Coalition urges construction projects to resume under future Shelter-in-Place orders

To: Bay Area Public Health Officers

The undersigned coalition applauds your early and decisive steps to “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic. No doubt those actions saved countless lives and led a national movement. We are all truly in your debt. As California begins to build toward finding a “new normal,” we write to urge you to allow critical construction projects to resume under future Shelter-in-Place orders.

California’s housing crisis is a public health crisis. The Bay Area’s structural housing deficit has a direct and harmful impact on the health and safety of all residents. Countless studies and public health initiatives have recognized that housing insecurity is detrimental to both physical and mental health. It also disproportionately impacts people of color and low-income residents. It’s imperative that our region’s next SIP order classifies housing construction as an essential activity so that we do not continue to lose valuable time combating the housing crisis.

Perhaps no industry is as prepared and capable of implementing new health and safety rules than the construction sector - for both residential and commercial projects. Bay Area Building and Construction Trades Councils, the United Contractors Association, and the Construction Employers Association immediately provided clear guidelines and resources for the industry to follow. Construction employers have implemented numerous innovative safety protocols. Attached in Appendixes A and B are two sets of protocols from union and general contractor groups for further discussion. Construction going forward in our “new normal” will look much different than in the past. Demonstrating this type of adaptability is key to not just economic resiliency, but the sustainability of potential future rolling SIP orders. The construction sector is uniquely situated to safely restart the regional economy and address housing insecurity while putting thousands of people back to work with standardized, effective, and enforceable social distancing methods in place. The industry is not only prepared to hold itself accountable, but welcomes the supervision of the public and health officials. The social distancing rules will be enforced by union representatives on union labor jobs, by building inspectors and potentially by occasional visits by local law enforcement. Violations could be punished by fines and by shutdown orders.

While the March 31 SIP order acknowledged the severity of the housing crisis by allowing a small number of affordable projects to continue, it is important to recognize the broader role that new construction – at all income levels – plays in the housing ecosystem. Every new unit moves the needle toward relieving a catastrophic housing shortage stemming from decades of underbuilding. Many market-rate projects – both residential and commercial – pay millions in affordable housing fees to cities. Of the limited tools available to local jurisdictions to fund affordable housing, these fees are among the most critical. Any delay in receipt of those fees from completed projects in turn delays future affordable housing. More broadly, stopping construction delays the critical property tax and transfer tax revenue that cities and counties depend on for homelessness interventions, public services, and basic operations. The construction of new housing at all income levels is critical to addressing the housing shortage that has caused significant pain and disruption to our communities – particularly during these precarious times.

No doubt you have heard from numerous associations, community groups, and elected officials bearing this same message. Leaders from business, labor, and the community have come together committed to construction that protects the health and safety of workers and Bay Area residents in the near-term, while also building for the benefit of their health in the long-term. We urge you to allow construction to resume under future SIP orders in a safe and responsible manner.

Sincerely,
East Bay Leadership Council
Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council
All Home
Bay Area Council
SPUR
Jobs and Housing Coalition
Silicon Valley Leadership Group
Building Industry Association of the Bay Area
San Mateo County Economic Development Association
SV@Home
BayHAC
North Bay Leadership Council
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce
SIlicon Valley Organization
Innovation TRIVALLEY Leadership Group
United Contractors
Contra Costa County Building & Construction Trades Council
Napa-Solano County Building & Construction Trades Council
Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades Council
Marin-Sonoma County Building & Construction Trades Council
San Mateo County Building & Construction Trades Council