The HBA Advocate Newsletter | September 7, 2021

Referred Measure Proposed by Castle Rock Would Impose New Excise Tax on Residential Development
On August 15, the Castle Rock Town Council referred  four ballot measures to provide additional resources for police, fire, parks and open space. Castle Rock voters will decide each measure this November. Among the ballot questions is a $7 per square foot new-home construction tax that would only apply to new multi-family and single-family residences. While the proposal may be popular with existing residents who will receive the benefits of added public-safety programs without bearing any of the tax burden, it is an extremely unfair way to treat future residents who will be paying an additional $15,000 to $25,000 in the price of their homes. There has always been a longstanding expectation in Colorado that new development pays for itself, but the idea that new development also cover the public services of existing residents is completely unfair and will only exacerbate the attainable-housing crisis in Castle Rock and across the Front Range. The HBA of Metro Denver vigorously voiced its concerns and opposition to this measure to Council and staff throughout the process. Now that it has officially made the ballot, we will be working to share our concerns with Castle Rock voters. We will continue to keep our members updated on this issue.

Metro Housing Coalition Conducting Candidate Interviews through the Metro Area
Now that September is officially upon us, the Metro Housing Coalition (MHC) has begun to turn its attention to 2021 local elections. To that end, MHC has sent out questionnaires to every candidate in municipalities the board has determined are of strategic importance to our members and industry. This year, we sent out over 120 questionnaires to candidates running in 11 different municipalities. Follow up interviews are conducted with every candidate who fills out a questionnaire, and we anticipate over 70 interviews will be completed within the first two week of September. Our full board will be meeting on September 15 to make final decisions regarding endorsements and campaign contributions. The MHC plays an invaluable role in promoting our industry throughout the greater Denver Metro Area by helping to ensure pro-housing, business-friendly majorities on city councils that will have an outsized influence on the residential-construction industry over the next several years.

HBA Metro Denver Establishing 2021 Comprehensive Code Taskforce 
This year, 11 different municipalities within our jurisdiction will be undergoing a comprehensive code update, and we need your help. The HBA is looking for qualified members who are willing to familiarize themselves with, and advocate on behalf of, our proposed amendments to the 2021 international codes that will directly impact our industry. To this end, our association will be organizing a taskforce that will meet intermittently through the end of this year to thoughtfully evaluate, discuss and propose the necessary recommendations. Our first meeting will take place on Thursday, Sept. 9. This process will have a direct impact on every facet of the homebuilding industry and the products we bring to market, so please consider getting involved. If you are interested, please email Morgan Cullen at mcullen@hbadenver.com and let him know you would like to participate. Thank you for your consideration.

Housing Connector: Partnering with Property Owners and Managers To Lower Barriers to Housing and Increase Affordable Housing Capacity
Housing Connector is a free Zillow-sponsored business-to-business platform that provides risk mitigation to landlords willing to lower barriers and rent to households experiencing homelessness. Landlords receive support to cover unforeseen financial costs and negotiate leases. Housing Connector acts as the point of contact if issues arise. Area service providers and their clients receive free online access to available units where landlords have already agreed to waive some of most common barriers to leasing. Do you know a landlord that would like to help a household get back on their feet? With Housing Connector's services and risk mitigation, helping an individual or family exit homelessness easy. For more information about signing up or getting involved, please email info@housingconnector.com or visit HousingConnector.com.

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Denver Updates Excavation, Benching, and Shoring Requirements & Required Notifications
Denver has updated its excavation, benching, and shoring requirements for IRC Structures, as outlined in Denver’s Building Code Policy Admin 130.2A. For our active builders in Denver, this policy change is one that happened very quickly and without sufficient notification. The collective concern is that the new policies will drive additional permitting (timeline and cost) requirements and possibly additional costs/delays in the field. Builders in Denver are already struggling to get permits in a timely manner to hit business plan numbers and this certainly is going to further slow down this process.  Our builders were caught off guard by this requirement, but the HBA was able to extract some temporary concessions from the city. Specifically, builders that need to submit the required documentation for a slope cut or benching permit for projects that have been submitted on or before Aug. 6 will have the permit reviewed within two business days to help speed up the process. The HBA understands that this only provides a limited amount of assistance for our builders in the city of Denver, and we are committed to working on a long-term permanent solution, including a proposal to amend the City Code. We will continue to keep our member updated on any new developments. In the meantime, additional information regarding notifications of adjoining structures can be found in the DBC IBC Section 3307.1 (page 157) of the Denver Building and Fire Code. The requirements are further outlined on page 6 of the Master and Type-Approved (TA) Permitting Guide.

Erie Continues Update of the Town’s Unified Development Code (UDC)
In November 2020, the Erie Board of Trustees adopted changes to various chapters of the Town’s Unified Development Code (UDC) that addressed several of the items identified by the HBA’s Joint Task Force (JTF) group that was active in 2019 and 2020. This year, the Town drafted language to update the remaining sections of the UDC related to new residential development as well as a residential Development Design Standards book for incorporation into the Town’s standards. The intent of the proposed changes is to incorporate the feedback received through the JTF group to date, including increasing flexibility and aligning the Town’s standards with today’s residential product types; clarifying and enhancing the Town’s design standards through the creation of the Development Design Standards book; and general clean-up of outdated portions of the code. By leveraging the hard work and expertise of our membership active in Erie, the HBA has recently provided a completely review of the new proposals, provide written feedback to municipal staff and participated in a follow up meeting with the Town to ensure our concerns were accurately understood. The Town is also undergoing a fee study to assess its current impact fees on new residential construction to make sure they are in line with other municipalities along the Front Range. This study will likely be used to justify impact fee increases in the near future, so the HBA will be monitoring this process closely.

Save the Date – MHC 2021 Political Forum at the Highlands Ranch Mansion – September 29
The Metro Housing Coalition hosts one premier event every year – The Political Forum. While last year’s Forum was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID-19, we are excited to be holding the event again this year at the Highlands Ranch Mansion on September 29. Information regarding tickets and table purchases will be available shortly.

OSHA Outreach 10-Hour Construction Safety Course

October 13th and 14th, 2021 from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm each day

The OSHA Outreach 10-Hour Construction Safety Course is designed to teach workers and supervisors the basics about OSHA compliance.

This course will cover OSHA regulations relating to an Intro to OSHA, Focus Four (Fall  Protection, Electrical, Struck By Hazards, Caught In/Between Hazards), Ladders, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), Access & Housekeeping, Power & Hand Tools, Scaffolding, Excavation & Trenching, and other safety topics.

This is a 2-day course and students are required to attend both days to receive their OSHA card.  This course is held on 2 days in October 2021. This course has a limit on the number of attendees to help maintain proper social distancing.

Register at hbadenver.com/OSHA10

Course Fees: $205 per person-includes course materials and OSHA 10-Hour Card. Students will be on their own for lunch each day. Use promo code HBAOCT2021 to receive a $25 HBA Member Discount!  

Cancellations must be received by October 8th to receive a refund or credit towards another class.

HBA of Metro Denver Issue Tracker
Questions on what is happening in a specific city or county? The HBA is regularly monitoring the council and board activities in every political subdivision in the metro Denver area. Our Issue Tracker offers a great resource to learn about the issues being deliberated with links to agendas, packets and ordinances. The HBA of Metro Denver HBA Issue Tracker is available  to all members here.

 

All of the HBA of Metro Denver's Regulatory and Technical Committees are meeting regularly – Join today and make your voice heard!

As a volunteer-driven organization, the HBA's Jobsite Safety Committee, Permitting Committee, Regulated Utilities Committee and Stormwater Management Committee help guide the HBA's events and activities throughout the year. Consider joining one — or more — if you want to build strong, long-lasting relationships and make a difference to your fellow HBA members, while sharpening your leadership skills. Please visit the HBA website for more information or reach out to Morgan Cullen if you are ready to participate.