New York lost many construction jobs during the pandemic — and still hasn't recovered: report
There is 16,300 fewer construction jobs in the Empire State, 4% lower than before the COVID-19 shutdown — the second lowest recovery among all states, according to the the study by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office.
'Spending on residential construction has rebounded since the pandemic, but nonresidential construction spending, especially in New York City, remains below 2019 levels and could continue to lag in the near future,' DiNapoli said.
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3 New York has failed to recover all the construction jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, in large part because of less demand for office space amid hybrid work policies, according to an industry report released Thursday.
Christopher Sadowski
The sector would have fully recovered if not for New York City, where hard hat employment last year was still down 11.3%, or 18,200 jobs compared 2019.
Meanwhile, the number of construction firms declined by 3% in 2024, the first drop since 2011, the report said.
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Nonresidential construction plummeted 43% during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, according to the New York Building Congress, a construction trade group.
Demand still remains below 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
3 The study was conducted by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office, where the Big Apple has 16,300 fewer construction jobs available.
State Deputy Comptroller Office NYC
3 The report also mentions that New York is one of the five states that have failed to recover from job losses in the construction sector resulting from the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
REUTERS
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'Non residential construction has improved but continues to be impacted by remote work policies,' the comptroller's report said.
New York is one of five states that have not recovered from pandemic job losses in the construction sector, report said.
Aside from remote work softening the office construction market, DiNapoli's report said President Trump's immigration enforcement could impact the hard hat labor force and ongoing projects.
Immigrants held 61% of the jobs in the construction sector in the city in 2023, a much higher share than in the rest of the state and the nation.
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