What We've Improved

After the new Accela permit system started, the Call Center’s service got slower. Fewer calls were answered, and fewer problems were fixed the first time.

To improve service, the City:

• Added more phone lines for different permitting offices (Plans Examining, Trades Licensing & Registration, Building & Trade Inspections).
• Hired more staff and trained call takers with better scripts and clear steps for follow-up.

Some customers could not connect their old permits to the new system.

• Staff gave hands-on help with the PIN Record Number process.
• Customers with multiple PINs received proactive, direct outreach.
• An automated process was developed that successfully linked 127,000 PINs to accounts. 

Simple permits were not automatically issued, adding to wait times customers were experiencing.

• An Auto-Issue feature was added, allowing Accela to automatically issue certain “simple” permits once applicants submit complete and accurate materials. These permit types do not require City staff technical review or plan examination.
•  Auto-issuance for qualifying permits and has achieved projected weekly auto-issuance rates ranging from 16% to 27% of applications.

Many customers and the public had ongoing questions about processing timelines and the overall performance of the permitting system.

• The City launched a new public dashboard for the Permits system, giving residents, developers, and businesses real-time insight into permit applications and processing timelines. The dashboard is updated daily and invites the public to explore current submission volumes, status categories (in review, approved, issued), and typical timeframes, reinforcing our commitment to faster, more transparent permitting.
• The first intake stage has seen dramatic impact: initial review backlogs dropped from over 1,700 applications in May 2025 to 68 as of February 5, 2026.
• Data-driven improvements prioritizing older applications has yielded a 46% overall decrease in permits waiting on City action.

When Accela started, moving permits from the old system was slow and challenging. This caused a backlog of applications.

To fix this, the City:

• Worked extra hours.
• Trained staff from other agencies on Accela.
• Grouped similar applications so reviews could be done faster.

This cut the backlog by 74% (from 1,612 to 415 applications) between June 12 and July 18, 2025. Work is still ongoing.

Difficulties transferring existing permits from the legacy system to Accela, creating bottlenecks and delays.

• Staff reviewed the process, fixed errors, and made technology changes to speed up transfers.

Some customers were unable to complete PLANS reviews.

• This was caused by system issues, which were fixed.

Permits issued were not showing correct expiration dates or statuses.

• The vendor fixed this with a system update.

Licenses were not appearing in the system.

• The vendor updated the mapping so licenses link to contractors.

Payment links were not available when customers were ready to pay.

• The vendor fixed the payment link problem.

Permits were delayed because reviewers in different agencies got the wrong assignments.

• Staff met with Accela, reviewed workflows, and fixed routing problems.

Some zoning reviews, especially for new construction or big changes, were slow.

• The City improved internal workflows, moved resources, and made process changes so small projects are reviewed faster.

Hydro and Flush/Final Inspections were set up wrong in Accela.

• These were removed from the system, since the Fire Department now handles all Fire inspections.

Inspection tasks remained open in the system even after completion, requiring staff to manually close them, which slowed permit issuance.

• The vendor added automation so tasks close automatically when finished.