Hispanic-owned businesses are growing faster than almost any other segment of the U.S. economy, and construction is leading the way. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15), the numbers tell a story every NHCA member already knows from the job site: our community doesn’t just build America’s homes and roads. We own a growing share of the companies doing the building.
A recent Stacker report makes it clear: Latino small businesses are growing far faster than the national average, and construction tops the list of industries they’re in.
The numbers behind the boom
Construction sits at the center of this growth. Nearly 1 in 5 Latino employers runs a construction business, and the number of Latino-owned construction companies has climbed sharply in just the past few years.
The expansion also reaches well beyond traditional Hispanic markets, with Latino-owned businesses growing in nearly every state. For contractors, that means new markets and new partners are opening up across the country.
Growth is strong. Capital still lags.
What holds most firms back isn’t talent or work ethic. It’s access to capital, and without it, many never grow big enough to hire a team.
For construction firms, that gap hits especially hard. Winning bigger jobs takes equipment financing, working capital to cover payroll before the first draw, and bonding capacity to bid public and commercial work. A crew leader with years of skill can stay stuck as a sub on small jobs simply because the balance sheet and bonding history aren’t there yet.
On top of that, today’s immigration climate is adding real pressure on Latino-owned construction firms and their crews.
What this means for NHCA contractors
The momentum is real, but turning a fast-growing market into a stronger company takes deliberate steps. That starts with a bankable business: clean books, the right insurance, and a bonding track record that grows job by job. From there, hiring and training a steady crew, partnering with larger firms, and leaning on the NHCA and NAHREP network are how today’s small shops become tomorrow’s leading contractors.
As business consultant Viridiana Ponce said in the report, “When Latino/a-owned businesses become financially strong, the impact extends far beyond one owner.” For NHCA, that’s the whole point: every firm that scales creates more opportunity for the workers and families around it.
Building what comes next, together
Hispanic contractors are on track to lead this industry, not just in the workforce but in ownership. The question now is how many of today’s small shops become tomorrow’s midsize and large firms. That’s the work NHCA exists to support: capacity building, access to capital, and business opportunities for Hispanic contractors and construction professionals.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, take one step toward growth. Connect with a fellow member, talk to a lender or surety about your next move, or reach out to NHCA to learn how we can help. Visit nhca.pro to get involved.
Sergio Barajas is the executive director of the National Hispanic Construction Alliance, where he leads the organization’s work to expand capacity building, access to capital, and business opportunities for Hispanic contractors and construction professionals. Over a 30-year career spanning housing development, construction, and financing, he has held roles with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Freddie Mac, the National Community Stabilization Trust, and the Los Angeles Housing Department. Based in San Diego, California, Sergio writes about workforce development, advocacy, and the role of the Hispanic construction workforce in building a stronger and more equitable industry.
Keep up with Sergio Barajas HERE!
