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DBI reports balanced budget projection, commissioners press for more inspectors and clerks
Summary
Deputy Director Amel Levin told the Building Inspection Commission DBI expects to end the year balanced, driven by large-project permit revenue; commissioners pressed for faster hiring of clerks, inspectors and more plan-check capacity for major projects.
Deputy Director Amel Levin said at the Nov. 16 Building Inspection Commission meeting that the Department of Building Inspection expects to end the fiscal year with a balanced budget, citing a surge in valuation for high-dollar permits.
Levin said the department has realized 41.7% of its budget from charges for services through October, driven mainly by permits with valuations of $1 million or more, which she said have increased 62% year over year. Personnel expenditures are running at 27% of budget while about 33% of the fiscal year has elapsed; Levin said DBI has 24 more filled positions than at the same time last year and plans to submit requisitions for clerks, building inspectors and staff to update policies and procedures.
Why it matters: Commissioners warned that staffing delays are already affecting customer service and oversight of large projects. Several commissioners asked for a clearer timeline for hiring and for DBI to prioritize inspectors for major pipeline projects such as the Transbay work.
Commissioner comments focused on operational impacts. One commissioner said customers report long lines and waits, particularly for clerks and cashier functions, and urged staff to "dissect where our needs are and go from there." Commissioners asked when civil-service testing and other hiring steps would be complete; Levin said some citywide tests and certification steps control timing and that additional hires likely will begin in the new year as tests and posting processes conclude.
Tom Huey, who oversees plan check for major projects, told commissioners that large projects require significant engineering and training time — about six months to train plan-check staff — and recommended converting or designating inspectors to plan-check roles for electrical and plumbing for major projects. Levin said the department has already taken steps to activate vacant inspector positions when retirements occur and is working with the Mayor's Office and DHR to accelerate approvals where possible.
The commission asked staff to follow up with a clearer hiring timeline and to identify which positions will be prioritized when the new budget is presented in January. The meeting closed with commissioners reiterating the need to align staffing growth with the department's revenue expectations to avoid future layoffs or service shortfalls.
The commission did not take a formal vote on budget changes at the Nov. 16 meeting; the DBI said it will present a full budget to the commission in January.
