EPS provides rigorous analysis and insightful solutions to address complex challenges in real estate development, land use policy, and local government finance. We are motivated by the role our work can play in shaping places where people live and we strive to create high-quality urban environments that advance the principles of diversity, resiliency, and shared prosperity.
EPS offers a wealth of experience, robust technical expertise, and the ability to offer insightful solutions to address the challenges and opportunities of urban development.
Building on EPS’s recently completed research into the Financial Impacts of Construction Defect Liability on Housing Development in California, Vice President Thomas Gonzales moderated a webinar panel last month on the topic of construction defect law reform.
Defect liability has been identified as a major barrier to condominium construction in California, and the event, hosted by Lambda Alpha International (LAI), focused on how Assembly Bill 1903 could address those barriers. The panelists discussed how legal reforms could potentially improve outcomes for developers, the insurance industry, and homeowners by getting developers to repair building defects rather than incentivizing expensive litigation activity and settlements—which have increasingly led to insurers, contractors, consultants, and developers alike walking away from condominium projects in favor of other types of building.
Thomas led the conversation with a panel of experts that included Tim Hutter of Allen Matkins, Nick Cammarota of the California Building Industry Association (CBIA), Meea Kang of the Council of Infill Builders, and Stephen Harrell of Insurance Specialty Group.
A recording of the webinar is available on LAI’s website: https://lai.org/event/ab1903/
EPS, in collaboration with Studio One Eleven, worked with the City of Irwindale and the Irwindale Housing Authority (IHA) through the San Gabriel Valley Council of Government’s Affordable Housing Incubator program to conduct a feasibility analysis for affordable housing on an underutilized IHA-owned site to understand the range of options for development.
The project involved an analysis of the site’s capacity and research into current market conditions. In alignment with the City’s and IHA’s goals and vision, the EPS Team developed project scenarios for the site and evaluated the feasibility of each scenario, taking into consideration Surplus Land Act and Prevailing Wage. The EPS Team presented our findings and recommendations to the Housing Authority Board in February 2026. Subsequently, EPS assisted the IHA in developing a Request for Proposal for the project site to identify a qualified development team to construct and deliver a project consistent with IHA Board direction. The RFP can be found here: PlanetBids Vendor Portal - Irwindale. Proposals are due June 3, 2026.
We are proud of our collaboration with Studio One Eleven and excited to help get new affordable housing built in Irwindale.
