The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has sent a letter to congress asking for aid to small businesses in response to the economic crash resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A press release from the AIA highlights that AIA 2020 President Jane Frederick, FAIA, and AIA EVP/Chief Executive Officer Robert Ivy, FAIA, have sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asking the American federal government to “expand temporary relief for business owners to avoid layoffs and the sharp economic downturn that would follow.” 

In addition, the letter also asks the government to extend “Small Business Interruption Loans for businesses under 500 employees to cover the costs of payroll while employees may not be able to work due to their own health concerns or the effects of social isolation on a massive scale.”

“As Congress considers additional legislation to stimulate the economy,” the letter continues, “the AIA urges you to include significant investment in 21st Century infrastructure and temporary relief measures for business owners. Both will provide necessary relief in the short-term, reassurance to global markets, and will help prepare this country for the challenges ahead.”

Extend loans, suspend taxes

In addition to loans for businesses, Frederick and Ivy also ask Congress to extend “access to unsecured credit to all employers so that they can cover costs associated with payroll, rent, and other obligations in the immediate term,” adding that the federal government should “suspend the collection of business taxes, including payroll tax, for the duration of the pandemic.“

In a bid to help the large percentage of sole-proprietor architecture firms that make up the bedrock of the architecture industry, AIA is also asking Congress to suspend existing policies “limiting what losses pass-through entities may deduct” on their taxes, adding that “Many architecture firms are pass-through entities and they should be able to deduct all losses incurred this year in the next tax cycle.”

In terms of government-backed stimulus, Frederick and Ivy also call on legislators to invest in “horizontal infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, affordable housing, and other public buildings.”

“Infrastructure must be designed to satisfy current needs and anticipate future threats,” the pair writes, “This global pandemic has laid bare the preexisting resource shortage currently facing many of these facilities. Looking to the future, the World Health Organization has predicted that climate change will contribute to worsening storms and more frequent pandemics. Buildings must be resilient in the face of these disasters while also not contributing to the underlying problem by generating greenhouse gas emissions and unhealthy air quality. We must expect more from the built environment than ever before.”

“We urge you to invest a minimum of $300 billion over five years in resilient public buildings that are designed specifically for the communities that they serve,” the letter continues, while adding finally that “The architecture community stands ready to work with you to help our communities through this crisis and build facilities worthy of the future.”