A letter from our friends at SWMBIA

While the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be changing the way we live on a daily basis, the Homebuilding Industry is doing its best to maintain some level of normalcy. Governor Bullock was very clear in a March address to the state that construction is an essential service and must continue to preserve the State’s economy. That being said, Contractors and Suppliers struggled to fi nd a balance between following a stay-athome order and managing active job sites.

While Governor Bullock’s directive expressly designated homebuilding as essential infrastructure and the construction trades as essential businesses, there was still some confusion among contractors. The Montana Building Industry Association (MBIA) is making efforts to educate and inform its members about how to comply with the directive while continuing to run job sites. General contractors are very carefully managing their projects to ensure the healthy social distancing guidelines suggested by the CDC. Fewer subs and suppliers can be on the job at the same time, meaning proper scheduling is imperative to fi nishing projects on time. Jobsite cleanliness is at the top of their priority list to ensure a safe work environment for everyone on site. Ultimately the Homebuilding Industry is doing everything they can to adhere Bullock’s executive order while continuing to meet the needs of Montanans. sites and closing their front doors to the general public. They’re following the state recommended procedures to protect their employees and the general public. Businesses supplying the homebuilding industry are promoting special hours for at-risk clients and are instituting strict sanitization procedures. They are enhancing delivery options and offering curbside pick-up. Many businesses have locked their doors except by appointment. Clients that are allowed into businesses will notice obvious visual designations for appropriate social distancing. Banks and fi nancial institutions that serve the building industry have largely closed their doors to the general public and are opting for electronic banking and communication methods in lieu of the residential closings. Fortunately for all of us, skilled tradespeople – like plumbers and electricians – continue to handle the inevitable emergency service calls that come with daily life. These skilled workers balance their emergency service calls while remaining a vital part of ongoing construction projects.

Homebuilders are not unused to adversity. The industry consistently struggles with both housing shortages and labor shortages. The builders are doing their best to keep up with demand, but according to the 2020 National Housing Forecast from Realtor. com, the national housing shortage could reach “a historic low level.” Forbes states that demand for new homes is high, but homebuyers have few options to choose from. Coupled with ongoing labor shortages, the homebuilding industry has its hands full. In March, the Department of Homeland Security approved 35,000 H-2B Visas for foreign workers to help ease the consistent labor shortage the homebuilding industry faces. With the travel restrictions spurred by the pandemic, these workers are now in jeopardy, exacerbating the shortage. In the long run, Covid-19 is just another hurdle the homebuilding industry will overcome.

Crystal Fiedler

The enormous economic impact of both homebuilding and homeownership is nationally seen as part of the foundation of the future economic recovery once Covid-19 has been controlled. The CARES Act is providing stability in the current housing market by supplying relief to individual homeowners and renters with direct fi nancial support. It also has provisions for funding for the thousands of small businesses that are part of the homebuilding industry. It is these businesses, and the contractors they supply, that will be instrumental in returning our country to normalcy in the coming months. While the Covid-19 crisis has caused chaos and confusion across the entire planet, the homebuilding industry perseveres in its mission to provide housing for America.