Gov. Andrew Cuomo is immediately suspending all non-essential
construction statewide to help prevent the coronavirus pandemic from
spreading further, officials said Friday.
The ban is expected to follow the lead of other major cities like Boston, which has suspended all construction other than emergency work, and San Francisco, which instituted similar measures.
Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, said Cuomo is “directing” the state’s economic development arm, Empire State Development Corp., “to refine what ‘essential’ means when it comes to construction.”
The ban is expected to cover typical residential or commercial construction, but not essential jobs related to hospitals and health care facilities, transit, utilities, public infrastructure, supportive housing, homeless shelters and emergency repairs.
The Post last week reported that the city’s construction trades workers are still showing up for work — sometimes even while sick — causing many city officials to call for a non-essential construction ban.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on WNYC radio that he backs the new guidelines, saying “any construction that is not about the public good” like luxury condos “is going to end” because “we need to protect people.”
When asked why it took so long, Hizzoner said “a week ago it was not at all clear the stimulus bill was going to happen … people are just losing their income so deeply that there’s fundamental problems like affording food, affording medicine.”
“I think there was a real hesitation to take away work that might be allowable because it was still outdoor work. Now that the stimulus is there, to me, that certainly was a real part about feeling better than canceling this non-essential construction knowing that people would have some kind of support.”
https://nypost.com/2020/03/27/cuomo-to-suspend-non-essential-construction-amid-coronavirus/
The ban is expected to follow the lead of other major cities like Boston, which has suspended all construction other than emergency work, and San Francisco, which instituted similar measures.
Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, said Cuomo is “directing” the state’s economic development arm, Empire State Development Corp., “to refine what ‘essential’ means when it comes to construction.”
The ban is expected to cover typical residential or commercial construction, but not essential jobs related to hospitals and health care facilities, transit, utilities, public infrastructure, supportive housing, homeless shelters and emergency repairs.
The Post last week reported that the city’s construction trades workers are still showing up for work — sometimes even while sick — causing many city officials to call for a non-essential construction ban.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on WNYC radio that he backs the new guidelines, saying “any construction that is not about the public good” like luxury condos “is going to end” because “we need to protect people.”
When asked why it took so long, Hizzoner said “a week ago it was not at all clear the stimulus bill was going to happen … people are just losing their income so deeply that there’s fundamental problems like affording food, affording medicine.”
“I think there was a real hesitation to take away work that might be allowable because it was still outdoor work. Now that the stimulus is there, to me, that certainly was a real part about feeling better than canceling this non-essential construction knowing that people would have some kind of support.”
https://nypost.com/2020/03/27/cuomo-to-suspend-non-essential-construction-amid-coronavirus/
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