|
SCB Rehabs 5 Scattered City Heights Sites
Sun Country Connection
June 21, 2010
Every rehab project has its own distinct personality, but this one - the rehab of 60 apartments spread over eleven buildings and five scattered sites in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego -...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Prevailing Wage Law (Part II) – The Impact
Sun Country Connection
April 27, 2010
In our last newsletter we explored the history of Federal and State prevailing wage law. In this issue we’ll focus on the fiscal impact, along with some interesting facts and figures specific to ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
139 Fast-Paced Turnaround Projects
Sun Country Connection
April 20, 2010
SCB has completed another Rehab on Steroids!
It was a job they said it COULDN’T be done...that we were biting off more than we could chew.
Yet April 12th marked the completion of yet&n...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing at Ourselves - Rose and Barb
Sun Country Connection
April 16, 2010
Two 80-year-old women, Rose and Barb, had been friends all of their lives.
When it was clear that Rose was dying, Barb visited her every day. One day Barb said, 'Rose, we bo...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Prevailing Wage Law (part 1) – A Brief History
Sun Country Connection
February 20, 2010
By Daryl McFarland, Director of Operations
Named after its sponsors, Pennsylvania Senator James J. Davis, and New York Representative Robert L. Bacon, the Davis-Bacon Act was signed into l...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Calgreen – California’s New Green Building Code
Sun Country Connection
February 20, 2010
Newly constructed commercial and residential buildings in California will be some of the greenest in the world, following adoption of the most stringent, environmentally-friendly building code st...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Spotlight on Solar Power
Sun Country Connection
February 16, 2010
Sun Country Builders has committed itself to sustainable building.
And, given the constant evolution of environmental technology, keeping current on strategies and methodologies for being gr...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Poway’s Affordable Rentals Keep Families Together
Sun Country Connection
December 15, 2009
The holiday season is a good time to remember the importance of family. It’s a lesson that Crystal and Cesar Lucca of Park View Terrace have never forgotten. We first wrote about the Lucca family...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Did you hear about…um…I forgot
Sun Country Connection
December 15, 2009
An 80-year-old couple were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong.
When they arrived at the doctor's, th...
Read More >>
|
|
|
A Christmas Story
Sun Country Connection
December 15, 2009
I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her. On the way, my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Sant...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing At Ourselves - Court Testimony
Sun Country Connection
December 14, 2009
These actual excerpts from a book called 'Disorder in the American Courts' are word for word transcriptions.
___________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Meet Daryl McFarland
Sun Country Connection
November 03, 2009
Ongoing project administration is handled by Daryl McFarland, Sun Country's Director of Operations.
Daryl handles day-to-day program oversight, client support, project administration and fiel...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Another Successful Multi-Family Rehab
Sun Country Connection
November 03, 2009
Units in occupied community turned in only five days!
Following the success of the 80-unit Turnagain Arms rehab in Fallbrook, Sun Country Builders is grateful to Community HousingWorks ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Keeping Landscaping Green With Less Water
Sun Country Connection
October 31, 2009
With significant water rate increases this month of up to 16%, and another 19% projected for next year, now is the perfect time to upgrade to a more sustainable landscape. Smart irrigation equi...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing At Ourselves - Lady Luck
Sun Country Connection
August 15, 2009
Lady Luck was seldom kind to Sam.
Although Sam had a real zest for life he was constantly beset by bad luck.He loved poker but poker did not love him; he played the stock market with great ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing At Ourselves - Golfing in Heaven
Sun Country Connection
June 24, 2009
A golf fanatic met the Pope on a trip to Rome. "Your Holiness," he said, "I'm crazy about golf. I play every day of the year. But, tell me, is there a golf course in heaven?"
"I'm not sure," s...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Detriment to Benefit: (Final)
Sun Country Connection
June 23, 2009
Detriment to Benefit: (Final)
At the upstream end of the property a large box culvert was constructed to facilitate access to both sides of the creek and allow restoration of ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing At Ourselves - How's Business?
Sun Country Connection
June 23, 2009
Rob and Randy are riding in a crowded elevator at the end of a busy day. Rob turns to Randy and asks; "How's business?"
"Last year we sold 500,000 houses, 700,000 farms and 750,000 school...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Meet Cindy McAvoy
Sun Country Connection
June 23, 2009
After being with Sun Country for 11 years, our Office and Human Resource Manager has seen it all and done it all. “I’ve grown with the position, and it’s grown with me” she laughs as she recounts...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Detriment to Benefit: (Final Photo)
Sun Country Connection
June 23, 2009
The Pomerado Creek as it appears today.
We're all proud of the results done by all the partners in this project. It's easy to see why.
Read More >>
|
|
|
Detriment to Benefit: Pomerado Creek & Brookview
Sun Country Connection
June 23, 2009
Detriment to Benefit: Pomerado Creek and the Brookview Senior Apartments
Peter Bridge, LEED AP
About a decade ago, San Diego Interfaith Housing Foundation, led by Matthew Jumper, to...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Detriment to Benefit: (Continued)
Sun Country Connection
June 23, 2009
Detriment to Benefit: (Continued)
Despite the City’s consistent efforts to keep the creek clean, over the years it had been used as an illegal dumping ground. The Corps, Fish & G...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing At Ourselves - The Old Man
Sun Country Connection
April 16, 2009
A young fellow is driving down the road when he sees an old man sitting on a stump, bawling his eyes out. So the driver stops the car and asks the old man what's the matter.
"I've had a gr...
Read More >>
|
|
|
CHW’s Fast-Track, Sustainable Rehab
Sun Country Connection
April 16, 2009
Community HousingWorks’ Fast-Track, Sustainable Rehab in Fallbrook
Residents’ units turned around in just four-and-a-half days
Sun Country Builders has been making good progress on Tu...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Laughing At Ourselves - Counting Sheep
Sun Country Connection
February 10, 2009
A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand new Range Rover advanced out of a cloud of dust toward him.
The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci sh...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - The Lucca Family
Sun Country Connection
December 15, 2008
There are some residents of affordable housing who just “get it” faster than others. That’s what happened with Crystal and Cesar Lucca of Park View Terrace.
Built by Sun Country and developed by ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES - Someone Important
Sun Country Connection
December 15, 2008
A very large, old building was being torn down in Chicago to make room for a new skyscaper. Its proximity to other buildings prevented implosion, and it had to be dismantled floor by floor.
...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - Elizabeth Vasquez
Sun Country Connection
October 15, 2008
Children having children. It’s a phrase the media loosely bandies about, but we rarely get to actually meet the people behind the stories. Elizabeth Vasquez is just such a person – a 14-year old wh...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Construction Waste Recycling - It's Here
Sun Country Connection
October 13, 2008
The good news: California leads the nation in waste reduction and recycling!
Even so, our state disposes of more than 40 million tons of waste annually.
Years ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - Kat, Randy and Breanna
Solutions for Change News
September 15, 2008
In December 1987 Kat and Randy fell in love. In that way they are no different than any other couple. But what sets them apart is the fact that they both came from childhoods that pushed them tow...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Harnessing the Sun for Affordable Housing
Sun Country Connection
August 19, 2008
By Peter Bridge
Are you considering a photovoltaic system for an upcoming 9% project, located in one of the areas served by SDG&E, SoCal Electric, or PG&E? The combination of...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES - Building the Ark
Sun Country Connection
August 15, 2008
In the year 2016, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States
The Lord said, "Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh b...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - Meet the Franco Kids
Sun Country Connection
August 15, 2008
Angie remembers what it felt like when her home was raided for drugs, and her kids were taken away.
“I’ll never forget when my little ones were pulling on my shirt. That’s when I knew it ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Apartment Rehabilitation Projects
Sun Country Connection
June 18, 2008
It’s often said that a construction project takes on a “personality” from the very beginning. Nurturing that personality can be a major factor in how the project turns out.
Un...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES - In the cemetery
Sun Country Connection
June 15, 2008
A large family, with seven children, moved to a new city.
They were having a difficult time finding an apartment to live in. Many apartments were large enough, but the landlords
objected to...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - LeAnn
Sun Country Connections
June 15, 2008
HOMELESS WITH CANCER
Encinitas mother of three faces the battle of her life
Meet LeAnn. She's been living at Solutions for Change for only a few months, but already her life has started to ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Bush Names SBA Administrator Steven Preston to HUD
CLPHA Weekly Report
April 23, 2008
Who is Steven C. Preston? That’s a question many in the affordable housing community were asking last week when President Bush named the 47-year-old administrator of the Small Business Administra...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES - This and That
Sun Country Connection
April 15, 2008
Seen on an electrician's truck: Let us remove your shorts.
======================
A woman saw an electrician walking up her drive. She rushed to the door. "Why have you come today?" she barked....
Read More >>
|
|
|
Managing the SOLARA Challenge
Sun Country Connection
April 15, 2008
The question “What if we go green all the way with this one?” became the genesis point for a project that would pull from every known aspect of sustainable design and redefine the way affordable ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - Nellie
Sun Country Connection
April 15, 2008
Meet Nellie, Mother Of Five
"I was a single mother of 5, working as a Night Auditor at a hotel, in a studio apartment."
Nellie lived the life of addiction. When she was only 14, a friend intro...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Green Building Saves $$$
Affordable Housing Finance
April 01, 2008
Green Building Saves $$$ Developers open their books to show low operating costs at green properties <br>
BY BENDIX ANDERSON <br>
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE <br><br&...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES: Construction Definitions
Sun Country Connection
February 15, 2008
Contractor - A gambler who never gets to shuffle, cut or deal.
Bid Opening - A poker game in which the losing hand wins.
Low Bidder - A contractor who is wondering what he/she left ou...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Avoiding class action suits
Sun Country Connection
February 15, 2008
Avoiding class action suits
Ted Kimball
Partner, Kimball, Tirey & St. John LLP
A significant legal concern in 2008 is the continued proliferation of unfair business practice and class actio...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Personal Success Story - Cyndie Schubert
Sun Country Connection
February 15, 2008
It's FAR too easy to write off a drug addict who's doing jail time.
"That was me a few years ago" recalls Cyndie Schubert. "I was addicted to drugs. I'd been busted twice. And my future was bl...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Your Residents as Maintenance Inspectors?
Sun Country Connection
February 15, 2008
By Daryl McFarland
As a general contractor specializing in rental apartment housing, Sun Country becomes involved in most of the maintenance issues faced by asset and property managers durin...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES: It's the plumber
Sun Country Connection
December 11, 2007
A lady was expecting the plumber; he was supposed to come at ten o'clock to fix the sink. 10:00 came and went; no plumber; 11:00, noon, 1:00. Still no plumber. She finally concluded he wasn't com...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Maximizing Relationships
The Sun Country Connection
October 16, 2007
“Mixed use transportation centers are the way of the future” says Rod MacDonald, Director of New Construction for KDF Communities of Newport Beach. “We need to spend more time and energy ...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES: Three men and a genie
The Sun Country Connection
October 15, 2007
A project manager, a superintendent, and a field engineer are in Ft. Lauderdale for a two-week period helping out on a project.
About midweek they decide to walk up and down the beach dur...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Walk on a Good Man
The Sun Country Connection
August 09, 2007
Success comes in many forms - carpet, vinyl, wood, ceramic, rugs and window treatments, to name just a few.
"No, success comes from doing what you say you're going to do" says Denis Royer, p...
Read More >>
|
|
|
Avoiding Cost Overruns in Affordable Housing
The Sun Country Connection
August 09, 2007
Many common project cost overruns can be avoided by developing a mutual understanding of project design and specification parameters as they relate to budget constraints in the early planning sta...
Read More >>
|
|
|
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES: Just Rewards
The Sun Country Connection
August 09, 2007
While walking down the street one day, a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven," says St....
Read More >>
|
|
|
Via Roble Student Career Training Program
The Sun Country Connection
August 09, 2007
In May 2007 Trinity Housing Group was wondering what type of Summer Program to offer their residents at the Via Roble Apartments in Escondido. As a first time residential coordinator with a...
Read More >>
|
|
