August 7, 2017
SCIP APPROVED BY SACRAMENTO COUNTY IN 4-0 VOTE
BIA advocates secure important - and hard-fought - victory for homebuilders
By Michael Strech, President and CEO, North State BIA
Our Government Affairs team has spent the last year working behind the scenes to persuade the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, county staff, and anyone else who would listen about the immense need for the SCIP program, which will now provide  another source of low-cost financing to homebuilders. Make no mistake about it, this is a major victory for our industry.

I know many of you have heard me say this more than a few times, but it needs to be said again: our association has the most effective advocates in the region. Our team gets the results that matter for all BIA members and Sacramento County's recent decision to enter into the SCIP bond financing program is a perfect example of that.

In terms of process, t he county's independent districts (water and parks) must now also adopt SCIP for their fees to be eligible for the program and our advocates are already hard at working making sure that happens. Additionally, a number of our members have started preparing their applications, with the SCIP underwriter set to issue an extra bond this year to raise funds for projects in the pipeline. To find out more about SCIP, please contact Chris Norem.

NORTH STATE BIA FEATURED EVENT
Join us this Friday for the Member Appreciation Luau Lunch, hosted by Pacific Coast Building Products
Dress in your finest Hawaiian clothes and come chill with us at the Member Appreciation Luau Lunch this Friday. Our host, Pacific Coast Building Products, never disappoints, so you are not going to want to miss out! You can find our more information and register here.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
See how our advocates are fighting for you
Next BIA PAC Event is Set
The next North State BIA PAC fundraiser will be held on September 14 at The Brick House in Old Town Elk Grove. A flyer with more information will be coming soon, so please save the date!
 
Bad Legislation Continues to Work its Way Through State Legislature
AB 1701, an ill-conceived proposal that will add costs and uncertainty to the homebuilding industry, continues to work its way through the state legislature. Defeating this bill is a top statewide industry priority. For more information, click here.

Placer County Affordable Housing Latest
 The Placer County BOS will receive a presentation from county staff at their August 8  meeting about the proposed affordable housing work plan. Staff is asking that their plan be approved and that the Board provide direction for next steps with regard to the recently released affordable housing studies. BIA staff will be reaching out to Board members ahead of this meeting. The staff report for this agenda item can be viewed here.

Roseville to Open Mercy Housing Apartments
 Roseville will open a 58-unit affordable housing project next summer. The $24 million project, called Mercy Roseville Apartments, is being built by Mercy Housing and will be located on Vernon Street.
 
El Dorado Hills CSD Park Impact Fee Study
 A meeting between CSD staff, their consultants, BIA staff and BIA members was held last week to discuss industry concerns with the current proposal. This item will not be going forward before the CSD Board in August as originally planned, and the same group will meet again in early September.

MEMBER SERVICES AND EVENTS
Awesome events are coming up...
2017 Sacramento Home Tour
This year's  home tour  is fast approaching and you need to be a part of it. The regional housing market is already doing great, but the home tour will help take it to the next level.  Homebuilders can sign up their communities by clicking here; also please take a moment to view our sponsorship levels. And, of course, many thanks to our Title Sponsor this year: La-Z-Boy Furnishings & Design. Please see the important dates below to keep in mind:
  • Home Tour deadline for Builder Submissions is Thursday, August 10
  • Home Tour sponsor deadline is Thursday, August 17
For more information or questions, please contact   Angela Tsukiji .
MAME 42 is Coming Up!
Don't miss out on being a part of the homebuilding industry's signature, annual awards gala: MAME 42. Join us for a fun and exciting evening as we recognize the very best that our industry has to offer. All the details you need are here. 

Registration is Open for the Following Events

See Who Recently Joined the BIA
Check out who our newest members are here.
HOMEAID SACRAMENTO
Help us take a shot at ending homelessness
There are only a few weeks until the 14 th Annual Trap Shoot Fundraiser is here! This year we are raffling off some great prizes, including a Benelli SBE III Shotgun, Bergara 270 WIN Rifle, and Beretta A400 Shotgun. Also, a Disneyland vacation, golf foursomes, and an Argentinian Dove Hunt! We hope to see you at Coon Creek Trap and Skeet on Friday, August 25  to take a shot at ending homelessness. For more information, click here.

BITA PROVIDES SOLUTION TO CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION LABOR SHORTAGES
California Homebuilding Foundation program is a highly effective tool in recruiting and training the next generation of our industry's workforce
With building activity on the rise, one of the hottest economic topics in California is the deficit of skilled labor facing the construction industry.

Since the Great Recession, demand for construction professionals and homebuilders has been steadily increasing - not just for volume, but also for a new class of employees who are vocationally trained and up-to-date on current energy efficiency and building codes.

Responding to this statewide demand, the California Homebuilding Foundation (CHF) has been working to promote the Building Industry Technology Academy (BITA), a comprehensive, four-year high school program instilling applicable and work-ready skills in students seeking careers in the building trades.  Read more...

North State BIA