The approach
The pilot program will give the Houston Permitting Center a goal to create a 30-day turnaround for those wanting a permit to build single-family residential homes, Whitmire said. The center will partner with select single-family residential projects to participate in a structured, three-cycle review process emphasizing early coordination, clear timelines and enhanced communication between city reviewers and applicants, Houston Permitting Center Director Rudy Moreno said in a July 7 statement.
“I’ve heard repeatedly that people would not do business with the city of Houston in the homebuilding industry because it would take up to a year to get a permit,” Whitmire said in a July 3 social media post. “So I’m excited about this pilot program to improve housing in the city of Houston.”
Moreno said the three-cycle review process will help customers understand where their plan stands within the review process, while the plan review team will provide clear, timely communication with applicants to reduce delays and confusion.
The mayor’s office said in the social media post that this program will provide:
- Streamlined development
- Eliminate costly delays
- Modernize city operations
- Restore confidence in local government
Council member Sallie Alcorn, who has been pushing for this pilot program, said during the conference that she hopes this program could be implemented for commercial buildings as well.
“It saves money, it makes places more affordable, makes people want to build in the city and it brings more money to the city,” Alcorn said.
Houston Public Works Director Randy Macchi said during the conference that this model will “serve as a model for us across all other disciplines moving forward.”
“We’re going to learn a lot of lessons along the way, and those lessons are going to empower us to be even better as we continue to roll it out,” Macchi said.
