Approved January 12, 20201

RESOLUTION OF THE GREATER UTICA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SUPPORTING HOME CONSTRUCTION AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE

WHEREAS; New York Governor Andrew Cuomo enacted a series of restrictions through Executive Orders issued in early 2020 that were intended to reduce the spread of the Covid 19 virus; and

WHEREAS; the restrictions (or “shutdown”) temporarily closed a variety of businesses and services that were deemed “non-essential” which caused severe financial damages and increased unemployment; and

WHEREAS; one such business activity deemed non-essential was residential home construction, which caused undue hardship to people planning new homes and to construction workers who build houses; and

WHEREAS; the Homebuilders & Remodelers of the Mohawk Valley has advocated that home building is an essential service and should be deemed as such in the event of another business shutdown; and

WHEREAS; a recent second wave of Covid 19 infections has increased the possibility of another mandated shutdown using the same guidelines developed previously under the Governor’s Executive Order; and

WHEREAS; the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce agrees with the Homebuilders & Remodelers of the Mohawk Valley that residential home construction is an essential service and can be conducted safely when proper safety practices are used during times of pandemic;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce urges Governor Andrew Cuomo to reclassify residential home construction as an essential service that can be continued safely using proper precautions if or when a future business shutdown may become necessary.