Builders' group installs officers, looks to future

     Special to Real Estate
      What will the home of the new millennium look like? How much will it cost, and what materials will be used to build it?
      The 800-member Southern Nevada Home Builders Association helps local residential builders have some say in determining the answers to those quest- ions.
      When city planners propose changes which significantly raise the purchase price of a new home, it's this trade association that works with government planners and builders to find the best course of action.
      When too much dust from construction was being generated during the last few years, it was this association that helped the county and builders create and execute a plan that has nearly eliminated any days when dust from construction exceeds federal standards.
      The association, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary, began with 15 members in 1954. Last night, it installed a 60-person board of directors and its 45th president, who -- along with Sen. Richard Byran, D-Nev. -- addressed how to keep quality housing available and affordable for all.
      New President Rich Priesing, owner of Hearthstone Construction, worked for major local builders for 20 years before recently opening his own company.
      Priesing told the 400 attendees at the installation held at the Mirage that "as we approach the year 2000, the most beneficial issues SNHBA can take on to help consumers is to keep an unbroken chain of housing -- housing in all price ranges -- available in Clark County; and to fine-tune construction defect laws to protect buyers from both unscrupulous lawyers and builders."
      Irene Porter, executive director for 22 years, said recently that people shopping for homes should check to see if a builder is a member of the association.
      Porter said while the group is not a disciplinary entity -- that job falls to the State Contractors Board -- her years with the association have shown that those who join are more likely to care about the community.
      "About 98 percent of the area's new-home builders have joined SNHBA. Most live here with their families, so they tend to care about the effect of what they are doing on the quality of air, schools, and life here in general."
      Porter herself is a 45-year Las Vegas resident whose daughter attended local schools from kindergarten through college.
      "The public also benefits from doing business with our members because SNHBA keeps builders informed on changes and improvements in construction codes and technology," she said.
      "Our members attend intensive training classes, such as this year's five-week course for superintendents where county building inspectors showed how to meet the latest building standards, including electrical, plumbing, and soils testing. Members learned the best methods for stopping dust from being tracked off of construction sites and how to build to help those with disabilities comfortably enter homes and utilize standard features such as locks and light fixtures."
      The not-for-profit group, with only seven full-time staffers, relies heavily on its members to volunteer to help it keep government staff and elected officials aware of what effeect new laws can have on housing.
      Priesing told those attending the installation that "a new home in the $90,000 to $120,000 range is more than an endangered species. By year's end, it may be extinct."
      Porter said one of the driving forces behind the price hikes is increasing legislation that drives up the building cost of homes.
      "Our members have to be very active in the political arena. Most legislative years, we see 200 new laws proposed, which affect how much home buyers are going to pay for their homes. That doesn't include the volume of meetings held by the various cities, county, and other state-government entities, which all consider housing-related issues weekly."
      Volunteers during 1998 were honored at the installation by 1998 president Greg Jones from Homes by Stanton. Receiving a special award was Frank Pankratz of Del Webb Corp.; Tony Stipanov of Southwest Gas was named Associate Member of the Year; and Rich Priesing, Builder of the Year.
      Installed as Officers to advise the 1999 60-person Board were 1st vice president, Randy Black, Sr., Diversified Development; 2nd vice president Mark Doppe, Carina Corp.; treasurer Diana Bossard, Bossard Developer Services; and secretary Crayton Jones, Southwest Gas.
      As it heads into a new millenium, the association is expected to maintain its national status as one of the most dynamic local building trade associations, according to Porter. It is financed privately among its members, who come from every facet of the home building and light construction industry.
      The association is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders, with 185,000 members employing more than 6 million people.