DBI presents FY2018–20 budget; Accela hosting and legal work orders draw questions

Deputy Director Tyrus Madison presented the Department of Building Inspection’s proposed biennial budget for fiscal years 2018–19 and 2019–20 at a special Building Inspection Commission meeting on Feb. 2, 2018. Madison said the department’s revenue mix remains strong but that recent unprecedented growth is expected to level off, and he emphasized priorities tied to the mayor’s housing directive, accessibility initiatives and ongoing mandatory soft‑story outreach.

Madison told commissioners that roughly 60 percent of DBI’s revenue comes from two sources—plan‑check fees and building permits—and said plan‑check revenue is budgeted at about $4.5 million while building‑permit revenue is projected near $13.7 million, an increase of roughly $700,000 from prior assumptions. He also noted that collections for 1–2 family rental unit fees have trended lower than prior budget estimates (about $1.2 million realized versus $1.5 million budgeted previously), and the department reduced its projection to match actual collections.

The budget proposal includes higher personnel costs driven by…