Good Afternoon Folks,

If you missed our last “Meet the Builder” networking event at D.R. Horton’s Campanile community, you won’t want to miss the upcoming Meritage Homes University Park Home Tour and Meet the Builder event tomorrow, May 14. These builder-focused networking opportunities continue to be one of the most requested benefits from our DVBA members, bringing together professionals from across the building industry to connect, collaborate, and strengthen business relationships throughout the Coachella Valley. Grab a stack of business cards and join us for an evening of networking, model home tours, refreshments, and valuable conversations with fellow industry professionals. Register by clicking here.


We are also looking forward to our special Membership Dinner at Stockman’s Club in Brawley on May 28. This event will highlight the opportunities, growth, and future potential of Imperial County while bringing together members from across the region for an evening of great discussion and networking.

The Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council continues to grow and expand its impact throughout the community. During the May 7 monthly meeting, members gathered to network, collaborate, and discuss new outreach efforts focused on encouraging more women and young girls to explore the many career opportunities available within the building industry. 


Over the past year, we have continued to build momentum within the DVBA, with growing membership participation, expanded events, and renewed energy throughout the organization. In addition to improving the signature programs and events our members have come to expect, we have introduced new opportunities designed to encourage stronger connections, better communication, and greater involvement across the industry. The continued growth and engagement we are seeing is a reflection of the strength of our membership and the value of coming together as one unified building community. If you are not yet a member, now is a great time to join and become part of the conversation shaping the future of our region.



Your voice is one of our strongest tools. By sharing the DVBA story, inviting new members, and spreading the word about what we do, you help us grow stronger and reach further into the desert communities. Let’s keep building — not just projects, but a network that shapes the future of our industry.

Best wishes,

James Brownyard

Executive Director

 

Mission Statement The DVBA is an association of building industry professionals, representing all levels of the construction industry and committed to ensuring that building of all types remain vibrant and strong in our region. We are dedicated to providing excellence in community development while protecting the natural beauty of the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.



Vision Statement To be an industry sector leader and collaborative partner in the complex economic and regulatory environments of the Coachella and Imperial Valleys.


Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS: SAVE THE DATE

Friday, August 21


14th Annual

Bowling Bash


Location:

Fantasy Family Bowling Center

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm


Registration Open!

Click here to register now



Wednesday, June 17


Anniversary/Membership Appreciation Party


Location:

Palm Springs Air Museum

5:00. pm - 7:30 pm


Members and Public Officials Free!


Renovate Palm Springs

A Vision Towards the Future of Palm Springs

 

It all started with M.O.R.E. Services.

From co-living to traditional real estate to Renovate Palm Springs, my journey has always been centered around one thing: creating better living experiences while maximizing property value.

In 2014, I began with hands-on projects—refining layouts, systems, and operations across shared living and rental models. Early on, I operated as a fully licensed, structured business—even before local regulations were clearly defined.

When a city inspector arrived to investigate, I was able to demonstrate a fully compliant operation.

That moment defined how I operate today:

Operate ahead of regulation — not behind.

From Sales to Execution

In 2019, I became a licensed real estate professional and launched Desert Premium Properties, representing buyers and sellers with a strong focus on strategy, protection, and results.

By 2023, I identified a clear opportunity in the Greater Palm Springs market: aging housing stock with strong value-add potential. This led to the creation of Renovate Palm Springs (RPS).

My first full renovation project validated the model—overseeing permitting, budgets, timelines, and execution through to resale.

Today, I operate at the intersection of real estate, construction, and market strategy.

 

What I Do

I work with homeowners, buyers, and investors to ensure properties are positioned correctly from day one through final sale.

  • Pre-listing renovation consulting to increase resale value
  • Buyer guidance on value-add opportunities
  • Builder collaboration on design, finishes, and pricing
  • Project oversight to protect timelines, budgets, and quality
  • 

Working With Investors

Most investors don’t have a construction problem—they have a positioning and exit problem.

I work alongside investors to:

  • Align design, layout, and finishes with real buyer demand
  • Provide pricing and resale strategy before construction begins
  • Help avoid overbuilding or misalignment with the market
  • Position projects for stronger, more profitable exits

My role is to act as a bridge between construction and the market—helping ensure what gets built is what actually sells.



Current Focus

A full gut renovation of a South Palm Desert golf course property is nearing completion—demonstrating the full acquisition → execution → resale model.

Looking Ahead

I’m expanding into development and actively building relationships with local investors and partners to bring well-positioned, high-quality projects to market.

Let’s Connect

If you’re:

  • A builder planning your next project
  • A homeowner considering selling
  • A buyer looking for the right opportunity

Let’s connect early and position it correctly from the start.

Renovate Palm Springs

760-292-3612 ▪ RenovatePS@outlook.com

Latest Industry and Legislative News

Young Americans are on the move. Where do they choose to relocate?

Americans are moving less, thanks to a stagnant labor market and a near-frozen housing market. But 20-somethings are bucking that trend, a new report shows, and those younger people are moving for reasons both new and familiar.



👉 Read More

Home prices still trending up despite sluggish demand

The latest S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index, out Tuesday, will offer a sense of what happened with home prices in February.

Economists are expecting that home prices rose slightly year over year, though the housing market is currently pretty weak. That’s been the trend for a while now: prices trending up, even though demand is sluggish. Which is unusual.


👉 Read More

Tired of high costs, some Americans are importing homes straight from China


Gennadiy Tsygan knows how expensive it is to build a home in the United States. That’s why he imported almost everything for his dream house from China.


👉 Read More

Will California ever build the Delta tunnel? Major battles ahead as Newsom era nears end

California's Delta tunnel largely cleared a key hurdle last week — but far bigger obstacles still stand in the way. Among the next battlegrounds: the state’s largest agricultural recycled water project and a cattleman’s pasture.


👉 Read More

Candidates target Steyer, Becerra in free-wheeling California governor debate


In a chaotic debate Tuesday night in Claremont, Democrats targeted Steyer and Becerra and everyone sought a breakout moment. No one broke out of the pack.


👉 Read More

California State Legislative Bills 
DVBA is Tracking

 

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB736

AB 736 - This bill would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program.

 

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1751

AB 1751, as amended, Quirk-Silva. Missing Middle Townhome Ownership Act.

 

Previous Bills

 

Bill Text - SB-1349 Taxation: tax expenditures: Legislative Analyst’s Office: report and recommendation. (Jeff Gonzalez) The bill would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), by January 1, 2029, to write and publish a report that comprehensively assesses major tax expenditures, as defined, of the state, and make a recommendation to the Legislature based on the report. In this regard, the bill would require LAO, as part of the comprehensive assessments, to identify any savings that the Legislature can reduce or eliminate from realize by reducing or limiting the major tax expenditures, and require them to consider certain criteria when finalizing the report, including the impact on the General Fund.

 

Bill Text - SB-417 The Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026. (Cabaldon) This bill would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program.

 

Bill Text - AB-1577 Data centers: reporting. (Bauer-Kahan)This bill would require the commission to establish a process for the owner of a data center, as defined, to submit specified information to the commission, including, among other information, the data center’s location and size, the data center’s power usage effectiveness, and the quantity of fuel consumed by onsite generators or other fuel-based energy systems.

The bill would require the owner or developer of a data center, to submit to the applicable local agency, as defined specified information, including the expected annual energy and water consumption, and the expected sound levels attributable to the operation of the data center.

 

Joshua Tree – Takings Clarity Bills

WJTCA3 Press Release

 

AB 1881 (Ramos)

Supersedes and interferes with California’s existing good-faith tribal consultation framework with a consent-based regime that would effectively grant individual tribes veto power over housing and other critical infrastructure projects. The bill also includes overly broad and vague terms, establishes a freestanding private right of action, and contains categorical confidentiality provisions that operate entirely outside of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and layer duplicative obligations on local governments and project proponents. AB 1881 threatens to slow or stop critical housing development by imposing new, onerous regulatory constraints, making it more difficult for families to find a place to call home. (CBIA Oppose)

 

AB 2569 (Hart)

Expands CEQA by redefining “environment” and “significant effect on the environment” to require analysis of how existing natural hazards, pollution, and other adverse environmental conditions affect future residents, legislatively overturning the California Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in CBIA v. BAAQMD that rejected this “reverse CEQA” approach. AB 2569 would create sweeping new grounds for litigation against proposed projects seeking to create more housing for California’s working families. (CBIA Oppose)

 

SB 1075 (Reyes)

Expands the role of community emissions reduction programs in ways that will create additional constraints on local land use decisions, particularly in already overburdened communities where housing is most needed. This added layer of regulatory compliance risks compounding existing barriers to housing under CEQA and other environmental laws, making it more difficult to build homes for working families. SB 1075 would ultimately exacerbate our state’s housing policy crisis. (CBIA Oppose)

 

SB 1182 (Allen)

Requires homebuilders to obtain insurance premium quotes decades before a project is constructed at the earliest stages of entitlement when critical project details are unknown and subject to change. At that point in the process, applicants frequently cannot determine whether a site will ultimately include residential units, open space, or public infrastructure. There is no insurance product sold anywhere in the world to provide meaningful or reliable quotes for projects during these early stages of the development process. SB 1182 will stifle housing development for working families by imposing new regulatory barriers that are not based in reality. (CBIA Oppose)


Make sure to check out the NAHB Membership Savings program for numerous discounts!

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