For immediate release
Contact: Carlos Rodriguez, Chief Executive Officer
Building Industry Association, Baldy View Chapter
909-641-4630 -- Carlos@biabuild.com
California Department of Housing Community Development Director
Ben Metcalf to discuss state housing shortage at Housing Policy Conference
Elected leaders and housing experts to also discuss policy solutions to San Bernardino County’s estimated housing shortage of 65,000 units by 2019
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA (May 26, 2017) - The Building Industry Association Baldy View Chapter (BIA), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and California Building Industry Association (CBIA) will host the Fourth Annual Housing Policy Conference at the Ontario Doubletree from 9:30 a.m., to 1 p.m. on June 2. California Housing Community Development (HCD) Director Ben Metcalf will provide keynote remarks and discuss a recent HCD report that estimates California’s decade long housing shortage remains at approximately 100,000 homes annually.
“The quality of life throughout San Bernardino County is in serious jeopardy due to a chronic housing shortage which continues to increase the costs of rent, shuts the door on aspiring first-time homebuyers and moves more middle class families into poverty,” said BIA CEO Carlos Rodriguez. “Our conference seeks to identify a consensus of policy solutions that will help address the pent-up demand for housing throughout our county and the Golden State.”
The conference will also feature U.S. Representatives Pete Aguilar (D-31st Dist.) and Norma Torres (D-35th Dist.) in a special Federal Policy Overview panel moderated by NAHB Vice President of Government Affairs Lake Coulson. CBIA Chair Jeff Pemstein, Vice-Chair Michael Battaglia, Randall Lewis, Lewis Management Corp. and Mark Torres, Lennar Homes will also participate on a state/local panel discussion.
“The status quo is simply unacceptable when we consider that San Bernardino County needs 78,983 more affordable units to meet its shortfall - up by 15,000 from 2015,” said Rodriguez. “We have a moral obligation to address the growing workforce housing demand in our region and our conference will outline policy solutions for our elected leaders to consider.”
Conference attendees will also benefit from a collaboration between BIA and the American Institute for Architecture Inland California Chapter (AIA). “We are pleased to announce a new partnership with AIA,” said BIA President Ali Sahabi, Optimum Group. “As part of our efforts to forge new relationships and partnerships with other professional trade associations, this year’s Housing Policy Conference is eligible for three hours of AIA HSW Continuing Education credits”
Attendees may register online at www.biabuild.com/housing-policy-conference or on site the day of the event.
