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

• Support for Herder Scholarship Endowment Grows
• Holiday Open House Recap
• Member Good News: PulteGroup Built to Honor Program
• SAHBA welcomes Brendan Lyons
• Arizona State Land Department Proposed Rulemaking 
• Supervisors Appoint Dr. Sylvia Lee to fill District 3 Vacancy 
• Pima County: Zoning Code Text Amendment – Transit-Oriented Development 
• Tucson: City Contractors Could Face Paying Prevailing Wage 
• Oro Valley Study: Housing Conditions & Gap Assessment 
• Member Benefits: IBS
• 2024 Board Installation
• Volunteers Needed: Pima County Point in Time Street Count
• Real Estate Matters: RTA Next Recap
• Upcoming Councils & Committees
• Industry News
• New, Renewing & Dropped Members

Support for Herder Scholarship Endowment Grows

SAHBA President David Godlewski and Golf Committee Chair Greg Mohl presented a check to the Pima Community College Foundation for $10,000 for the Peter D. Herder Scholarship Endowment. The endowment will award scholarships to PCC students pursuing a career in the construction trades. This contribution will ensure that many more students get the help they need and grow the skilled workforce for the home building industry.

Holiday Open House Recap

We at SAHBA would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who attended our Holiday Open House and brought toys for our annual toy drive. Your overwhelming generosity this year was nothing short of amazing, and because of your contributions, we were able to provide a joyful Christmas to so many children in need.

This event was dedicated to thank you, our outstanding members. Your unwavering commitment to our organization has helped us accomplish great things throughout the year, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do. 

A special thank you to SAHBA Member Marnie Prince, with Junk King who helped coordinate the toy drive and delivered the gifts donated at the Holiday Open House to the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Member Good News: PulteGroup Built to Honor Program

For a decade, PulteGroup has been giving back to our nation's veterans. PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program provides mortgage-free homes to veterans living with disabilities as a result of their military service. The veteran and their family are involved with the entire process, from the design to the final ribbon cutting.

Recently, PulteGroup celebrated the groundbreaking of a Built to Honor® home located in Rocking K. Cindy Lipphardt, General Sales Manager - Arizona Division, expressed how rewarding the groundbreaking ceremony was for their team and they are looking forward to the next steps in the process. Click here to learn more about their amazing giveback program that impacts veterans nationwide.

SAHBA welcomes Brendan Lyons as its new Government Affairs Director

SAHBA is excited to welcome Brendan Lyons as its Director of Government Affairs. “Brendan’s dynamic background in public safety, government, and non-profits will be an asset for SAHBA,” said SAHBA’s President and CEO, David Godlewski. Shortly after the announcement, Lyons received Special Congressional Recognition from US Representative Juan Ciscomani (Member of Congress, AZ’s 6th Congressional District), recognizing Lyons' appointment as the new Government Affairs Director for SAHBA. 

Click here to read Brendan's full bio.

ADVOCACY

Arizona State Land Department Proposed Rulemaking 

The Arizona State Land Department has filed documents with the Arizona Secretary of State to complete a rulemaking comprised of amendments to some of the rules in Articles 1, 7, 8, 9, and 11, Chapter 5, Title 12 of the Arizona Administrative Code. The Notice of Docket Opening and the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which includes a copy of the proposed rule changes, may be found here.

SAHBA will be submitting comments by the December 29 deadline. If you are interested in knowing more or have comments for SAHBA to include, please contact Brendan Lyons at brendan@sahba.org.

Supervisors Appoint Dr. Sylvia Lee to fill District 3 Vacancy 

Sharon Bronson, first elected Supervisor of District 3 in 1996, was on track to serve her seventh consecutive term when she was forced to resign her seat last month due to injuries she received from a recent fall. Out of eight candidates, Dr. Sylvia M. Lee was selected to fill the vacancy at the December 19 meeting. District 3 voters will elect a candidate to serve a new four-year term at the General Election in November 2024. 

SAHBA looks forward to working with Dr. Lee and commends former Supervisor Bronson for her ongoing support of the home building industry and tireless work to serve the interests of our community.  

Pima County: Zoning Code Text Amendment – Transit-Oriented Development 

Pima County is proposing a new zoning code text amendment to facilitate infill development and increased housing. The Transit Oriented Development amendment will provide guidelines and create incentives that support and encourage multi-family residential development on developed property located along major transportation routes. Pima County has also included development standards that allow for increased heights and a front setback reduction. 

SAHBA is currently monitoring this proposed amendment, hearing from members, and providing written comments to advocate on your behalf. If you have any questions, please contact Brendan Lyons at brendan@sahba.org.  

Tucson: City Contractors Could Face Paying Prevailing Wage 

The City Council is considering adopting a prevailing wage requirement. If approved, effective July 1, 2024, contractors who bid on City projects will be expected to pay workers at a rate that their line of work typically commands, similar to the rules on federal contracts. Prevailing wage mandates would only apply to contracts of $2 million or more and would exempt affordable housing projects, built with city funds. This will likely be brought forward for formal consideration at the January 9th meeting. 

Oro Valley Study: Housing Conditions & Gap Assessment 

The Oro Valley Housing Conditions & Gap Assessment conducted by consultant Elliott D. Pollack & Co. was recently released as part of Oro Valley’s general plan process. Based on data analysis and survey responses, it identified high home prices and rents resulting in a growing inability for lower-wage people to live in Oro Valley. Nearly half of Oro Valley business owners and workers commuting from outside the Town feel housing costs/rent are too high in Oro Valley. 

The study found homeownership rates have declined in Oro Valley, countywide, and in the state over the past two decades. Average rent has increased 31% over the past two years to $1,466 a month. Some 2,000 renters living in Oro Valley’s 3,210 apartments are overburdened by their housing cost as it exceeds 30% of their take-home pay. 

Residents’ highest perceived need is for more single-family detached homes, followed by townhomes/duplexes, accessory dwelling units, condominiums, and apartments. 

The Housing Conditions & Gap Assessment is available online at www.ovpathforward.com.

MEMBER BENEFITS: INTERNATIONAL BUILDERS' SHOW

Top 5 Reasons Building Professionals Say They Attend IBS

There are some things in life that you don’t want to miss. The NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) is one of them. It is the premier industry event and the #1 place to see everything hot and new in the industry!

Here are the top 5 reasons to attend!  

1) 1,600+ brands and companies, manufacturers, and suppliers share the latest trends and new products in six distinct categories of the show floor to make it quick and easy to find what interests you and your clients.

2) The New Product Zone is a buzz of activity with the spotlight on the hottest new products to hit the industry. Discover products your customers don’t even know they want yet! Be the first to see these innovative products.

3) The Start-Up Zone gives you the first look into the freshest and most groundbreaking start-up businesses within the residential construction industry. The Start-Up Zone offers a peek into the future, with the potential to revolutionize the way you do business.

4) IBS is your #1 opportunity to meet, network and connect with other industry professionals with 60,000+ attendees from 100+ countries.

5) Bring your team to divide and conquer @IBS 2024. Come back together to share experiences. Builders tell us IBS is the #1 place for their team to gain professional development with IBS Education, demo zones and networking. Builders also say the Builders’ Show offers the ultimate team bonding experience.

MEETINGS & EVENTS

2024 Board Installation Luncheon

Please join us for the inauguration of the incoming 2024 Board of Directors as we celebrate our prior year’s accomplishments and look ahead at the plans for the new year.

January 19, 2024

Westward Look

Registration: 11:30 | Lunch: Noon

To purchase a sponsorship or individual ticket, please contact Courtney Kinion at courtney@sahba.org or 520-918-2363

Volunteers Needed: Pima County Point in Time Street Count

The 2024 Point in Time (PIT) street count is on Wednesday, Jan. 24, from approximately 6-11 a.m. More than 300 volunteers are needed in Pima County to interview people experiencing homelessness to collect data that helps our community provide services to people in need.

Volunteers will be required to take a two-hour training prior to the count. No experience is necessary, but those interested should have a desire to contribute to a communitywide effort to help reduce homelessness in Pima County and be comfortable using an app on a smartphone.

Real Estate Matters: RTA Next Recap

SAHBA was pleased to join the Tucson Association of Realtors in hosting “Real Estate Matters: Unveiling the RTA Next 20-year Transportation Plan. It was an engaging and informative first look at the Regional Transportation Authority’s (RTA) draft 20-year transportation plan. RTA Director Farhad Moghini and his team shared an in-depth overview of the RTA's comprehensive plan that outlines ambitious transportation projects, including new infrastructure and transit expansions aimed at enhancing economic development throughout the region.

The proposed $2 billion plan will need voter approval in 2025 and this was a tremendous opportunity to hear directly about the impacts of the plan and the next steps of how we can collectively shape the future of regional transportation planning. SAHBA will be actively monitoring the process and providing updates to members as appropriate.  

Members Connect Recap

On Friday, December 15, SAHBA held the fourth Members Connect of the year. We had 15 current and new members who gathered to gain valuable insight into their membership benefits. Members were introduced to the SAHBA staff and representatives from some of SAHBA’s councils/committees. Our Membership Development Manager, Yvette Pederson, answered questions regarding member-saving programs and how to access their National Association of Home Builders account. We also had a sneak peek into all the exciting upcoming 2024 events.

You can stay updated on all future events by visiting www.sahba.org/events to take advantage of the next Members Connect in 2024.

Upcoming Councils & Committees - Mark Your Calendars!

Business Referral Exchange (BRE) - Tuesday, January 9th at 7:30 am (SAHBA)

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

Remodelers Council - Wednesday, December 10th at noon (SAHBA)

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

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

• Last week, the House approved The Promoting Resilient Buildings Act (H.R. 5473); a big win for NAHB. The Bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allow home builders and municipalities to abide by rules published in the two latest editions of building codes, rather than just the single latest edition, when developing their Hazard Mitigation Plans, inspecting homes, or building a house. NAHB is working to get a companion bill introduced in the Senate. Click here to read more about this important Bill Passing.

• Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose three points to 37 in December, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released Monday. NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey and Chief Economist Robert Dietz discuss their perspectives on how falling mortgage rates affect traffic, sales, and homebuilders' strategies. Check out the complete data and analysis here.

• According to the latest Producer Price Index report, the price level of inputs to residential construction less energy (i.e., building materials) increased 0.2% in November after declining 0.4% in October (revised, not seasonally adjusted). In the latest Eye on Housing, David Logan, NAHB director of tax and trade policy analysis, provides additional sector details and price insights.

• "The single-family starts figure is remarkably strong," Robert Dietz says after the release of a new report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Overall housing starts increased 14.8% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.56 million units. Click here to continue reading the findings of the report.

Welcome, New Members

Barker Contracting

(Referred by Jennie Uhlmann, United Real Estate)

Casa Bonitas

Custom Saw Cuts, Inc

(Referred by Scott Joiner, KB Home)

Empire CAT

Miura Contracting

New View Homes

(Referred by Scott Joiner, KB Home)

Revolution Mortgage

Dropped Members, Sorry to See You Go in 2023