| CENTRAL COAST – This past weekend, People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH) hosted the 2025 Builder Games. Presented by Mechanics Bank, eight teams competed in a series of fun building-related challenges to imaginatively transform a standard 4’x 4’ playhouse into a child’s dream.Winning this year’s title of ‘Builder Games Champion’ and the ‘People’s Choice Award’ was first-time competitor Tricamo Construction for their “Chicken Coop”. The ‘Judge’s Choice Award’ was awarded to BMA Mechanical+, another team new to this year’s Games, for their inventive recreation of the iconic San Luis Obispo landmark, Frank’s Hot Dogs Restaurant.
Adjudicating the awards were celebrity judges Jeff Buckingham, Senior Director of Business Solutions at Astound Business Solutions, Jim Dantona, President & CEO of SLO Chamber of Commerce, Songwriter, Musician & Producer, Damon Castillo from the Damon Castillo Band, and Presenting Sponsor Mechanics Bank, represented by SLO Branch Manager Lisa Adams. Additional teams competing included Arris Studio Architects, CIO Solutions, Community West Bank, RRM Design Group, T&S Structural, and People’s Self-Help Housing.
“This has been the best Builder Games yet! The playhouse designs get more and more creative each year,” said Ken Trigueiro, PSHH CEO & President. “From a steam train to a fire station complete with a fire truck in the garage, the teams have done it again. This event continues to see an array of community partners vying for the top spot in the competition and it’s always fun to watch.”
The Builder Games is a fun, competitive way to represent the process PSHH goes through to bring more affordable housing to Central Coast communities. The event sees teams sprinting from the start line in a blueprint relay race, followed by a hunt for construction cash amidst giant Jenga puzzles. Once contestants ‘get all their ducks in a row’ it’s then off to the ‘Big Digs’ to secure their subcontractors and find their equipment. The Games culminate in the construction phase, where teams build, augment, and put their finishing touches to eight highly original playhouses for kids.
All to the backdrop of live music, raffles, silent auctions and a delicious Santa Maria style barbeque, later in the event, emceed by KSBY’s Anchor Richard Gearhart, the unique playhouses were sold off by local auctioneer, Todd Ventura to an excited crowd of invited and ready to bid guests. Recognizing the challenges in the real world of affordable housing development, Gearhart and Ventura acknowledged the long, expensive, and difficult process and applauded the efforts of the nearly 250 People’s Self-Help Housing team members, all experts in their own fields, who make it happen every day.
Sponsorships, team entries, donations, gifts, and bids all contributed to this year’s record-breaking grand total. Netting $125,000 in support of critical programs for PSHH residents, the final tally was reached with generous matching donations in the paddle raise.
“On behalf of Mechanics Bank, we are so proud to once again be the Presenting Sponsor of this year’s Builder Games,” said Mechanics Bank Branch Manager, Lisa Adams. “And we are so grateful for People’s Self-Help Housing who everyday house over 5,000 people and over their 55 years of being in our community, have helped a further 5,000 people build their own home.”
To view photos from the Builder Games, visit buildergames.org/gallery. To learn more about People’s Self-Help Housing, visit pshhc.org.
About People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH)
Founded in 1970, PSHH is the longest-serving nonprofit affordable housing organization on the Central Coast. With a mission of building homes and providing services to strengthen communities and change lives, PSHH serves low-income households, including families, seniors, veterans, farmworkers, those living with disabilities and the formerly homeless. It also provides homeownership opportunities through a self-help, “sweat equity” program that has seen over 1,200 homes successfully completed. PSHH has a presence in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Monterey counties, manages over 2,000 rental units, and employs over 200 staff members. PSHH acknowledges the Indigenous Peoples and unceded territories that the organization now occupies, including the YTT Northern Chumash, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash, Barbeño/Ventureño Band of Mission Indians, Cruzeño Chumash, and Salinan elders, current and future generations as the protectors of these lands. To read the full land acknowledgement, visit pshhc.org/IDEA. For more information about the organization, visit pshhc.org, email info@pshhc.org or phone (805) 781-3088. |
