Washington, D.C., April 3, 2020 – More than half of respondents (55%) to a new survey on multifamily construction by the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) said that they were experiencing construction delays in the jurisdictions where they operate.
The NMHC Construction Survey is intended to gauge the magnitude of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak on multifamily construction. The survey, which had 135 respondents, also determined that:
- Of the 55% experiencing delays, 76% were dealing with delays in permitting and 59% in starts
- About a quarter (24%) of respondents said a lack of materials was affecting their construction operations
- 41% of respondents said that COVID-19 outbreak-related labor constraints were affecting construction operations
The NMHC found that the majority of the 135 multifamily contractors surveyed had experienced delays with apartment or condominium projects due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than three-fifths (62%) of respondents said they had been delayed due to construction moritoriums.
MULTIFAMILY CONTRACTORS TRYING NEW STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH COVID-19 IMPACT
The NMHC Construction Survey also found that nearly three-fourths (73%) of construction firm respondents said that they have implemented new strategies to deal with the hurdles caused by the pandemic. These include sourcing materials from alternative locations (43%), staggering shifts to reduce on-site exposure (52%), and using technology to replace in-person transactions like inspections and approvals (67%).
The NMHC survey found that multifamily contractors had adopted many new strategies for coping with delays in work due to the coronavirus pandemic. Note: Respondents could check multiple items for this question.
NMHC will conduct this survey on a bi-weekly basis to provide an estimation of the impact of COVID-19 on multifamily construction. Additional NMHC-produced resources focused on the COVID-19 outbreak can be found here.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL MULTIFAMILY HOUSING COUNCIL
Based in Washington, D.C., the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) brings together the prominent apartment owners, managers, and developers in the trillion-dollar apartment industry who provide apartment homes for 40 million Americans. For more information: 202/974-2300, e-mail the Council at info@nmhc.org, or visit NMHC's website: https://www.nmhc.org/.
Related Stories
Coronavirus | Nov 9, 2020
Even now, marketing is not a four-letter word
As AEC firm leaders consider worst-case scenarios and explore possible solutions to surmount them, they learn to become nimble, quick, and ready to pivot as circumstances demand.
Coronavirus | Nov 5, 2020
Thornton Tomasetti releases 'Healthy Reentry' free software to aid safe office return
Open source app provides customizable health reporting and contact tracing capabilities.
Multifamily Housing | Oct 30, 2020
The Weekly show: Multifamily security tips, the state of construction industry research, and AGC's market update
BD+C editors speak with experts from AGC, Charles Pankow Foundation, and Silva Consultants on the October 29 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.
Coronavirus | Oct 19, 2020
Flexible design helped the University of Kansas Strawberry Hill Behavioral Health Hospital adapt to the coronavirus
The University of Kansas Strawberry Hill Behavioral Health Hospital had been open for just over six months when it was faced with the global coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus | Oct 14, 2020
Altering facilities for a post-COVID-19 world
There are several possibilities when it comes to reconfiguring or adjusting a space to maintain the health and safety of workers, from reorganizing spaces to enable social distancing measures to full teardown and reconstruction of a plant.
Coronavirus | Oct 8, 2020
The Weekly show: Statue of Liberty Museum, emotional learning in K-12, LA's climate change vulnerability
The October 8 episode of BD+C's "The Weekly" is available for viewing on demand.
Coronavirus | Oct 7, 2020
AIA releases 3D models, strategies for reducing risk of COVID-19 in polling places
Awards program highlights trends in healthcare facility designs.
Coronavirus | Oct 2, 2020
With revenues drying up, colleges reexamine their student housing projects
Shifts to online learning raise questions about the value of campus residence life.
Coronavirus | Oct 1, 2020
The Weekly show: Decarbonizing Chicago, re-evaluating delayed projects, and the future of the jobsite
The October 1 episode of BD+C's "The Weekly" is available for viewing on demand.