Building Industry Association
of San Diego

In 2006, local builders pulled 10,241 permits valued at over $2.3 billion in San Diego County alone.  Here is a quick look at those years since 2006 and how they compare.

As a result of the  reduced size of the BIA board, individual council seats on the board were also eliminated.  So, the BIA Board provided for the formation of a “Council Forum.”  The Council Forum is made up of the leadership of each Council as represented by the Chair and Vice-Chair of the individual Councils.  The Forum is intended to address the concerns and activities of those Councils that produce events and/or programs which are specific to the Councils and/or the General Membership.  The Forum will meet at least Quarterly to foster close coordination and collaboration between the Councils and their respective events and programs (i.e. coordination of calendars, event or program overlap avoidance).

The Council Forum is intended to allow each Council to achieve their mission, all within the context of collectively achieving BIA’s overarching goals and objectives.  For 2010, the BIA Nominating Committee assigned the role of Council Forum Chair to Alex Plishner of Shea Homes.  After 2010, the Council Forum Chair will be elected from the individual Council leaders that make up the Forum.

Councilman Todd Gloria Chairs San Diego's Land Use and Housing Committee

The issue of whether hotel construction should be subject to greater economic scrutiny is headed back to the City of San Diego Land Use and Housing Committee.  Local union groups want the city council to review hotel projects approved by the Center City Development Corporation.    All hotels of 100 rooms or more would be subject to the additional regulatory review.

The San Diego Imperial County Labor Council and the labor group, Unite Here, want a more stringent process to “facilitate a more comprehensive discussion of the social and economic impacts that are unique to downtown hotel projects.”  Both groups are pushing LUH Chair, Councilman Todd Gloria, to adopt the changes. Council President Ben Hueso and Councilmember Donna Frye have already voiced support for the new requirements.

Business leaders throughout the city are concerned that this extensive public process will result in costly project labor agreements. PLAs can add up to 30% in construction costs.

The threat of PLAs and the loss of regulatory certainty in the downtown redevelopment district come at a time when development activity is at historic lows with more than 40,000 San Diegans unemployed as a consequence.

CCDC was created in 1992 to be the regulatory agency for downtown development as a ‘one stop shop’ for project processing. The results have been remarkable with more than $798 million in tax increment generated for the downtown area and more than $13 billion in private investment. The total annual taxes generated from the redevelopment area is unmatched at $177 million.

CCDC staff opposes the new regulations saying that it will increase the review time and costs, while eliminating the efficiency of the expedited review process. The Land Use and Housing Committee is expected to hear the item at its February 3, 2010 meeting.

One of BIA’s best events of the year is right around the corner.  Held at the On Broadway event center from 6 p.m. to Midnight on Jan. 30th, this evening of comraderie and a fun night of dancing, will also introduce our incoming Chairman, Bob Cummings, of the Barratt Group & the 2010 BIA Board of Directors.

Special honors will also be bestowed that night.  Congratulations to Lora Heramb and Horace Hogan II who will be inducted into the 2009 BIA Hall of Fame, and to Mike Neal who will receive the prestigious Lee Hubbard award during this special evening.

Get the Installation flier with more detail

BIA mourns the passing of Norman Hedenberg, Jr., our  president in 1978  when we were known as the San Diego Building Contractors Association. We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his visionary leadership and for paving the way for today’s BIA. 

During his career, Hedenberg launched large developments of single family homes and townhouses in Mira Mesa, Chula Vista and Rancho Penasquitos before moving into land sales to other developers.   In 1969, Boise Cascade sent him to San Diego as general manager for Southern California operations. Like many transferees, he fell in love with the area and stayed. He also served as President of the San Diego Construction Industry Federation, of the San Diego Homeowners Warranty Corp. and of Housing Opportunity. He was a San Diego Housing Commissioner, a member of San Diego’s Real Estate Advisory Committee, and a Director of the Bank of Rancho Bernardo.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Norman and Debbie Hedenberg Family Fund at Helen Woodward Animal Center, (Attention Rene Resko) P.O. Box 64, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067. A celebration of Norm’s life is planned for Friday, January 15, 2010, at La Jolla Country Club.

Lora Heramb is an industry veteran of 40 years who currently works her magic in San Diego and Riverside as vice president of marketing and sales at Brookfield Homes.  She is highly decorated with industry awards and highly respected among her peers.

In 2008, she was the first woman to ever receive the coveted Lee Hubbard Award. She has also contributed to the success of BIA Cares, the Playhouse Fantasy event, Tour D’Elegance home show, BIA blood drive, the SAM Awards and more. 
 
Things said about Lora:
She’s a great and creative thinker for problem solving and long-range planning.
She’s dedicated to the welfare and enhancement of the local building industry and community at large.
She is constantly willing to support her peers.
She devotes countless hours of volunteer time to charitable efforts.
She puts her heart and soul into her job.

Horace Hogan II is president of Brehm Communities. With 30 years of real estate service, he has persevered through many industry challenges.  His hands-on approach has resulted in impactful industry legislation, association governance changes, financial relief programs for builders, innovative member programs, impressive fundraising campaigns and public and private investment in underserved neighborhoods.

His experience and influence has been put to work at all levels through BIA San Diego, CBIA (state) and NAHB (national), and his generosity has benefited both industry and community needs.  Hogan was president of BIA San Diego in 2007, and chairman of CBIA in 2008.

Things said about Horace:
He combines vision with insightful action to better the industry.
He has spearheaded his company’s successful transformation.
His strength of character and infectious laugh are welcome wherever he goes.
He gives from the heart, and pocketbook.
He serves the industry he loves.
His legacy will be felt for many years.

Congratulations to Lora and Horace for this special honor.

Mike Neal, president and CEO of H.G. Fenton Co. has been singled out in the construction industry as one of its best. Specifically, it has been his contributions to the welfare and enhancement of the San Diego community that caught the industry’s attention and earned its highest respect and admiration. For these reasons, he has been selected to receive the prestigious Lee Hubbard Award. 

A former BIA president, and man of great integrity, Neal remains active in the BIA through membership, fundraising and its PAC.  He also helped BIA’s charitable arm, BIA Cares, by providing a building to host its 2009 Furniture Fantasy fundraiser.

Neal is the primary architect of Fenton’s real estate emphasis and growth. Under his direction, the company has become one of the largest real estate owners and developers in the county.  With 102 years behind it, H.G. Fenton has a long history and a solid, positive reputation in San Diego. 

Neal is also active in NAIOP and the National Asset Management Forum, and works with San Diego State University to strengthen its real estate program to foster new industry talent.

He is deeply committed to the betterment of the industry and fights for what is right.  Neal and his company are well-known for customer service and providing quality places for San Diegans to live and work.

Congratulations Mike on this distinguished, much-deserved  honor.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3 to 2 today to rehear the Merriam Mountains Development Project that was stymied by a 2-2 split of the Supervisors last month.  District 4 Supervisor, Ron Roberts was unavailable for the December 9th hearing due to a meeting of the Air Resources Board in Sacramento and was unable to vote. Roberts asked for the rehearing so he can weigh in on the decision.

Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Pam Slater voted against the project located on 2,327 acres northwest of I-15 at Deer Springs Road.  It has run afoul of the Blackstone Group, owners of the Golden Door Spa located nearby.  They’d prefer the area to remain undeveloped despite the fact that over 1,700 acres equaling 75 percent of the project area will remain untouched and preserved as open space in perpetuity.

Jacobs and Slater made no secret of their displeasure of having to rehear the project and voted against the motion that will bring it back to the board.  Supervisors Bill Horn and Greg Cox voted in favor of the Robert’s motion, which means all sides will reconvene on Wednesday, March 24th for what is expected to be a spirited discussion at the Board of Supervisors.

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The San Diego City Council voted 5 to 3 to maintain its current guidelines on Substantial Conformance Review despite Councilmember Donna Frye’s claims that additional regulations were necessary.   Frye and Councilmember Sheri Lightner pushed to make SCRs a ‘Process Two’ – which meant that any minor project change could be appealed to the Planning Commission resulting in lengthy delays in project processing. Currently, SCRs are handled at the staff level to ensure that projects with minor changes still substantially conform to its approved permit. The council majority agreed with staff recommendation that the current process was appropriate and that additional regulations were unnecessary – especially with construction activity at historic lows. Councilmember Marti Emerald joined with Frye and Lightner and voted against the motion to keep the current SCR process.

BIA Cares, the charitable foundation of the Building industry Association of San Diego County, has purchased, assembled and delivered nearly 200 bicycles to 14 childrens’ charities during its holiday bike drive.
The childrens’ charities that benefited included San Diego Center for Children, StarPal Foundation, Pro-Kids Golf, San Diego Center for Community Solutions, Casa De Amparo, San Pasqual Academy, Channel 10 – Toys for Tots and United Cerebral Palsy.  Over the last 14 years, BIA Cares has donated over 5,000 bicycles to worthy childrens’charities. Monies were collected from individual BIA members and a host of major contributors which included Newland Communities, Cox Communications, Luce Forward, Hunsaker & Associates and CBRE/Home Aid.  The BIA Cares foundation has raised more than $2.9 million for local charities in its 20 years of operation.  The foundation helps to build better communities by sponsoring such projects as providing play facilities for children of substance abuse families, underwriting a literacy garden for an elementary school, building a golf facility for inner city youth and donating to organizations that assist the underprivileged throughout the County.   For more information on BIA Cares, please visit www.biacares.org