Like almost everything in the COVID-19 crisis, the construction landscape changes daily. Pillsbury has updated its analysis of the impacts to construction projects as a result of orders in the 50 states and Washington, DC.
Q&A with MRP Realty’s Bob Murphy: Can DC’s Multifamily Golden Age Continue?
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Pillsbury and Bisnow recently interviewed MRP Managing Principal Bob Murphy as well as MRP Managing Director Allison DiGiovanni. Led by colleague Jamie Bobotek, who has worked with MRP on many of its most recent multifamily projects, Murphy and DiGiovanni discussed the state of DC multifamily and MRP’s long-term plans that will carry it through and beyond the current crisis.
CARES Act: Unemployment Insurance Provisions
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) offered guidance on the unemployment insurance (UI) provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 (CARES Act). This builds upon actions previously taken by Congress such as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to extend UI coverage to individuals affected by COVID-19. In “Understanding the Unemployment Insurance Provisions in the CARES Act,” colleagues Laura K. Latham and Andrea R. Milano discuss the guidance issued by the The Department of Labor regarding federally funded initiatives to increase individuals’ unemployment insurance entitlement under the CARES Act.
Paycheck Protection Program Leaves Restaurant Industry With Questions
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Restaurant companies have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Restaurant Association estimates that the industry has already lost more than 3 million jobs and $25 billion in sales, and there are many more dark days ahead. In “Paycheck Protection Program Leaves Restaurant Industry With Questions,” partner Anna M. Graves discusses the special provisions that the the sweeping $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes to assist restaurant companies and their employees.
Bankruptcy Exposure and Lease Terminations During COVID-19
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With an unprecedented number of commercial real estate tenants not paying rent and potentially defaulting under their leases, many landlords and tenants may soon be entering into forbearance agreements that defer payment of rent and other financial obligations. In “Navigating Bankruptcy Exposure for Landlords Arising from Anticipated Lease Terminations During COVID-19,” colleagues Patrick J. Potter, Christian A. Buerger and Dania Slim address how lease terminations may result in fraudulent transfer claims.
Implications for Environmental Contractors in California Amidst COVID-19
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The coronavirus pandemic has been credited with improved air and water quality as America shelters in place, reducing its emission and discharge footprint. This unanticipated benefit, however, overlooks the numerous environmental problems that Californians were addressing prior to the advent of the pandemic. In “California’s Stay-at-Home Orders: Implications for Environmental Contractors,” colleagues Eric Moorman and Mark E. Elliott discuss that the exceptions outlined in state and local directives likely encompass the investigatory and remedial activities performed by environmental contractors.
Landlord Considerations and Eviction Restrictions in Texas Due to COVID-19
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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of Texas along with many Texas counties have issued moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures, the applicability of which remains varied and depends on local orders. In “Texas Restricts Evictions Due to COVID-19: Landlord Considerations,” colleagues Hannah Hollingsworth and Adam J. Weaver address that even though evictions are currently on hold, landlords should carefully review their leases and continue to fulfill their obligations thereunder in order to protect their rights once the courts have reopened.
Is Construction Essential During COVID-19?
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The Federal government issued an advisory list of essential critical workers, including workers doing certain types of construction, but deferred to states and local governments to implement any orders. In “Construction During COVID-19: Is It Essential?,” colleagues Laura Bourgeois LoBue, Matthew D. Stockwell, and Elizabeth J. Dye address that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to how governments are handling construction.
The Shifting National Landscapes of COVID-19 Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums
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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the U.S. have issued moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures for residential and commercial properties and other restrictions on available remedies. In “National Landscape of COVID-19 Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums Continues to Shift,” colleagues Carmela D. Nicholas and Jeff Clare discuss how the limitations vary on whom they protect and what remedies are restricted, but they do not constitute forgiveness of the underlying obligations.
COVID-19 Commercial Property Insurance Policy Coverage
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The insurance industry responded to the emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic with preemptive press statements that property insurance policies would provide no coverage—even before policyholders submitted any claims. In “Many Commercial Property Insurance Policies Provide Coverage for COVID-19 Exposures,” colleagues Robert L. Wallan, David F. Klein and Tamara D. Bruno discuss that the insurance industry’s generic arguments that there is no coverage for the COVID-19 pandemic should not be accepted at face value, as coverage may be available depending on specific policy terms and individualized facts.