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

• Outstanding Build-PAC Fundraiser
• 2022 Of the Year Awards Spotlight
• Successful NAHB Legislative Conference
• Favorable Ruling by SCOTUS in Sackett v. EPA
• SAHBA PAC Endorses in COT Primary 
• Sahuarita Right of Way Permit Changes 
• Affordable Housing Update
• Fall 2023 Home Show - 50% Sold!
• Coffee With... TCFC Recap
• Upcoming Councils & Committees
• Industry News
• New & Renewing Members

Outstanding Build-PAC Fundraiser



On June 15th, members gathered for the Bourbon & Cigars: Build-PAC Fundraiser at Hacienda Del Sol. NAHB's Third Vice Chair, Bill Owens gave an update on NAHB's 2023 goals with a heavy emphasis on workforce development and spoke about the new CEO, Jim Tobin. Ed Castelhano and David Godlewski also spoke about SAHBA's experience at the NAHB Legislative Conference and the importance of BuildPAC and the NAHB affinity program that all SAHBA members can take advantage of. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to NAHB Build-PAC. SAHBA members raised over $16,000, which will go towards candidates for federal office who support the home-building industry!

Thank you, Gold Sponsors!

2022 Community of the Year 

Saguaro Trails by Mattamy Homes 

SAHBA is pleased to recognize the master planned community of Saguaro Trails by Mattamy Homes as its 2022 Community of the Year. Saguaro Trails sits on 319 acres of land and provides for 860 residential units under the Planned Area Development (PAD). An 8-acre park is the central amenity of the master plan and offers residents a pool, splash pad, community center dog park, sport courts, ramadas, playgrounds and connectivity to the Fantasy Island and The Loop trail systems. Three other satellite parks with playgrounds and picnic areas also serve residents. 

Bringing Saguaro Trails to life required the commitment of multiple community partners with a shared vision. The City of Tucson was the original property owner and worked with Mattamy to create a PAD that respected the regional goals as well as laid the foundation for a well-conceived community. Tucson Water built its SHARP reclaimed water facility as part of the site development to recharge and store recycled water in Tucson's aquifer. Pima County Wastewater and the State Land Department worked closely with Mattamy and the City to address sewer outfall challenges in a way that would not only facilitate the development of Saguaro Trails, but also plan for future development of State Land along the corridor. Finally, Tucson Electric Power came to the table to terminate existing easements that were no longer in use but would have prohibited development. 

Mattamy is now selling Phase 3 of Saguaro Trails which is the largest single-family residential phase of the project with 213 lots. They offer three different series with homes ranging from 1,537 to 3,305 square feet and accommodating two to six bedrooms. Craftsman, Rustic, Spanish and Farmhouse exterior styles are found throughout the neighborhoods. This diverse product line-up was born out of consumer focus groups with a result of remarkable sales success that implies a relevant and thoughtful product. 

The interdisciplinary work that was required for the success of Saguaro Trails exemplifies SAHBA’s commitment to community partnerships and SAHBA is proud to recognize Mattamy Homes for their community of Saguaro Trails. 

SAHBA PAC Endorsements

The SAHBA PAC has completed the candidate evaluation process for the City of Tucson’s Primary Elections. Each candidate was offered an opportunity to complete a questionnaire and interview with the PAC. The PAC focused on the contested primaries in Ward 1 and Ward 2. 

Ward 1: Council Member Lane Santa Cruz (D) and Miguel Ortega (D)

Council Member Santa Cruz did not respond to multiple inquiries about participating in the process. Link to campaign website.

Mr. Ortega's focus is on a foundation of safety and security for working families. He is a proponent of more open dialogue and finding “win-win” solutions. SAHBA had a positive working relationship with him during his time as an aide to Council Member Karin Uhlich. While Mr. Ortega completed the questionnaire and participated in an interview, he noted that he is not seeking SAHBA’s endorsement. Link to campaign website.

Decision: No Endorsement

Ward 2: Council Member Paul Cunningham (D) and Lisa Nutt (D)

Both Council Member Cunningham and Ms. Nutt participated in the process. 

Council Member Cunningham has been an advocate for parks, economic opportunities, and sound water management during his time on the Council. He also takes an active role in organizing community clean-ups. SAHBA has maintained a positive working relationship with Mr. Cunningham during his time on the Council and appreciates his service to the community. Link to campaign website.

Ms. Nutt is a Realtor and active member of the Tucson Association of Realtors. Her top priority is housing. She understands the intricacies of the housing market and the role home building plays in meeting our housing needs as a growing community. She is also well versed in the challenges SAHBA members face working in the City of Tucson and is committed to improving policies and processes. She supports streamlining the regulatory process and creating flexible zoning regulations. Her knowledge and experience on industry issues is uniquely aligned with SAHBA’s advocacy objectives. Link to campaign website.

Decision: Endorse Lisa Nutt 

Successful NAHB Legislative Conference 

Earlier this month, approximately 700 members of the National Association of Home Builders participated in the 2023 Legislative Conference. Central to the Conference were visits with Members of Congress on Capitol Hill. The SAHBA Delegation included: David Godlewski, Al LeCocq, John Ward, Ed Castelhano and members of Ed’s family. NAHB’s policy agenda focused on three primary issues: funding workforce development, quickly addressing the transformer shortage, and pulling back on costly building code requirements. SAHBA met directly with Congressman Juan Ciscomani and Senator Kyrsten Sinema and the staff of Congressmen Gosar and Crane. The meetings were very productive and each of the members expressed support for home building and their appreciation for making the visits. 

NAHB, Builders Score Big Win in SCOTUS Decision on WOTUS

In a major victory for NAHB, builders, developers and property owners, the Supreme Court on May 25 issued a unanimous decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency that will force the Biden administration to overhaul its “waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule and ultimately provide builders and developers more certainty in the federal permitting process. Click here for the complete article. 

NOTE: Stay tuned for additional updates from SAHBA about the potential effects on the ruling for Southern Arizona. 

Sahuarita Right of Way Permit Changes 



The Town of Sahuarita is initiating a new permitting requirement for constructing sidewalks in the right-of-way. The Town will be requiring a permit for the sidewalk on a lot-by-lot basis. The cost of the fee is $200. There is an additional inspection fee of up to $300. SAHBA has met with representatives from Public Works to propose alternative solutions that are less costly and onerous for home builders. While we are hopeful there is an opportunity to collaborate on such an approach, SAHBA recommends that members learn about the new requirements. Please reach out to jennifer@sahba.org for any questions.

County Affordable Housing Commission Update



SAHBA continues to participate in regional discussions about housing affordability. President David Godlewski is a member of the Pima County Affordable Housing Commission. He serves as an appointee of Supervisor Rex Scott. The Commission meets monthly. This month, the Commission discussed proposals that are slated to receive GAP funding from the County, which will be approved by the Board of Supervisors next week. The Commission also received an update about an effort to identify County land for affordable housing projects. Please contact David Godlewski if you have any questions. 

Proposed Change to Pima County Riparian Habitat Regulations and Procedures

Flood Control is proposing to make two changes to the riparian habitat regulations and procedures. The first change is to increase the in-lieu fee that is charged to a property owner or developer who opts not to mitigate for riparian habitat disturbances on-site to account for inflation. The second is to reduce the time it takes for the District to administer the program by replacing the requirement for certain mitigation plans to go to the Board with a requirement for the District to provide quarterly reports to the Board. SAHBA is reviewing the proposed changes to address any concerns with Flood Control. Please reach out to jennifer@sahba.org for any questions.

Two Tucson Water Conservation Code Amendments Take Effect July 6

On June 6th, the Tucson Mayor and Council approved two code amendments designed to increase water conservation.

• Both the 2018 International Plumbing Code & 2018 International Residential Code have been amended to require WaterSense Fixtures (or equivalent) in all new development. Click here for more information.
• The Unified Development Code has been amended to prohibit the installation of "ornamental turf" in all new commercial, industrial, institutional, and common areas of residential development. Click here for more information.

Both changes take effect July 6.

Fall 2023 SAHBA Home & Garden Show

The Fall 2023 Home Show is 50% sold and on track to sell out!

Get your booth today before they're all gone. View the show map here.

Sponsorships are available now for the 2023 Fall Home Show. Click here for all sponsorship information.

For all Home Show inquiries, please contact Alex Zukowski.

Alexandra@sahba.org | 520-918-2362

Coffee with... Tucson Crime Free Coalition (TCFC) Recap

SAHBA partnered with TAR to provide another Coffee With event featuring the Tucson Crime Free Coalition. The TCFC is a non-partisan, volunteer-based, grassroots organization of community members dedicated to the mission of strengthening and empowering law enforcement and staff providing rehabilitative treatment in Tucson to improve safety in our communities. They discussed challenges being met, proposed solutions, and ways in which they are partnering with Pima County Administration, Federal, State, local leaders, businesses, like-minded non-profits and citizens to achieve their objective. 

Upcoming Councils & Committees - Mark Your Calendars!

Tech Committee - Tuesday, June 20th at 3:30 pm (Hybrid)

Membership Committee - Tuesday, May 23rd at 3 pm (SAHBA)

Remodelers Council - Wednesday, July 12th at 12 pm (SAHBA)

Sales & Marketing Council - Tuesday, July 11th at 12 pm (Hybrid)

• In the most recent NAHB Housing Developments Podcast, NAHB CEO Jim Tobin and SVP Paul Lopez explain NAHB’s position on current efforts to regulate gas appliances out of the market. The two also discuss pressing legislative issues now that Congress is working again and wrap up a busy week in Washington with NAHB’s Spring Leadership Meeting, Legislative Conference, and the Innovative Housing Showcase. Watch the video of the full episode here or listen to Housing Developments where you get your podcasts.

• In an important victory for NAHB and common-sense regulatory reform, the House approved the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2023 on June 14th. This legislation would restore meaningful congressional oversight to regulatory rulemaking by requiring Congress to approve all federal agency regulations with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more. You can learn more about the REINS Act here.

• The Federal Reserve's monetary policy committee maintained the federal funds rate at a top target rate of 5.25% at the conclusion of its June meeting. The Fed will also continue to reduce its balance sheet holdings of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. Continue reading here.

Welcome, New Members

Montero Drywall LLC.

(Referred by Kimberly York, KB Home)

MF Custom Works

(Referred by John Mourelatos, Mourelatos Tile Pro)

Eren Design and Remodeling Company, Inc.

(Referred by Kimberly York, KB Home)

Moen

(Referred by Kimberly York, KB Home)

Thank you, Renewing Members

Concrete Designs

Heron Design Group, LLC

Jacobs Electric Inc.  

KE&G Construction, Inc.

Landmark Title Assurance Agency of Arizona, LLC

Life Director - Bruce Jacobs

Meritage Homes

NetComm Consulting Services

Prince Hauling LLC dba Junk King Tucson

Quantum Fiber

Tucson Asphalt Contracting