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Planning, housing and contractor licensing present digital permitting push, housing strategy and landlord incentives
Summary
Planning, Housing and Community Development leaders briefed commissioners on a broad workload: consolidating zoning boards, adopting airport land‑use compatibility, launching a countywide enterprise permitting portal request ($2.27M), and using HOME‑ARP, CDBG and LIHTC tools plus landlord incentives to expand affordable housing.
Jay Leipzig, director of Planning, Housing & Community Development, told the Board the department’s 2026 budget request reflects a mix of technology investments, zoning/subdivision code updates and housing program activity.
Leipzig described three divisions (planning, housing/community development, contractor licensing) and highlighted an enterprise permitting and licensing system request of $2,271,000 that would create a portal‑based platform allowing staff and the public to view parcel permit history across planning, public works, wastewater and other county systems. He said implementation expertise would come from DTI but the CIP ask is to fund the software and integration work.
Nut graf: the department seeks to modernize permitting workflows countywide while expanding housing programs — using HOME‑ARP, CDBG and low‑income housing tax credit (LIHTC) activity — and to continue landlord engagement incentives that helped raise Housing Choice Voucher utilization.
Leipzig described efficiencies from DTI technical help, an online complaint submission and digital plan review; he noted the department has consolidated some zoning boards and adopted an airport land‑use compatibility plan to streamline project reviews. On housing, staff reported four LIHTC projects approved in the last three years totaling about 965 rent‑restricted units when aggregated, and said the county is preparing HOME‑ARP allocations for rental production and supportive services to bring before the board.
Leipzig said contractor licensing faces staffing and training pressures, and economic pressures are affecting construction costs (insulation, drywall) that could affect project viability. The department asked for modest additional grant funding in 2026 for housing programs and flagged a multi‑stakeholder process for updating zoning/subdivision regulations and adopting the 2024 International Building Code.
Ending: Leipzig said staff will return with grant allocations for HOME‑ARP in July and August and with further work on the enterprise permit portal and zoning/subdivision code update in subsequent meetings.
