Page 22 - RE-NJ May 2020

20 MAY 2020
an association we’re trying to work with the legislators to try to find a better solution because it doesn’t help anybody.
“In our view of this, they’re not getting a safer house or a better
product or better ratables for
the state. They’re just slowing
the process down and adding unnecessary costs. So that’s on our radar.”
Perhaps a more imminent threat
has been the coronavirus pandemic, which has battered the economy and rippled through industries
such as home construction.
Amato said the onset of the crisis was “unnerving” and filled with
uncertainty, but the Shore Builders and the NJBA have persevered in recent weeks by staying connected and sharing information.
“The rules that the governor
put out left a lot of room for the local governments to interpret,
so we were getting a lot of different interpretations,” he said. “Having that connection to other professionals in my industry made it a little bit more predictable to navigate that.”
CMM had also seemingly weathered the storm by mid-May, as Gov. Phil Murphy was lifting restrictions on construction while still requiring social distancing measures at job sites. Amato noted that the firm closed two deals during the two- month stay-at-home period and was still speaking to prospective clients through video calls, keeping its pipeline largely intact.
“It feels like we are into a place where we at least know what our plan is for construction and how to manage some of the risks that are out there,” Amato said. RE
Like other builders and developers in New Jersey, Chris Amato of CMM Custom Homes has taken additional safety measures and practiced social distancing at construction sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amato, the firm’s CEO and president, is pictured here in early May at a site in Spring Lake.
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