DBI reports December revenue uptick, rehiring slowed by testing and requisitions

Pamela Levin, Deputy Director for Administrative Services at the Department of Building Inspection (DBI), told the Building Inspection Commission on Jan. 19 that DBI’s revenue showed an uptick in December largely because several large projects — including the Transbay Terminal — moved forward.

Levin said overall finances are at about the same level as the previous month but that the December receipts make year‑to‑date comparisons look abnormal. "We've seen in terms of revenue an uptick in December, a lot of it was due to some big projects coming in," she said.

The deputy director said DBI is not projecting short‑term salary savings because the department plans to rehire some employees who were laid off in May 2009. She described two main hurdles slowing rehiring: requisitions must clear a committee that includes the mayor’s office, the Department of Human Resources (DHR) and the controller’s office, which can require multiple attempts, and DBI now must develop and administer tests for roughly "90% or 95%" of positions, including engineers, before hires can be completed.

A commissioner asked about a listed $1.8 million increase tied to work orders and real estate billing; Levin said the timing of when invoices were billed (earlier this fiscal year than last) makes the year‑to‑date figures look higher now. On non‑personal‑service spending, Levin said about $30,000 was budgeted this year for training and computer supplies, explaining that some purchases were delayed in recent years to save money.

Levin identified several technology and customer‑service systems that will bring maintenance costs into operating funds over time, naming Qmatic (a customer‑flow system) and Selectron (an IVR/scheduling system) as examples. She said some training vendors offer negotiated discounts and that codebooks were rebid to a vendor across the bay that provided lower pricing.

Commissioner Wong asked why a $10,000 lower payment to the nonprofit code enforcement outreach program appeared in the report; Levin said it was a timing issue and that outstanding invoices would be carried forward if necessary.

Why it matters: The presentation explains why DBI’s near‑term budget picture may show volatility even if long‑term revenues and expenditures remain steady, and it signals staffing constraints while the department completes civil‑service testing and administrative approvals.

What’s next: Levin said DBI will continue processing requisitions and developing tests; no budget votes or formal policy changes were taken at the Jan. 19 meeting.