When most people think about a builders association, they may picture networking events, luncheons, golf tournaments and opportunities to meet other professionals.
Those things are valuable. Relationships are an important part of any healthy industry.
But they are not the full story of what the Desert Valleys Builders Association does.
Some of DVBA’s most consequential work happens quietly: reviewing government actions, tracking legislation, examining development and permit fees, communicating with public agencies and maintaining relationships with the people whose decisions affect construction throughout our region.
That distinction matters.
A development project can be influenced long before the first piece of equipment reaches the site. Fees, permitting requirements, utility capacity, infrastructure, municipal policies and legislative changes can all affect feasibility, timing and cost.
That means effective building-industry representation must begin before a problem becomes a crisis.
DVBA’s Legislative Forum is one example. The National Association of Home Builders has recognized the program for bringing representatives from governmental agencies, municipalities, utilities, tribal government, transportation and other regional organizations together with industry stakeholders. The forum provides an ongoing exchange of information concerning issues including fee studies and legislative actions.
That kind of communication creates something difficult to manufacture overnight: institutional knowledge.
Knowing that a policy changed is useful.
Understanding why it changed, who is affected, what came before it and which organizations need to be involved in solving the problem is considerably more valuable.
This is also why DVBA approaches advocacy from a fact-based perspective.
There are occasions when the building industry should oppose a proposal. There are others when an increase or policy change may be justified. Responsible advocacy means understanding the difference.
The objective should not simply be to say “no.”
The objective should be to ask whether a policy is reasonable, supported, transparent and workable for the communities and industries it affects.
That work ultimately extends beyond builders themselves.
Construction supports an extensive ecosystem of contractors, trades, engineers, architects, financial institutions, suppliers, utilities, professional services and other businesses. DVBA’s current membership reflects that diversity.
That is why real representation is rarely defined by the most visible event of the year.
It is defined by who is doing the work throughout the rest of it.
That is the role DVBA intends to continue filling throughout the Coachella, Imperial and Palo Verde Valleys.