Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto recently signed an executive order to fight construction fraud, promote worker safety, and protect city tax revenue.
The city recently experienced incidents involving unreported cash payments by subcontractors on construction projects. The Construction Fraud Executive Order cracks down on construction companies that commit tax, insurance, and workers’ compensation fraud.
It also aims to stop companies from paying workers in cash to avoid taxes. These practices allow corrupt firms to outbid honest ones and contribute to lost wages, decreased tax revenue, and unsafe and hazardous work sites, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
The city’s department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections, and its Finance Department, will form a committee with several local building trade groups to examine city code and to create more accountable and transparent construction development processes. The executive order requires that contractors or developers receiving city subsidies must report all workers on the project site.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jul 8, 2021
New York City shuts down 322 construction sites for unsafe conditions
Action comes as inspectors visit more than 2,100 sites.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Bechtel, Nautilus partner on sustainable, high-performance data centers
Facilities would use 70% less power for cooling, eliminate consumption of drinking water.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Surfside condo collapse could spur new legislation
Natl. Institute of Standards and Technology is investigating.
Codes and Standards | Jul 7, 2021
Intl. Code Council appoints committees to lead energy code development
One-third of appointees are government regulators.
Codes and Standards | Jul 1, 2021
COVID-19 made payment delays to contractors much worse
Only one in ten companies is always getting paid in full.
Codes and Standards | Jun 30, 2021
New resource for public sector organizations to develop energy data management program
Dept. of Energy document contains more than 30 examples of successful implementations.
Codes and Standards | Jun 29, 2021
Biden China policy may spur more increased U.S. PV manufacturing capacity
Senate bill proposes advanced solar manufacturing production credit.
Codes and Standards | Jun 28, 2021
Local and state building energy performance standards aim to curb climate change
Owners must up the ante on operations and retrofits.
Codes and Standards | Jun 24, 2021
Biden Administration will restore ‘Waters of the U.S.’ protections ended by Trump
Early revision more likely to hold up in court, says legal expert.
Codes and Standards | Jun 23, 2021
Denver unveils renewable heating and cooling plan
City releases roadmap to decarbonizing existing homes and buildings.
