Biden signs executive actions related to community, economic and workforce development

Key Takeaways

During his first two weeks in office, President Biden has issued over 30 executive actions, several of which relate to community, economic and workforce development. The actions signed by the president provide a window into what counties can expect from the Biden administration on issues ranging from housing to worker protection to the census both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions have implications for counties as they work to respond to the current public health emergency and support their residents in the face of the pandemic’s economic fallout. Several of the most relevant community, economic and workforce development related executive actions are detailed below.

Eviction Moratorium

Following instruction from President Biden, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the federal eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021. The moratorium, previously slated to expire at the end of January, is critical to helping counties ensure that their residents are securely housed. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated long-standing housing affordability and insecurity issues, and counties have been working tirelessly to push back against a broader housing crisis. Counties appreciate the extension of the CDC eviction moratorium.

Fair Housing Policy

On January 26, President Biden issued a memorandum addressing discriminatory federal housing policies. The memorandum directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to review the Trump administration’s actions around fair housing and to use this examination to the implement the Fair Housing Act in an appropriate manner. In calling for this review, the memorandum cites the ongoing legacies of residential segregation and discrimination, including a racial gap in homeownership, a persistent undervaluation of properties owned by families of color and other systemic barriers.  

Counties play an important role in ensuring fair and affordable housing for their residents. They establish regulatory frameworks which can include planning, zoning and permitting and also provide critical health and human services programs for low-income residents.

Worker Protections

On January 21, President Biden issued an executive order (EO) on protecting worker health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other directives, the EO instructed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue revised guidance to employers on workplace safety during the pandemic, which it has now done. Counties are responsible for helping to ensure the health and safety of their residents, including in the workplace. The revised guidance and other efforts around increasing workplace safety will inform counties’ pandemic response.

The EO additionally directed OSHA to engage with state and local governments to bolster protection from COVID-19 for public sector workers. Counties employ 3.6 million workers including health care workers, first responders and law enforcement officers – all of whom are critical to the local level COVID-19 response. Counties are supporting and working to protect these frontline workers and others despite significant budget deficits and support strong intergovernmental partnerships that would assist these efforts.

Census Count

On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order that reversed the Trump administration’s census policy of excluding undocumented immigrants from the count. The order calls for all U.S. residents, regardless of immigration status, to be included in the census. Counties welcome this change. Funding for health care, economic development, infrastructure, education and other critical county responsibilities are informed by census results, and this shift will help to ensure that complete and accurate results are achieved.

These executive actions will impact counties as they respond to and eventually recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent economic fallout. NACo will continue to monitor the executive actions taken by President Biden.