As of midnight on Monday, March 23, Dallas County initiated a mandatory “shelter-in-place” order, a critical public health measure implemented in response to the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic. This directive significantly altered daily life for residents, prompting widespread questions about its implications and permissible activities. Understanding the nuances of this order was paramount for community safety and compliance, aiming to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus by minimizing non-essential contact.
The order states people may leave their residences only for essential activities — including to get supplies for themselves and their families or perform tasks essential to their health and safety and that of others — or to operate essential businesses, such as healthcare, critical infrastructure and retail, including grocery stores.
Claire Cardona, NBC 5 DFW
While many residents initially used the term “lockdown” to describe the new restrictions, it was crucial to distinguish this more severe movement limitation from a true “shelter-in-place” order. A lockdown, typically reserved for immediate and acute threats, implies an absolute restriction on movement—literally locking doors with no entry or exit until an immediate danger is cleared. Such a drastic measure was not, and has not been, ordered for Dallas or Dallas County. Instead, the shelter-in-place mandate provided a framework for residents to continue essential aspects of life while drastically reducing public interaction.
The core principle of the shelter-in-place order was to ensure that individuals remained in their homes except for specific, critical needs. This included obtaining groceries, medications, and other household necessities. Residents were strongly encouraged to streamline their shopping, consolidating trips to once per week to minimize exposure risk. Essential tasks vital for health and safety, such as medical appointments, caring for vulnerable family members, or assisting neighbors in need, were also permitted. Furthermore, outdoor exercise, provided it adhered strictly to social distancing guidelines, was allowed, recognizing the importance of physical and mental well-being during stressful times. The order also clearly delineated what constituted “essential businesses,” including healthcare facilities, critical infrastructure operations (like utilities and transportation), grocery stores, pharmacies, and certain financial institutions, ensuring the continuity of vital services for the community.
Dallas Builders Association Rallies Members to Collect Essential PPE for Hospital Workers
In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most pressing crises facing healthcare systems globally, and particularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, was a severe shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). PPE—shorthand for items like masks, gloves, and gowns—is indispensable for safeguarding medical professionals who are on the front lines, directly caring for patients infected with coronavirus. The rationing of these critical supplies put countless nurses, doctors, and hospital staff at immense risk of contracting the virus themselves. A compromised healthcare workforce would inevitably lead to an overwhelmed and potentially collapsed healthcare system, a scenario everyone worked desperately to prevent.
To proactively address this critical shortfall and protect the bedrock of the community’s health infrastructure, the Dallas Builders Association stepped forward with a remarkable initiative. They organized a focused drive on Tuesday, March 24, rallying their extensive network of members and the wider community to collect desperately needed PPE items. This civic action highlighted the power of community mobilization during a crisis, demonstrating how various sectors could contribute to a unified public health effort. The specific items requested were carefully selected based on the most urgent needs identified by local hospitals and healthcare providers, targeting protection against airborne particles and direct contact transmission.
- Mask, N95 Particulate Respirator/Surgical: Crucial for filtering airborne particles and preventing the inhalation of viral droplets, offering superior protection compared to standard surgical masks for procedures that might generate aerosols.
- Gloves (non-sterile, powder free): Essential for preventing contact transmission, providing a protective barrier for healthcare workers when interacting with patients and contaminated surfaces.
- Shoe Covers: Help prevent the tracking of contaminants from patient areas to other parts of the hospital, reducing environmental spread of the virus.
- Impermeable coverall without integrated hood: Provides full-body protection against splashes and airborne particles, crucial for staff in high-exposure environments.
- Mask, Standard Procedure, Yellow, Pleat style w/Ear Loops – one size fits all: While offering less protection than N95s, these masks are vital for general use, patient interaction, and conserving higher-grade masks for critical procedures. They help contain droplets from the wearer and offer a basic barrier.
The collection points for these invaluable donations were strategically established across the region, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at four County Medical Society Offices in Denton, Dallas, Collin, and Tarrant counties. This broad reach ensured accessibility for donors and facilitated a significant collection effort. The Dallas Builders Association’s proactive stance not only garnered vital supplies but also served as a powerful reminder of collective responsibility and the profound impact of local initiatives in global crises. For those seeking more information on how they could contribute or learn about future initiatives, the Dallas Builders Association maintained a dedicated resource page.
For more information, visit the Dallas Builders Association website.
Real Estate Industry Adapts as Business Moves Virtual and Prioritizes Safety
The onset of the pandemic fundamentally reshaped numerous industries, and real estate was no exception. Faced with unprecedented health concerns and mandated social distancing, the sector swiftly moved to innovate, transforming traditional practices into safer, more flexible models. According to a compelling survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) early in the pandemic, nearly one in four home sellers was already proactively changing how their property was viewed. This rapid adaptation underscored the industry’s commitment to ensuring transactions could continue safely, minimizing the transmission risk of the highly contagious virus.
The changes include stopping open houses, requiring potential buyers to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer, asking buyers to remove shoes or wear footies, or other changes.
The percentage of sellers adopting these and other changes climbs to 44% and 34%, respectively, in Washington State and California, two of the states hardest hit by coronavirus.
National Association of Realtors
The NAR survey illuminated several key shifts in seller behavior. Foremost among these was the widespread discontinuation of open houses, a long-standing staple of real estate marketing that suddenly posed a significant public health risk. In their place, sellers and agents pivoted towards private showings, often with stringent health protocols. These protocols frequently included requiring potential buyers to thoroughly wash their hands or use hand sanitizer upon entry, a simple yet effective measure to reduce germ transmission. Furthermore, many sellers requested that buyers remove their shoes or wear disposable foot covers (footies) to maintain hygiene and prevent outside contaminants from entering the home. These measures, while seemingly minor, collectively created a safer environment for both sellers and prospective buyers, fostering confidence in a market fraught with uncertainty.
The data from states like Washington and California, which were among the first and hardest hit by the initial wave of the virus, provided a glimpse into the future of real estate adaptation. With 44% and 34% of sellers, respectively, adopting these new viewing strategies, these regions became leading indicators of the necessary evolution. Their experiences highlighted the urgency of embracing virtual technologies—such as professional virtual tours, 3D walkthroughs, and detailed video presentations—to allow buyers to explore properties comprehensively without physical presence. This technological pivot not only ensured safety but also broadened the reach to potential buyers, creating a more efficient and accessible market. The industry quickly realized that high-quality online presentation, including professional photography and detailed floor plans, became more critical than ever, transforming how properties were initially perceived and ultimately sold.
Stagers Diversify as the Real Estate Industry Moves Online to Serve Clients
As the real estate market navigated unprecedented changes, the ancillary yet crucial industry of home staging also underwent a significant transformation. Despite the challenges, homes continued to be bought and sold, albeit with altered processes. A substantial portion of real estate closings shifted to very small, highly controlled groups, and often even virtually, underscoring the industry’s rapid adoption of remote capabilities to ensure continuity of business and client safety. In this evolving landscape, professional stagers, who play a vital role in preparing properties for sale to maximize their appeal and value, had to innovate rapidly to remain relevant and operational.
To support its community of professionals during these uncertain times, Staging Studio emerged as a leader, establishing comprehensive guidelines and fostering new approaches to business. Recognizing the imperative for reduced physical contact, stagers increasingly leveraged digital communication tools such as Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom to conduct virtual consultations. These “walk-and-talk” consultations empowered stagers to guide sellers remotely, helping them identify and address issues that might deter potential buyers. Through video calls, stagers could virtually tour a property, offering expert advice on decluttering, furniture arrangement, and minor repairs without ever stepping foot inside the home. This not only offered a safe alternative but also provided a flexible and often more cost-effective solution for sellers. Additionally, photo consultations became popular, where sellers submitted images of their homes along with a detailed questionnaire, allowing stagers to provide tailored recommendations based on visual evidence and specific needs.
Beyond virtual consultations, Staging Studio provided a robust set of tips for stagers to fortify their businesses against the disruptions caused by the pandemic and prepare for future uncertainties. These insights focused on operational resilience, financial planning, and fostering a adaptable team culture.
Ensure that you and your team can access crucial information remotely. Transitioning to cloud-based systems for client databases, project management, and financial records became non-negotiable, allowing operations to continue seamlessly from any location.
If you have been old school in the way you do business – getting a check or key in person, paying bills in person, banking in person – now is the time to get online with all of that. Embracing digital payment platforms, online banking, and secure virtual key exchange systems was crucial for efficiency and safety.
Do you have a backup plan for others running operations if you are unable to be present at work? Everyone on your team should be cross-trained so that they can cover for each other. This created redundancy and ensured that the business could function even if key personnel were unavailable, bolstering operational resilience.
Make it your goal to hold in reserves enough money to meet payroll for 3 months. We realize that not everyone has been able to build that safety net yet, but it should be part of your business plan to get there. This financial foresight provided a critical buffer against unforeseen economic downturns and ensured staff could be supported during lean periods.
This WILL be a difficult time, we don’t want to minimize that. If you do not have that margin, be up front with your staff. Don’t wait until payday and then say, “Whoops, sorry. Can’t pay you this week.” Transparent communication with employees about financial realities built trust and allowed for collaborative solutions, such as temporary hour reductions or exploring government assistance programs.
Think through your inventory stock and your projected needs. Prepare for any possible supply chain disruptions. Proactive inventory management, diversifying suppliers, and adapting staging strategies to utilize available resources became essential to mitigate potential delays and shortages.
By Debbie Boggs, Staging StudioCo-Founder
These forward-thinking strategies from Staging Studio not only helped stagers navigate the immediate crisis but also equipped them with tools for long-term sustainability and adaptability. The shift towards virtual operations and robust business planning became a permanent fixture, demonstrating that innovation and resilience are key to thriving in an ever-changing market landscape.