City development services presents FY2026 budget with proposed staffing cuts, fee changes and expanded code programs

The City of San Antonio’s Development Services department presented its proposed fiscal 2026 budget to City Council on Sept. 2, citing a proposed $63.3 million budget, a planned 7% reduction from the prior year and a proposal to freeze up to 42 vacant positions as part of the budget plan.

Alington Mas (Director of Development Services) told the council the department expects to operate with two primary funds — the general fund for code implementation and an enterprise fund for development services — and outlined goals for permitting, inspections and proactive code work. He described accreditation milestones and said the department aims to complete plan reviews within the target timeline adopted by the city.

Why it matters: Development Services issues building permits, enforces codes and manages public‑safety‑related inspections; changes to staffing, fees or enforcement practices can affect housing production, property maintenance and neighborhood quality of life.

Key financial and program details presented: the proposed FY2026 Development Services budget is $63.3 million (including $18.5 million in the general fund and $48.8 million in the enterprise fund, per staff figures). The department proposed a 7% reduction in the enterprise fund and identified 42 positions that would not be backfilled when vacated. Staff also reviewed permit activity trends, reporting a decline in permit applications after 2022 and describing permit‑processing goals (an 18‑day initial plan review target; staff reported current median review times near that target for first reviews).

The presentation described ongoing and pilot programs: a senior assistance/home repair pilot that has completed 57 homes this year and has $700 remaining in the current funding cycle; a proactive multi‑family inspection program (started in 2023) that has reduced violations among participating properties; and a street‑lighting program where staff reported 1,034 funded lights and roughly 3,241 remaining to install citywide with an estimated cost range provided by staff.

Staff recommended updates to a handful of fees that have not been adjusted in more than a decade, including increases tied to metal recycling licensing and other administrative fees; staff estimated one fee increase could generate roughly $200,000 in additional revenue if adopted.

Council members raised multiple concerns and requests for follow up: how the 42 position freezes will affect permit turnaround and service levels; whether staff conducted an equity or service‑impact analysis before proposing reductions; more detailed lists of which job titles would be frozen; options to scale fines for repeat code violators in apartment complexes; and whether additional funds can be directed to strategically expand public lighting around schools and transit stops.

On permits and timing, staff said their internal target for an initial review is 18 days and that the department’s median was near that target; they also explained the total commercial review time figure includes the applicant’s resubmission cycles. On program coordination, staff said Development Services coordinates plan review with public works and utilities when projects require multiple agency clearances.

No formal council vote was held on the Development Services budget at the Sept. 2 meeting. Councilmembers asked for follow‑up materials, including a list of the 42 positions to be held vacant, a service‑impact and equity analysis for the proposed reductions, a breakdown of fee changes and the documented timeline and cost estimates for the street‑lighting program.