Your Monthly Chapter Update: August 2023

BIA Members -

Welcome to your monthly chapter newsletter! Scroll below to view each section:

• Check out our exciting list of Upcoming Chapter Events below, including educational and networking opportunities!
• Read our chapter Government Affairs Update by BIA SBC Chapter SVP Carlos Rodriguez for the latest local government news.
• Read BIASC's newest issue of our digital magazine Southern California Builder - The Women in Homebuilding Edition. Check out our exclusive interview with Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, our latest chapter event photos, and much more! Plus - take advantage of our Buy 2, Get 1 Free Ad Promo! Click here to purchase your ad now.

For any questions regarding the BIA San Bernardino County Chapter, please contact Senior Vice President Carlos Rodriguez at carlos@biabuild.com.

Friday, August 11, 2023

Southern California Water Conference

DoubleTree in Ontario

Thursday, September 14, 2023

BIA RC & BIASBC Joint End of Summer Party

FieldHouse Terrace at SilverLakes Sports Park in Norco

Monday, October 9, 2023

BIASC 1st Annual Builders vs. Associates Golf Tournament

Bella Collina San Clemente 

Thursday, October 12, 2023

BIASC Mechanics Lien Seminar

Virtual Event

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

BIASC Coachella Valley Golf Event

Indian Wells Golf Resort

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

BIS Kick-Off Anniversary Party

USS Midway in San Diego

October 25-26, 2023

BIASC & BIA San Diego Building Industry Show

Marriott Marquis San Diego

Thursday, October 26, 2023

BIS Rockin' End of Show Party

The Shout! House in San Diego

November 10, 2023

BIASC Centennial All Regional Installation Gala

Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park 

Check out the full list of upcoming BIASC and Chapter Events at biasc.org.

Event Recap

BIASC Coachella Valley Acisure Arena Mixer

July 12, 2023

Milagro Tequila Bar in Palm Desert

Thank you for joining us at our BIA Coachella Valley Mixer at Acrisure Arena last month. We hope you enjoyed networking at the #TheCoolestSpot in the desert. Thank you to Acrisure Arena Senior Vice President John Page for joining us. Learn more about BIA Coachella Valley at biacoachella.org. 

Event Recap

BIA Entry-Level Construction Labor Training Graduation

San Bernardino Community College District

July 11, 2023

Congratulations to the San Bernardino Community College District BIA Entry-Level Construction Labor Training Graduates! Thank you to BIA SBC Chapter Executive Committee Members Terry Kent (Crestwood Corporation) and Jennifer Chung (Pacific Communities Builder) for sharing with the graduating class and supporting this program.

State

AB 1000 defeated

• A follow-up to last year’s legislation which would have placed a moratorium on industrial projects in the Inland Empire and also killed residential projects. BIASC joined CBIA and a broad coalition in opposition to help kill the bill in the Assembly Local Government Committee. 

SB 122/AB 122 – Budget Trailer Bills signed by Governor 

• BIASC continued to support the CBIA led advocacy efforts to advance the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. Among other things, the bill authorizes project proponents to mitigate take by paying a per tree fee in lieu of conducting project-specific mitigation.

Entering our centennial year, BIASC has introduced a Veterans Housing Policy Framework featuring key reforms needed to expand housing opportunities for those that have served to protect our country. Specifically, BIASC support the following key legislation and reforms:

Assembly Bill 1474 (Reyes)

• AB 1474 requires that the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) consider and incorporate the housing needs of veterans into the statewide housing plan and requires that HCD consult with the State Department of Veterans Affairs when developing the plan.

As noted by the author, over the past decade, veteran homelessness has decreased in the United States and in California. However, California continues to have the highest population of homeless veterans in the country. Approximately 31 percent of the nation’s homeless veterans are located in California. According to the 2022 point-in-time-count, 10,395 veterans in California were homeless.

Assembly Bill 1386 (Gabriel)

• Ensures available beds for homeless veterans do not go empty. This bill would allow the State Veterans Housing and Homelessness Prevention Program (VHHP) program to expand its housing resources to veterans who do not typically qualify for the existing program while first ensuring that lower-income veterans are prioritized. Through removing this administrative barrier, AB 1386 seeks to maximize the impact of existing services and programs by decreasing vacancy rates, helping to reduce the population of homeless Veterans.

Regional

SCAG GreenPrint 

• The SoCal GreenPrint (GP) planning tool proposed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), has the potential to dramatically undermine local control through an unprecedented expansion of CEQA. This is a threat that applies equally to future development and to cities attempting to retain local control over land use while navigating RHNA challenges. Over the past three years, BIASC and our coalition partners have pursued a “pause” in the implementation of this tool. This year, BIASC staff led the charge to successfully pursue the formation of a SCAG Technical Advisory Committee to review this issue. 

• Specifically, the TAC will provide a forum for members (elected officials and staff across the SCAG region) to advise and provide input to SCAG staff. (It will not directly make recommendations to SCAG’s legislative bodies.) Committee input will cover data policies and user guidelines, data governance standards, data selection criteria, data parameters, resolutions for disagreements on implementation of the Greeprint tool, and more. The next meeting is scheduled on August 28.

Local Government Issues

Ontario DIF Reduction

• The City of Ontario on May 2, voted to support a temporary reduction in certain building permit fees. Current fees for some mechanical, electrical and plumbing fees would be reduced by 50%, equating to roughly $2,500 for a 2,200 sq ft home. This would result in permitting fees in line with building permit fees in 2021

San Bernardino County Environmental Justice Ordinance

• The San Bernardino County Planning Commission on June 22, voted 5-0 to support the BIASC staff recommendation to exempt residential development from a proposed ordinance that would significantly increase the public notice requirements in Environmental Justice community areas designated by the state. Specifically, the new requirements would have included an expansion of the public notice area to contact residents in writing up to 2,000 feet from the proposed project and host two public meeting with Spanish interpreters available at the cost of the project applicants. 

Victor Elementary School District

• The school district officials originally proposed a fee increase from $4.79 per sq ft to approximately $7.00 per sq ft and after reviewing the BIASC fee analysis adjusted the study to a reduction of $3.96 per sq ft. adopted last month

Redlands Inclusionary Zoning Proposal

• On June 20, the Redlands City Council voted to support the adoption of an inclusionary zoning ordinance. The current proposal would require 5% of a single-family detached project would either include affordable housing units or pay an in-lieu fee. A fee analysis by BIASC was successful in reducing the fee option from $15.00 per sq ft to $8.80 per sq ft. BIASC continues to argue for a reduced fee and a three-year phase-in which will be considered next month. 

Hesperia Unified School District

• BIASC staff continues to protest a recent increase from $5.55 per sq. ft. to the new Level 2 fee of $6.43 per sq. ft. 

BIASC NEWS

Member News

Readership of over 45,000 Industry Contacts

Read Now It Now - BIASC's Digital Magazine Southern California Builder -

The Women in Homebuilding Edition.

In this Issue:

• Ryan Combe, Lennar –“A Passion for BIA”
• The Benefits of BIA Membership for Associates – Rick Rodriguez, C9 Balloons
• Celebration of Longtime Members
• Chapter Spring Event Photos
• Recap of Industry Leaders Event at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library
• BIASC Centennial - Celebrations Continue!
• And Much More!

Ads Now Available for our August 2023 Issue

BUY 2, GET 1 FREE!

Reserve Your Ad Now for BIASC's next issue of Southern California Builder -

The Building Industry Show Edition.

Your BIA San Bernardino County Chapter Board