships, internships and ultimately employment possibilities within the building and construction industry because we believe the industry can be a great career choice for women and minorities.

ARCHITECTURE

PLANNING

IDEAS

SCB: Is there anything we didn’t cover that you would like to share with our readers?

TB: Well, if you don’t mind, I would like to wave the Foundation flag on more time. The California Homebuilding Foundation’s culture is driven by trust and constructive debate and leadership that empowers excellence. The Foundations Board of Trustees and staff stive to listen, learn, and model openness and transparency. We are accountable to the individuals and organizations we serve as well as to the laws that govern our 501(c)3 nonprofit status. The California

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DANIELIAN.COM

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October 2021

BIA StaffSpotlight: The Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) congratulates Steve La Motte for his years of service and dedication for the building industry as he has formerly transitioned into his new government relations role with the Irvine Company. Steve played a pivotal role in the BIA Orange County Chapter and contributed significantly to the success of this organization. BIASC thanks him for the unconditional commitment and dedication over his tenure and wishes Steve the best of success in future challenges and endeavors.

Adam Wood

Vice President, BIAOC

BIASC’s own Adam Wood now assumes all Orange County Chapter responsibilities as BIASC Vice President, OC Chapter in addition to managing the Building Industry Legal Defense Foundation (BILD).

Adam previously served as Director of Government Affairs, Orange County and has helped reposition BILD as an integral part of BIASC’s advocacy efforts.

Karissa Willette DiStefano Director of Public Affairs

In addition, Karissa Willette DiStefano has been promoted to Director of Public Affairs and will be assisting Adam with Orange County government affairs.

BIASC is confident that both Adam and Karissa will continue the work of the Chapter seamlessly as the organization continues advocating for the building industry. For any questions or assistance with BIAOC matters, please do not hesitate to contact Adam and Karissa directly.

Email: awood@biasc.org | Phone: (310) 384-0556 Email: kwillette@biasc.org | Phone: (714) 725-0362

Please Welcome Our Newest BIASC Team Members The Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) is proud to welcome to additional new members to the BIASC Team:

Marc Troast

BIASC Director of Membership, Coachella Valley

Southern California

For over two decades, Marc has built a strong foundation throughout the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley. He served as Congresswoman Mary Bono’s Senior Advisor, building strong relationships throughout the region. Marc works closely with elected officials across the spectrum and will help BIASC engage with builders and business and community leaders throughout the Coachella Valley.

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October 2021

Anrea Santos

BIASC Events & Marketing Coordinator

Anrea has over ten years of experience in digital marketing and graphic design. From retail to entertainment, and boutique agencies to major production companies, she has worked with a diverse roster of brands and companies. Anrea is very excited to start her journey with BIA in the role of Marketing & Events Coordinator.

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Recognition & Oh what a night it was…

On October 9th the Greater Sales & Marketing Council of BIASC celebrated the MAME Awards at the Westin Resort of Anaheim with a sold out crowd of the who’s who in the building industry.

Hosted by KTLA Morning News Sam Rubin and Jessica Holmes, the evening was filled with laughter and applause.

Congratulations to all of the winners and honorees!

B.J. Stewart Women’s Achievement Award Gina Nixon

Max Tipton Memorial Award for Marketing Excellence Dawn Davidson

Thomas James Homes

Design Line Interiors

Sales Manager of the Year Jennifer Tam

Strategic Sales and Marketing

Marketing Professional of the Year Natalie Barrios Ti Pointe Homes

Associate Professional of the Year Randy Carver

Kovach Marketing

Check us out on the KTLA Morning News

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Southern California

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October 2021

Awards

CONGRATULATIONS!

Architectural Series

Attached Community of the Year

Brasada Estates

The Cay at Mariner Shores

Detached Community of the Year

Master Planned Community of the Year

San Dimas, CA By: Grandway Residential Marketing Director: Frederick Wang Design: Danielian Associates Architects + Planners

Atlas at Rise

Irvine, CA By: The New Home Company Marketing Director: Catherine Tang Ad Agency: Paolucci Salling & Martin Communication Arts Design: Dahlin Group Architecture Planning Interiors: Real Estate Design Pros Signage: Outdoor Dimensions

Southern California

GreaterSMC.com | October 2021 BUILDER

Newport Beach, CA By: Shea Homes Marketing Director: Karen Ellerman Ad Agency: Kovach Marketing Design: IDEArc Architecture & Planning Interiors: CDC Designs Landscape: Urban Arena Signage: Fusion Sign

Sommers Bend

Temecula, CA By: Woodside Homes Marketing Director: Chris Chambers Ad Agency: Gunn Jerkens Marketing Communications Design: WHA Architect Planners Interiors: CDC Designs Landscape: SMP Environmental Design Signage: Fusion

Follow Us: @greatersmc

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Recognition &

S O C AL

MAME

2021

THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE powered by

THANK YOU SOCAL MAME AWARDS PARTNERS, ENTRANTS, WINNERS & ATTENDEES! YO U R 2021 G S M C B OAR D

2021 GSMC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rachel Otero | President , Fusion Sign & Design Amber Richard | Vice President, Melia Homes Sara Kilburn | Treasurer Ryan Smart | Secretary, Beazer Homes Jose Alkon, The New Home Company Natalie Barrios, Tri Pointe Homes Ryane Buttigieg, Trumark Homes Carol Cavazos, Tri Pointe Homes Inland Empire Gretchen Fuog, Kovach Marketing Patrick Higgins, Landsea Homes Shelly Lynch, Trilogy Plant Co

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Erin Meadows, First American Title

LIFETIME DIRECTORS (Past Presidents/Served 10+ Years)

Lisa Morris, BMG Advertising

Melissa Auten, Unscripted Interior Design

Julie Ontiveros, Shea Homes

Jasvina Gill, p11 Creative

Patrice Quishenberry, Williams Homes

Valerie Hardman, Outdoor Dimensions

Allyssa Rial, Richmond American Homes

Tracey Long, Sub-Zero Group

Lisa Riess, Complete Builder Service

Lisa Parrish, Team PMP

Terri Rucker, JH Freed

Shane Parrish, Team PMP

Brittany Sharp Saul, Meritage Homes

Renee Self-Gibbons, Chameleon Design

Emily Sinderhoff, Zonda

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BIASC COUNCIL ON SAGE

SAGE AWARDS SAGE Person of the Year 2021

Announcing the recipient of the 2021 SAGE Person of the Year.

Congratulations!

ROBERT MAY Founder & Managing Partner Avenida Partners, LLC SAGE AWARDS OCTOBER 21, 2021, 5:30PM - 8:00PM ANDREIS RESTAURANT 2607 MAIN STREET IRVINE, CA 92614

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Council on SA GE Update:

BIA of Southern California’s Council on SAGE Congratulates the 2021 Council on SAGE Person of the Year

Ike Balmaseda President of SAGE 2021-2022

Robert May

Congratulations to Robert (Bob) May, recipient to the SAGE – Person of the Year Award 2021. We commend and recognize him for his ambition, commitment, and dedication to the senior housing industry for the past 30 years.

Bob founded Avenida Partners to act on his deep personal commitment to filling what he believed were gaps in living options available to seniors over the age of 55. Avenida’s “Active Adult” brand emerged from this passion, leveraging Bob’s 35 years of development experience in for-sale and rental projects, in-fill entitlements, and land development to create true innovation within the senior living industry.

Bob’s interest in Active Adult communities came about when he was looking for a place for his mother to live. They visited many places together, but nothing was quite right for her. His mother, who was very active and social, wanted a community offering a rich and varied lifestyle without the burden of home maintenance. The Assisted Living communities that were the dominant product choice in the marketplace just weren’t the right fit for her. Bob’s mother told him, “You can build something better than these places!” That was the spark for Bob to begin developing rental communities that were designed, built, and operated specifically for those 55+ who wanted an active lifestyle without restrictions or unnecessary fees. The strong case he made for the untapped market for this type of Active Adult rental housing, coupled with his development track record, convinced major institutional and private equity capital partners to come aboard, among them The Carlyle Group and Passco. To date, seven Avenida communities have opened throughout the U.S., with more in the pipeline.

Bob has been remarkably generous in sharing the research and best practices Avenida Partners has gained in the exploding Active Adult rental sector, helping other developers ward off missteps and misconceptions. He has participated in numerous industry panels and conferences, sharing state-of-the art information about a sector that is attracting great interest as Baby Boomers move into the key Active Adult age cohorts.

Council on SAGE 2021

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The Magazine of the Building Industry Association of Southern California

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