30 Jul 08 
Permits for Single Family Homes in California Drop
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According to the Construction Industry Research Board, home builders have began construction on 36,282 new homes in the first six months of 2008. This figure is significantly lower than housing starts in 2007, close to 44 percent lower. The amount of new condominiums and apartments fell roughly 22 percent, while new single-family homes declined almost 55 percent.
6,443 building permits were issued in June to California home builders, a decrease of close to 11 percent from May and down 44 percent from June of last year.
One area that was reported to have the most drastic decline in starts of single-family homes is in Riverside/San Bernardino. Only 3,473 permits were issued in 2008 for this region, a massive decrease from the 14,000 plus permits issued during the first half of 2007. Three years ago, single-family home permits in the Inland Empire exceeded 31,000.
The chief economist for the California Builder Industry Association – Alan Nevin, stated that the decline in single-family construction is greater in areas lacking large employment centers.
Tags: alan nevin, building permits, California, california builder industry association, california home builders, cirb, construction industry research board, Home Builders, home starts, housing permits, inland empire, riverside, san bernardino, single family homes
28 Apr 08 Inland Empire – San Bernardino and Riverside Projected Growth
According to David Kelly of the Los Angeles Times, the Inland Empire will continue to be one of the fastest growing regions throughout the state of California. The continuing trend is accredited to buyers looking to get more for their money by avoiding the highly priced coastal areas.
San Bernardino and Riverside counties are projected to grow by one million residents, by the year 2015. One issue that remains a topic of concern is the fact that the Inland Empire is one of the least educated regions in California. Without an increased effort to train and educate much of the workforce to meet employer standards, people working in the region will receive lower annual wages in comparison to the rest of the state’s labor force.
Kelly has conducted an extensive interview with Hans Johnson, director of research for the Public Policy Institute of California, who addresses many aspects pertaining to the future of the Inland Empire. Read the entire interview by clicking here.
Tags: California, hans johnson, inland empire, los angeles times, public policy institute of california, riverside county, san bernardino
02 Apr 08 Rooftop Real Estate in San Bernardino
Yes! Rooftop real estate! Southern California Edison plans to install solar panels on the roofs of commercial buildings in the Inland Empire region. The plan is to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions by installing 250 megawatts worth of solar panels that will generate enough energy to power an estimated 162,000 homes. But first, the $875 million project will need considerable funding to get underway; which will be partially paid for by increased utility rates.
Upon the leasing of building owner’s rooftops, Edison will contract for the installation of the solar panels and retain ownership. When the system is fully operational, it is expected to reduce fossil fuel use during peak utility use; which is during the day when the sun is shining the brightest. The project is yet to be officially approved, however most expect California regulators to do so in the near future.
To read more into Edison’s distribution energy plan and Governor Schwarzenegger’s views, visit the Green Wombat by clicking here.
Tags: governor schwarzenegger, greenhouse gas, inland empire, rooftop real estate, san bernardino, southern california edison
