Housing shortage to be discussed

There will be much to talk about when the Baldy View chapter of the Building Industry Association of Southern California holds its annual housing conference, scheduled to be held Friday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Ontario.

One topic sure to get its share of attention is San Bernardino County’s housing shortage, which is expected to reach 65,000 units by 2019, said Carlos Rodriguez, the chapter’s chief executive officer.

That means that in two years, San Bernardino County will be roughly 65,000 units  – single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, low-income housing, etc. – short of what will be needed to meet demand.

Given that, it’s not surprising that the county has one of the worst rates of overcrowding in California, meaning instances of more than one family living under one roof, Rodriguez said.

There are multiple reasons why not enough houses are being built, not only in San Bernardino County but throughout all of California, including city fees and regulations that have stifled development, according to Rodriguez.

“We’re willing to pay our fair share, but when you have to pay $40,000 to $50,000 in fees per home it makes it a lot harder to build,” said Rodriguez, whose chapter represents homebuilders in all of San Bernardino County. “The cities have gone way beyond what is needed.”

Changes in loans by the Federal Housing Administration – its loans are now limited to $380,000 – have also hurt the Southern California housing market, in which houses are routinely priced at $400,000 and above.

“Not everyone can afford a 20 percent down payment,” Rodriguez said.

The chapter’s 2017 Housing Policy Conference will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.  About 300 people are expected to attend.

Ben Metcalf, director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development, will deliver the keynote address. Local, state and federal housing policies will also be discussed.

Deadline to register is Thursday. To register, or for more information, visit www.biabuild.com.