COVID-19 Updates: Federal, State Announcements

To our members:

As part of KCHBA’s efforts to provide our members with the latest information related to COVID-19, I wanted to share two recent announcements.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has issued Executive Order 20-16, making Kansas the 22 state in the nation to institute a temporary, statewide stay-home order, which is effective immediately and will be in place at least until Sunday, April 19. It is important to note that this order is in conjunction with the Kansas Essential Function Framework for COVID-19, which means essential business activities can continue, including construction of housing.

Also announced over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated construction of single-family and multifamily housing as an “Essential Infrastructure Business.” The designation, while only advisory in nature, will enable many home-building firms to keep their businesses open and help to stabilize the housing industry and its supply chain in the near term. More detail about the construction workers who qualify as essential can be found in both the “Public Works and Infrastructure Support Services” and “Residential/Facilities and Services” sections of the guidance.

The bottom line is that the home building industry in the Kansas City region can currently continue to operate. As I have said previously, we may be “open for business” but this is not “business as usual.” Each member company is advised to take the necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of themselves, their employees, families, and the broader Kansas City public.

The Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27. In it, there are a number of provisions that may benefit KCHBA members trying to navigate this new business environment. I would invite you to visit the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) page on this package to explore what relief might be available to you.

As the number of infected continues to climb, we want to remind you to follow the CDC’s social distancing and other best practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19. The month of April is going to be particularly challenging for our country. Please know that the KCHBA is here for you and that we’ll be with you every step of the way.

If you have any questions or if the staff at KCHBA can be of assistance in any way, please let us know. I hope you, your employees and your families are staying healthy.

All the best,

Will Ruder
Executive Vice President
will@kchba.org
Cell: 816-517-3187