Fewer construction jobs, less demand for laborers

Sluggish economy tied to the housing market has had trickle-down effect on immigrants, experts say

An increase in day laborers congregating throughout eastern Montgomery County can be attributed to an ailing economy that has led to a decrease in construction and fewer jobs in the field, according to immigration and labor experts.

The work shortage is most obvious at day laborer sites and parking lots throughout Wheaton, Long Branch and the Takoma-Langley Crossroads, where workers congregate and compete for construction jobs. Immigrant advocates say the laborers are spending more time waiting than working, and police have increased their presence in response to loitering complaints.

Immigrant workers’ advocacy group Casa of Maryland is trying to bring more laborers away from unofficial meeting spots to its workers centers. But the waiting lists at those sites continue to grow.

‘‘We tell these people to take classes, learn more English, while waiting for jobs. ... But there’s no question there are more waiting around for work,” said Gustavo Torres, Casa’s executive director.

Banks said data support the assertion that a lack of construction jobs is especially burdensome to immigrant laborers, adding that the number of non-citizens significantly outnumber native-born workers in that field.

New construction has decreased and purchases of new homes are down, Banks said. Data from the county’s Department of Finance through November 2007, the latest available, show a 30 percent decrease in new residential construction values and a 22 percent decrease in real estate sales.

Numbers from the Montgomery County Park and Planning Research and Technology Center, which updated its data Jan. 28, show that there were 430 fewer single-family units and 117 fewer multi-family units completed in 2007 when compared to 2006.

‘‘I think certainly, with the housing downturn, there’s less demand for construction-type work and less new construction work,” said John Iceland, an associate professor in sociology at the University of Maryland who teaches a course on migration.

Effects on the community

Erwin Mack, executive director of a business association, the Takoma⁄Langley Crossroads Development Authority, said he now sees up to 50 day laborers in that area in the mornings, up from ‘‘maybe half that” less than a year before.

More police are monitoring the area, Takoma Park Police Chief Ronald Ricucci said, because of loitering complaints and more reports of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

Brian Doud, the regional property manager for DLC Management, which operates the Takoma Langley Crossroads Shopping Center, said business owners there did not have a problem with men seeking work near the storefronts, but did not want the men on the property for lengthy periods.

‘‘Nobody’s been concerned about people having a cup of coffee outside ... but if people are out there for extended periods of time, it can cause some concern,” Doud said.

In Wheaton, police and the Montgomery County Department of Consumer Affairs have distributed flyers that listed workers’ centers operated by Casa to day laborers who gather each morning at Veirs Mill and Randolph roads, said Cpl. Fred Martinez with the county police department’s Fourth District.

Lt. Robert McCullagh, an officer with the Third District in Silver Spring, has heard complaints about loitering where the laborers congregate — at an Exxon gas station and a 7-Eleven, both near the intersection of Piney Branch Road and University Boulevard.

Long Branch resident Aat Muys said residents have also seen more workers.

‘‘We’ve heard that it’s due to economic conditions, but that’s not the answer. The answer is, it shouldn’t be happening,” he said.

Stephanie Turcios, who works in the deli attached to the gas station at University Boulevard and Piney Branch Road, said as many as 40 and 50 day laborers will gather outside. ‘‘A lot of times they’re just standing out there all day long,” she said.

One recent Friday morning, about 20 men stood outside the Exxon at 701 University Blvd. E. Silver Spring resident Arlene Montemarano, who frequents that station, said she had been approached by two men while pumping gas.

The two asked ‘‘could they help us, wash our car, clean something,” Montemarano said.

‘‘They’re eager to work. ... But it’s everywhere, it’s not just here,” she said.

Less work, more waiting

Springtime is usually associated with an increase in day laborers at Casa’s worker sites, Torres said, but there has been more concern this year.

‘‘There’s no question people are worried about the economy,” he said.

On a recent Monday morning at Casa’s Silver Spring headquarters, 734 University Blvd. E., a few dozen men and women stood waiting for work. Cecilia, a mother of two, said through a translator that this has been the most difficult year for her family financially in the six years since she left Mexico for the United States.

She and her husband take turns staying at home with their children, a 3-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, while the other parent will come to Casa’s Silver Spring site to get on a waiting list for jobs with contractors. Waiting lists operate on a lottery system, and those who arrive by 6 a.m. each day have more of a chance of finding work, said Mario Quiroz-Servellon, a Casa spokesman.

By 8 a.m., the Silver Spring center typically sees about 60 people on the lists, with that number fluctuating depending on the season, Quiroz-Servellon said.

This day, it was Cecilia’s turn to look for work, ideally in painting. The family has been late with rent and is struggling to pay for groceries. Cecilia said of the friends she has made at Casa, everyone was in the same situation.

‘‘The hope is that the spring will bring more outdoor jobs,” Quiroz-Servellon said.

Phil Johnson, owner of P.L. Johnson Construction Inc., a general contracting business in Takoma Park, said January was the worst month in his 10 years in business, a month where he had once made $30,000 to $50,000 and this year pulled in only $2,000.

Johnson, who has not employed day laborers since starting his own business, said there were more workers in general looking for jobs. ‘‘There are a lot of people calling, asking if there’s anything for them to do,” he said.

Staff Writer Mike Meno contributed to this story.