Building groups around the country pitch in to rebuild

(This article originally ran in Finance and Commerce, Minneapolis, MN, another Dolan Media publication.)

Construction contractors who help with search recovery, cleanup and other disaster-related efforts would be granted special protections when providing those services under newly introduced federal legislation.

The legislation, crafted with input from the Associated General Contractors of America, applies specifically to declared federal, state and local emergencies or disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to AGC.

Dubbed the Good Samaritan legislation, House file 3717 would give qualified immunity from liability for negligence when providing services or equipment on a volunteer basis in response to a declared emergency or disaster, according to AGC.

AGC officials say it would encourage construction contractors to continue to answer the call of duty in a time of crisis without imperiling their businesses from liability lawsuits.

The legislation stems from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. AGC officials said contractors who brought their equipment and expertise to New York City after the attacks were working without the protection of a Good Samaritan statute.

What really prompted our interest in a Good Samaritan bill was after 9/11, when there were some lawsuits filed against construction companies related to the cleanup effort in New York, said Kelly Knott, AGC's director of congressional relations.

We looked around and saw that there were only 21 states that had Good Samaritan laws, and only one mentioned construction contractors by name.

New York, Mississippi and Louisiana are among the states that don't have Good Samaritan laws, Knott said.

The proposed federal law would provide uniform liability protections throughout the United States. The protections would not extend to situations where gross negligence or willful misconduct is involved.

Knott said construction companies have the equipment and knowledge that will be needed to fix the levees and begin rebuilding in the Gulf Coast.

We want construction companies to feel comfortable and willing to go forward when something happens and their experience is needed, she added.

C.J. Schoenwetter, a Minneapolis attorney who concentrates on construction and employment litigation, said people want to, as a matter of common sense and humanity, help in times like this. Congress is taking the right steps to safeguard people who want to do the right thing.

The bill was introduced by representatives Dave Reichert, R- Wash.; Gary Miller, R-Calif.; Dan Lungren, R-Calif.; and Jim Matheson, D-Utah.

Knott believes the bill is crafted in a way that would inspire bipartisan support.

That's our goal, she said.

Homeowners' group wants more oversight

Homeowners Against Deficient Dwellings, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, is calling on elected officials to enact legislation that would protect victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita from shoddy workmanship during reconstruction.

Without adequate legislation and oversight by state officials, unscrupulous builders and contractors will flood the area with substandard or nonexistent work and materials, the group said in a press release. Even under the best of circumstances . . . we witness 15 percent of all new construction as entirely substandard.

The group didn't specify what kind of legislation should be enacted. But it did call on the National Association of Home Builders and reputable builders to provide a local liaison for hurricane-ravaged areas.

The liaison would, among other things, work with state and local officials, HADD representatives, state licensing boards, homeowners and the media to ensure that victims are protected, according to HADD.

AGC establishes hurricane assistance fund

The Associated General Contractors of America has established a special account to help construction workers in the Gulf Coast.

The account, part of AGC's Education and Research Foundation, will provide financial assistance to employees of AGC member firms who suffered financial hardships because of the hurricanes.

Many of the workers who benefit from the assistance will participate in the cleanup and rebuilding of Gulf Coast-area cities and towns, AGC noted.

For information on how to contribute, contact AGC's Web site at http://www.agc.org.

NAHB: Hurricane 'dwarfs' previous losses

Economists at the National Association of Home Builders are offering a grim assessment of the damage done to New Orleans' housing stock in the aftermath of Katrina.

The number of homes destroyed last week is almost certain to dwarf the losses from any previous U.S. natural disaster, according to the Nation's Building News, an NAHB publication.

NAHB noted that Hurricane Andrew in 1992 destroyed 28,000 homes. Last year, hurricanes Jeanne, Ivan, Frances and Charly combined to destroy 27,500 homes. A destroyed home is defined as one that is made uninhabitable and economically beyond repair.

ABC chapters chip in

Associated Builders and Contractors chapters are providing hurricane-related assistance ranging from transporting donated equipment to organizing fund-raising events for victims, according to the organization's Web site.

In addition to partnering with chapters in the Washington, D.C., area to find ways to provide ongoing assistance to hurricane victims in Mississippi, ABC National is working with federal officials to ensure that ABC members and chapters are able to participate in the recovery and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast region, ABC noted.

ABC has set up a special disaster relief Web page. Go to http:// www.abc.org for more information.

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