Our Insights...
Thought Leadership for Transforming Community Development
Permit Expediter vs. Private Provider: What’s the Difference?
By The Private Provider Team | Oct 26, 2026 | 4 min. read
A permit sits in review two weeks past when the schedule called for it. One person on the team suggests hiring a permit expediter. Another says to loo...
Read More
What Is Building Department Outsourcing in 2026
By The Building Department Team | 6 min. read
Your building department is short two inspectors, permit applications are stacking up, and the next budget cycle is months away. Meanwhile, residents ...
Read More
3 Ways To Relieve Common Building Department Bottlenecks
By The Building Department Team | 3 min. read
A stack of applications. A voicemail box full of status questions. A follow-up inspection nobody has time to drive to. By the end of the week, the fee...
Read More
3 Signs Your Downtown Rules May Be Holding Back New Businesses
By The Planning and Zoning Team | 3 min. read
Empty storefronts are hard to ignore. They can make a downtown feel quieter and leave people wondering what is holding it back.
Read More
Industry Resources
Municipal Services Glossary: Building, Permitting & Community Development
By Juliana Ficheli Hoffman | 22 min. read
Understanding the Services That Keep Communities Moving What does it mean to outsource a building department? How does third-party plan review work? A...
Read More
Building Department Staffing Self‑Assessment
By Juliana Ficheli Hoffman | 1 min. read
Get a clear picture of your building department's staffing resilience Answer this nine-question quiz about your staffing, capacity, and emergency read...
Read More
Outsourced Building Department Models for Small Cities
By Juliana Ficheli Hoffman | 7 min. read
Running a building department with limited staff and budget is one of the toughest challenges small municipalities face. When a single inspector handl...
Read More