Capradio in northern California reports on how the building industry is coping with the coronavirus in that state:
There was a steady whir of construction on Monday at the Folsom Ranch subdivision, where about 40 workers sawed lumber, applied stucco, hauled mulch and added other final touches to new homes near Highway 50.
Contractors supplied workers more soap and hand sanitizer and asked crews to wash their hands multiple times a day.
“Social distancing. We’ve really preached that. Washing their hands throughout the day. Being mindful of everything that you’re doing,” said John Hedge, the general superintendent with framing contractor Timberworks construction, who oversees 41 job sites in the Sacramento area.
California’s stay-at-home order has forced the closure of thousands of businesses, from shops to restaurants to entertainment venues, all to slow the coronavirus outbreak. But one sector — construction — remains open, which industry officials say is still essential to fighting a different crisis: California’s housing shortage.
