Dallas BA Advocacy Response During COVID-19
Dallas BA has continued advocacy during the COVID-19 response in an effort to keep residential construction open in our area’s municipalities. This includes frequent communication with cities and counties to inquire about permit and inspection processes, as well as to offer helpful information to counties regarding how residential construction can continue in a safe manner.
Regarding submittals, permitting and inspections, the more common response we have seen in area municipalities is the continued operation of building inspection departments with the caveat that social distancing must be strictly adhered to. This means closing public office space to visitors and requiring applications to be submitted via online portals or e-mail, while some may allow drop-offs via placed box locations. While some may consider pre-construction meetings for 10 people or fewer, builders should expect these types of meetings and communication to be facilitated via telephone. Cities we have spoken with indicate their current strategy is to continue to deliver inspections.
Dallas County has issued new rules for residential construction under its “Stay Home Stay Safe” order. These can be found in this order and include required compliance with Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) guidelines that can be found at Dallas BA’s COVID-19 resource page listed in the following link: https://dallasbuilders.org/covid19/ . Builders are expected to comply with the order and CISC guidelines. Note that, per Dallas County’s order, elective additions and maintenance are currently prohibited in Dallas County.
Challenges exist in multiple cities related to inspections for remodels and occupied homes. Due to the requirement to prevent staff from exposure, however, the cities we know of currently are looking at alternative processes to keep projects going.
Builders and developers are encouraged to contact the municipalities in which they have projects to stay up to date on what services are impacted.
In related news, Governor Abbott on March 31 issued a new executive order that designates essential services statewide based on the Department of Homeland Security’s CISA 2.0 guidance. It is intended to supersede local restrictions/prohibitions on essential services by local governments. The CISA 2.0 guidance lists workers performing housing construction related activities as essential. During this crisis, the Texas Association of Builders has worked hard for Association members.
Again, members should visit Dallas BA’s COVID-19 Response webpage at the following web address for helpful information, including industry operations, regulatory updates and helpful links to resources from agencies and organizations ranging from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and OSHA to the National Association of Home Builders. https://dallasbuilders.org/covid19/