While activity comes to a halt across the State of California, construction sites across the City of Los Angeles continue to teem with activity.

Governor Gavin Newsom's shelter in place order, issued last week, exempts construction as an essential service than can continue, reports the Los Angeles Times.

"The governor’s office didn’t explicitly lay out the reason it deemed construction essential. But before the coronavirus erupted, California’s most pressing issue arguably was its well-documented housing shortage. And even as the world has shifted over the last few weeks, housing availability remains a big problem.

Government officials are scrambling to house the homeless amid the pandemic. Low-income residents who live in overcrowded apartments will find it more difficult to maintain distance if someone they live with falls ill.

Also, there’s the disruption that would be created in halting construction. Many buyers commit before a new home is completed, and they might have already given notice to a landlord or sold their old home."

Some construction sites have implemented protective measures, according to the Times, including hand washing stations.

While construction activities may continue, the shelter in place order has impacted other elements of the real estate industry, including the closure of sales and leasing offices for new developments.

Onni Group, which owns numerous apartment and office buildings in the Los Angeles area, has announced that its leasing offices are closed for the time being.