WHEREAS, The United States celebrates National Construction Appreciation Week annually during the third week of September, to honor and raise awareness of the essential work trades and construction professionals perform; and
WHEREAS, According to Deloitte, more than 8 million workers are employed in the U.S. construction industry, which contributes over 2 trillion dollars annually to the national economy; and
WHEREAS, A 2023 report by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia demonstrates that Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia region’s construction sector have grown steadily in recent years. As of 2023, the industry employs about 121,000 individuals, and represents about 1.3 percent of the regions non-agricultural employment; and
WHEREAS, Multi-family housing construction in Philadelphia has seen a record amount of growth, according to Cushman & Wakefield, contributing to an 8.1 percent expansion in the existing renter-occupied inventory; and
WHEREAS, The construction industry in Philadelphia is not only a vital source of employment but also plays a critical role in shaping the City’s infrastructure, from housing to public works to urban development. Construction work creates new opportunities for residents while preserving Philadelphia’s rich history; and
WHEREAS, Policies like tariffs on steel and aluminum have drove up prices 2.4 percent for steel and 1.6 percent for aluminum according to the U.S. International Trade Commission, adding 3.4 billion dollars in costs for U.S. imports, whilst reducing the labor force by more than 1.2 million workers nationwide, reported by the Associated Press, contributing to already beleaguered labor shortages in Philadelphia’s building sector; and
WHEREAS, In today’s world, it is of the upmost importance to honor our construction workers and trade professionals who work difficult, manually skilled jobs that improve our City’s quality of life in ways that too often go unnoticed; and
WHEREAS, The streets we walk on, the buildings we work at, and the homes we live in are all thanks to Philadelphia’s robust construction and trades industry, what seems like a small part of our day, it turns out, is a culmination of a massive, essential industry; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the third week of September 2025 be recognized as National Construction Appreciation Week, honoring the contribution of the construction industry to the vitality of our City.
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