Research
INVESTING IN THE PRESENT
Mission
The California Homebuilding Foundation (CHF) Research Fund mission is to fund independent research on issues critical to homebuilding in California and to educate the industry and the public about the importance of housing.
General
Each year, the CHF Research Fund will sponsor and own independent, university-based research that will help advance the homebuilding industry and remove barriers to affordable home production. Annually, the earnings from the Fund will be dedicated to these projects along with assisting regional/local building associations to support local research projects. It is important to note that as a 501(c) (3), CHF is limited to the amount of contributions for the purpose of lobbying, in accordance with our safe harbor election with the IRS.
Stewardship
The CHF Board of Trustees takes seriously its duty to provide wise stewardship of the assets entrusted to them. The assets of the Research Fund will be invested in accordance with the investment policies of the Foundation. Each year, 5% of the Research Fund balance will be available for distribution. The annual fee for administration of the Fund will be .5% of fund balance.
Distributions
In addition, CHF has distributed more than $500,000 in grants over the last five years to fund industry research. The areas researched include housing afford ability, construction dispute resolution, smart growth, land use, and local growth policies. The Foundation has also created “interactive scholarships” to encourage stronger links between college students and local building industry associations. This internship program offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about careers within the industry while conducting research for the local BIA/HBA's.