By Tim Murphy and Jeff Short
On January 24, the North State Building Industry Association (NSBIA) was pleased to honor former Roseville Mayor and current City Councilmember Bruce Houdesheldt with the 2024 Friend of Housing Award. The NSBIA chose him for this distinguished honor, as significant contributor to the regional economy, creating a variety of homeowner options for local residents and families. In addition to his work on the Roseville City Council, Bruce has helped ensure reliable and safe water supplies as the Northern California Water Association’s (NCWA) Director of Water Quality.
Since the mid-90s, the NSBIA has been involved in local water policy issues as a stakeholder in the landmark Sacramento Regional Water Forum process. Even before the passage of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management legislation, Roseville proactively developed an aquifer storage recovery (ASR) program that today includes seven groundwater wells and will ultimately include 11 ASR wells. This program improves water supply flexibility and reliability, enabling Roseville to supplement surface water supplies with groundwater during high-demand periods, such as summer months, droughts, or emergencies.
Additionally, Roseville‘s “Cash for Grass” turf replacement program enables homeowners to replace their lawns with water-efficient landscaping, along with its commercial counterpart, the Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance. Since the program began, Roseville customers have removed over 2.6 million square feet of turf, resulting in an estimated future water savings of 91 million gallons annually after the plant establishment period. In Roseville, approximately half of the urban water is utilized for landscape irrigation.
Roseville’s action is part of a larger effort in the Sacramento region through the State of California’s Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program, administered by the Regional Water Authority (RWA). Funding of $500,000 for the Turf Replacement and Customer Outreach Project (“Project”) was awarded to RWA’s Regional Water Efficiency Program (“RWEP”) from the State Department of Water Resources through the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014.
The Project will expand current and build new residential and commercial/institutional customer efficiency and outreach programs in the Sacramento region. Its overall goal is to replace over 333,333 square feet of turf grass in 222 households/businesses/institutions (assuming 1,500 square feet are replaced per customer), achieving a water savings of 38 acre-feet per year and 946 acre-feet over the 25-year lifetime benefits period.
Timothy A. Murphy is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the North State Building Industry Association representing and advocating for more than 500 home builders, developers, and trade partners in the Greater Sacramento Area, with over 25 years of experience in public affairs and association management, helping construction and design companies achieve their business, real estate, and environmental objectives.
Jeff Short is the Legislative Director of the North State Building Industry Association, a government affairs professional with over a decade of experience in politics, advocacy, legislative and campaign work, on several political and community-oriented boards in the Placer County region.
