BIA Online Magazine - October 2024 by BIA SoCal

Southern California BUILDER

The Magazine of the Building Industry Association of Southern California

• Meet the 2024 BIASC Legends

• Why Your Vote Matters

• Meet 2025 Incoming

BIASC Chair Mike Balsamo

• Special Feature: Steve Hilton, FOX News

THE LEGENDSEdition

BIASC Chair & CEO Joint Message:

Thank You Members

Dear Members,

As we approach the final stretch of 2024, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your unwavering support throughout this year. Your dedication to our advocacy priorities, active participation in events, support during our membership drives, and enthusiastic presence at the building industry show have been instrumental in driving our mission forward.

Although California continues to struggle with its housing policy challenges, BIASC remains steadfast in its commitment to championing proactive advocacy efforts to identify and promote local housing solutions. Our focus on local government engagement in support of insurance homeowner solutions, climate, and energy pro-housing policies, as well as permit reform for local homebuilders, will continue to be at the forefront of our advocacy agenda into the coming year.

Our continued success as an association can only be attributed to the leadership and governance of our local chapters. A special thanks goes to the leadership of the Los Angeles/Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, Coachella, and Orange County Chapter Boards for their invaluable support in advancing our industry’s interests.

Nicole Murray BIASC Chair Division President, Shea Homes

Jeff Montejano BIASC Chief Executive Officer

In addition, we would also like to extend a special thank you to each of our respected Chapter Chairs for their outstanding contributions and service this year:

• BIA Los Angeles Ventura Chapter President John Hrovat, Community Builders Group, LLC

• BIA Orange County Chapter President Brooke Doi, Shea Homes

• BIA Riverside County Chapter President Ryan Combe, Lennar

• BIA San Bernardino County Chapter President Derek Barbour, Richland

• BIA Coachella Valley Chapter President Terry Kent, Crestwood Communities

Also, please don’t forget to vote on November 5th. Our BIASC Political Action Committee has been hard at work crafting a winning strategy over the past two years to ensure we elect pro-housing candidates who align with our industry’s vision of creating sustainable, livable communities. Please make case your vote and make your voice count this election.

Again, we thank you for your continued support as members this year in helping make a difference in 2024 for our businesses and industry. 

Nicole & Jeff

BIASC Letter from the Editor:

A Few More Big Events, One Big Election, Then It’s the End of Another Great Year!

At this time of year, it’s typical to start a letter like this with, “As another great year come to an end …,” and I would like to avoid it, but as it happens, another great year for BIASC just happens to be wrapping up.

One of the most exciting things we saw in 2024 was growing evidence of the pendulum swinging, as more politicians in Sacramento began to see that there is a critical housing shortage in the state that is hurting their constituents. They still have much to learn about how to (and not to!) support housing, but important bills are passing that give us new ways to get through the regulatory briar patch. Locally, we are seeing the same old NIMBYs making the same old hollow arguments at city council public hearings, but now it’s common to find Millennial, GenZ and minority speakers also at the podium, urging their local elected officials to do something to make it possible for them to become homeowners.

Of course, this being California, the best we ever get is two steps forward and one step back, so there is always advocacy work to be done. BIASC and our coalition partners worked hard again this year to oppose bad bills that needed to be amended or killed and to support good bills that promoted greater housing affordability. Beyond Sacramento, there were public hearings at Southern California cities and counties nearly every month of the year that required advocacy efforts to rally the industry, just as there were multiple regulatory proposals that required advocacy to mute their potential ill effects. Fortunately, our advocacy efforts at all levels are strong. We celebrate our many wins in 2024, learn from those efforts that fell short, and fight on.

BIASC’s leadership and staff greatly appreciate the growing involvement of our members in our digital advocacy and other advocacy programs. The power of these programs to influence elected officials and regulators grew considerably this year as more of the tens of thousands of people who work in the industry joined in, making their voices heard. Again and again in 2024, we have proved that there is strength in numbers.

Craig Foster Chief Operating Officer/ Executive Vice President

We’ve also seen this year that our committees and our event staff, both at the Regional Office and at all of our Chapters, continue to just get better and better at event planning. Breakfasts with the mayors, city manager forums, wine, beer and tequila tastings, golf and softball tournaments, bar-beques, dinner galas, educational workshops, site tours – the calendar has been crammed full of events from January on, from Ventura to the Coachella Valley. Many great events remain in the last two months of the year, including the Orange County and Los Angeles/Ventura Chapters’ Installation Galas, the Coachella Valley Chapter’s Shots in the Night Golf and networking event, and a joint Riverside and San Bernardino Chapters reception for local elections – to name just a few! There really is no excuse not to be involved in BIASC.

The few of you who missed this year’s Building Industry Show missed a lot! Saying “the few of you” may be an exaggeration, but this year’s BIS was indeed a record-breaker with 1,200 in attendance, and the show calendar was filled with packedroom events, from inspirational keynotes to let-your-hair-down parties that lasted well into the night. There’s a summary of BIS 2024 in this issue – so those of you who didn’t attend can see what you missed and commit to attending BIS 2025.

Finally, before we get to the end of the year, there is one more big event – the General Election on November 5. Your vote in support of Proposition 2, the school bond proposition, is critically important. We worked hard on this one to ensure that the state’s school facility fund stays well-funded, which will prevent extremely expensive school construction and improvement costs from being passed on to builders and homebuyers. Your votes for pro-building city council members, supervisors, and state legislators are also critical, because each time an anti-growth elected official is replaced with one who “gets it,” it is a victory for everyone who works in our industry, and a victory for the millions of Californians who aspire to home ownership. 

A Message from BIASC Incoming Chair Mike Balsamo

It is truly an honor to be named the Chair of BIA Southern California for 2025 and I am incredibly proud to have the opportunity to represent our amazing and diverse member companies. Over many decades we have been fortunate to have wonderful builders serve in this role, it is my hope and goal to try to live up to those extraordinarily high standards that have been set by our past leaders. Despite overwhelming and broad-based public consensus that we have a housing policy crisis in California, we are still confronted by external forces that remain stridently opposed to new housing. In the present moment, I believe with full confidence that there is no better organization than BIASC to take on our advocacy challenges.

I would like to express my most sincere congratulations and appreciation to my friend and outgoing Chair Nicole Murray from Shea Homes. Nicole has done an outstanding job leading BIASC over the past year! I have observed that she was very generous with her time and showed up anywhere and everywhere Jeff and the BIASC team needed her presence. Just a few highlights of her leadership initiatives included the formation of a Division Presidents Roundtable series, the establishment of a BIASC Energy Committee (Edison and SDG&E issues) and a Permit Reform Committee to advise state legislators on practical challenges we face. Serving in this role while balancing the day to day demands of being a Division President for a major builder is no small feat and she managed it with grace and class. I look forward to her continued participation on the BIASC Executive Committee (not optional!).

Looking forward to 2025, we will continue to confront many of the same on-going challenges:

• Navigating the State Property Insurance Crisis in full cooperation with CBIA.

• Securing assurances of energy supply for new housing from the investor-owned utilities (Edison & SDG&E)

as well as timely procurement and installation of transformers and meters.

• Taking on unreasonable climate action plans and VMT regulations.

• Providing entitlement support and permit streamlining assistance to our member companies on an as needed basis through our Chapters.

• Working with our public agency partners to deliver timely and high-quality public infrastructure associated with our projects.

BIASC is blessed to have an amazing professional team led by Jeff Montejano, but they can only help when asked. When a builder faces a regulatory problem, usually it is commonplace to other builders – we are stronger when we work together. Please do not hesitate to utilize the resources at your disposal and call BIASC in at the earliest stage.

On the fun side, I know BIASC will continue its great event traditions from golf tournaments to tequila tastings! I hope to see you at one of these very soon. In closing, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any suggestions on our 2025 priorities. Thank you all for your participation and best wishes for a successful 2025! 

Mike Balsamo BIASC Incoming Chair

BIASC New Home Market Quarterly Report

Q3 Sales Steady but Price Fatigue Starts to Emerge

New home projects notched steady sales in Q3; however, buyers are experiencing price fatigue. Poor affordability has caught up to the market as prices bumped up against a ceiling over the last several months. As a result, incentives at new home neighborhoods have increased in most areas throughout the region. Whereas six months ago incentives may have been $5K to $10K, now $15K to $20K is becoming more common, and some projects are as high as $30K+. The recent decline in mortgage rates will provide some marginal improvement in affordability, but the pricing environment will likely be somewhat soft in Q4. Demand and supply fundamentals remain favorable for builders, with new home project counts near record low levels along with a relatively healthy job market.

• New home sales in Southern CA averaged 3.2/project/mo in Q3 which was slightly below 2023 (3.5) and well above the 2016 – 2019 average (2.8/mo/project) for the same quarter. Sales have slowed since May, but the trend tracks typical seasonal trends. By offering incentives including interest rate buydowns, new home projects continue to have a competitive advantage compared to the resale market.

• Cancellations averaged 12% in Q3, up slightly from a year ago. A cancellation rate in the 10 – 15% range is considered typical. The 2016 – 2019 average for Q3 was 16%. Los Angeles County had the lowest cancellation rate in Q3, averaging just 9%, and the Inland Empire recorded the highest average rate (17%).

• There were just 453 active new home projects in the SoCA region as of Q3, which is 47% below the historical average over the last 30 years. Remarkably, the entire SoCA region has fewer active projects than the individual metros of Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston, and Atlanta. The Los Angeles/Orange County metro area, with just 140 active projects and nearly 13 million people, has just a fraction of the number of projects than other major metros. The lack of new home supply in the region has contributed to poor affordability and will likely prevent a significant price correction going forward.

THE LEGENDS Edition

Governing Board:

• Steve Ruffner

• Aram Bassenian

• Laura Barber

BIA LAV:

• Lance Williams

• Greg Medeiros

Posthumously

• Eli Broad

• Don Kaufman

• Lynn Jacobs

• Ray Watt

BIASC HALL OF LEGENDS 2023

BIA Orange County:

• Bill Watt

• Les Thomas

• Les Card

• Dale Stuard

• Gordon Tippell

Posthumously

• General William Lyon

• Ron Saienni

• Roland Osgood

BIA Riverside:

• Dan Leigh

Posthumously

• Clayton Record

• Gregg D. Brown

• Ray Becker

BIA San Bernardino:

• Richard Lewis

• Randall Lewis

• Harry Crowell

• Jonathan Weldy

• James Previti Sr.

• Jim Smirl

• Ray Fernandez

• Ali Razi

Posthumously

• Ralph & Goldy Lewis

• Ira Norris

• Ken Willis

SAGE Council:

• Annie Gerard

• Art Danielian

GSMC:

• John Martin

• Shirley Brown

Posthumously

• Peter Mayer

• Rob Sawyer

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

TED DUTTON Founder, Dutton & Associates, Inc.

Ted Dutton brought a strong focus on governmental affairs to the Baldy View chapter, helping to resolve key issues and open doors to chambers, city councils, and the Board of Supervisors. As a builder, he played a significant role in large projects, including the development of Ontario Motor Speedway and its transformation into Ontario Mills Mall. Ted served as Baldy View Chapter President in 1990 and was actively involved in various leadership roles, such as being a Board Member of Ontario International Airport. He also served on several advisory boards, including those for Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino, and UC Riverside. Ted held prominent state positions, including Executive Officer of the California Office of Public School Construction, where he distributed funds to help build new schools. His son, Bob Dutton, followed in his footsteps, holding several political offices, influenced by Ted’s legacy.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

PATRICK FUSCOE

Founder & Chairman, Fuscoe Engineering

Patrick Fuscoe founded Fuscoe Engineering in 1992 with a focus on participative management, team consensus, and shared responsibility, creating a collaborative culture. Pat’s innovative vision introduced Full Circle Thinking® and an eco-adaptive® approach to engineering, which have become core to the company’s success. Under his leadership, Fuscoe Engineering has earned numerous accolades, including being named the #1 Mid-Size Civil Engineering Firm in the Nation and receiving multiple entrepreneurship awards. Pat himself has been recognized with honors such as ASCE-OC’s Engineer of the Year and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year®. Though stepping down, Pat’s passion for people and mentoring has left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire future generations of Fuscoe’s employee-owners.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

STEVE MUROW Founder, Murow Development Consultants

Steve Murow began his career in 1978 as a quantity takeoff estimator for Sukut Construction, Inc.

After studying Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois and Cal State Long Beach, he co-founded Gillespie Construction in 1981. In 1987, he became a principal at Clayton Engineering, Inc., where he served as Executive Vice President, managing over 1,500 bids and 250 projects exceeding $250 million. In 2000, he joined The Moote Group, offering expertise in mass grading and infrastructure development, as well as developing a forensic estimating and litigation support division. In 2012, he founded DIRTONU, Inc., providing expert witness and litigation support services. He also created Murow Development Consultants to oversee construction at Rancho Mission Viejo and provide construction management services to various contractors and builders.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

WES

KEUSDER President, Keusder Homes

Wes Keusder is considered by his peers to have considerable expertise in all areas of real estate development including land acquisition, land planning, floor plan design, construction management, and sales & marketing. Mr. Keusder has developed, built and sold thousands of homes, condominiums and apartments located in communities throughout California. He has served in the Building Industry Association throughout his career where he has held several key positions at both the state and local levels culminating with his position as Chairman of the California Building Industry Association in 2008. Mr. Keusder attended the University of Southern California where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in real estate and went on to attend Pepperdine University where he received his Master’s in Business Administration.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

DONNA DEUTCHMAN President & CEO, Homes4Families

Donna E. Deutchman has more than three decades of experience building affordable housing for low-income families and growing nonprofit organizations. Her experience focuses on creating public-private partnerships to serve the mission of moving families into stable homes and providing needed services.

As CEO of Homes 4 Families, Donna pioneered the outcomeproven Veteran Enriched Neighborhood® model, an innovative housing and social service model that addresses the distinct needs of the veteran community. This model was replicated in partnership with the California Department of Veterans Affairs, and resulted in building 5 veteran communities of homeownership in the LA County region.

Donna was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie to the V.A.’s Veterans Community Oversight and Engagement Board, Federal Advisory Committee. Her charge was to make recommendations to the Secretary on the areas of services for veterans and outreach.

Donna has also been an Executive Board member and Board member of the Building Industry Association (BIA), Los Angeles/Ventura Counties chapter.

Donna is a past Chair of the Governor’s Interagency Council on Veterans Housing Committee, past member of the California Department of Housing and Community Development advisory committee, and a past Senior Fellow of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

Prior to founding Homes 4 Families, Donna served as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity’s San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys chapter, which under her leadership became one of the top 5% of Habitat chapters internationally, building 359 homes.

Donna has written two pieces of legislation that were passed by the State of California and has helped conduct seminal research for housing and gerontology publications. In 2018, she was honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal by being named Not-for-Profit Business Woman of the Year, and in 2019 by the Building Industry Association (BIA) Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter with the Lynn Jacobs Memorial Affordable Housing award.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

BORRE WINCKEL

Past BIA Riverside County Chapter Executive Officer

Born in the Netherlands, Borre moved to the U.S. in 1977 after his family acquired property in Temecula, Riverside County. He earned joint degrees in Print Journalism and Public Communication from Boston University and began his career at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York as a Press Spokesman and Speechwriter. Recognizing his potential, Chase placed him in their corporate finance credit training program on Wall Street. Borre later shifted to land development and became Executive Director of the Riverside County BIA Chapter from 1996 to 2008, where he addressed significant growth and development issues. Under his leadership, Riverside County BIA became a leading voice on transportation, environmental, and residential building matters. In 2008, Borre became President and CEO of the BIA of San Diego County, focusing on the industry’s recovery amid the global financial crisis.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

JEFF ROOS

Regional President, Lennar

Jeff Roos has over 35 years of experience in the homebuilding and construction industry. He joined Lennar in 1996, managing its Orange County Division and driving the company’s expansion in California. Before Lennar, Roos led Bramalea California, overseeing its homebuilding activities and facilitating the sale of its Southern California Division to Lennar. In 2001, he co-founded the Lennar Charitable Housing Foundation (now the Homeful Foundation), supporting efforts to address homelessness, and has served on the boards of various charitable organizations. Roos is also recognized for developing Lennar’s Next Gen® – The Home Within a Home®, designed for multigenerational living. His innovative contributions have left a lasting impact on modern home design.

2024 Class of BIASC’s Hall of Legends

DR. MARILYN DITTY (POSTHUMOUS) Founder, Age Well Senior Services, Inc.

Dr. Marilyn Ditty, founder of Age Well Senior Services, Inc., passed away peacefully in October 2021. Marilyn demonstrated a lifetime of dedication.

As a gerontologist with a doctorate in public administration she recognized an existing gap in senior services decades ago when the field of aging was only beginning.

Marilyn’s work paved the way to improve and provide desperately needed services for seniors. Her passion, dedication, and devotion filled our community with hope. She worked to establish and expand programs such as Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers, Senior Nutrition Programs, Senior NonEmergency Medical Transportation, Care Management, and Adult Daycare.

As an advocate for seniors, she influenced policies at the local, state, and federal levels and served as Age Well Senior Services, Inc., CEO for over 40 years.

Habitat for Humanit y Inland Valley invite s you to partne r w ith us to create safe , affordable hous ing for families i n S o uthwest R iverside Count y

We are looking to w or k w ith traditional builders in our service area. Lear n about the benefits of working t og e ther.

Total Weather Protection Easy as 1-2-3.

Why You Need to Vote: Your Voice Shapes the Future of Housing

With the upcoming election just around the corner, it’s more important than ever to get out and vote. Your vote isn’t just a choice—it’s a way to actively shape the future of your home, neighborhood, and community. The policies and leaders we evaluate and elect today will impact and influence your property values, neighborhood safety, and even the long-term stability of our communities.

If you care about protecting your home, ensuring your community stays family-friendly, and ensures that future generations can enjoy the benefits of homeownership, now is the time to act. Voting is your chance to elect leaders who share your vision and priorities.

Protect Your Property Investment

For many, a home is the biggest investment they will ever make. By voting for candidates who support smart, pro-housing policies, you’re voting to protect your own future. These candidates push for responsible development that maintains the value of homes and strengthens neighborhoods. They understand that homes should not only be places to live but investments that grow in value over time.

If you want policies that support the long-term health of your community, your vote is essential. The candidates you choose will help ensure that our neighborhoods remain desirable places to live, benefiting current and future generations alike.

Keep Your Neighborhood Safe and Family-Friendly

Homeownership goes hand in hand with strong, safe communities. Studies show that neighborhoods with high rates of homeownership have lower crime rates, better schools, and stronger community ties. This election is your chance to elect candidates who understand the importance of creating stable, vibrant, and safe neighborhoods.

The right candidates will focus on ensuring that new developments fit into existing environments rather than disrupting them. By voting, you can help keep your neighborhood a place where families thrive and feel safe.

Protect Your Property Rights and Cut Red Tape

Owning a home means having the freedom to use and improve your property with minimal interference. But that freedom is not guaranteed. The candidates we elect can either protect or restrict

Chuck Hahn Digital Advocacy Strategist

those rights. Voting for pro-housing candidates ensures that you have the ability to manage and enhance your property without facing unnecessary regulations and excessive red tape.

These candidates also work to protect everyone from overreaching taxes and regulatory burdens that could hurt your home’s value. By voting, you safeguard your rights as a property owner.

Invest in Schools, Invest in Your Community

Strong schools are the backbone of any thriving community. This election, a key measure on the ballot is Proposition 2, which provides essential funding for the modernization of public schools. As you may know, schools have a huge impact on property values and community desirability.

Voting for measures like Proposition 2 is an investment in the long-term health of your community. When schools improve, so do neighborhoods—and your home’s value benefits as well.

Every Vote Matters

It’s easy to feel like your vote doesn’t make a difference, but in local and state elections, every single vote counts. The leaders we elect at the local level—mayors, city council members, and state legislators—make critical decisions that shape the neighborhoods we live in.

By voting, you have the power to choose leaders who will protect homeownership, strengthen your community, and help shape a future where homeowners can thrive. Don’t miss your chance to make an impact—your vote matters more than ever.

Get Out and Vote!

This election is about more than Presidential politics; it’s about protecting your home, your rights, and your community’s future. By casting your vote for pro-housing candidates and supporting measures like Proposition 2, you’re actively shaping a brighter, more stable future for yourself, your neighbors, and future generations.

Now is the time to step up and make your voice heard by November 5th. Get out and vote to protect the things that matter most.

Check Your Registration Status and nearest Polling Place at https:// voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/. 

A BIS To Remember

(Well, Maybe the Wine Tour Memories Are a Little Foggy)

With more than 1,200 in attendance, the 2024 Building Industry Show will go down as one of the best ever, with more networking, more products being introduced to more potential buyers, more information shared, more inspiration given, more fun had … and yes, even more wine drunk.

The Pechanga Resort Casino – California’s biggest resort casino – in the fast-growing, builder-friendly city of Temecula once again provided warm hospitality, great food and beverage service, and people-pleasing venues, while Mother Nature did her part by giving the attendees day after day of perfectly enjoyable weather.

BIS 2024 teed off on Wednesday, on the links of the acclaimed Journey at Pechanga golf course, as builders and associates went head-to-head at the second annual BIASC Builders vs. Associates Golf Tournament. When the last of the 144 golfers

finally arrived at the 19th hole and the dust settled, there was more than a little shocked amazement when it was announced that the builders – who had been humiliated at the first annual tournament in 2023 – had eked out a narrow 1-stroke win.

Meanwhile, 120 other BIS attendees boarded four deluxe buses and headed off on a private half-day winery tour, stopping at three of the Temecula Valley’s most famous wineries, Danza del Sol, Leoness Cellars, and Wilson Creek. It was a beautiful day for winery-hopping, and the event was a huge success, with reports circulating that only three attendees returned to Pechanga in a fully sober condition.

While all this fun was going on, the nearly 100 exhibitors who came to BIS to introduce their goods and services to Southern California’s best homebuilders were busy lugging boxes

and putting up displays. Their hard work was recognized Wednesday evening at the BIS Kick-Off Party presented by TWR Framing, with 250 people dining under the stars on the resort’s lawn. In the small chance that food and conversation might not be enough to satisfy, casino tables were set up on the lawn and spirited roulette, blackjack and other games of chance followed, with awards at the end of the night for the biggest winners.

It wasn’t exactly the end of the night though, since a couple hundred exhibitors and builders made their way to the Pechanga Casino’s famous Round Bar, where the shenanigans carried on until the early hours.

Thursday kicked off with the SAGE 55+ Housing Council’s traditional educational breakfast, after which the exhibition floor opened at 9 a.m., with a fantastic array of goods and services on display and crowds of attendees stopping at booth after booth to talk with exhibitors.

The morning’s Governing Board and All—Chapter Board meeting was standing room only, with more than 80 in attendance. The BIASC team presented the Association’s advocacy plan for 2025, gave an update on Association operations, and reported on the just-concluded legislation session and the Housing Killer bills that the legislature is likely to consider in its next session.

Later that morning, the first Keynote Session featured Adam Artunian of Clarity Real Estate Advisors, who dug deep into the data trenches to present a timely and insightful analysis of the current housing market, including new permits and sales by market, and a detailed look at what price points, designs and features are driving sales.

Adam was followed by the second BIS Keynote, Steve Hilton, author, broadcaster and founder of Golden Together, a movement to restore the California Dream. He talked about how greater affordability and increased home ownership rates are the keys to making California once again a golden state of opportunity and big dreams, inspiring many in attendance to join him in the cause.

That afternoon, a great number of the exhibitors left their booths in the hands of others and attended a sold-out Meet the Builder event. Nearly 300 associates and trade partners took advantage of this opportunity to talk one-on-one with top operations and purchasing executives at the industry’s leading builders – an event that has been likened to speed dating, with the quick pitches leading to a number of follow-up dates and new relationships.

BIS 2024 wrapped up in a new way with the black-tie Installation Gala, where the 2025 boards of the San Bernardino, Riverside, and Coachella Valley Chapters were installed. Outgoing BIASC Board Chair Nicole Murray of Shea Homes was thanked for her service, and incoming Board Chair Mike Balsamo of Rancho Mission Viejo was welcomed and presented his vision for the next year. Also, the 20242025 BIASC Hall of Legends inductees were introduced and honored.

After the ceremonies concluded, BIS 2024 wrapped up with a fun flurry at the Post-Event Party, with happy BIS attendees partying until they greeted the new day, helped by a DJ for music and dancing, and casino tables for excitement.

Planning is already underway for BIS 2025, with a goal that will be tough to achieve: Topping BIS 2024. 

BIS Show Floor

BIS Wine Tour

WE’RE YOUR MAIN SQUEEZE IN MARKETING.

If your brand could use some fresh thinking, Kovach Marketing is ready to help. We’ve been in business for more than 30 years – and our recent rebrand inspired many of our clients to take a new twist.

Are you next?

Builder vs Associates

Meet the Keynote Steve Hilton of Golden Together: Restoring the California Dream

“A Movement to Restore the California Dream” – that is the passion of 2024 Building Industry Show Keynote Speaker Steve Hilton of the visionary organization Golden Together. He discussed his mission, which will inspire anyone in the homebuilding industry, with Southern California Builder.

Southern California Builder: You have quite a background. Can you tell us how it led you to forming Golden Together?

Steve Hilton: Despite my British accent, I should start by saying I’m now an American, and very proudly so, and despite my British accent, I am Hungarian. Both my parents and my stepfather, who raised me from when I was four, are Hungarian, and that really does color a lot of my thinking. They grew up under Communism and I grew up in the UK and had the great benefit of seeing what opportunity means, and the freedom I had, especially compared to my extended family, which was in Hungary. They were living under a Communist regime, whereas I was exploring opportunities in a country that was free. That has informed a lot of my attitudes, particularly my aversion to bureaucratic, over-reaching government. The other really formative thing of my upbringing is that my stepfather was a builder. He escaped Hungary dramatically at 14 when the Russians invaded the country, ended up in a refugee camp in Austria, and eventually settled in England. Having little education, he was able to get a menial job in construction, and that grew eventually into a small, family homebuilding business. All through my youth I helped on construction sites, so building is a part of my story in a deep and personal way.

In the UK, I had an amazing opportunity to go to a high school called Christ’s Hospital, which was founded in 1553 as a hospital in the medieval heart of London for the poor and destitute kids of London. When their health was being taken care of, they also got some education, which is how it grew into a school. It remains a charitable institution, and because my family’s income met the means test, I was able to get the kind of education you would get at the schools Brittain’s royalty goes to. I then was able to get into Oxford University with the elites, but I never forget where I came from. Upon graduating from Oxford, my first job was with the Conservative Party in policy under Margaret Thatcher, then I worked on election campaigns, which led eventually to David

Cameron, who I’d met at the Conservative Party, and that led to me becoming his senior advisor, working at 10 Downing Street, focusing on the implementation of our domestic policy agenda. In 2012, my wife, who was a senior executive at Google, and I decided to move to California for a bit and settled in the Bay Area. I taught at Stanford for a couple years, then, being in the Silicon Valley, did a start-up, and then, out of the blue, I got an offer from Fox News to host The Next Revolution.

As the years have gone by, I am more and more in love with California as an amazing place of innovation, optimism and the future. But the other thing is how much the state is going off the rails on every measure, with housing being top of the list. I’m frustrated with just talking about how things and want to do something about it, which brings us to Golden Together.

SCB: What are you trying to accomplish with Golden Together?

SH: We want to help restore the California Dream. The California Dream isn’t just a phrase; it represents that very simple but profound idea of upward mobility and climbing the ladder of opportunity, of coming to this place, this most beautiful and amazing place in all the world, and following your dream, and being able to achieve it. It’s basic: a good job, providing for your family, owning a home of your own where you can raise your family in a safe neighborhood with good schools where your kids are educated well enough so they have a better job than you. That’s it – but every single step of it has been destroyed.

I’m particularly focused on the home ownership aspect, because that is such a big part of California’s heritage. Home ownership is about a sense of security and accomplishment – any homeowner, myself included, can talk about the uplifting sense of achievement they felt upon receiving the keys to the first home they purchased. It’s so upsetting to me that that feeling has been ripped away from almost everyone today in California. From a policy point of view, this housing crisis underlies so many other problems – it’s the number one reason people and businesses are moving out of California. Obviously, there’s a connection to homelessness, and it’s a big part of the decline of our public schools because you can’t recruit good teachers if there’s nowhere for them to live.

Steve Hilton Golden Together

Keynote Speakers

SCB: What is the big point you want to make to builders in your Keynote?

SH: Here it is: There have been over 100 recent housing-related pieces of legislation in the state, so it’s not like people aren’t trying. They are, and I credit them for that, but they’re not really bulldozering through the central problem, which is that you have interests that benefit from stopping or slowing housing. Politicians aren’t prepared to confront those interests, so this needs to be a ballot initiative. We have one that promotes just two changes: One, ending the private action under CEQA that is used against housing and the infrastructure needed to support housing, allowing all the abusive lawsuits, and second, capping the massive, unfair rip-off of impact fees at three percent of the cost of construction, excluding utilities and schools. That formed the basis of a ballot initiative that we have developed, initially for 2024, but we started too late, so now we are working towards 2026.

We need to have a mindset of abundance and growth in this state, instead of the current mindset of austerity and scarcity, which is anti-everything that California represents! We can carry

on with little changes here and there – ADUs, and this and that – but they are not delivering the 300,000 new homes a year that need to be built. We should be more ambitious. This is California – we have to think big and go for it.

SCB: Do you think we can solve the housing crisis?

SH: Of course we can, but we have to have the right attitude. If we pass this ballot initiative it won’t solve the whole problem, but it will make a huge difference, and that’s totally doable – we just need the money. If the industry wants this to happen, we are ready to go for it in 2026. Is this a shameless pitch? Yes, it is, but we can do this. We’ve tested it and people want it, and the people who want it the most are younger Democrats. I will say to anyone in the industry, this time we will be ready to go on November 13, right after the election, if we can raise the money. The broader point, however, is that to get the kind of change we need across the range of issues, we need a change of direction in California over and above one particular ballot initiative. I hear people say, “That’s impossible in California,” but I don’t think it’s impossible at all, and I want to be there to help that along as well. 

Congratulations to our 2024 BIASC Regional and Inland Empire Installation Gala Award Winners:

BIA SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY CHAPTER AWARDS

The Lewis Family Leadership Award

Maylor L. Dennis Michael, City of Rancho Cucamonga

Association Partner of the Year Award

Southwest Riverside County Association of REALTORS®

BIA RIVERSIDE COUNTY CHAPTER AWARDS

Volunteer of the Year

Jennifer Johnson, Lennar

Member of the Year

Jumaane “Jay” Bey, K. Hovnanian Homes

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2024

12:00PM - 1:00PM

VIA ZOOM

BIASC Members $30 Early Bird

BIASC Members $35 Regular

Non-Members $60 Early Bird

Non-Members $65 Regular

***Early Bird ends October 18th***

biabuild com or biasc org/events

We ask that all attendees please have their cameras on for the one hour virtual event. We want to ensure that everyone is engaged with these city officials. Thank you.

G. MICHAEL MILHISER

INTERIM CITY MANAGER CITY OF RIALTO

TOGETHER WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS

BIAOC 2025 INSTALLATION GALA

Induction and Installation of Incoming President

Megan Eltringham, New Home Co. & 2025 Board of Directors

Saturday, November 2nd Balboa Bay Club

1221 West Coast Hwy Newport Beach, CA 92663

Black Tie Optional

VIP Sponsors & Board Reception - 4:30 PM

General Reception - 5:30 PM

Dinner & Program - 6:30 - 9:OO PM

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

GOLD $3,950

Table of 10, Logo on Marketing Materials, (1) Color Power Point Sponsor Slide in Presentation.

SILVER $2,750

(6) Tickets, Logo on Marketing Materials, (1) B&W Power Point Sponsor Slide in Presentation.

TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT OR CONTACT

BRONZE $1,500

(2) Tickets, Logo on Marketing Materials, Logo in Sponsor Power Point Presentation.

INDIVIDUAL TICKETS

• $205 Early Bird - Until September 20th

• $235 Regular - Until October 18th

• $255 Late Registration Until October 25th or Sell Out

Laura (Barber) Salgado, Vice President, Events & Human Resources lbarber@biasc.org | BIAOC.com

Sponsorship Opportunities

(4) Tickets to both events

Sponsor recognition at both events

Dedicated area for promotional display

Logo inclusion in promotional emails & online

registration page for both events

Recognition on social media for both events

(6) Tickets to both events

Sponsor recognition at both events

Dedicated area for promotional display

registration page for both events

Company listing in PR and/or media advisory high in the sky sponsor - $2,750

Logo inclusion in promotional emails & online

Recognition on social media for both events

Company listing in PR and/or media advisory

One 10-minute event presentation at either event July 17 - Summer High Mixer at Palm Springs Aerial Tramway November 7 - Shots in the Night Golf at Indian Wells Golf Resort

BIA LA/Ventura Chapter Invites You to Attend

2024 BIA LA/Ventura

Awards & Installation Gala

Skirball Cultural Center

2701 N Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Thursday, November 21, 2024 | 4:00-8:00 pm

Honoring Incoming President

Nathan Keith of Tejon Ranch & 2025 Board of Directors

SCHEDULE

4:00-5:00 PM

Board & VIP Sponsors Reception

5:00-6:00 PM

6:00-8:00 PM

General Reception Dinner & Program

ATTENDEE PRICING

BIASC Member Tickets-

• Early Bird: $189

• October 18th: $209

Non-Member Tickets-

• Early Bird: $215

• October 18t: $235

Nathan Keith SVP Real Estate Tejon Ranch

SPONSORSHIP OPPOTUNITIES

Platinum Sponsor - $5000

• (10) Attendee & VIP Reception Tickets

• (2) Color Slides in Sponsor Power Point

• Company Logo on all Marketing

Gold Sponsor - $3950

• (8) Attendee & VIP Reception Tickets

• (1) Color Slide in Sponsor Power Point

• Company Logo on all Marketing

Silver Sponsor - $2750

• (4) Attendee Tickets + (2) VIP Reception Tickets

• (1) Black & White Slide in Sponsor Power Point

• Company Logo on all Marketing

Bronze Sponsor - $1450

• (2) Attendee Tickets

• Company Name in Sponsor Power Point

• Company Name on all Marketing

BIAOC BITA Wine Event

PLEASE WELCOME BACK OUR RENEWING MEMBERS

AUGUST 3 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Accurate Termite and Pest Control

Addition Building & Design, Inc

AI Design

Allard Engineering

AMK Studio Architecture

AvalonBay Communities

Bassenian/Lagoni Architects

Big D Supply

BJ Palmer & Associates, Inc.

Boudreau Pipeline Corp.

Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara, LLP

C.A. Rasmussen, Inc.

C.W. Driver

Cabinets 2000 LLC

California Mantel & Fireplace

CBC Home

Century West Concrete

Chameleon Design

Chevron Land & Development Co

Citibank

Curt Pringle & Associates

Eagle Roofing Products

Environmental Construction, Inc.

Fenceworks, Inc.

First American Natural Hazard Disclosures

Forest Construction Co., Inc.

Frontline Wildfire Defense

FSI Design

Generac

GF Capital

Griffin Residential

H.A. Lewis, Inc.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

Hagle Lumber Company, Inc.

Irvine Company

JPI Multifamily Development

JZMK Partners

Kendry Addition Venture

Land Care Inc.

Larrabure Framing

LGI Homes California LLC

Lima One Capital

Live Guard Tech LLC

LJP Construction Services

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

McKinley Elevator Corporation

Mission Springs Water District

Mohawk Industries

MP Digital Strategies

MS International, Inc.

NMG Geotechnical, Inc.

Onsite Creations

OPR Communications

Park & Velayos LLP

Peter Mayer Productions, Inc.

Premium Concrete Construction Inc.

Prieto Construction Company, Inc.

Primera Interiors

RC Hobbs

RC Wendt Painting, Inc.

RDM General Contractors

RM Project Development

Rohm Insurance Agency

SA Geotechnical, Inc.

Sapetto Real Estate Solutions, Inc.

Seapoint Consulting & Project Management

Seawolf Expediting StormTrap

Superior Masonry Walls, LTD

Supreme Lath & Plaster Inc

Symons Fire Protection, Inc.

Synergy Consulting CA

Tax & Financial Group

Tejon Constructors Inc.

The Hoffman Company

The Mark Group

TJ Prestige Properties

Transportation Corridor Agencies

Transtech Engineers Inc.

TrustLink Mortgage

United Engineering Group

Uponor

ValueRock Realty

VCA Structural

Western Community Housing Inc.

Wilson Mikami Corp.

Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP

Woodbridge Pacific Group

Woodley Architectural Group Inc.

Building a Sustainable Future with Leadership, Advocacy and Resolve

Introducing the Builders for Better Communities Foundation (BBCF), a new charitable nonprofit that will serve to promote diversity, equity, and inclusiveness on behalf of the Building Industry Association of Southern California within the Southern California region.

Designated as a 501(c)(3), the Builders for Better Communities Foundation is a new charitable nonprofit that will serve to promote diversity, equity, and inclusiveness on behalf of the Building Industry Association of Southern California within the Southern California region.

Supporting AFFORDABLE HOUSING opportunities for U.S. Veterans and their families is a cornerstone of Builders for Better Communities Foundation (BBCF).

California’s housing crisis continues to have a significant impact on the most vulnerable, including our veterans. BBCF will advocate to improve the HOUSING AVAILABILITY and AFFORDABILITY for those veterans. Learn more at buildersforbettercommunities.org.

The magnitude of today’s 55+ housing market is monumental. Are you staying ahead of the hottest developments and opportunities within the nation’s most financially powerful segment?

As a BIASC member, you’re invited to join SAGE 55+ Housing Council—the country’s largest and most active chapter of leading innovators in the 55+ market. Your annual $95 membership investment grants you a long list of benefits, including an invitation to our upcoming Members-Only Think Tank event on October 31, 2024.

Led by a prestigious panel of experts from leading firms like John Burns Research and Consulting, Ipsum Group, and Marketing Strategist Gina Nixon, this exclusive event will put you at the forefront of influential conversations surrounding best practices, market preferences, innovation and more.

31, 2024

Peter Dennehey

Senior VP of John Burns Research and Consulting

Gina Nixon Marketing Strategist

Deborah Blake Founder of Ipsum Group

Chris Porter

Demographer of John Burns Research and Consulting