Issue 3 2012 Building El Paso’s tomorrow todayTM

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Builders Outlook

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www.elpasobuilders.com

Home Builders Announce Housing Finance Reform Plan

Bill Introduced: Restore Opt-Out Provision in Lead Paint Rule

The National Association of Home

Builders (NAHB) announced a new

comprehensive framework for housing

finance system reform that would transition

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to a new

mortgage securitization system for single-

family and multifamily conventional

mortgages.

“Our plan seeks to overhaul the housing

finance system to ensure that housing credit

is available and affordable in the future and

is delivered through a competitive,

efficient, sound, safe and stable system,”

said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a

home builder from Gainesville, Fla.

To achieve this goal, Rutenberg said the

system must include private, federal and

state sources of housing capital; offer a

reasonable menu of sound mortgage

products for both single-family and

multifamily housing that is governed by

prudent underwriting standards and

adequate oversight and regulation; and

provide a federal backstop to ensure that

30-year, fixed-rate mortgages are available

at reasonable interest rates and terms.

Replacing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

with a new securitization system for

conventional mortgages backed by private

capital and a privately funded federal

mortgage-backed securities fund must be

done in an orderly fashion over time.

During this phase-in period, Fannie Mae

and Freddie Mac would remain operational

until the alternative system is fully

functioning.

Under this scenario, Fannie Mae and

Freddie Mac would be gradually replaced

by private housing finance entities (HFEs)

that would be chartered to purchase single-

family and multifamily mortgages from

loan originators and package the loans into

securities for sale to investors worldwide.

The federal government would guarantee

the securities, not the mortgages.

The HFEs would only purchase

mortgages that are well understood and

have reasonable risk characteristics, such

as standard 30-year fixed-rate loans. The

HFEs would operate under the oversight

of a strong independent regulatory agency

to ensure all aspects of safety and

soundness. NAHB believes the 12

regional Federal Home Loan Banks could

serve as HFEs.

Federal support to the conventional

mortgage of the future would consist of a

privately funded insurance fund where the

government would guarantee its solvency

in a manner similar to the Federal Deposit

Insurance Corporation’s backing of the

fund that insures savings deposits. Under

this system, mortgage originators would

pay premiums to capitalize the insurance

fund, which would cover losses and

ensure full payment to investors. The

federal government would be required to

pay investors only if the insurance fund

was depleted.

“The intent is for the government to be

in a secondary position and to be the

insurer of last resort in order to reduce the

risk to taxpayers,” said Rutenberg.

NAHB’s housing finance reform

blueprint also proposes to:

• Restart a carefully regulated fully

private mortgage-backed securities

system. NAHB believes reforms are

needed in the system for rating

mortgage-backed securities and is

supporting the development of new

securities ratings agencies that would

use criteria developed by securities

investors to assure objective evaluations

and avoid conflicts of interest.

• Continue the role of the federal

government housing agencies. The

housing finance support roles of the

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, Federal Housing

Administration, the Department of

Veterans Affairs, the Department of

Agriculture and the Government

National Mortgage Association (Ginnie

Mae) would be preserved.

• Enhance the position of state and local

housing finance agencies (HFAs) as a

source of housing funds. The HFAs

should have a more prominent housing

finance role through the development of

original programs for new homes and

multifamily rental units involving

partnering with federal and private

providers of housing capital.

• Expand the role of the Federal Home

Loan Banks (FHLBanks) in the housing

finance system. The FHLBanks should

continue their current activities to serve

as an ongoing liquidity source for

institutions providing housing credit.

Existing programs, such as the

FHLBanks’ mortgage purchase

programs, should be enhanced by

allowing the banks to move beyond

portfolio purchases to securitization.

• Repair flaws that produced the housing

boom and bust. It is extremely important

to continue and complete steps to close

the gaps in standards and oversight that

allowed and facilitated the improper and

illegal activities in financial and

mortgage markets. This should be done

by undertaking a series of

comprehensive reforms to ensure sound

mortgage products and prudent

underwriting; requiring sound mortgage

securities structures and full

transparency for investors; and imposing

adequate oversight on previously

unregulated segments of the mortgage

and financial markets.

From NAHB

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and a cadre

of fellow Republicans have introduced a

Senate bill to restore the "opt-out"

provision in the EPA's Renovation, Repair

and Painting (RRP) rule. The provision,

struck from the rule when it was

introduced in April 2010, exempts a

contractor from the RRP rule's lead-safe

work requirements when a homeowner

certifies that no child under 6 or pregnant

woman resides in the home.

Besides restoring the opt-out provision,

the bill would outright suspend the rule in

homes without small children or pregnant

women until the EPA approves a more

accurate, commercially available test kit

to determine the presence of lead on a job

site. For more information on viable lead

test kits, visit the EPA's website.

Further, the proposed bill prohibits the

EPA from expanding the RRP rule to

commercial and public buildings—which

it proposed doing in May 2010—until the

agency further studies how contractors are

exposed to lead on those job sites.

The bill also exempts contractors from

penalty when they submit incorrect

paperwork the first time, and it eliminates

a requirement that recertification training

be "hands on," making it possible for

contractors to get recertified online.

"I have always supported the intent of

[RRP rule], which is to protect children

and pregnant women from lead exposure,

but EPA's implementation of the rule has

long been botched and in need of a

legislative fix," Inhofe said.

In May 2010 the EPA gave its reason for

removing the opt-out provision in the first

place: "As pointed out by a number of

commenters on the RRP rule, the opt-out

provision does not protect families with

young children who may purchase

recently renovated target housing." The

EPA feared that "… dust-lead hazards

created during renovations in an owner-

occupied residence conducted prior to a

sale will be present for the next

occupants."

The National Association of Home

Builders (NAHB) lauded Sen. Inhofe's

bill. "If this effort is successful, it will

reduce the regulatory burden for

remodelers facing costly penalties for

first-time violations like misfiled

paperwork and allow home owners to

make the final decision about renovations

in their homes," said NAHB Remodelers

Chairman George Moore Jr.

Co-sponsors for the bill, referred to as

the "Lead Exposure Reduction

Amendments Act of 2012," include Sens.

Charles Grassley, (R, Iowa); David Vitter,

(R,) La.); Michael Enzi, (R, Wyo.); Tom

Coburn, (R, Okla.); and Roy Blunt, (R,

Mo.). The same day the bill was

introduced, it was referred to the Senate's

committee for Environment and Public

Works, of which Inhofe is the ranking

member.

Reprint from Hardwood Floors

Magazine, March 2012

Builders Outlook2 ISSUE 3  2012

I’m starting this column with a comment

on the value of membership. During the

2011 Texas legislative session our

Association through the Texas Association

of Builders and individuals from EPAB

sifted through nearly 1100 bills that could

have impacted the residential construction

business. Our efforts saved individual

builders and home buyers thousands of

dollars per home each year. That translates

to savings exceeding several billion dollars

in Texas. It also saved jobs in our

industries. Your membership provided you

with a place at the legislative table on issues

most of us couldn’t be aware of trying to

this on our own.

Every month that I represent you as

President provides me with another

opportunity to come in contact with great

people from different professions,

locations, and situations. As I travel to

meetings I come to realize the impact that

we have and what we can do to strengthen

our efforts. Such was the case in February

as we made our way to Texas Builder

meetings in Austin. First allow me to thank

those that went with me. Greg and Randy

Bowling do so much in Austin for us that I

really think we can’t thank them enough.

Once again our Association was singled out

as the best in percentage over goal at

HomePAC, the Texas builder political arm.

I was proud to pick up the award for this at

the board meeting. Also on the trip was

Edmundo Dena your Vice President. It was

his first time on the “inside” and he came

away a believer. He can see that El Paso

does have an impact in Texas builder

decisions and politics, and he also

understands the value of networking with

Texas best builders. My wife Ruth also

came to the meetings and she always comes

away from these things understanding what

it is we do as a group. Of course I’d like to

thank Ray as well. He’s a great guide and

knows his way around the meetings and the

great places to eat.

While we understand drought a little bit

more than the rest of Texas I was amazed

that the primary topic was the lack of water.

It is affecting more than we think because

the issue of water is highly politicized and

will be on the agenda next legislature.

Unlike El Paso, the rest of Texas pretty

much depends on surface water, rivers,

lakes and ponds. With the drought Texas

builders are seeing restrictions on building

permits because they can’t get water

hookups. Some towns actually have to

truck water in. This sounds like a bad

science fiction movie or something, but it’s

happening right now in some parts of the

state. Water is also being used as a weapon

to curtail building or expansion. Our lobby

team in Austin is on top of this, but nothing

will help more than rain. Keep the prayers

on for that.

Back here at home we have a busy March

and April coming up. Sign up for the

concealed handgun class coming up, or the

Made in USA Speed Networking event. We

are looking for teams and advertisers for the

April 10 EPAB golf tourney.

As always I wish you success in your

daily life and blessings.

Builders Outlook3

Frank

Arroyos

President,

El Paso Association

of Builders

President’s Message

El Paso Disposal

772-7495

BUILD a bettersocial network!

find us onfacebook:elpasobuilders

Builders Outlook4 ISSUE 3 2012

Texas Association of Builder meetings

are always interesting, informative and

offer a wealth of knowledge. Our TAB

winter meetings were held in February at

the historic Driskill Hotel in downtown

Austin. It’s the kind of place where all

things Texas come together with the look

of old world hand drawn wood, beautiful

artwork, stunning ceilings and more

leather than an herd of longhorns. The

site is chosen by TAB because it’s a great

place for meetings like ours. Given the

fact that nearly 300 members jam the

hotel over the two or three days of the

meet it isn’t the location that is inspiring,

it’s the people who attend that are. Our

new Vice President Edmundo Dena

experienced his first “insider” meeting in

February and he said the same thing I’ve

heard for eight years, “this was

awesome”.

It may seem that being a builder of the

caliber Edmundo is that he wouldn’t be

susceptible to the feeling of surprise at

what actually goes on at a conference like

this. But he was and I had an opportunity

to talk to him about it. What he said was

that he was amazed at the “power”

gathered at the meeting. I asked him to

elaborate and he went on to tell me about

the meetings he attended and how much

he realized El Paso was recognized and

admired. He said that in our region we in

El Paso are kind of the test bed for the rest

of West Texas and that what goes on in

bureaucratic circles over here eventually

finds its way to Lubbock, Midland,

Odessa and points in between. This is

especially true during the current drought

and the onset of government impositions

and restrictions on building because of it.

Edmundo also was extremely happy to

see that El Paso had established a long

line of support for the work we have done

through the association. The HomePAC

luncheon gave him another important

perspective of being a part of the TAB.

Statewide politicians understand the need

for housing in Texas and yes in El Paso.

The year round effort by our TAB staffers

and lobbyist goes a long way in making

sure that El Paso’s voice is heard in the

same way San Antonio, Dallas and

Houston’s is. I’m glad Edmundo took

time to be in Austin for these meetings.

It’s great to see firsthand what makes the

association so good to belong to. It’s

about strength in numbers and quality

representation that each member of the

EPAB should be proud of. One visit to a

state meeting puts that into clear view.

Just ask Edmundo Dena, our newest

ambassador.

George Henry Jackson passed away on

February 24 at the age of 87. He was

President of the EPAB in 1974. Mr.

Jackson was the owner of G.H Jackson

Construction and built homes and

apartments in El Paso starting in 1968. He

also built Bassett Self Storage and much

of Rojas Industrial Park. George was an

avid flying enthusiast, skier, and

sportsman. He scuba dived until he was

81 and flew until he was 85. He loved his

church, St. Clement, and served there in

the important role of senior warden and

more. There are things that George did in

life that served a lot of good, and it is our

honor to wish his family thanks for his

service to us, to the community and to his

God. May he rest in peace.

Perspective

Ray Adauto,

Executive

Vice President

EPAB

TAB meetings worthwhile for ‘number’ of reasons

In Memoriam:

George Henry

Jackson

Builders Outlook 5Issue 3 2012

Dunkin Donuts announced that El Pasowould be seeing eight new “restaurants”as part of a signing of a multi-storeagreement with a new subsidiary,Sizzling Donuts, LLC. Grant Benson,VP of Franchising and market planningfor Dunkin Brands, Inc. said that he waspleased to see a passionate franchiseecommitting to El Paso. Sources say thatEl Paso and Denver share the newowners and that both cities are primelocations for growth.

••••

Walmart plans to open a new store inLas Cruces, while a supercenter andneighborhood grocery store opens inNortheast El Paso. The supercenter isnearing completion at the location onDyer near Fred Wilson. The site was aneyesore for years as it was home to anindoor flea market, and weekend outdoorflea. Construction was finishing as ofearly March, while the grocery store alsois nearing construction completion. Thatgrocery is on Hondo Pass located about ablock west of Dyer and west of SonicDrive In and Taco Cabana. Both storesare welcomed additions to a revivedNortheast.

••••

El Paso Electric filed for a rate increasewith the Public Utility Commission ofTexas asking for a $17.6 million increasein rates in order to continue to providesafe and reliable service. Growingdemand for electricity in the region along

with costs from the freeze of 2011 repairwork done are part of the reasoning. AlsoEl Paso Electric is seeking a one-timesurcharge of $8.7 million to recover legaland other expenses likely to occur as aresult of the El Paso City Council orderfor a rate filing. In other news aboutEPE was the announcement that DavidStevens announced his resignation asCEO. Thomas Shockley, EPE director,will act as interim.

••••

REDCO announced new board membersand officers recently. Dan Harris ofWestern Refining and Paco Jordan,Chairman of CF Jordan joined REDCO’sBoard in January. They replacedSuzanne Ramos and Cindy Bilbe(Stewart Title) who rotated out. RussVandenburg, CEO of TVO NorthAmerica, assumed the responsibilities asChairman of REDCO for 2012. El Paso Children’s Hospital opened itsdoors as the first independent children’shospital in El Paso. The non-profithospital is located next door to UniversityMedical Center, but is not a part of thatentity. There are about 225,000 squarefeet in the complex, with 50 neonatalintensive care basinets; 22 pediatricintensive care beds; a dedicated pediatriconcology/hemology floor; four pediatricoperating rooms and other specialtyareas.

City Desk: Local News of interest

to our members

Builders Outlook6 ISSUE 3 2012

More than 51,000 builders, remodelers

and other members of the home building

industry crowded the aisles of the National

Association of Home Builders’ International

Builders’ Show (IBS), which ended its four-

day run Friday at the Orange County

Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., last

week.

Signs of optimism for the industry’s

recovery could be felt throughout the show,

as exhibitors noted increased booth traffic

and solid sales leads.

“We were so happy with the show this

year—it was truly unbelievable. We barely

had time to take a break,” said Brian

Stowell, CEO of Crown Point Cabinetry,

who noted that they will exhibit again at IBS

2013 in Las Vegas. "If you supply the

construction trade, you are crazy if you don't

have your product here. This is your one

chance all year to get in front of a national

audience of builders that have projects. This

show is a must for us."

The 2012 IBS featured exhibits from more

than 900 suppliers representing all facets of

the home building industry. Builders and

remodelers also attended more than 165

educational sessions on design trends, green

building, marketing, remodeling and other

building industry topics.

Nearly 2,500 people attended a special

address by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben

Bernanke, where he discussed how restraints

on credit for home buyers and home builders

alike continue to impede the housing and

economic recovery.

Attendees also flocked to IBS Live, a new

theater-like venue on the show floor that

featured several exciting sessions

throughout the week including an

appearance by “Dancing with the Stars”

winner and Operation Finally Home

spokesperson, J.R. Martinez; a live airing of

the popular Los Angeles-based radio show,

“Home Wizards;” and a number of

presentations on topics like green building,

consumer trends and home financing.

“We really enjoyed our experience at the

2012 IBS. We were able to meet with

vendors and see the latest product

innovations, attend a wide variety of

education sessions to learn new ideas and

sharpen our skills, and hear from a great

line-up of speakers, said Steve Spanjer,

President of Spanjer Homes. “We returned

to work recharged and inspired. The IBS is

an event our firm will not miss, as it helps

enable us to be better prepared builders.”

Other highlights of the show included The

New American Home 2012, NAHB’s

official show home, and the IBS Opening

Ceremonies featuring world-famous

magicians Penn & Teller as keynote

speakers, and Aron Ralston, whose inspiring

story of bravery was made famous in the

acclaimed movie 127 Hours.

The next International Builders’ Show

takes place Jan. 22-24 at the Las Vegas

Convention Center. Registration for the

2013 show will open on Sept. 1. Details will

be available at www.buildersshow.com.

Increased Optimism Felt at NAHB’s

2012 International Builders’ Show

Health savings accounts (HSAs) andflexible spending accounts (FSAs) letemployee or dependents set aside money,before taxes, for qualified healthcareexpenses.

Employers can use them to incentivizeemployees to participate in healthimprovement programs and they have taxadvantages for both the employer andemployee.

But they have a few key differences—which account should you use and when?

HSAs

An HSA is a savings account availableonly to people who are enrolled in aqualified

high-deductible health plan and whohave no other health insurance. As thename implies,high-deductible health plansrequire higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses than other types of healthinsurance policies, but the premiumsgenerally cost less per month.

The employer, employee or both cancontribute to an HSA. Employercontributions do not count as taxableincome to the employee; employees cantake an above-the-line deduction

for any contributions they make. If youoffer employees a flexible spendingaccount or cafeteria plan, they can makecontributions to their HSA with pre-taxdollars through their FSA. A majoradvantage to using a health savingsaccount is the money carries over from

year to year, so employees don’t have to“use it or lose it.”

HSAs linked to high-deductible healthplans can help control your group medicalexpenses by giving employees a greaterstake in their health expenses. HSAaccount holders can use money in theirHSA for any qualified medical expense,including medical expenses in retirement.Employees control the money in theiraccounts, not the employer. Balancesaccrue year to year and are fully portable,giving employee’s incentives to build theiraccounts rather than spend them down.

FSAs

Employers set up FSAs for employees;FSAs can cover either medical/dentalexpenses, dependent care expenses orboth. A medical flexible spending accountwill cover any medical expense considereddeductible by the IRS. You can find a liston IRS Publication 502.

Employees elect how much of their pre-tax salary to deposit into their account,reducing their income tax liability.Employees pay no monthly or yearlymaintenance fees on their account.However, they need to figure out howmuch they’re going to need for healthcareor dependent care expenses over the year,because they lose whatever is left in theaccount at the end of the year. This “use itor lose it “feature could encourageemployees to make unnecessaryexpenditures.

Pro and cons for employers

Employers have much to love aboutFSAs and HSAs. Because funds are pre-tax withdrawals, they decrease employeetaxable income, resulting in lower costsfor FICA, unemployment insurance,workers’ compensation and other wage-based benefits. Payroll tax savingsgenerally offset the cost of administration,and the employer can earn interest onaccount balances. On the flip side, the FSA“at risk” provision requires that youreimburse an employee for incurredeligible expenses up to the full amount thathe or she has elected to set aside during theplan year — regardless of how much he orshe has actually contributed at that point.For example, let’s say an employee electsto contribute $2,400 for the plan year andincurs $2,400 of eligible expenses at theend of the second month. At this point, theemployee has only contributed $400 to hisaccount, yet is entitled to $2,400 inreimbursement. If the employee remainswith your organization, he will contributethe remaining $2,000 by year’s end.However, he has no repayment obligationif he leaves his job before the end of theyear. The employer may still break even,because an employee who leaves in thecourse of the year without spending all hehas contributed to his account relinquishesthe remaining funds, unless he continuesparticipating through COBRA. Employeesalso forfeit to their employers any unspentamounts left in their accounts at the end ofthe year. You can cap your company’sliability by limiting the amount thatemployees set aside. Some employers usea two-tiered limit, limiting first-yearparticipants to $1,000, for example, andthen capping future participation at ahigher amount. Remember, however, thatthe Affordable Care Act will limitcontributions to medical FSAs to $2,500for tax years beginning after 2012.

Joe Bernal is a member of the El Paso

Association of Builders and presents this

information in his newsletter Employee

Benefits Report. Employee Benefits of El

Paso, DBA Joe Bernal Insurance and

Financial Services, Inc., 6414 Gateway

East • El Paso, TX 79905-2007, (915) 542-

0900 *joe@employeebenefitsep.com •

http://www.joebernalinsurance.com The

information presented and conclusions

within are based upon our best judgment

and analysis. It is not guaranteed

information and does not necessarily reflect

all available data.

Builders Outlook 7ISSUE 3 2012

Joe Bernal

Employee Benefits of El Paso

Guest ADVICE Health Care Reform: What’s happening in 2012?

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EPABON THE SCENE

Valentine Day

Bowling:

Strikingly

SWEET!

Membership Meeting

TAB Meeting

Our first ever Valentine Day

Bowling event was held on

February 14 at Bowl El Paso. The

event was scheduled to find a dif-

ferent way to celebrate Cupid’s

Day with an indoor noncompeti-

tive tournament. 11 teams of four

competed in a head to head lane

competition with bragging rights

but none of the traditional tro-

phies. Instead Valentine

Chocolates were given to each

entrant along with a special little

pack of sweetheart gummy hearts.

Lunch was provided as were some

really neat gifts that everyone had

a chance to win. Included in the

items were logoed shirts, wind-

breakers, candies, two Kitchen

Aide hand mixers and a $50 gift

card to Romano’s Macaroni Grill.

The mixers were compliments of

Western Wholesale; the gift card

came from New Era Foam. Shirts

were compliments of the EPAB.

We were fortunate to have some

great support from our lane adver-

tisers Lone Star Title, Bank of the

West (WestStar Bank), Sierra

Title, Tropicana Homes, Stewart

Title, Hunt Communities, and

Cisco Homes. The bowling, food

and beverages flowed as did the

scores, but the entire event was

fun and full of great times.

Another bowling event is sched-

uled for the summer. Keep your

eyes on upcoming information.

Issue 3 2012

View more photos on our facebook page: elpasobuildersassociation

The February general meeting was held at the

El Paso Club. Ken Farah from REDCO gave a

presentation on the economic picture of El

Paso and how REDCO looks at the metrics of

economic development. The presentation was

insightful in showing how diverse the manu-

facturing industries are in El Paso. Medical

devices and electronic components for con-

struction were the big surprise in the presenta-

tion. Over 60 members and guests enjoyed the

meeting.

The Texas Association of Builders met in late February in Austin for the 2012 Winter Board meetings. Held at the historic Driskill Hotel in down-

town Austin, the meetings topic of the day was water shortage (drought) in Texas and its effect on the home building business. It is predicted that

water will be the topic of the 83rd legislature in 2013 and our lobby team is preparing for an onslaught of legislative bills on that topic alone. Our

association was awarded the top trophy for contributions to the HOME PAC of the Texas Association of Builders. Accepting the award was Greg

Bowling, Frank Arroyos and Edmundo Dena. Summer meetings will be held at Horseshoe Bay in late June.

Builders Outlook10ISSUE 3 2012

Sales of newly-built, single-family homes

declined by less than one percent in January

from an upwardly revised number in the

previous month to hit a seasonally adjusted

annual pace of 321,000 units, according to data

jointly released by HUD and the U.S.

Commerce Department today.

“Outside of the upwardly revised December

number, this is actually the best sales pace we’ve

seen since April of 2010, when the home buyer

tax credit was in effect,” noted Barry Rutenberg,

chairman of the National Association of Home

Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from

Gainesville, Fla. “Moreover, many recent

indicators – from our builder confidence surveys

to housing starts and permits data and the

expanding list of improving local markets –

have provided evidence that consumers are

becoming more confident about making a home

purchase.”

“New-home sales this January were up 3.5

percent from the same time last year, and up one

percent from the fourth quarter average for

2011,” added NAHB Chief Economist David

Crowe. “This is indicative of the incremental,

steady progress that the market is making

toward recovery in conjunction with modest

economic and job growth. Increasingly,

potential buyers are feeling better about their

financial situation and their ability to buy a

home, but the challenges posed by tight credit

conditions and appraisal issues continue to slow

that process.”

New-home sales slipped 0.9 percent to a

seasonally adjusted annual rate of 321,000 units

in January, which was the second-fastest pace of

sales activity since April of 2010. This decline

was due to a 24.5 percent reduction in the

Midwest and a 10.6 percent reduction in the

West. Meanwhile, the Northeast posted an 11.1

percent gain and the South bounced back from a

substantial decline in the previous month with a

9.3 percent increase.

The inventory of new homes for sale

continued to shrink to another record low in

January, hitting 151,000 units, or a 5.6-month

supply at the current sales pace.

New-Home Sales

Virtually Flat in January

Orlando, Fl - Barry Rutenberg, a Gainesville,

Fla.-based home builder with more than 35

years of experience in the building industry, was

elected as the 2012 Chairman of the Board of

the National Association of Home Builders

(NAHB) during the association’s International

Builders’ Show in Orlando.

Rutenberg is president of Barry Rutenberg

and Associates, Inc. in Gainesville. His firm has

developed more than a dozen communities and

1,000 homes in the Gainesville area.

As the residential construction industry

begins to recover from a prolonged downturn,

Rutenberg has been a leader in NAHB’s efforts

to ensure that builders have access to credit for

sound projects. Such credit is needed to enable

home builders to respond to emerging demand

in scores of markets across the nation and get the

residential construction industry moving again

as an engine of job growth in America.

“In this critical election year, we look forward

to working with Republican and Democratic

leaders to enact policies that will stabilize and

restore the nation’s housing market, a sector of

the economy that in normal times serves as a

jobs catalyst and accounts for more than 17

percent of the nation’s total economic output,”

said Rutenberg. “Specifically, NAHB will work

with policymakers to restore the flow of credit

for those who want to buy homes and those who

want to build them, to protect the mortgage

interest deduction, to correct a flawed appraisal

process that has negatively affected property

values, and to ensure a continued federal role in

the housing finance system so that buyers have

access to affordable mortgages.”

Rutenberg has been active in the NAHB

leadership structure at the local, state and

national levels throughout his career. He has

served on NAHB’s Board of Directors since

1980 and served on more than 25 NAHB

committees and councils. He has served as an

NAHB national vice president representing

Florida and Puerto Rico for three two-year terms

– 1994-1995, 2001-2002 and 2007-2008.

Florida Builder Elected

Chairman of NAHB

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Ph. (915) 613-4168

Fx. (915-833-6437

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Builders Outlook issue 3 2012 11

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From our friends at Stilltasty.com

Do You Have to Refrigerate OpenedBottles of Mustard and Ketchup? Question: Do I have to store ketchup andmustard in the fridge once they’reopened?

Answer: Technically speaking, you don’thave to store opened bottles of ketchup andmustard in the refrigerator. But it’s a good idea all the same, since you’llget a lot more mileage out of them if you do,as condiment manufacturers like French'spoint out.

Due to their high acid content, bothmustard and ketchup will keep fine for abouta month in the pantry. But after that, theirflavor, appearance and texture will begin tobreak down and deteriorate much morequickly at normal room temperatures than in

the cooler 40° F storage conditions of therefrigerator.An opened bottle of ketchup should stay atpeak quality for about 6 months in the fridge;mustard for at least a year. And both willremain safe to consume for much longerthan that, as long as they've beencontinuously refrigerated.

Can You Freeze Cheese Successfully? My local grocery store is currently running aspecial on cheddar cheese. Is it a good ideato stock up and freeze it?

Answer: You can freeze cheesesuccessfully if you’re planning to use it forcooking purposes. Frozen cheese willremain safe to consume, but it will typicallychange texture and often become crumblyonce thawed, says the National DairyCouncil.

For that reason, you shouldn't count onserving the frozen cheddar at your nextcocktail party. But it should be fine for use incooked dishes like sauces, soups andcasseroles.

While you can freeze just about any typeof cheese, the firmer varieties — such ascheddar, Gouda and Swiss — tend to comethrough the freezing process with the leastdamage to texture and flavor. For bestresults, keep cheese frozen for no more than6 months.

When freezing cheese, cut it into portionsno larger than 1/2 pound each, and wraptightly in airtight wrapping or place inside aheavy-duty freezer bag. You can also gratecheese before freezing and place it in afreezer bag.

Be sure to thaw the frozen cheese in yourrefrigerator, and plan to use it within two orthree days.

Did youknow?

Quick kitchen tips

Builders Outlook12issue 3 2012

years

E L PA S o

BUILDERSA S S o C I A T I o n o F

B U I L D I N G E L PA S O ’ S F U T U R E S I N C E 194 6

A look back...Moments in our 65 year history

1990. The population of El Paso was 591,610. The hope of the new decade fell upon

the El Paso Association of Builders with Randy Huggins at the helm as President, Anna Gill as

VP; Will Harvey was Treasurer, and Brad Roe Immediate Past President. Patsy Zimmerman was

the EO. It was clear that El Paso would be involved in some way with world events, most

notably the middle East and some hot spots we would come to know much too well.

Around the area home sales were looking pretty good and as the talk of baby boomers enter-

ing middle age the prospects for area builders was promising. It was pretty clear that the aging

boomers would soon be moving up into their second home, more space, more expensive. Our

members were gearing up.

This was also a prime time for an association like ours as those baby boomers joined the

“greatest generation” in partnerships in business. Advertisers in the Builders Outlook were scant

but those with ads were boasting being ready for business. Southern Union Gas offered a

builder’s special, Free Gas Lights for homes they would build using natural gas appliances. John

Reich said that gas lights offered a “soft and pleasant light”, setting a nostalgic look. Gas lights

also offered security and help prevent crime, vandalism and reduce the chance of accidents. Joe

Pullen was President of HOW, Home Owners Warranty, touting the programs advantages for

owners. HOW builders were said to be the builders to count on.

The NAHB was holding its 47th Annual Convention and Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia in

January, 1991. Members were reminded to make reservations early for only $165. The 1990

meeting was held in San Diego. Economists were predicting a “slight” recession that would be

affected by actions in Iraq later on. Speaking of Iraq a member of ours Wayne Grinnell was a

subject of a news story because he was Sub Land Engineer Wayne as a civilian but Lt. Colonel

Wayne in the Army Reserves. Lt. Col. Grinnell was prepping for his deployment to Saudi Arabia

or places in that region. I guess we’ll have to ask him what actually came about from that.

In 1990 the US invaded Panama. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in South Africa.

Germany was reunited. The EXXON Valdez spill happened. “Driving Miss Daisy” won Best

Picture. The Ultimate Warrior defeats Hulk Hogan for WWF Championship; the Cold War

begins to die; Iraq invades Kuwait beginning the Iraqi war; UN authorizes use of force; the first

web page on the internet is posted. El Paso would have its most significant population growth

in the coming decade and the Iraq war would change us for decades to come.

By Ray Adauto

A Look Back is a monthly feature of the El PasoAssociation of Builders publication the Builders

Outlook. Look for more history of the El PasoAssociation of Builders in coming editions.

MARCH 20

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2:00 – 4:00

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APRIL 11

11:00 BOARD MEETING

12:00 GENERAL MEETING

Builders Outlook 13ISSUE 3 2012

UPCoMInG EVEnTS

Membership news

www.elpasobuilders.com

SoDA SPonSoR

Thanks to our MARCH

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We wish our condolences tothe family of

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E L PA S o

BUILDERSA S S o C I A T I o n o F

B U I L D I N G E L PA S O ’ S F U T U R E S I N C E 194 6

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Builders Outlook14 ISSUE 3 2012

Industry Reports

Associates�Council

Gee whiz, where did these first two

months go? Although I was out of town for

The Bowl A Thon I heard it was a good

turnout and I want to thank all the

participants and their employers for giving

their employees the afternoon off to enjoy

the competition and camaraderie that

comes with this event. We can probably

plan another one for July when it is nice and

hot outside.

Want to learn how to earn your license

for concealed handguns? We are offering

the 10 hour class at the EPAB office March

21-22. Our Associates Council voted to

promote this class so now all we need is

you to sign up for it. It’s offered after work

so it can fit our schedules better.

Please mark your calendar for the annual

spring Golf Tournament April 10 at Painted

Dunes benefiting the Young Designers.

This year the format has changed just a

little. Instead of six man teams we will have

four man teams and the cost is $500 per

team. In talking with John Chaney our

resident Golf Guru, the prizes and goodie

bags will be great. Can’t golf? Then join

us as advertisers by promoting your

business on the course. Contact Margaret

in the office to find out how.

Once again a big thanks to all the

Bowlers that participated in the Bowl a

Thon.

Sam�ShallenbergerWestern�Wholesale

Supply

Land�Use�CouncilThe events are ever changing in the City

of El Paso. On March 6, 2012 the El Paso

City Council took action to approve the Plan

for El Paso, which was the culmination of

two years of work on behalf of the City

staff, consultants, and the public and private

sector. The plan reflects the ideals and goals

of the City leadership and it’s staff.

Members of the El Paso Builder’s

Association worked closely with the

Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce in

an effort to preserve private development

rights and options.

While the plan has grand goals, the nuts

and bolts are still to come. In the months

and years ahead we must continue to be

vigilant in monitoring proposed ordinance

amendments at the City of El Paso. It will be

these amendments which will propose

changes to El Paso regulations, including

Title 19 and 20 for land development, land

use, and site planning regulations. Such

changes to the code may begin to modify,

for example, the type of use, setback

requirement, or building orientation that

might be allowable under a particular type

of zoning category in order to achieve the

goals of the plan for new developments.

Similarly, it might change the development

requirements for particular types of

roadway cross-sections, intersection

spacing, or access requirements.

My sincere thanks to the handful of

members who spent countless hours

working with the City and the Chamber on

the Plan for El Paso. We look to a seeing

each of you at the next Land Use Council

Meeting at noon on March 28, 2011.

Linda�Troncoso

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(915) 613•4168

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� execuTive oFFicerS

Frank Arroyos - President

Cisco Homes

edmundo Dena - vice President

Accent Homes

Frank Torres - Secretary/Treasurer

GMF Custom Homes

Sam Shallenberger - Associates council

Western Wholesale Supply

Greg Bowling - immediate Past President

Tropicana Homes

ray Adauto - executive vice President

El Paso Association of Builders

� couNciL/commiTTee cHAirS

Affordable Builders council

Bobby Bowling IV

Associates council

Sam Shallenberger

Build PAc

Randy Bowling

Desert Green Building council

Javier Ruiz

industry Promotions

Greg Bowling

Land use council

Linda Troncoso and Sal Masoud

Young Designer Award

John Chaney

remodelers council

Rudy Guel

membership Drive

Mike Santamaria

Finance committee

Kathy Carrillo

education committee

Frank Spencer

� ADviSorY To THe BoArD

J. Crawford Kerr, Attorney, Firth, Johnson

& Martinez

� BoArD oF DirecTorS

Joe Bernal, Joe Bernal Insurance

Doug Borrett, Karam Co.

Kathy Carrillo, Pioneer Bank

John Chaney, Passage Supply

Sergio Cuartas, BIC Homes

Ted Escobedo,Snappy Publishing

Art Garcia, El Paso Door

Juanita Garcia, ICON Custom Home Builders,LLC

Samira Gonzalez, Edwards Homes

Lorraine Huit, Cardel Design Group

Walter Lujan, Dawco Home Builders

Sal Masoud, Del Rio Engineering

Bruce Meyer, JDW Insurance

Edgar Montiel, Palo Verde Homes

Kathy Parry, Hunt Communities

Javier Ruiz, Senercon & Border Solar

Frank Spencer, Aztec Contractors

Henry Tinajero, Bank of the West

Linda Troncoso, TRE & Associates

Ken Wade, El Paso Building Materials

Adam Winkler, MTI Ready Mix

Paul Zacour, Zacour & Associates

2011 Builder member of The Year

Greg Bowling

Tropicana Homes

20110 Pat cox Award

Kathy Parry

Hunt Communities

2011 Associate of The Year

Sam Shallenberger

Western Wholesale Supply

John Schatzman Award

Bob Bowling III

Tropicana Homes

ePAB Special Award

Rudy Guel

Guel Construction

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.

© 2012 Builder’s 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

Kelly Sorenson

Mark Dyer

Mike Santamaria

John Cullers

Randy Bowling

Doug Schwartz

Del Huit

Robert Baeza

Bobby Bowling, IV

Rudy Guel

Anna Gil

Bradley Roe

Bob Bowling, III

E. H. Baeza

� TAB STATe DirecTorS

Doug Borrett, Karam Co., Life Director

Randy Bowling, Tropicana Homes

� NATioNAL DirecTorS

Bobby Bowling IV.

Demetrio Jimenez

NATioNAL ASSociATioN oF

Home BuiLDerS

(800) 368-5242

TexAS ASSociATioN oF

BuiLDerS

(800)252-3625

www.elpasobuilders.com

Join UsApril 10

El Paso Association of Builders

Young Designers Golf Tournament

Painted Dunes

12:30PM

Call 778-5387 for information

YouR

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