Streamlining the Permitting Process to Improve Housing Affordability
The U.S. continues to face a shortage of homes, but updating local zoning regulations and streamlining permitting processes can help fill that gap. A recent survey of housing professionals across 41 states from the International Code Council (ICC) shows many in the housing industry are interested in these types of reforms, with 80% of respondents saying that their jurisdictions have made zoning, land use, or permitting updates within the past five years.
Some cities are already looking at solutions to streamline building and make housing more affordable
San Antonio has modernized its permitting process to reduce wait times by creating a centralized online portal that handles everything from applications and plan reviews to payments, scheduling, remote video inspections, and issuing temporary and final certificates of occupancy. The city also supports developers through its Affordable Housing Team, which offers pre-inspections and early plan reviews to catch issues upfront and avoid delays.
Fairfax County, Va., has taken a similar approach to streamline approvals with a modified process that allows partial permits for early-phase construction. The county can also issue Temporary Certificates of Occupancy for partial use and provides instant Certificates of Occupancy for residential units after final inspections.
What do other housing industry professionals say?
Similar to what is already being employed in places like San Antonio and and Fairfax County, Va., survey respondents identified online customer tools and electronic plan review as top strategies for accelerating the permitting approval process. They also identified staffing shortfalls, incomplete submissions and delays from non-building department review agencies as critical factors that should be reflected in mandated review timelines.
Participants also weighed in on third-party review practices. While jurisdictions differed in how frequently they used third parties, 95% of survey respondents felt that reviewers should still hold the certifications of municipal employees.