Page 8 - GSABA Builder Brief July 2020 Issue

KRISTI SUTTERFIELD Executive Vice President
Help Us Push Back on Regulations that
Add Cost to Home Building & Remodeling
The homebuilding industry is one of the most regulated industries in the country. In Texas, several regulatory agencies oversee the construction industry to include the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), and the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
On the national level, regulatory changes and new rules come into play with several Federal Agencies which include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In
addition, the International Code Council (ICC) develops a model building code every three years and new codes will be coming out in 2021.
There have been several high impact revisions to the 2021 Residential Energy Code that could increase the cost of a house by approximately $7,000. The significant changes include one Electric Vehicle (EV) Ready Space; a dedicated electrical receptacle that will be required with gas appliances; water heating changes, along with numerous insulation changes.
We must stay involved with all regulatory and legislative changes on the state and national levels as well as with what is happening in City Halls across our 22-county jurisdiction. The Texas Legislature will have several critical issues in the 87th session and the agenda is lengthy. Our elected officials will be faced with a severe budget shortfall as well as the COVID 19 crisis. Re-districting will be a hot topic along with property taxes, property rights, country authority and transportation. As you know, legislators propose thousands of new bills every session, many that affect the home building industry.
We have recently been challenged on the local level with a Deconstruction Ordinance with the City of San Antonio that could more than double the cost of remodeling a home in historic districts throughout San Antonio. The San Antonio River Authority (SARA) has proposed changes to their Utility Services Regulations and Design Standards without input from the building community that will be very problematic to our industry. Our government affairs leadership team has engaged with SARA but we have not been able to resolve the outstanding issues with the proposed changes as of press time.
Changes in local policies, state law or federal regulations can be detrimental to your business. The GSABA leadership team has scheduled a 3-PAC event on Wednesday, October 7th starting at 3:00 pm to raise money for incumbents and candidates that are good for the home building industry. I cannot stress how critical your involvement with our local, state and national Political Action Committees (PAC) is, especially in today’s environment.
Your contribution to this 3-PAC event (with personal funds) on October 7th is an investment in your company’s future and the future of our industry. It is one of the most affordable options for political involvement.
Please mark your calendar for this important event. We need your financial support of SABPAC, HOMEPAC and Build PAC. To attend the fundraiser, a minimum donation of $300 is required per person with personal funds or $1,000 for a team of four for the skeet shoot, cocktails and dinner.
Thank you for your continued support of GSABA. We are stronger together! Warm regards,
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JULY 2020 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
FROM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT