If Kamala Won: What Would Have Happened to the U.S. Construction Industry?

She didn't win.

She lost. Convincingly.

But what if she did win?

What would it have meant for the US Construction Industry?

Last week I wrote about the reality that did happen.

Trump won and now we will get to see what he does for construction.

But I thought for balance, today I'd step into an alternative universe where Kamala Harris took the reins as President of the United States.

What might her policies and leadership style have meant for the construction industry?

A Harris administration likely would have leaned hard into sustainable construction and green energy initiatives.

I imagine federal grants for net-zero buildings or incentives for solar-panel installations on every new commercial project. Construction firms that pivoted toward eco-friendly methods probably would thrive, while those resisting may have felt like they were trying to hammer nails with Jell-O.

A hypothetical "Kamala Climate Corps" could have created thousands of construction jobs focused on retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency.

Mandates for greener practices would drive up costs considerably.

But she'd still be smiling.

Harris’s labor-friendly reputation could have brought higher wages and stricter labor protections to the forefront. Would construction firms cheer for better conditions or groan under tighter regulations? Both, probably.

The emphasis on diversity and inclusion would be a game-changer. Under a Harris presidency, workforce training programs aimed at underrepresented communities would have flourished, finally addressing long-standing labor shortages.

But not without its challenges. I imagine contractors scrambling to comply with rigorous diversity reporting.

But she wouldn't care. This time she'd be laughing.

Ah immigration! Under Kamala, immigration reform likely would have been both a blessing and a curse for the industry. Comprehensive immigration policies would stabilize the workforce, offering pathways to citizenship for the millions of immigrants already forming the backbone of the construction labor pool.

At the same time, stricter labor laws to protect immigrant workers almost certainly would mean higher project costs.

A Harris presidency for sure would have turbocharged federal infrastructure spending. Think bridges, highways, and maybe even the long-dreamed high-speed rail.

Would contractors be overwhelmed by government red tape? Yes.

Would they complain while raking in lucrative federal contracts? Absolutely not!

I can imagine contractors and developers joking about renaming hard hats "Kamala Kaps" as they tackled infrastructure projects stretching across the country.

Had Kamala Harris won? The construction industry may have been thrust into a whirlwind of change, greener projects, a diversified workforce, and an infrastructure boom.

But with change comes challenge, and it’s safe to say the industry would have found itself navigating both hurdles and opportunities.

What’s your take? Would Harris’ vision have set the foundation for a stronger, more resilient construction industry, or would it have left the industry scrambling for balance? 🛠️🌟

In this alternate reality, at least, I can only imagine...