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APPLE VALLEY — The Great Recession brought home building in the High Desert to a grinding halt, but eight years later things are finally starting to look up. Industry and community leaders said the improved economy, low interest rates, the affordability of land and the completion of road work on Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass has resulted in a rise in home construction across the Victor Valley. In Apple Valley, residential permits are projected to hit a nineyear high during the current fiscal year, with 117 permits pulled. This figure has town officials and developers smiling after the town issued only 62 permits in fiscal year 200708, and a dismal 32 four years ago. As the sound of hammers and saws echo through Apple Valley, the valuation of new home starts from January to June equals $9.1 million, with June alone coming in at nearly $2.5 million, according to a report shared by Town
spokeswoman Kathie Martin. Hesperia spokeswoman Rachel Molina said the city issued 74 permits from January through July of this year, with 114 pulled during the last fiscal year.
Hesperia Councilman Russ Blewett said the city is “moving in the right direction” after experiencing a “building drought several years ago.” Blewett said Hesperia issued a total of 144 permits from fiscal year 2013 to the end of fiscal year 2015, “a number that reflects how bad things were.” Blewett said Hesperia saw a housing boom after it lowered development impact fees in 2014 after issuing zero permits during fiscal year 201112 and only two the following year. Some developers said coowner Alan Colantuono of Sorrento Homes opened the floodgates for tract development when he pushed the City Council to lower its development impact fees for unrecorded subdivisions/tracts after the fees were lowered for singleresidential
home projects. Since Colatuono’s push, Sorrento Homes has constructed and sold over 50 homes in Hesperia. “If you drive through Hesperia, you’ll see a tremendous amount of homes going up,” Blewett said. “Easy freeway access and affordable prices are drawing people to Hesperia.” In a report of calendar year figures provided by Victorville spokeswoman Sue Jones, the city issued 202 permit for the first seven months of 2016, compared to last year’s 244 permits. Jones said a total of 408 permits were pulled between 2011 and 2015, from KB Homes, Evergreen Homes, Watermarke Homes and Legacy Homes — big players in the development game. Jerry and Melissa McCarthy said they’re eyeing a piece of property in the northwest portion of Victorville, where they’re looking to build a 2,500squarefoot home. “We live in the Riverside area and we’re thinking of relocating to a much quieter place in Southern California,” said Jerry McCarthy, 66, a retired businessman. “We saved quite a bit so we’re in a good position to build.” In Adelanto, the city issued 486 permits from January through July of this year, with 920 permits issued for fiscal year 201516. Adelanto issued a total of 2,713 permits over the last five fiscal years. Oscar Wei, senior economist with the California Association of Realtors, said the number of singlefamily detached homes sold in February increased 4.5 percent when compared to the same time last year. He added that sales have been improving on a yearoveryear basis for every month since March 2015. “The year 2015 was also the first year since 2009 that the market experienced a yearoveryear gain in sales,” said Wie, in a recent Bradco Companies report. “With the economy expected to improve in the upcoming year, sales in the regional housing market should continue to grow with a midsingle
digit in 2016.” Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 7609516227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.