As we enter 2011, the homebuilding

industry in Texas stands at a crossroads.

Do we burden an ailing industry with more

government regulation and fees, or allow it

to flourish in a market that allows business

to deal with a fluid economy effectively

and efficiently.

While our great state will lead the nation

yet again in housing starts, the severe

housing downturn has resulted in a

decrease in statewide home starts of over

50 percent from the height we experienced

just two Legislative Sessions ago.

Historically, the homebuilding industry has

served as an economic driver and can

continue to do so if policy makers consider

the impact of their decisions on the cost

and availability of housing. While the

market undoubtedly has an effect on

affordability, much of it is dependent upon

governmental regulations, barriers, and

fees and that can be controlled.

High housing costs can lead to workers

relocating, long commutes, and an

unreasonable share of the populaces

income spent on housing; none of which

are beneficial to the community or

individual. Some experts believe that the

states population will nearly double by

the year 2030, necessitating a momentous

increase in our housing stock. Much of

this housing will be needed to

accommodate our states workforce,

where affordable housing is in high

demand. How this increase breaks down

between single-family and multifamily

housing has yet to be determined, but

both segments are vital to the continued

economic vitality of this state. The

benefits of homeownership, however, are

hard to deny: the building of wealth, a

sense of community and a stable home

for our children.

The scope of issues that impact the

homebuilding industry is enormous.

From environmental impacts and taxes to

property rights and tort reform, our

industry feels the brunt of burdensome

regulations on a myriad of levels. As this

82nd session progresses, several issues

that will dominate our agenda include:

Business Taxes and Fees

Consumer Choice for Residential Fire

Sprinklers

Reasonable Immigration Reforms

Sensible Energy Efficiency Standards

Rational Regulatory Requirements

Contractual Freedom of Choice

The Protection of Property Rights

Preventing the overreaching burden of

governmental control through land use

powers and other means.

Restricting the Growth of Government

Reasonable regulation and proven market

driven approaches will help to propel the

residential construction industry to its

regular status as an economic workhorse,

helping to lead the charge to a full

economic recovery for our state and

nation. These are some of the reasons we

go to Austin for Rally Day. Join the

EPAB February 22-23. For information

contact the EPAB at 915-778-5387.

Issue 2 2011 Building El Pasos tomorrow today

Builders OutlookP

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Rally Day 2011: FEBRUaRy 22-23

TEXAS BUILdERS UNITE AT cAPITOL

EXPLORE AUSTIN:

INSIDE>

Meet our Local

Legislators of the

82nd session

Taxes, fees, property

rights among top issues

Any trip to Austin can be made special by the wide variety of things and

places to see and do. While the main purpose may be something else, like our

Rally Day event, its also an opportunity to experience Austins food, spirits

and entertainment. Here are some places to see or do during your stay.

By Ray Adauto

The Driskill Hotel: The Driskill is a

landmark hotel located on 6th Street and

San Jacinto, just a few blocks from the

state capitol and steps away from the

action on 4th, 5th, and 6th streets. The

Driskill is small in comparison to the

more modern hotels doting the landscape

of Austin, but make no mistake the

Driskill is an experience all its own.

From the beautifully restored lobby to

the fancy decorations in your room the

hotel has a world renowned steak house

and ballroom. Heads of state have used

the Driskill including President Lyndon

Johnson who listened to his election

returns from his suite at the Driskill.

Governors, Senators and Presidents have

mingled with cattle barons and oil

tycoons at the Driskill. You can enjoy

this hotel during your stay. It is an

experience not soon forgotten. And by

the way, you may just encounter a spirit

or two and were not talking about at the

bar.

6th Street: Austin is weird and weird is

6th street. This eclectic grouping of

bars, theaters, food and shopping just

signals that youve arrived at the center

of fun in downtown Austin. Austin is

dubbed Live Music Capital of the

World and 6th street is where a lot of

that is done. Some of the citys more

unique shops are along this long street

which stretches from the gaudiness near

Congress to a more reflective

atmosphere as you head toward MoPac.

How different? Well imagine walking

down old Juarez and then ending up at

Kern. Kind of like that, only in Austin

youll see the workers in suits and ties

transform into hippies at night. Some

establishments are close to risky adding

to the mystique of 6th street. Other

cities may claim they have something

similar to 6th street, but make no

mistake, there is only one and thats the

one in Austin. Heck if you drive far

enough out youll find a Whole Foods

market. Now thats weird.

Story Continues on page 4

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Jose Rodriguez, (D)

Senator, District 29Jose Rodriguez is

the son of migrant

farm workers, born

in Alice, Texas, in

1948. From an early

age, he worked in

fields throughout the

United States to help

support a family of nine. Jose graduated

in the class of 1967 from Pharr-San Juan-

Alamo High School in Pharr, Texas, in

the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

He attended Pan American University

in Edinburg, Texas, where he was

student body president and graduated in

1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in

Government. He realized his dream of

becoming a lawyer when he graduated in

1974 from the National Law Center at

George Washington University in the

nations capital. He and his family have

made their home in El Paso for 27 years,

since 1983.

He has practiced law for 35 years, 33

of them in the public interest sector. As

El Paso County Attorney, he was elected

for 5 terms beginning in 1993. Before

assuming his duties as County Attorney,

Jose was Legal Advisor to County Judge

Alicia R. Chacon. He began his legal

career as a staff attorney with the United

States Department of Housing and Urban

Development in Washington, D.C. He

practiced law with the firm of Rodriguez,

Lewis& Collins and worked for 10 years

as a staff attorney and director of the

farm worker program of Texas Rural

Legal Aid, Inc, a statewide legal services

program.

As County Attorney for the last 17

years, Jose represented the County of El

Paso, its elected officials, and the county

hospital district, as well as the State of

Texas in matters involving juvenile

crime, child and elder abuse, mental

health, deceptive business practices, and

environmental enforcement. His work

included challenging the State on

transportation funding, Medicaid

reimbursement rates, and mental health

funding. His legislative advocacy

contributed to the enactment of colonia

Rally day 2011: FEBRUaRy 22-23

Meet our Local Legislators of the 82nd session

legislation, border county regulatory

authority, first environmental State court,

and historic county ethics legislation.

Joe Pickett, (D)Joe Pickett has been

in the legislature for his

eighth term. He has

served the 79th District

which reaches out from

the eastside to northeast

El Paso. Representative

Pickett is no stranger to

the home builders and

has been supportive of issues that affect the

industry. His understanding of real estate

comes from his background as a broker and

real estate investor. Mr. Picketts biography

is posted on his website, joepickett.com and

we have taken some of the following

information from there.

Joe C. Pickett is a member of the Texas

House of Representatives, where he is

presently serving his eighth term. Rep.

Pickett is currently serving as Chairman of

the House Committee on Transportation.

In addition, he is a member of the House

Committee on Defense and Veterans

Affairs and the House Committee on

Redistricting.

Representative Pickett is a member of the

House Research Organization Committee.

This committee reports on all legislation

which is scheduled for floor debate. The

reports are a balanced analysis and include

the pros and cons of each bill.

Representative Pickett started his

political career as a City Council member

for the City of El Paso, Texas. During his

time on City Council, he was appointed to

serve on the Central Appraisal District

Board for El Paso County and the Pension

Board for the City of El Paso.

Representative Pickett holds a Texas

Real Estate Broker's license and has been a

real estate educator for more than two

decades. He has written his own text book

for continuing education classes and still

teaches one or two days a month, schedule

permitting. He is the author of several

children=s books, with two of his books

already published and being marketed

throughout the United States. It is a big part

of his efforts to support children's literacy

programs.

Representative Pickett's civic

involvement includes membership on the

boards of the Advocacy Center for the

Children of El Paso, the Texas YMCAs

Policy Council and the Advisory Council

for Health Sciences for the University of El

Paso. He has been a member of the Lions

Club for the past 18 years, a former

member of the El Paso Crime Stoppers

Board, and served five years as a volunteer

board member, then Chairman of a local

credit union. The main thrust of his civic

involvement has been the forming of a 501-

C3 non-profit organization that fights

graffiti, supervises troubled youth who are

required to serve community service hours

and enhancing the aesthetics of the

community through tree planting, cleaning

and building renovation projects.

Get ready for Austin! Its time to prepare

for Rally Day and all the interesting and

fun things we can do when we visit our

elected officials in Austin February 22-23.

I hope we have an outstanding number of

you join us. Its the one time you can see

firsthand how we work with TAB and the

legislature.

There are a couple of things that a new

year brings to the El Paso Association of

Builders that really get the blood going.

January is when we traditionally gather as a

national fraternity at the National

Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

annual convention and International

Builders Show. In 2011 and 2012 the IBS

and NAHB meetings are being held in

Orlando, Florida. The show was a little

smaller this year, but given the economy we

are lucky to have had a respectable vendor

presence. The show was easy to get around

with a little wider aisle and less people run-

ning into you and frankly I had a pretty

good time visiting with many. Ray and I

partnered up and we had some interesting

visits particularly with the Chinese delega-

tions that were set up there. The IBS

returns next year about a month later than

this year and I think that will help get more

people there. El Paso was pretty well rep-

resented with a dozen or so members.

Thanks for going.

January also brought the first board meet-

ing of the year. I have changed the schedule

for meetings and meeting times to try to get

a better working meeting and following the

recommendations of our strategic planning

group. Ray handed out some important

paperwork to the board in attendance and it

includes some documents that entrust the

board to act responsibly for the good of the

association. New IRS regulations and good

business practices really require more

scrutiny and more transparency in the gov-

ernance of the association. We have taken

steps to ensure that and have made policy

changes to enforce those steps.

Finally Id like to thank Sam

Shallenberger, Ray Adauto and staff Angie

and Margaret for their work on the Spring

Home Show. By all accounts it was a suc-

cess especially on Saturday when the

crowds packed the Convention Center. At

the Tropicana display we literally had thou-

sands of visitors in the three days and as I

walked around and saw other booths they

were busy as well. With the economy

improving I think a show like this does

good things for El Paso and for our

Association. Thank you to the 25 members

who took time to display at OUR show.

This event is a part of our budget every year

and it is only with member support that we

make any money from it. While we look at

future events I would encourage and ask

each one of our members to participate and

help us get the good word out about the El

Paso Association of Builders. Our show

does this with your help. See you in Austin!

Greg

Bowling

President,

El Paso Association

of Builders

Presidents Message

Builders Outlook3

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Chente

Quintanilla,

(D) 75th DistrictRepresentativeInnocente ChenteQuintanilla representsDistrict 75, that stretch-es from past Tornillo,

Horizon City all the way to parts of LeeTrevino on the eastside. The large landarea that this district encompasses is goingto be where most of the growth for ourarea takes place. Within the area are thecolonias that the 81st Legislature felt com-pelled to focus its efforts on. Throughwork at the legislative committee level andin meetings with others the El PasoAssociation of Builders has maintained agood working relationship withRepresentative Quintanilla.

Mr. Quintanilla is an educator by tradeand is intimately involved in ensuring thathis poorer parts of the district do not losefunding, and that his more affluent schooldistricts are not discriminated upon by anyRobin Hood legislation. RepresentativeQuintanilla is regular contributor to theEPAB Builders Outlook newspaper wherehis subject matter concentrates on issuesrelating to building trades, legislation, andprogress within his legislative district.

Representative Quintanilla entered thestate legislature in 2003. His staff hasworked with the El Paso Association ofBuilders on a variety of issues during thoseyears especially on the issue of countyauthority.

Marisa Marquez,

(D) 77th DistrictRepresentative Marisa

Marquez represents dis-trict 77 in El Paso. Thisdistrict runs from aboutViscount and Hawkinsnorth to Fred Wilson,

then encapsulates all of central and down-town El Paso, then around to areas aroundKern and Rim Road. The diversity of con-stituants in this district is staggering.Representative Marquez was elected onNovember 4, 2008 and is serving her firstterm in the Texas House ofRepresentatives.

Representative Marquez graduated fromFaith Christian Academy as Valedictorianin 1996. She completed her Bachelor ofBusiness Administration in Finance andBusiness Economics in 2000 fromUniversity of Notre Dame.

In her initial legislative yearRepresentative Marquez worked with theEl Paso Association of Builders and TexasAssociation of Builders to find a compro-mise on county authority legislation.Representative Marquez was elected bythe Legislative Study Group (LSG) HouseCaucus as the Ex-Oficio board member torepresent the freshman class on the LSGboard, the only freshman position on theLSG executive committee. She is also amember of the Mexican AmericanLegislative Caucus. She sits on three com-mittees: Corrections, County Affairs, andRules & Resolutions. No assignmentshave been made for the 82 Legislature atpress time.

Naomi Gonzalez,

(D) 76th DistrictNaomi R. Gonzalez

is an attorney andpolitician from El Paso,Texas. She is aDemocratic member ofthe Texas House of

Representatives, where she represents the76th district in El Paso County.

Gonzalez graduated from JeffersonHigh School in El Paso, before going toOur Lady of the Lake University in SanAntonio and law school at Saint Mary'sUniversity. On graduating law school, she

worked at El Paso law firms before joiningthe El Paso County Attorney's office in2007 as an Assistant County Attorney.Gonzalez defeated seven-term incumbentNorma Chvez in the 2010 Democraticprimary runoff to capture a seat in theTexas House, capitalizing on a series ofhigh-profile controversies surroundingChvez. Despite running against a long-time incumbent, Gonzalez's campaignreceived the support of numerous localpolitical players, including the El PasoTimes, state senator Eliot Shapleigh andother members of the county's legislativedelegation. The race was highly negativeand personal, with each candidate launch-ing attacks against the other.

In the Democratic primary election heldon March 2, Gonzalez polled 48% of thevote to Chvez's 46%, with a minor candi-date taking the remainder.

Dee Margo, (R) District 78

Dee R. Donald Margo,better know as Dee, is theRepresentative forDistrict 78. Dee is theonly Republican repre-sentative and onlymember of the El Paso

Association of Builders in the Texas 82ndLegislature. Dee is CEO of the JDWInsurance company and has worked therefor over 30 years. He is married to Adair, aprominent artist and philanthropist. Deeran a successful campaign in 2010 tounseat the incumbent Pat Haggerty. Deesdistrict weaves through the Northeast sideof El Paso over to the Westside includingthe Upper Valley communities of Anthonyand Canutillo.

A resident of El Paso for over fourdecades, Dee has dedicated his life to serv-ing others. He is deeply committed to ful-filling his civic duty, and has taken leader-ship roles in numerous groups working to

better our community and improve ourquality of life. Those areas include jobsand infrastructure, education, health careand water quality.

He has been a strong leader in growingand diversifying El Pasos economy as anactive member of the Greater El PasoChamber of Commerce, the El PasoRegional Economic DevelopmentCorporation, and the Paso Del NorteGroup.

Dee also helped found the Border Fund,a non-profit foundation providing over$26 million in charitable grants to localvolunteer groups. His firm is the principalpartner in Operation Noel, providing over13,000 coats for needy El Paso children,from toddlers to teenagers, eachChristmas.

A current member of the WorldPresidents Organization, and past memberof the Young Presidents Organization, Deehas been honored as an exemplary rolemodel in business ethics.

Dee has also been recognized for hisgenerous work on behalf of others. Hereceived the Department of the ArmysOutstanding Civilian Service Medal forhis work on behalf of Ft. Bliss, the El PasoChamber of Commerces Star Award, andthe League of Women Voters BRAVOAward. He was inducted into JuniorAchievements El Paso Business Hall ofFame in 1999.

Born on February 3, 1952, Dee attendedVanderbilt University on a football schol-arship where he received a bachelorsdegree in history and economics, andwhere he met his wife Adair, also aVanderbilt graduate.

This is Dees freshman year as a legisla-ture but he has been intimately involved inRepublican politics for decades. His con-nections with the Governor and the leader-ship of the Senate and House give Deeexperience that few freshmen legislatorshave.

This issue is dedicated to the upcomingRally Day in Austin coming up February22-23, followed by the TAB meetings 24-26. This happens only every other yearwhen the legislature is in session. Thatdoesnt mean the government stops whenthere is no session it just means that this isthe designated time to add bills that comeup for action or inaction depending onwho gets the votes. Everyone is talkingabout the budget shortfall and how cutsare going to be made in all areas of Texasgovernment.

What we are concerned with as anassociation is that some elected yoyodoesnt make building a home or sellingthe parts for it any harder than it already isby enacting laws that raise prices anddont accomplish anything else. Its a jobthat we depend on a select group of ElPasoans to take our voice to the legislatureand also to TAB. Rally Day is importantfor you and us and thats why itsimportant you go and join us that day.Our Rally Day calendar is almost full (attime of press) so we are looking forwardto meeting with our delegation. Join usfor the day. Im sure youll find it a greatexperience.

The year has already had some goodactivity at the EPAB. Our first regularlyscheduled board meeting took place theweek after the National Association ofHome Builders meeting in Orlando, thehome of the frozen orange juice. Man wasit cold. The IBS had about 30% fewerdisplays and attendees, but as PresidentGreg Bowling said this time the show waseasier to get around to and visit withvendors. The vendors said to us that theywere pleased with the quality of theturnout, saying that their purpose wassales and they were getting them. BothGreg and I went around and thanked thevendors for showing up as this is a majorbudget item for the NAHB. All in all itwas a quick and interesting trip. I stillvote for Las Vegas and really cant waituntil it goes back there in a couple ofyears. By then we should be movingalong nicely and sales of new homesshould be returning on track.

The Spring Home Show right here in ElPaso was held the weekend of January 23-25. I would like to publicly thank GregBowling and Sam Shallenberger for theirleadership in coordinating the show withthe promoter. While we cant pleaseeveryone I have to say that we were happywith the number of displays and vendorparticipation. It is especially hard to layout money for a booth when the economyis hurting, but we had 25 membercompanies participate and we thank you.Doing a show, any show can help you getpotential suspects, because lets be honest,you have only suspects until you turn

them into prospects. Where else couldyou have reached out to thousands ofpotential suspects that weekend? Noteven the mall my friends. Certainly thequality of people who attended hadbuying on the mind. There is a pent updemand for services and products aspeople look to improve their home orapartment. Sam and I are working onsome ideas for the future and we hope thatincludes you.

Finally the recent increase in the bondrequirement from the City of El Paso hasreally put a lot of pressure on contractors,developers and the association. If youdont know the City has raised the bond to$50,000 for contractors to have permitauthorization. You ask why the City didthis. The answer they gave us knockedme for a loop. They want to protect theconsumer and take out the bad playersthat do shoddy work. Thats the answerthat I got face to face with City officials.First of all the City is not here to protectconsumers, especially from themselves.The City said it all came to a head with theroofing companies that came into El Pasoduring a hail storm late in 09. Consumer

complaints were escalating and the Cityfound themselves in a situation where thebond amount of $10,000 just didnt covermany roofs. Well heres a news flash: abond is not insurance and raising the bondfor this purpose just opens a target forshysters and their accomplishingattorneys. The requirement for the higherbond is causing many to do without and orto have to personally guarantee the bond.The second reason for the increase, againaccording to a City official, is to root outthe guys who shouldnt be in business tostart with. Can you say what???????Since when is it the Citys job to forcepeople, good people, out of business justbecause the new rules for bonds cant bemet? Where is the justice in this andwhere is legality of it? We are trying towork with Development Services and theCity attorney. But this small preview ofwhat they are thinking should send chillsdown your bones and in every El Pasobusiness persons bones. Today its us;soon youll see City officials inside theoperating room telling the doctors how tooperate. Just wait.

Lots of work to do in Austin and at homePerspective

Builders Outlook4 FEBRUARY 2011

Ray Adauto,

Executive

Vice President

EPAB

...the recent increase in the bond requirement from the City of

El Paso has really put a lot of pressure on contractors,

developers and the association. If you dont know the City has

raised the bond to $50,000 for contractors to have permit

authorization. You ask why the City did this. The answer they

gave us knocked me for a loop. They want to protect the

consumer and take out the bad players that do shoddy work.

The Capitol:

Well be meeting in the front of thisfabulous building for Rally Day.Constructed out of pink granite andlimestone the Texas Capitol is anextraordinary example of late 19thcentury public architecture and is widelyrecognized as one of the nations mostdistinguished state capitols. It was placedon the National Register of HistoricPlaces in 1970 and designated a NationalHistoric Landmark in 1986 for its"significant contribution to Americanhistory."

Sited on one of Austin's highest points,the Capitol anchors the northernperiphery of the downtown commercialdistrict and commands a sweeping viewtowards the Colorado River from itssouthern faade. The main campus of TheUniversity of Texas at Austin is situatedfour blocks to the north. Completed in1888 as the winning design from anational competition, the Capitol's style isRenaissance Revival, based on thearchitecture of 15th-century Italy andcharacterized by classical orders, roundarches and symmetrical composition. Thestructural exterior walls are "sunset red"granite, quarried just 50 miles from the

site. Additional structural support isprovided by masonry walls and cast ironcolumns and beams. The foundation islimestone. Texas paid for the constructionnot in dollars, but in land: some threemillion acres in the Texas Panhandle thatwould later become the famous XITRanch.

An extraordinary edifice by anymeasure, the 1888 Texas Capitol is thelargest in gross square footage of all statecapitols and is second in total size only tothe National Capitol in Washington, D.C.Like several other state capitols, the 1888Texas Capitol surpasses the NationalCapitol in height, rising almost 15 feetabove its Washington counterpart.

The Bob Bullock Texas HistoryMuseum: Relive the pages of Texashistory at the Bob Bullock Texas StateHistory Museum. Interactive exhibits,artifacts, an IMAX Theatre and the multi-sensory Texas Spirit Theatre bring themyth, legend and fact of Texas all togetherunder one roof. The IMAX theatre featuresfirst run movies including those fancy new3D movies but only 5 stories taller thanwhat youll see at Tinsletown. Its onlyblocks away from your stay downtown.

South Congress Avenue:

This is one of my favorite spots to eat andsee a lighter version of Austin weird.South Congress is across the river fromdowntown and houses some really goodfood and some really cool shops.Guerros is a favorite haunt for us as weexperience what I call Austin-Mex (heavyon the Mex here) at its very finest.World famous margaritas, busy waiters,and a full house generally welcome youany time of day or night. Remember thatin Austin the way they say the name iscloser to Gwer-ohs with a hard g at thefront. Theres a lot of that in Austin. Tryfinding Man-shack. Youll be surprisedthat its really Manchaca. Weird. Justacross the street is perhaps some of thebest pizza in town. Its Home Slice-Queen of Pies and the smell of fresh pizzaopens up your appetite as you drive orwalk by. Dont miss South Congress. Itsreally a good place for weird shops andart galleries. Youll also see the hottesttrend in food- food trailers! An Airstreamwith the giant cupcake (Hey Cupcake!) isnormally parked at the end of SouthCongress.

Finally you could add Huts Burgers,

Chuys, or other great Austin onlyrestaurants to my list of must dos. But Idbe remiss if I didnt point you to someother places like the great BBQ on nearlyevery other corner, or to Eddie Vs, oreven some out of this world Asian bistroslike Suzis or late night at the Magnolia.Sure you can venture out to the campus ofUT, or go the LBJ Museum or do someshopping at The Domain (home ofTiffanys and Neiman Marcus). All ofthis is good but I think if you really want

to know a city look at its food and itll tellyou about its soul. Austin. From Amysice cream to Z-Tejas. Where else can youget your weird on and enjoy it so much. For additional information you can lookup the dozens of websites dedicated toAustin visits.

Rally day 2011: FEBRUaRy 22-23

EXPLORE AUSTIN: Continued from front cover

Builders Outlook 5FEBRUARY2011

We now know how much less the State

of Texas has to spend on government and

assistance programs. The Comptroller

announced a shortfall from the last session

of almost $28 billion. If it was the

intention of the legislature to continue

every program at the same levels of the

past two years, then the $28 billion would

be considered a budget deficit. We would

have to find a way to produce the revenues

in order to maintain the status quo.

That is not the way the Texas

constitution allows the process to go

forward. Unlike the federal budget, there

are no loans to bridge deficits. We have

$28 billion less to spend and that is it.

In case you missed it, I posed the

problem in absolutes in the above

paragraphs. Neither option is the best.

That is the peril of politics: one becomes

blind to compromise for the sake of

political expediency.

Yes, we have a budget problem. But

Texas is also a very wealthy state. There is

an abundance of wealth that can bridge the

gap between the two extremes.

The House Appropriations Chair,

Representative Jim Pitts, made a grim

announcement about the appropriations bill

which is being filed this week. His

comment was that there was going to be a

lot of pain. That is the easy way of

avoiding the arduous task of compromise.

One of the issues that we know will be

dramatically impacted is public education.

The reality with this issue is that the state is

going to require the status quo on standards

set by the state; but, in the end, will pass the

funding problem to the local communities.

What is ironic about passing the funding

locally is that public education, as opposed

to all of the other provisions in an

appropriations bill, is specifically

dedicated in the Texas Constitution as a

state charge.

A general diffusion of knowledge being

essential to the preservation of the liberties

and rights of the people, it shall be the duty

of the Legislature of the State to establish

and make suitable provision for the support

and maintenance of an efficient system of

public free schools.

Those are the words in our constitution.

It is obvious that public education should

be funded by the state at a level that meets

the lofty goal for the diffusion of

knowledge. Unfortunately, the wording is

conveniently vague so that those wish not

to increase state revenues can conveniently

pass the buck to local taxpayers.

When it comes to education, that is a

poor decision. Tap the wealth and raise the

education bar. This would require

wealthier communities to share their

property tax wealth with poorer

communities.

While the level of public education, in

comparison with other states, languishes in

the lowest percentiles, the future of our

state grows increasingly dim. Without

highly educated workforces in the future,

we will be restricted in the types of

industries or businesses that locate here.

The future prosperity of Texas teeters on

the brink while decision makers mindlessly

pursue the policy, in absolute lockstep, of

no new tax revenues.

$500,000,000. Five hundred million.

Half a billion. No matter how you look at

it, that is the price we have paid in local

property taxes since 1998 for a broken

health insurance system that leaves one in

three people in El Paso without health

insurance.

According to the latest figures from

University Medical Center, we are paying

70 percent more to cover the costs of

those who could not afford to pay for

health care than we did just 10 years ago.

This problem is simply unsustainable.

The cost to El Paso property tax payers

now exceeds $50 million a year, and it

continues to grow.

Nationally, the number of people

without insurance also continues to rise,

as insurance is becoming out of reach for

more Americans. In the U.S., more than

50 million people are now without health

insurance twice the size of Texas entire

population.

Fortunately, last year Congress passed,

and the President signed into law, the

Patient Protection and Affordable Care

Act that will help address this problem by

providing affordable health insurance

options to those who are currently

uninsured. With over 230,000 people in

our community without health insurance,

this law is critical to the physical health of

tens of thousands of local families, and to

our regions long term economic health.

While some aspects of the new law take

effect in 2014, El Pasoans are already

benefiting from the insurance protections

that are now in place.

The Patient Protect Act put an end to the

health insurance industrys most harmful

practices, such as denying insurance to

children with preexisiting conditions, and

the termination of benefits when an

individual develops a serious illness or

reaches an established cap on coverage.

All of these are now a thing of the past.

Today, young El Pasoans can stay on

their parents insurance until the age of 26.

This provision is particularly important

because young people make up the largest

demographic without health insurance in

the nation.

El Paso seniors can now receive free

preventative care such as mammograms

and colonoscopies, and an annual

wellness visit, without copayments,

coinsurance, or deductibles. Seniors who

hit the Medicare donut hole now qualify

for a 50 percent discount on certain

prescription drugs and $250 to help cover

drug costs until the donut hole is

eliminated. El Paso seniors have already

received more than $550,000 under the

legislation to help pay for much needed

prescriptions.

Over the long term, the Patient

Protection Act will significantly improve

the health and quality of life for so many

El Pasoans. It will encourage them to

seek preventative treatment in a doctors

office, not in an emergency room, which

is the most expensive type of health care.

Republicans in Congress, however, are

trying to turn back the clock. Last week,

the Republican-led House passed H.R. 2,

a bill to dismantle the Patient Protection

and Affordable Care Act, and failed to

propose an alternative solution. The

Republican legislation would put

insurance companies back in the driver

seat, and allow them to once again decide

who gets coverage and who does not. It

would allow the health insurance industry

to reinstate the same harmful practices

that are now prohibited by law.

Texas already has more uninsured

children and adults than any other state,

and the problem will continue to get

worse if this legislation is repealed.

As we have seen with the rising costs

incurred by local property tax payers to

treat those without insurance, doing

nothing is an option we really cannot

afford.

$28 billion dollar shortfall to impact Texans significantly

Health care repeal will shove costs to property tax payers

Chente Quintanilla

State Representative

Guest Perspective

Guest Perspective

Silvestre Reyes

US Congress

YouR

Plumbing SupplySource in El Paso

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Builders Outlook6 FEBRUARY2011

Members of the National Association of

Home Builders (NAHB) elected four

senior officers to top leadership positions

within the federation during the

association's International Builders' Show

in Orlando.

With more than 800 affiliated state and

local home builders associations and more

than 160,000 members across the country,

NAHB is the "voice of the housing

industry," representing the interests of the

nation's housing professionals through

advocacy, education and research.

Taking the helm as NAHB's Chairman

of the Board this year is Bob Nielsen, a

Reno, Nev.-based home builder. A leader

in the Reno area home building and

development industries for more than 25

years, Nielsen is president of Shelter

Properties, a development and

management company headquartered in

northern Nevada.

Nielsen has been at the forefront of

NAHB's efforts to strengthen the

residential construction industry in

response to the current economic

downturn. At a time when many banks are

under pressure to reduce lending to the

housing industry, Nielsen has been

working with the banking industry and its

regulators to restore the flow of credit to

builders for sound projects.

"Policy makers and the financial

services industry need to understand that

you can't paint the building industry with a

broad brush," Nielsen said. "There are

many solid projects in vibrant markets that

are a good investment right now. The

housing industry needs credit for those

projects in order to get housing going

again as an engine of job growth in

America."

Also moving up on the association's

leadership ladder during NAHB's Orlando

board meeting was Gainesville, Fla.-based

home builder Barry Rutenberg, who was

elected to be NAHB's First Vice Chairman

of the Board. The president of Barry

Rutenberg and Associates, Inc., he has

more than 35 years of experience in the

housing industry and has developed more

than a dozen communities and 1,000

homes in te Gainesville area.

Rick Judson, a builder and developer

from Charlotte, N.C. was elected to the

post of Second Vice Chairman. Judson,

who owns the Evergreen Development

Group, has several decades of experience

in land development and construction of

single-family, multifamily and commercial

projects.

Kevin Kelly, a Delaware builder and

developer with more than 30 years of

experience in the building industry, was

elected as the 2011 Third Vice Chairman

of the Board. Kelly has been a builder and

developer since he joined Leon N. Weiner

& Associates in 1979 and became actively

involved at the Home Builders Association

of Delaware. His building experience

includes land development, multifamily

and single-family home building,

construction financing and property

management.

2010 NAHB Chairman Bob Jones, from

Bloomfield Hills, Mich., remains on the

leadership ladder as Immediate Past

Chairman. Jones is president of Robert R.

Jones Homes, specializing in land

development and the design and

construction of single-family luxury

homes throughout metropolitan Detroit.

Rounding out the association's

leadership is NAHB Chief Executive

Officer Jerry Howard, from Washington,

D.C. Howard heads up a professional staff

of more than 250 working out of the

National Housing Center in Washington.

He has served as the association's

CEO/EVP since February of 2001.

Previously, Howard was NAHB's chief tax

counsel.

nations home builders elect leadership for 2011

nahb chairmans perspective

on Presidents State Of The

Union address

Bob Nielsen, chairman of the

National Association of Home

Builders (NAHB) and a home

builder from Reno, Nev., issued the

following statement in regards to

President Obamas State of the

Union address.

As President Obama charts a

course for the nations economic

future, we all need to understand

that housing must play a vital role

to stimulate job and economic

growth. Restoring the health of the

housing industry is a crucial first

step in bolstering job creation and

leading the economy to higher

ground. Now is not the time to

abandon our governments long-

standing commitment to housing.

www.nahb.com

National Association

of Home Builders

Two of the most valuable

advertising tools have

joined forces...

Introducing the all new 2011 Builder Book.

Now, you can reach the home building industry PLUS the

home buying consumer all in one innovative publication.

As a member of EPAB, you can receive substantial

discounts in both our print and online version.

DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY!

Call Margaret at EPAB 778-5387 Today!

Builders Outlook 7FEBRUARY2011

EPAB ON THE SCENE

.FEBRUARY 2011

The Spring Home Show presented by the

EPAB was held the weekend of January 21-

23 at the El Paso Convention Center. Nearly

100 vendors participated in the three day

whirlwind event. Crowds were very good

especially on Saturday when a steady flow of

attendees swept into the show. While ven-

dors presented their goods the attendees were

treated to two performances from the St. Pius

X church folklorico group comprised of spe-

cial needs members of that church. Our

thanks go to the Estrellitas De Dios dancers

and to Laura Cortez of Tropicana Homes for

making the arrangements.

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Builders Outlook10FEBRUARY2011

2011 New American

Home Combines

Elegance with

Green Innovation

The 2011 edition of The New American

Home (TNAH) features leading-edge green

building technology woven seamlessly into

the elegant architecture of the well-crafted

house. The home has achieved Emerald

status under the National Green Building

Standard certification program.

Featuring American Empire design with

Greek Revival elements, the home combines

an inviting layout with graceful style,

eccentric interiors and easy classicism. Built

in a quiet Orlando neighborhood, it offers lake

views with the Orlando skyline beyond. The

show home is a highlight of the International

Builders Show (IBS), taking place this week

in Orlando.

Anyone attending the International

Builders Show should see The New American

Home, said Alex Hannigan, a past TNAH

builder and current chairman of the TNAH

Task Force that oversees the project each year.

Whether youre looking for ideas on green

building, technology systems integration or

the latest design trends, this home will give

you great ideas that you can take back to your

business.

Now in its 28th year, The New American

Home is constructed annually in conjunction

with the NAHB International Builders Show

to showcase innovative building technologies

and the latest building products.

As NAHBs official show home, it displays

design trends, construction techniques, and

materials that the building industry can use in

any new or remodeled home. The showcase

products in the home are provided by

members of NCHI, the National Council of

the Housing Industry, the leading

manufacturers and suppliers for the

construction industry.

In keeping with increasing demand for

energy- and resource-efficiency, TNAH 2011

has achieved Emerald certification under

the National Green Building Standard. The

Standard was developed by NAHB and

approved by ANSI, the American National

Standards Institute. Emerald is the highest

of the four levels of achievement in resource

efficiency that the Standard recognizes.

Certification to the standard is provided by the

NAHB Research Center.

To attain Emerald status under the standard,

TNAH 2011 relies on the latest innovations in

green building and construction technology,

including a state-of-the-art energy efficiency

package. The homes green building features

include masonry block construction for

exterior walls, a solar assisted HVAC system,

solar hot water heater with gas backup, and

spray foam insulation for different parts of the

house. It also includes a greywater recycling

system, tankless hot water heaters, hydronic

air handlers, and intelligent fire places.

Other energy and resource efficiency

features include:

Energy Star Appliances

Low VOC paints, stains, adhesives and

sealants

Formaldehyde-free wood cabinetry,

paneling & sheathing

Whole house automation system

Whole house lighting control system

Dual flush water closets

Low flow shower head and faucets

Native & drought tolerant plants

Artificial grass

Weather controlled irrigation system

Rainwater harvesting system

In addition to state-of-the-art green building

technology, TNAH 2011 features dynamic

aesthetic design, including fountains, pools,

solar elements and leading edge art-glass

work. In addition to the Emerald certification

under the National Green Building Standard,

TNAH National Green Building Standard

Emerald Status, Energy Star certification,

FGBC (Florida Green Building Coalition)

Platinum certification, Florida Yards and

Neighborhoods designation, Florida Water

Star designation, Progress Energy Home

Advantage Program

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Fx. (915-833-6437

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Builders Outlook 11february 2011

The National Association of Home

Builders (NAHB) applauds the

Occupational Safety and Health

Administrations (OSHA) decision to

withdraw the interim fall protection

guidelines for residential construction that

were issued in 1995 and revert to the

previous guidelines.

Job site safety is the number one priority

for builders, said NAHB Chairman Bob

Jones, a home builder from Bloomfield

Hills, Mich. This action will clarify what

actions builders need to take to comply with

OSHA regulations while helping to ensure

safer work sites.

The interim guideline, intended as a

temporary policy, was implemented in 1995

to allow employers to use alternative

measures for fall protection without having

to provide a written, site-specific fall-

protection plan or prove that conventional

fall-protection systems were not feasible for

a particular project. Prior to 1995, OSHA

required builders to provide conventional

fall protection (i.e., guardrail systems,

personal fall-arrest systems or safety-net

systems) for workers engaged in residential

construction working six feet or more

above a lower level. If an employer

determined that using conventional fall-

protection methods was not feasible or

would create a greater hazard, the employer

had to provide a written fall-protection plan

utilizing alternative fall protection methods.

OSHAs new compliance directive (STD

03-11-002) eliminates the interim guideline

and reverts back to the pre-1995 regulation.

In a 2008 letter, NAHB requested that

OSHA rescind the interim guideline as it

created confusion about fall protection

requirements for residential construction.

The new directive (STD 0311002) will

require employers to comply with 29 CFR

1926.501(b)(13), which will eliminate

confusion in the residential construction

industry as to which fall-protection

methods and systems must be used and

would make compliance with OSHA fall-

protection requirements for the home

building industry much simpler and easier

to understand, as well as put into practice

according to the letter. The guideline still

provides flexibility for employers by

allowing them to implement a written fall-

protection plan if they determine that

conventional systems are not feasible or

create a greater hazard to workers.

OSHAs Advisory Committee on

Construction Safety and Health and the

Occupational Safety and Health State Plan

Association also supported rescinding the

interim guideline.

Construction and roofing companies

have until June 16, 2011 to comply with the

new directive.

For more information on complying with

fall protection regulations and training

materials,visit:

www.nahb.org/fallprotection.

New OSHA Ruling clarifies key

residential safety regulations

Builders Outlook12FEBRUARY 2011

Showroom: 2131 Missouri

915 533 6045 fax 533 6096

Thomas R. Brown, Owner

February 1

Associates Council meeting

3:30

EPAB Office

February 9

Board meeting

3:30

EPAB Office

February 10

Speed Networking

2:00 4:00

EPAB Office

February 22 23

Office at

Rally Day

Austin, Texas

February 22 26

TAB Meetings

Austin, Texas

March 1

Associates Council

3:30

EPAB Office

March 10

Fall Protection

EPAB Office

March 17

Board and General Meeting

3:30

EPAB Office

RENEWALS SODA SPONSOR

CONDOLENCES

Aluindes Consultants

Anaheim Manufacturing

Baskind & Hosford

C & L Plumbing

Classic American Homes

GMF Custom Homes

Home of Texas

Jobe Materials, LP

Keenan Supply

Kings Aire

Prewire of El Paso

Rassette Homes, Inc.

Rebath of El Paso/Las Cruces

Teachers Federal Credit Union

Winton/Flair Homes

Builders Outlook 13FEBRUARY2011

UPCOMING EVENTS

Thanks to our

FEBRUARY

SODA SPONSOR:

Prewire of El Paso

Membership News

Condolences to Doug Borrett and family on the loss of his mother Jackie Borrett

4655 Cohen El Paso, Texas 79924 915-821-3550 www.tropicanahomes.com

A tradition of Excellence for over 60 Years

With sixty years of experience and over 10,000 qualityhomes built in El Paso, Tropicana Homes has become aname synonymous with quality construction. As they con-tinue to grow and expand, community involvement remainsa top priority. Their commitment to the industry and com-munity has made Tropicana Homes the premier builder inEl Paso.

El Paso Builder of the Year 1988, 1997, 2005

Texas Builder of the Year 2003

Texas Industry Leader 2004

Texas Developer of the Year 2009

REALTOR/Builder

By Sal Masoud

I would like to wish everyone a happy newyear and I feel optimistic that this year is goingto be a great year for our industry. I especiallyam encouraged after attending for the first timethe Associations Strategic Planning Sessionback in early December last year. We workedtogether to come up with ways to better managethe Association for the benefit of all members. Isaw the level of commitment in the group and Ihope that our effort will fruit positive in thecoming years.

It has been a while since I gave an update inregards to the Levee Construction Projects.

The United States Section of the International

Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC)held a public meeting of the Rio Grande CitizensForum. The meeting was held in Las Cruces NewMexico on Monday, December 13, 2010. Iattended that meeting as a member of theCitizens Forum Board.

As discussed in previous articles the USIBWCwas appropriated $220 million in 2009 throughthe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.This funding will allow for 130.5 miles of leveeconstruction in the Upper Rio Grande, worth$115.4 million, including $75.3 million in NewMexico. Other Upper Rio Grande construction istaking place in El Paso, Hudspeth, and PresidioCounties, Texas. The remainder of Recovery Actfunding is being used in the Lower Rio Grande ofSouth Texas.

The reason these levee improvements arebeing done is because the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) is updating floodinsurance rate maps and the levees need to becertified and accredited to be shown as providingprotection from the 1% chance storm (100-yearflood) with 3feet of freeboard and adequatestructural integrity.

The Hatch levee improvement project affects13.6 miles of levee between SalemBridge andBignell Arroyo. Expected completion date isMarch 2011. 13 miles of embankments arecomplete; we are still doing topsoil, gravel, andstructural work. Overall its 74% complete.

Mesilla Phase 1 levee improvement projectcovers east and west levees from Shalem Bridge

to Vado Bridge, a total of 33.4 miles of levee.Anticipated completion date is April 2011.

Mesilla Phase 2 construction just started. Thiscovers 19.6 miles of the east levee betweenRadium Springs and Mesilla Dam. They are stillmobilizing. Anticipated completion date isDecember 2011.

Canutillo Phase 1 affects 28.6 miles of eastand west levees between Vado

Bridge and Borderland Bridge (except the eastlevee between Vinton Bridge and

Borderland Bridge). Anticipated completiondate is May 2011.

The Sunland Park segment includes parts of ElPasos Upper Valley, covering

12.8 miles of levee on the east and westbetween Borderland Bridge and the Power Plant.

Anticipated completion date is February 2012.Work is just beginning there.

Canutillo Phase 2 covers 5.6 miles of eastlevee from Vinton Bridge to Borderland Bridge.This is a design contract only. Design isscheduled to be completed in May 2011.Construction is subject to future appropriations.This is a difficult segment to design and constructdue to limited USIBWC right-of-way and theproximity of the railroad to the river.

The Vado segment is a design contract for 1mile of east levee downstream from the VadoBridge. Anticipated completion of design isApril 2011. Construction is subject to futureappropriations.

The Fabens-Ft. Hancock segment involves15.4 miles of U.S. levee, including

8.5 miles in Fort Hancock and 6.9 miles inFabens. Anticipated completion date is

February 2011. The question now is: How do we reach

certification? The USIBWC will assemble a package for

FEMA that includes Operations andMaintenance manuals and agreements with otheragencies on structures that pass through thelevees. Construction needs to be completed inorder to submit as-built drawings. Afterconstruction is completed, it takes about threemonths to submit the package to FEMA.

Once submitted, FEMA may have questionsor may require additional information. FEMAwill look at all of the reaches, which may pose aproblem for the east levee due to outstandingVado and Canutillo Phase 2 projects.

The USIBWC is currently coordinating withthe City of El Paso and Doa Ana FloodCommission regarding this process. TheUSIBWC is not able to apply for FEMAs A99designation in which the levees are shown on theflood insurance rate map as under construction,with the idea that once construction is completed,FEMA would then change the designation. It isthe responsibility of local entities such as the Cityof El Paso to apply for this designation.

I also in my capacity as co-chair of the LandUse Council will continue to coordinate with theCity of El Paso and the USIBWC to make surethat the certification process is being followed upproperly in order for development in the upperand lower valley not to suffer.

Linda Troncoso

Sal Masoud

Sales Tax on Real Estate

Some legislators are advocating for applyingthe combined state-local sales tax rate (8.25%)to all real estate sales transactions that occur inTexas. A sales tax on real estate would beassessed on real estate when ownership of theproperty is sold or transferred from one party toanother (also referred to as a transfer tax). Asales tax on real estate would also apply to long-term leases. Proponents argue applying the salestax rate to all real estate transactions couldeliminate the burden of school property taxes inTexas. In 2007, school property taxes accountedfor 53.8% of total property taxes levied.

A sales tax on real estate transactions wouldmean fewer transactions take place and realproperty is less affordable. Any sales tax rateapplied to the real estate transaction wouldrequire purchasers to come up with tens ofthousands of dollars at the closing table to paythe new sales tax on real estate, in addition todown payment and closing costs. Some realestate experts and economists have opined asales tax rate of over 19.5% would be requiredto replace school property taxes in Texas, withthe sales tax rate increasing every year after tokeep up with fewer sales transactions as demandgoes down.

Applying the sales tax rate to all real estatetransactions in Texas would be a major burdento buyers and sellers. Additionally, this type oftax would have a negative impact on housingcosts and the real estate market as a whole;therefore, economic development would beseverely affected throughout Texas. Finally,because of the volatility of sales taxes, many

experts believe these taxes are a particularlypoor revenue source for the general operatingbudgets of state and local governments.

While some legislators have advocated forbroadening the sales tax to real estatetransactions, not one current Texas legislatorhas filed a bill to create this new taxing scheme.The outlook for this type of new tax to be passedby the legislature and signed into law by thegovernor is remote at best. Based on initialinformation from the comptrollers office andthe Real Estate Center at Texas A&M, schoolproperty taxes levied by school districts in 2007were $18.9 billion. So in order to replace schoolproperty taxes with a sales tax on real estate, itwould require nearly a 20% sales tax rate.During the last two years, the real estate marketin Texas has seen a decrease in sales volume;therefore, the sales tax rate would have beenover 23% in 2008 and over 26% in 2009 just toraise the same amount of revenue as the prioryear.

Texas State Legislature will meet fromJanuary 11, 2011 May 30, 2011 for to takecare of all legislative business for the years2011-2012. Please contact your Build PAC tovoice your opinion of the states legislativebusiness. They a can be contacted at:buildpac@elpasobuilders.com. You can accessa mobile version of TLO (Texas LegislatureOnline) through the Texas Legislative Council'sportal site http://www.txlegis.com on aBlackBerry, Windows Mobile, or iPhonedevice.

February Meeting: 2/10/11 from 12-2PM atthe Greater El Paso Association ofREALTORS.

Speaker will be Saratoga Homes and theirEducation Topic will be Green Building.

Fostering harmony amongst home builders,real estate professionals, and affiliate companies

Land Use

GUEST COLUMN

Builders Outlook14 JANUARY2011

Industry Reports

February is upon us already and mostcompanies unknowingly are out ofcompliance. How? Why ? You may ask. Isyour OSHA 300 Log ready to be posted onFebruary 1? Most employers are unaware ofthis mandatory OSHA Regulation which ifnot done, leaves you out of compliance andsubject to penalty

The OSHA Log of Work Related Injuries,most commonly referred to as The OSHA300 Log corresponds with OSHAsRecording and Reporting OccupationalInjuries and Illnesses Standard, 29 CFR1904. The purpose of this Log is to recordand classify work-related injuries andillnesses, and the extent of each.

Why the OSHA Log is important to you

as an employer.Aside from this being a mandatory

compliance regulation , this Log is you andyour companies best resource whenaddressing workplace safety. For example:Our company was contacted by a businessowner who stated he had been cited for notcomplying with 29CFR 1904(posting ofthe OSHA 300 Log. So we then assistedthis company by providing, trainingpersonnel how to use, and assistedmaintaining the Log. So after recording allworkplace injuries and illnesses, the Logwas used as a guide to determine what themost common injuries were. We could thenfocus on Hazard Assessment in the areaswhere the most injuries occurred. After

hazard correction through the guide of the300 Log, this companys injury reportOSHA300 Log for the next year wentfrom 34 total injuries the year before to 4workplace injuries.

Remember: Record only work-related injuries and

illnesses. Post the summary log in a common area

where it is readily available for employeeviewing.

No recordable injuries or illnesses: Post zeroson the total line.

It must be certified by a company executive. Posting period is from February 1 through

April 30, 2011.

Safety Tool from OSHA

Angela Ochoa

GEPAR

Lupe AlanizA&E Environmental &

Safety Consultants

executive officersGreg bowling, President

Tropicana Homes

del Huit, vice President

Cardel Design Group

frank arroyos, secretary/treasurer

Cisco Homes

eric lowenberg, associates council

Emser Tile & Stone

Kelly sorenson, immediate Past President

Vision Consultants

ray adauto, executive vice President

El Paso Association of Builders

couNcil/committee cHairsAffordable Builders Council Bobby Bowling IV

Associates Council Eric Lowenberg

Build PAC El Paso Randy Bowling

Desert Green Building Council Javier Ruiz

Government Affairs Council Pat Woods

Industry Promotions Kelly Sorenson

Land Use Council Linda Troncoso

Sal Masoud

Adams Pro AM Committee David Bogas

Young Designer Award John Chaney

Code Committee Kelly OLeary

Home Show Sam Shallenberger

Remodelors Miguel Herrera

Membership Drive Mike Santamaria

Finance Committee Kathy Carillo

Education Committee Frank Spencer

advisorY to tHe boardJ. Crawford Kerr, Attorney, Firth, Johnson

& Martinez

board of directorsDanny Andrus, Trinity Homes

John Arranda, Southwest Securities Bank, FSB

Joe Bernal, Joe Bernal Insurance

David Bogas, EPT Communities

Doug Borrett, Karam Co.

Sergio Cuartas, BIC HomesEdmundo Dena, Accent Homes

Ted Escobedo, Snappy Publishing

Art Garcia, El Paso Door

Juanita Garcia, ICON Custom Home Builder,LLC

Danny Gerard, Desert Agave Builders, LLC

Miguel Herrera, Simply the Best Custom Homes

Lorraine Huit, Cardel Design Group

Walter Lujan, Dawco Home Builders

Bruce Meyer, JDW Insurance

Robert Najera, Joseph Homes

Kathy Parry, Hunt Communities

Bob Paschich, Oeste Homes

Kathy Rose, Builders Source

Regina Sanchez, Compass Bank

Sam Shallenberger, Western Wholesale

Frank Torres, GMF Homes

Javier Veloz, Zia Homes

Paul Zacour, Zacour & Associates

tab state directors Doug Borrett, Karam Co., Life Director

Randy Bowling, Tropicana Homes

NatioNal directors

2010 builder member of the Year

Mike Santamaria

Mountain Vista Builders

2010 Pat cox award

Randy Bowling

Tropicana Homes

2010 associate of the Year

Javier Ruiz

Border Solar/Senercon

John schatzman award

Lorraine Huit

Cardel Design Group

Honorary life members

Brad Roe

Cliff Anthes

Wayne Grinnell

Chester Lovelady

Don Henderson

Anna Gil

Past Presidents

committed to serve

ePab mission statement:

The El Paso Association of Builders is a

federated professional organization representing

the home building industry, committed to

enhancing the quality of life in our community by

providing affordable homes of excellence and

value.

The El Paso Association of Builders is a

501C(6) trade organization.

2011 Builders Outlook

is published and distributed for the

El Paso Association of Builders

by Snappy Publishing

240 Thunderbird Suite C

El Paso Texas 79912 915-820-2800

6046 Surety Dr. El Paso, TX 79905 915-778-5387 Fax: 915-772-3038

Mark Dyer

Mike Santamaria

John Cullers

Randy Bowling

Doug Schwartz

Del Huit

Herschel Stringfield

Robert Baeza

Bobby Bowling, IV

Rudy Guel

Anna Gill

Bradley Roe

Bob Bowling, III

Pat Woods

EH Baeza

Bobby Bowling IV.

Demetrio Jimenez

NatioNal associatioN of

Home builders

(800) 368-5242

texas associatioN of

builders

(800)252-3625

www.elpasobuilders.com

EPAB ON THE SCENE

FEBRUARY 2011

2011 IBS

The International Builders Show was held

in Orlando, Florida January 21-25.

Several members from El Paso attended

the show and also participated in seminars

sponsored by the NAHB. President Greg

Bowling led our delegation to the event.

Pictured are some of the displays along

with special celebrities like Chef Yan of

Yan Can Cook fame (pictured with Ray

Adauto). The show was compact and easy

to get around this year. Attendance was

off a little due to the economy and a late

major weather problem up the east coast,

cancelling some of the plans for those in

those states. The IBS returns to Orlando

in 2012.

01_Outlook_p01 copy.pdf02_Outlook_p0203_Outlook_p0304_Outlook_p04-205_Outlook_p0506_Outlook_p0607_Outlook_p0708_09_Outlook_CSV2(Uploading)10_Outlook_p1011_Outlook_p1112_Outlook_p1213_Outlook_p1314_Outlook_p1415_Outlook_p1516_Outlook_p16