Members of the Suffolk County Town Supervisors Association have asked Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to allow the resumption of residential construction.
Citing what they said would be the restoration of 8,000 jobs, by allowing residential builders to get back to work, the letter supported his efforts to work with neighboring states on uniform policies governing essential business. But it says, “New York’s current policy on construction of residential housing does not appear to be in line with our neighbors.
“Residential construction is considered an essential industry in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Delaware. New Jersey similar to New York initially considered residential construction as essential. It however changed to non-essential allowing continuation of single-family homes under construction or in an individual apartment unit where an individual already re-sides, or where there is an agreement to occupy by a certain date. None of these states have shut down worksites as New York has.”
Huntington Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci signed onto a joint letter with his Suffolk County Town Supervisor colleagues in support of the New York Builders Association’s (NYBA) request asking Governor Cuomo to allow residential construction to resume under uniform COVID-19 guidance.
“We need as many people getting safely back to work as possible,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “Work that can be done while distancing from others, wearing masks and gloves, and with proper hygiene protocols being practiced should be allowed to help a productive workforce to return and to avoid longer-term impacts of an idle economy.”