government affairs committee

The Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc. (BIASC) Baldy View Chapter won the 2015 AEA - HBA Award in the Best Government Affairs Effort – Regionally category for their “California Limits Water Usage, Not Homebuilding” project, and the 2014 award in the Best Government Affairs Effort – Locally category for their “City of Victorville Zoning Taskforce” project.

The BIASC Baldy View Chapter’s 2015 “California Limits Water Usage, Not Homebuilding” project came in response to the Governor’s executive order to reduce statewide water usage by 25%. The BIASC Baldy View Chapter conducted a comprehensive outreach effort to the water districts in its service area to ensure there would be no threats of homebuilding moratoriums or unnecessary water regulations placed on new homes.

Executing this innovative public information campaign, the BIASC Baldy View Chapter helped avoid building moratoriums, and highlighted the efficiency of new homes and the innovative conservation efforts of local water agencies and developers. The new Water District Guide provides valuable information for its members and will help attract new development to the region.

The Baldy View Chapter’s “City of Victorville Zoning Taskforce” project resulted from the City of Victorville’s attempt to reclassify all undeveloped Single Family Residential lots from a 7,200 SF minimum to 10,000 SF, effectively erasing over 3,500 future homes. The chapter staunchly opposed the downzoning proposal and worked with the city on viable alternatives.

The Baldy View Chapter staff raised approximately $65,000 through outreach to landowners, realtors and local homebuilders. The funds collected by the chapter were used to conduct a public opinion poll for messaging and to commission an economist, Dr. John Husing and a criminologist Dr. John Worrall to study the effects of the downzoning proposal.

The BIASC Baldy View Chapter continues to work diligently within their Government Affairs department to provide effective and impactful representation for its members in the building industry.

The Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc. (BIASC) returned to Washington D.C. on May 23rd through 26th this year after a long absence following the recession. A delegation of 10 BIASC members and 6 staff conducted legislative briefings and attended meetings in the Nation’s Capital addressing important and timely issues such as tax reform, mortgage interest deduction protection, future of Fannie/Freddie, the desperate need for regulatory reform and moderation, the affordability crisis in California and immigration reform, including labor shortages.

BIASC continues to provide effective and impactful representation for its members in the building industry, by making it its top priority. BIASC’s government affairs committee gives its members a forum for discussing key challenges and opportunities while guiding activities on the federal, state, regional, and local levels, such as the meetings held in Washington D.C.

Some of the congressional and representative staff that BIASC met with at the Capital include: Congresswoman Mimi Walters; Congressman Darrell Issa and Legislative Counsel, Robert Rische; Congressman Steve Knight and Legislative Correspondent, Courtney Kum; Congressman Brad Sherman and Legislative Counsel Lauren Attard; Congressman Alan Lowenthal; Congressman Kevin McCarthy; Congressman Tony Cárdenas and Deputy Chief of Staff, Miguel Franco; Congresswoman Norma Torres and Chief of Staff Dara Postar; Congressman Paul Cook and Legislative Counsel, Matthew Groves; and Congressman Ken Calvert.

The trip exceeded expectations and the BIASC Member/Staff teams did a tremendous job on the ground working in concert and representing the industry well. The BIASC plans on making this an annual excursion with plans to expand the program even more for 2017.