The chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, Stephen E. Sandherr, called on the Small Business Administration (SBA) to revise its eligibility guidelines for its new Paycheck Protection Program to make clear that any firm that employs 500 or fewer people to qualify, regardless of the average annual receipts size standard used for construction.
“Congress and the administration were clear when enacting the coronavirus relief measure that any firm employing 500 or fewer people should be eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program loans. The purpose of these loans is to keep businesses open so they can continue to operate and employ millions of Americans. Unfortunately, the Small Business Administration is needlessly delaying the loan applications of thousands of construction firms that clearly would meet the statutory threshold of 500 employers or less because the agency appears to have added a secondary qualification that is not part of the statute.
“This error appears to severely undermine the purpose of the new loan program by endangering the survival of many construction firms – the vast majority of which are family-owned businesses – that Congress intended to qualify for the program. As a result, tens of thousands of construction professionals will be forced to suffer new economic hardships because agency officials are misstating the law and subsequent eligibility guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
“We urge the President and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to immediately clarify the eligibility standard for the program so that all construction firms that employ fewer than 500 people are able to take advantage of this measure.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Jul 7, 2021
Make sure to get your multifamily amenities mix right
One of the hardest decisions multifamily developers and their design teams have to make is what mix of amenities they’re going to put into each project. A lot of squiggly factors go into that decision: the type of community, the geographic market, local recreation preferences, climate/weather conditions, physical parameters, and of course the budget. The permutations are mind-boggling.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 30, 2021
A post-pandemic ‘new normal’ for apartment buildings
Grimm + Parker’s vision foresees buildings with rentable offices and refrigerated package storage.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 23, 2021
COVID-19’s impact on multifamily amenities
Multifamily project teams had to scramble to accommodate the overwhelming demand for work-from-home spaces for adults and study spaces for children.
K-12 Schools | Jun 20, 2021
Los Angeles County issues design guidelines for extending PreK-12 learning to the outdoors
The report covers everything from funding and site prep recommendations to whether large rocks can be used as seating.
Coronavirus | May 17, 2021
Future pandemic preparedness at the medical district scale
The current COVID-19 pandemic highlights the concern that we will see more emergency events in the coming years.
University Buildings | Apr 29, 2021
The Weekly Show, April 29, 2021: COVID-19's impact on campus planning, and bird management strategies
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C Senior Editor John Caulfield interviews a duo of industry experts on 1) how campus planning has changed during the pandemic and 2) managing bird infestations on construction sites and completed buildings.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 22, 2021
The Weekly Show, Apr 22, 2021: COVID-19's impact on multifamily amenities
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C's Robert Cassidy speaks with three multifamily design experts about the impact of COVID-19 on apartment and condo amenities, based on the 2021 Multifamily Amenities Survey.
Industry Research | Apr 9, 2021
BD+C exclusive research: What building owners want from AEC firms
BD+C’s first-ever owners’ survey finds them focused on improving buildings’ performance for higher investment returns.
Coronavirus | Mar 31, 2021
Theatrical fog formula approved as antimicrobial air treatment
At least two solutions are being used to make ventilation systems safer.
Office Buildings | Mar 30, 2021
WELL Institute certifies a gigantic office complex with its highest health and safety rating
Poland’s Olivia Business Center one of the first to install ion air purification devices.