Message From the Board Chair
Message From the Board Chair
CSLB is always working to improve its connection with licensees. Hopefully you will find this newsletter helpful in understanding some of the board's important information that pertains to the growth of your business.
So far in 2019, CSLB has been implementing new laws, including SB 721, which establishes requirements for inspecting and repairing "exterior elevated elements", such as balconies and decks. The board has also welcomed a new member, Frank Altamura, Jr., who can help us make impactful decisions.
As you know, Californians are still climbing out of the devastation that historically large wildfires have left in their communities. More than 7,500 wildfires burned almost 1.7 million acres of land in the state in 2018. The Mendocino Complex Fire in Colusa, Glenn, Lake, and Mendocino counties burned more than 459,000 acres, making it the single largest wildfire in state history. The Camp Fire in Butte County was the deadliest and most destructive, with 85 deaths and 18,804 structures destroyed. At this time, licensed contractors couldn't be of more value to the well-being of our state. .
In working closely with property owners on rebuilding in the affected areas, we want you to rely on CSLB should you need any resources or have questions about your place in the rebuilding process. A great start to help you and your business is the 2019 California Contractors License Law & Reference Book.
There's no doubt that as the need for more licensed contractors in California increases, CSLB staff will continue to enhance the application process and the process to make updates and additions to your license. You may have already utilized our "easy fill forms," to help you make updates quickly and easily. We will continue to add new forms to our website and will notify you when we make those updates.
Our board is also working closely with other states, giving you the opportunity to contract across state borders. Adding to existing licensing agreements with Arizona, Nevada and Utah, CSLB and the Louisiana Board for Contractors have agreed to license reciprocity; licensed contractors can now apply for a trade exam waiver in Louisiana, and vice versa.
Public works projects are also another great avenue for licensees to grow their contracting business. But before you jump into that line of work, CSLB’s enforcement staff wants to make sure you are aware of the common mistakes contractors make while bidding on these projects, mistakes that can have serious repercussions. Read through our public works article later in this newsletter to find out more.
We know that licensees want us to increase the accessibility of our resources to get more people licensed. There is no question that students studying construction management at universities around the state will become tomorrow’s industry leaders. Because of licensee contributions to the Construction Management Education Sponsorship Act (CMESA) grant program, the board has approved distributing $100,000 to seven different universities. Continue reading to learn more about how you can contribute to future generations of construction managers.
In this newsletter, we also wanted to address the emerging issues about online marketplaces and clear-up any confusion that contractors may have. We will answer questions like, does the online marketplace or contractor referral website need to have a license? Read that information carefully if your business is reliant on home improvement marketplace companies.
Licensed contractors play an important role in fueling California's economic growth. We are proud of our hard-working licensees whose professionalism provides a secure route to meet consumer's construction needs throughout the state.
We welcome your feedback on this newsletter, as well as on any other issue. Please contact us through our website feedback form (LINK).
Respectfully,
Marlo Richardson
CSLB Board Chair
