Articles, Newsletters & Misc.
Permit Technician and Plan Reviewer
Summer and Fall Trainings
Want to improve your skills as a permit technician or plan reviewer? Whether you are serving in an introductory or advanced department role, there is something for everyone!
In-Person and Virtual Attendance Available
- Permit Technician Career Advancement: The Core Essentials
- 2022 California Building Code: Significant Changes
- Permit Technician Career Advancement: How to Properly Screen Plans for Successful Permit Services
- 2022 California Energy Code: Residential Submittal Requirements
- 2022 California Residential Code: Significant Changes
- Means of Egress in the 2022 California Building Code
Visit the CALBO Education Week Registration page for
complete course listings and registration information.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the CALBO Office or call 916-457-1103.
Thank you for attending the 2023 BOLA Core Curriculum Week – share your feedback!
On behalf of the CALBO Training
Institute (CTI), thank you for attending the 2022-23 BOLA Core
Curriculum Week from May 8-12, 2023.
To provide quality training for this program, we rely on an evaluation process to determine the effectiveness of the material and instructor. We appreciate your assistance.
Online Evaluation – Click Here
CALBO’s 61st Annual Business Meeting Session Presentations (PDF)
Did you miss the 61st Annual Business Meeting or attended an Annual Business Meeting session that you want to share with your colleagues? View or download the topical presentations (PDF) about trending subject matter in building-safety. For a complete list, please visit the Annual Business Meeting Presentations Page located on the CALBO website.
If you have questions regarding the information above, please contact the CALBO Office.
A Special Message from Your 2023-24 CALBO President
Greetings CALBO Community,
Spring is upon us! Flowers are blooming, baseball season is in full swing, the state legislature is busy debating new laws, and building permits are being pulled. It is business as usual in the world as CALBO begins its 62nd year, and I take the helm as your president. I would like to thank you in advance for trusting me, along with the CALBO Board of Directors, during this membership year.
I had the great fortune of seeing quite a few of you in San Diego last month as we celebrated our 61st year as an association at the CALBO Annual Business Meeting. It was a great opportunity for us to come together, collaborate with one another, share stories of the past, and pave a path into the future. We also took a moment and honored the best and brightest within our industry. Congratulations to all the award honorees! I also want to send my sincere thanks to our loyal industry partners, countless sponsors and over forty-five exhibitors who came together to contribute to our events. Your continued support of our industry does not go unnoticed.
Earlier this month, a unanimous member vote was casted to amend and restate our bylaws. These bylaws are now in effect and their implementation is underway with work by the CALBO Board and Staff. Although it will take a full year to fully implement the new bylaw provisions, all will be in place before the 62nd Annual Business Meeting and the election of new officers. Thank you, members of CALBO, for assisting your organization in ensuring the organization is prepared for the next generation of CALBO.
As the next few months start to get busy, I hope you can take the time for your own personal and professional development. On May 17th, we will host our annual Leadership and Advocacy Day in Sacramento. This complimentary member event is a great opportunity to meet with local state assemblymembers and senators and to promote the build-safety industry. A wide range of live webinars are open for registration, covering various code changes and much more. We will also be back in the Fall with our traditional hybrid offerings of Education Weeks. More information on that front will be out soon.
Finally, I would like to thank you for continuing to protect our local communities and meeting our professional charge as code officials. I hope you take some time this coming month and celebrate Building Safety month – it’s our month after all.
Regards,
Brad Wungluck
Deputy Director, Development Services Department
City of Manteca
ADU Energy Webinar – Last Chance to Register!
Limited Spots Left
Developed by leading experts at California Energy Commission, this webinar provides vital insight into key components of Accessory Dwelling Units within the 2022 California Energy Code. Remember that registration is first-come, first-served, so please don’t wait!
Congratulations to the 2022-2023 CALBO Award Recipients!
It is with great pride that
we announce the 2022-2023 CALBO Awards Recipients. We
are grateful for these CALBO Member
contributions to the building-safety community.
2022-2023
Building Department of the Year
City of Chico
The City of Chico is the 2022-2023 Building Department of the Year due to its commitment to not only serve its community but the neighboring communities that have been devastated by natural disasters over the last couple of years. Additionally, the department, with a staff of 18 people, has continuously evolved its customer service capabilities through the establishment of a completely new permitting database, allowing the department to average an impressive 300 building inspections per week.
Staying true to the mission of building departments to promote public safety and assist in disaster recovery efforts, the City of Chico immediately reached out to the Town of Paradise and Butte County following the devastating Paradise Camp Fire and Berry Creek Bear Fire. While maintaining a commitment to its community, the department went above and beyond to assist in the recovery efforts of neighboring communities after two devastating natural disasters. In their efforts, the department immediately aided its neighbors by inspecting damaged buildings while still completing the duties necessary to meet the needs of their community. Additionally, the City of Chico launched a web portal allowing project applicants to virtually track their projects from application to final inspection and issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. This innovative technology provides up-to-the-minute updates on project applications and increases transparency to the public during the permitting process.
As the most populous city of Butte County, the building division serves just over 100,000 constituents efficiently and effectively. The City of Chico provides an example of how a building department can go above and beyond its duties by assisting other communities in times of need, increasing collaboration to adapt to an ever-changing building industry, and having an extensive commitment to one’s community. Please join CALBO in celebrating the achievements of the City of Chico. Congratulations, Chico.
Building Official of the Year
Chu Chang, City of San Jose
Mr. Chu Chang is the 2022-2023 Building Official of the Year. Mr. Chang currently serves as the Chief Building Official and Assistant Director of the Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Department for the City of San Jose.
Mr. Chang joined the City of San Jose in 2011 and, since he began, has brought forward innovative ideas to the building department and the communities it serves. Some of his projects include the establishment of a Rapid Online Service Intake for experienced customers, a pilot project for permit review for solar photovoltaic installations, and the establishment of a universal checklist for Accessory Dwelling Units within the San Jose community. The development of these technologies has continued to evolve and improve the customer experience within the City of San Jose.
As an individual, Mr. Chang is well-known for his good sense of humor around the office, his unwavering support of his staff’s career growth through professional development opportunities and mentorship, and his ability to develop strong personal and professional relationships with his team. Outside of his work with the City of San Jose, Mr. Chang is a member of the ICC Major Jurisdiction Committee, which provides resources to local agencies about best practices and information on department administration, code enforcement, and the role of a code official. Additionally, Mr. Chang served as a member of the AIA San Mateo County Chapter as a panelist to help guide course development for architects. These resources are vital to those that protect the public from harm in the built industry and highlight Mr. Chang’s continued commitment to our profession.
Mr. Chang exemplifies the best of our profession by improving technological resources and helping guide future leaders within our industry. The CALBO community is fortunate to have Mr. Chang as a member of our community, and we congratulate him on achieving this significant accomplishment. Congratulations, Chu!
Fire Official of the Year
Christine Reed, Central County Fire Department
Battalion Chief Christine Reed is the 2022-2023 CALBO Fire Official of the Year. Chief Reed has had a 32-year career within the California Fire Service and currently serves as the Battalion Chief – Fire Marshal of the Central County Fire Department for the cities of Burlingame, Hillsborough, and Millbrae.
Over her tenure, Chief Reed has served in various committees and board service opportunities, beginning with her service as past president of the San Mateo County Fire Prevention Officers Association in 1999. From 2008 to 2014, she co-chaired the Northern California Fire Prevention Officers (NorCal FPO) Building Standards Committee, which led to her election to the NorCal FPO Board of Directors, where she served as President in 2017. In addition, she was actively involved in the national code development process throughout her board service, attending all national code development hearings on behalf of the California Fire Chiefs Association (CalChiefs).
Chief Reed has demonstrated a long-time commitment to California FPOs and CALBO by promoting this valued building-fire relationship nationally through various committees, outreach, and collaborative opportunities. Currently, Chief Reed serves on the CALBO/CalChiefs Building & Fire Advisory Committee, where she collaborates with leaders of both organizations.
CALBO is an organization that prides itself on working hand-in-hand with local and state fire officials, ensuring public and building safety. Officials like Chief Reed help bridge the gap between the two respective fields creating a beneficial, long-lasting relationship. Congratulations, Christine!
Industry Achievement
Mark Lyum, NBCUniversal
Mr. Mark Lyum is the 2022-2023 CALBO Industry Achievement recipient. He is the Senior Vice President of Global Real Estate at NBCUniversal and began his career at Universal in 1990 as a key team member that developed CityWalk. Mr. Lyum oversaw construction on the Universal Studios lot, including projects such as Super Nintendo World, Harry Potter, Jurassic World, King Kong 3D, Fast & Furious, Mummy The Ride, and collaborated with the development and construction at Universal Theme Parks in California, Florida and Japan.
During such projects, Mr. Lyum proactively coordinated with local code officials to ensure projects were built to the highest code compliance and sustainability level. His participation in the creation of new building and fire code standards for permanent exterior buildings used for outdoor filming was critical to the rebuilding of the studios fire damaged backlot. Before joining Universal, he worked as a project manager for Dillingham Construction, where he was involved with the Doris Stein Eye Research Institute at UCLA.
Mr. Lyum has been an active contributor to the building-safety industry for well over 30 years, being involved in local building code regulation and supporting both CALBO and ICC in policy development and conference support. Mr. Lyum was an active member of CALBO policy committees, including the Green Building Committee. He also provided support to CALBO by providing facility hosting for CALBO’s Annual Business Meeting and CALBO Committees and to ICC at the 2015 Annual Conference in Long Beach, California.
The CALBO community is extremely grateful for the contributions that Mr. Lyum has provided to our industry over the last 30 years. Congratulations, Mark!
Hall of Fame
Ralph M. Ochoa
With honor, California Building Officials inducts Mr. Ralph Ochoa into the CALBO Hall of Fame.
Mr. Ralph Ochoa started the Ochoa & Moore Law Firm in 1978 after having served as Chief of Staff to the California Assembly Speaker from 1974-78. Mr. Ochoa was appointed to a number of state boards and commissions from a variety of Governors including: the California Building Standards Commission; the University of California Regents; and the California Lottery Commission. For nearly half a century, Mr. Ochoa built a reputation in Sacramento as someone with knowledge, credibility, access and professionalism.
Mr. Ochoa holds the title of Special Ambassador. In 1978, Mr. Ochoa accompanied the First Lady, Rosalyn Carter, to the inauguration of the President of Costa Rica. He completed assignments for President Jimmy Carter on issues involving tax and economic programs and U.S. foreign policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. President Carter later appointed Mr. Ochoa to the National Advisory Council on Economic Development.
In 1979, Mr. Ochoa was appointed to the Commission of the Californians by Lt. Governor Michael Curb. In 1982, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. appointed him to the California State Building Standards Commission.
Because of his background as a California Building Standards Commissioner, and his reputation as a successful and effective attorney and lobbyist in Sacramento, Mr. Ochoa and his law firm were hired by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) in 1996 to protect the interests of the ICBO in California. Mr. Ochoa and his firm quickly got to work helping raise the profile of ICBO and educating Sacramento on the importance of strong building codes, while helping ICBO transition into the International Code Council (ICC).
In the early 2000s, Mr. Ochoa and his Firm worked tirelessly recruiting and organizing Coalitions large and small throughout California as the California Code Wars became the singular focus for ICC in California. Through his leadership, ICC eventually won the Code Wars in California, and for his efforts, The Ochoa & Moore Law Firm was recognized at the 2005 International Builders Show by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) as the winner of its Government Affairs Achievement Award for honoring outstanding contributions to the home building industry.
Mr. Ochoa continued leading the California Coalition for ICC and representing the ICC and its Coalition members before the Building Standards Commission, the State Legislature, as well as numerous state agencies and the Governor’s Office until his retirement in 2020.
Ralph could not be with us today due to a recent surgery, but his son Chris will accept the award on his behalf.
For a complete list of CALBO Award Recipients from years past, please visit the Award and Hall of Fame page located on the CALBO website.
A Special Message from Your 2022-23 CALBO President
Dear Friends of CALBO,
CALBO is returning to America’s Finest City, San Diego, for CALBO’s 61st Annual Business Meeting. Our home in Mission Bay is a member favorite, with plenty of professional meeting space and beautiful weather helping to make any event a success. We hope that you’ll be able to join us as we come together from March 5-9, 2023.
The CALBO Board has been working rigorously on an array of programs and workshops to assist building-safety leadership develop a post-pandemic work environment, while keeping up with the evolving needs of their communities to ensure the highest safety standards. You will find that the state agencies, at their request, are heavily involved in this year’s programs. Presentation topics include CALGreen carbon reduction, all-gender restrooms, emergency housing, disaster call-out processes, and fire hazard severity zone maps. Our cafeteria-style workshop topics to improve staff management and day-to-day office operations include managing remote employees, inclusive leadership, accreditation, and succession planning. As part of our ABM tradition, I hope you will take advantage of the Model Codes Organization Luncheon, tributes to previous leaders and the social opportunities to network with your peers.
Remember that Thursday programming will offer three CEU courses for attendees to select from to keep up with the new 2022 codes. Course selections include significant changes to the 2022 California Building Code and 2022 California Residential Code that went into effect on January 1, 2023. We hope that you will take advantage of these CEU offerings!
There will also be time for a little fun while we’re in San Diego. The highlight of our social program is the President’s Dinner at The Prado at Balboa Park. CALBO is taking over San Diego’s famed Balboa Park for a night of unexpected history in a local gem. It’ll be a night to remember in this picturesque hacienda that sets the scene for inspired Californian fare. We’ll dance the night away with views to the stars with classic tunes and celebrate with the best local grub around – all with a uniquely San Diego theme. A golf tournament will be held again Sunday afternoon and other sponsored events throughout the week that will provide good opportunities to network and enjoy our colleagues and community.
What more can I say other than I hope you’ll join me in San Diego for CALBO’s 61st Annual Business Meeting for an array of programs, events and training for the professional development of our organization. Looking forward to gathering once again in America’s Finest City!
Sincerely,
David Gonzalves
Building Official
University of California
Thank you for attending CALBO’s Education Week – share your feedback!
Thursday Courses - October 13, 2022
On behalf of the CALBO Training
Institute (CTI), thank you for attending CALBO’s Education
Week’s Thursday, October 13th courses. We hope you enjoyed
the offerings.
To provide our members with quality training programs, we rely on an evaluation process to determine the effectiveness of the material, the instructor and the online platform. We appreciate your assistance.
Online Evaluation – Click Here
CTI Chairman’s Update
Written By: Chairman Bob Latz
Welcome CALBO Members, Industry
Associates, and Friends,
We are about to embark on this year’s fact-filled training experience through the 2022 hybrid Education Weeks in San Ramon and Ontario. The CALBO Training Institute (CTI) Commission is proud to bring, with our Instructors, Course Developers, Subject Matter Experts and Production Team, a year of insight into the 2022 significant code changes and your professional development. CTI is again extending to you the option to attend in person or virtually. We hope you will take advantage of this flexibility in providing our members with the best quality education. When attending in person, please take time to visit with our vendors so they have the opportunity to share their new products and services.
The 2022 Education Weeks will be held September 19 - September 22 in San Ramon and October 10 - October 13 in Ontario. We recently launched the BOLA class of 2022-2023 and look forward to their participation in Education Weeks as well as their graduation at next year’s Annual Business Meeting in San Diego from March 5-9, 2023. CTI wants to recognize their commitment as emerging leaders and encourages you to be part of next year’s program.
Please keep a look out for the CTI 2-hour webinar offerings that are provided year-round. More topics will be added to cover the recent 2022 code updates, including accessibility, electrical, mechanical, egress, energy and much more. These are great supplemental virtual trainings that can be taken at your home or office. Check the CALBO Calendar for new and upcoming webinar topics and dates.
We look forward to seeing all of you as we come together for training and professional development this year!
Sincerely,
Bob Latz, C.B.O.
Regional Manager
CSG Consultants, Inc.