December 1, 2023

In this edition of News You Can Use you will find:

  • Southern Arizona Girl Scouts LeadHERship Conference
  • Cornhole Tournament Recap
  • "Hauliday" Toy Drive promoted on KGUN9
  • County Approves Landscape Design Manual and Guest House Changes
  • Tech Committee Recap
  • Godlewski Rolls Off SADA Board of Directors
  • Member Benefits: Money Saving Discounts
  • Real Estate Matters: RTA Next
  • Holiday Member's Connect and Open House
  • Upcoming Councils & Committees
  • Federal Employee Benefits Education Workshop hosted by Greenberg Financial Group
  • Let SAHBA Promote your Upcoming Event!
  • Industry News
  • New & Renewing Members

SAHBA members and staff had the privilege of participating in the Southern Arizona Girl Scouts LeadHERship Conference. During the conference, we led three engaging sessions focused on an activity from "The House That She Build" program.


In these sessions, our goal was to introduce Girl Scouts in grades 6-12 to think like engineers. We encouraged them to put themselves in the shoes of an engineer and provided them with an exciting hands-on activity. The girls were tasked with designing and building towers using toothpicks and marshmallows, allowing them to explore their creativity and problem-solving skills.


By engaging in this activity, the Girl Scouts had the chance to think critically, work collaboratively, and apply engineering principles in a fun and interactive manner. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to gain insights into the world of engineering while fostering their leadership abilities.


Our participation in this conference reflects our commitment to empowering young students through educational experiences. We were honored to be part of such an impactful event and contribute towards inspiring future generations of leaders in STEM fields.


A BIG THANK YOU TO:

Becky Gordon, KB Home

Katharine Kent, The Solar Store

Samantha Hewitt, EPS Group, Inc.

Ginger Kneup, SAHBA

Yvette Pederson, SAHBA

Last night was the anticipated SAHBA cornhole tournament! Members went head to head in a fierce competition at Whiskey Roads and many spectators were there to witness the action. 3 rounds of seeding then a single elimination of the top 10 teams. The night was filled with robust play and heavy comradery on the sidelines.


A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO:

Third Place Team- "Vatos Locos"

Artie Martinez, Eagle Roofing and Gustavo Portillo, Elite Roofing


Second Place Team - "Ninyo & Moore"

Tyler Smith and Nicke Moore, Ninyo & Moore


First Place Team - "Last Bag Standing"

Manny Padilla and Mikey Felix

CalPortland Ready Mix


A big thank you to all the sponsors for making this night possible! Also a huge shoutout to this year's cornhole committee:

  • Joe McMahon, Action Imaging Group
  • John Moreulatos, Mourelatos Tile
  • George McKinley, En Fuego Construction
  • Keith Duncan, Allstate Insurance (The amazing emcee!)

SAHBA & Member Junk King Promote "Hauliday" Toy Drive on KGUN9


This week, KGUN9 stopped by the SAHBA office to learn more about the Junk King's "Haulidays" Toy Drive! Junk King owner Marnie Prince, the spearhead of the drive, and SAHBA's Courtney Kinion spoke about the partnership to give back this holiday season. Click here to watch the inspiring interview. 


Members are encouraged to drop toys off anytime between now and the Holiday Open House on December 15th. The office is open for toy deliveries Monday through Friday, 8:30a to 4:30p.

ADVOCACY

County Approves Landscape Design Manual and Guest House Changes


On November 21, the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved two measures of significance for the home building industry. The Landscape Design Manual hadn’t been updated since 1985. SAHBA, and several members, worked closely with County staff to make changes that improved the document and helped builders. The County also made it much easier to build guest houses by, among other things, reducing the lot size a guest house can be built upon. SAHBA, and SAHBA members, also provided feedback to the County that was incorporated into the final product.



Tech Committee Recap


The SAHBA Technical Committee wrapped up 2023 last week after hearing several important presentations on key industry topics. Participants heard about the new online permit portal recently launched by City of Tucson Planning & Development Services Department. The Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District provided an update on the Water Efficient Home incentive program that pays builders $1,000 for every home that is Water Sense 2.0 certified. The Registrar of Contractors Department spoke about efforts to update Workmanship Standards. And the City of Tucson provided an update on Plan Tucson, the General Plan update. SAHBA is grateful for the members and government officials who regularly attend and engage in the Tech Committee. The Committee will pick up where it left off on January 16. If you would like to be added to the Tech Committee roster, please email david@sahba.org.



Godlewski Rolls Off SADA Board of Directors


SAHBA President David Godlewski has been an active member of the Southern Arizona Defense Alliance (SADA) since it’s inception and served on the Board of Directors for nearly a decade including as the Board President in 2015. During this time, David participated in multiple trips to Washington, D.C. to lobby Members of Congress and meet with Pentagon officials about the importance of Southern Arizona’s military and defense installations. David and SAHBA will remain a member of the Alliance. 

MEMBER BENEFITS

Money-Saving Discounts

 

Your SAHBA membership makes you a member of the National Association of Home Builders, which provides Member Savings Programs to cut your expenses on services and products you frequently use. Discounts with Lowe’s Pro, Nissan, Dell, Avis, Budget, UPS and many more.

 

Click here to learn more.


MEETINGS & EVENTS

Real Estate Matters: RTA Next


We invite you to join the SAHBA and TAR for an upcoming Real Estate Matters: RTA Next event that aims to engage the public in the development of a new regional transportation plan for the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) of Pima County.


Thursday, December 14, 2023

Tucson Association of REALTORS®

2445 N. Tucson Blvd.

8:30 am - 10:00 am

Visit Event Page

Holiday Member's Connect and Open House


Attention members! Discover the incredible benefits of your SAHBA membership at our exclusive Holiday Member's Connect event. Take a sneak peek into our exciting 2024 events and connect with other members. But wait, there's more!


Afterward, join us for an unforgettable SAHBA Holiday Open House. Members are more than welcome to attend both events, but please register with both links.

Members Connect

Friday, December 15, 2023

SAHBA Boardroom

2840 N. Country Club Rd.

10:00 am - 10:45 am

Register for Members Connect
 

Holiday Open House

Friday, December 15, 2023

SAHBA Parking Lot

10:30 am - 1:30 pm

Register for Holiday Open House

Upcoming Councils & Committees - Mark Your Calendars!


Business Referral Exchange (BRE) - Tuesday, December 5th at 7:30 am (SAHBA)


Remodelers Council - Wednesday, December 6th at noon (SAHBA)


Sales & Marketing Council - Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 at noon (Hybrid)


Tech Committee - Tuesday, January 16th, 2024 at 3:30 pm (SAHBA)


Membership Committee - Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 3:30 pm (SAHBA)

Federal Employee Benefits Education Workshop hosted by Greenberg Financial Group


Topics that will be covered include pension, TSP savings, life insurance, health insurance, and more!


Wednesday December 13th

8am - 4pm MST

Tucson Association of Realtors


To register, call 520-544-4909 or scan the QR Code on the Flyer.

Download Flyer

Let SAHBA Promote your Upcoming Event!


December kicks off all the Holiday Gatherings! If you are planning an event and want SAHBA to share it on News You Can Use, send the flyer and information to Courtney Kinion at courtney@sahba.org.

INDUSTRY NEWS

  • On November 28th, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that the maximum baseline conforming loan limits for mortgages acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2024 will rise to $766,550, an increase of $40,350. The FHFA has determined that the average U.S. home value increased by that amount between the third quarters of 2022 and 2023. Click here for all 2024 maximum conforming loan limits and to read FHFA's formal news release.


  • Sales of newly built, single-family homes in October fell 5.6% to a 679,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate, following a notable downward revision in September, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The pace of new home sales in October was up 17.7% from a year ago. Continuing reading NAHB's article to hear sentiments from NAHB's Chairman and Chief Economist on the new data.

Welcome, New Members

A1 Garage Door Service

Capital One

(Referred by Randy Agron, A.F. Sterling)

CEMEX

Desert Drones LLC

(Referred by Scott Joiner, KB Home)

EPIX Interiors

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery

Foothills Bank, Division of Glacier Bank

Rain for Rent

(Referred by Scott Joiner, KB Home)

Sunstone Development and Construction

WeedCo


Thank you, Renewing Member

Southern Arizona Land Trust Inc.

Dell Mar Homes

Guild Mortgage Company