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Commission plans multi-session review of expediters and permit access
Summary
Commissioners agreed to make the role of permit expediters and public access to permit guidance a multi-meeting priority in 2021, discussing creation of a city liaison, workshops, and statistics on expediter referrals.
Commission members at the December meeting focused on whether San Franciscans need to rely on private 'expediters' to obtain permits and how DBI can make the process clearer to residents who do not hire paid representatives.
Commissioner Alexander Toot asked whether a public resource exists so a homeowner can determine whether a permit is required without hiring an expediter. Multiple commissioners said the question deserved more time than an individual meeting and proposed a series of hearings or a public-information campaign in 2021 to address the issue.
"If the public feels like they need to hire an expediter just to accomplish anything at the Department of Building Inspection, then it might as well be true," Vice President Sam Moss said, urging staff to gather statistics on how frequently customers must engage expediters and whether staff have directed applicants to hire them.
Suggestions from commissioners included: compiling data on expediter referrals, creating an online FAQ or concierge service for common small projects, and exploring a citywide liaison to help applicants coordinate approvals among multiple departments.
President Angus McCarthy and staff agreed to calendar the subject as an item for follow-up in January and to work on a potential game plan for a series of meetings and public outreach.
