DBI projects $56–57M in revenue, warns reserves will cover only two years without cuts

Deputy Director Taris Madison presented the Department of Building Inspection’s proposed budgets for fiscal years 2022–23 and 2023–24 at a special Building Inspection Commission meeting in February, saying the department expects roughly $56–57 million in revenue against preliminary expenditures of about $88–91 million and warning that without changes DBI’s reserves can sustain current operations for about two years.

Madison, who identified herself as "deputy director for DBI," told commissioners that DBI is "a special fund department" and that charges for services — primarily plan-check and building-permit fees — make up the bulk of the department’s revenue. "We're projecting to be at about $48,000,000" in charges for services, she said, and noted a combined bump of about $6 million in the proposed budget for plan-check and permit revenues.

Why it matters: Because DBI relies heavily on fee revenue rather than general city funds, the department said it must balance services and workforce decisions within those revenues. Madison said the mayor’s office projects a…