SUBCONTRACTOR DISCLOSURE

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The County works to create a culture of safety and legal compliance by ensuring that labor standards are upheld. The construction lifecycle typically includes a single prime contractor who employs multiple subcontractors for individual construction tasks. Existing federal and state laws ensure transparency and labor standards for prime contractors. Under these existing laws, the County verifies that prime contractors are in good standing with the Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) at the time of building permit issuance; however, existing laws are not applicable and need more transparency for the thousands of subcontractors locally. This policy gap provided local policy opportunities to create new policies, processes, and electronic solutions to add disclosures as a local ordinance requirement. The County’s updated ordinances require contractors to disclose information for their subcontractors working on projects requiring County building permits and right-of-way permits in the unincorporated communities (where the County has land use jurisdiction). The program applies to certain private construction projects and those within the right-of-way. The program outcome improves transparency and equity by leveling the playing field for businesses, helping improve worker safety on job sites, and capturing key data to guide future policy decisions within the County.