On March 16, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) global pandemic, seven Bay Area counties issued orders requiring residents to shelter in place and mandating closure of many businesses. These shelter-in-place orders exempt activities necessary for the construction of housing, provided social distancing practices are observed.
Services that support housing construction also may be exempt, such as issuance of building and grading permits, housing inspections, utility hook-ups, and the like. This update outlines the key policy provisions and likely interpretations to be applied by local agencies when considering the scope of the exemption. Read More