City managers are being asked to do more with less, every single day. Between rising community expectations, shrinking budgets, and the pressure to attract and retain development, it’s easy for municipal leaders to get buried in the operational weeds.
But if there’s one department that touches nearly every aspect of community growth, it’s your community development department (or building department). And the more clearly you can measure its performance, the more confidently you can lead.
At SAFEbuilt, we work with hundreds of communities across the country, and we’ve seen the difference between departments that thrive and those that struggle. The most successful ones don’t just move permits—they track performance. They use the right KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to shine a light on what’s working, what’s not, and what needs attention before it becomes a problem.
Here are the top KPIs I believe every city manager should be tracking:
Speed to Revenue
Why it matters:
Every day a project sits idle, your city delays tax revenue, job creation, and economic momentum. Tracking the time from permit submission to approval—and from inspection request to completion—gives you visibility into bottlenecks and lets you quantify the real-world impact of delays.
What to measure:
Why it matters:
A complicated or frustrating permitting process can drive developers—and even homeowners—away. When the process is easier, development flows faster, compliance improves, and trust increases.
What to measure:
Why it matters:
The goal is to make the process seamless — for staff and for residents. The more intuitive and accessible your development services are, the less staff time is spent troubleshooting and the more time is spent moving projects forward.
What to measure:
Why it matters:
The earlier you catch issues, like a missed inspection, an overburdened plan reviewer, or a rising backlog, the easier they are to solve. Think of this as your community development “check engine light.”
What to measure:
Why it matters:
You can’t manage what you can’t see. KPIs aren’t just about scorekeeping—they’re about creating a line of sight into all active projects so city leadership can plan, communicate, and adapt.
What to measure:
Technology Makes This Easier
With SAFEbuilt’s CommunityCore platform, all of this data lives in one place—digitally accessible, constantly updated, and easy to report. City managers can have real-time insight into every part of their development process, from planning to inspections, and even across rental inspection and code enforcement programs.
We built it so that you don’t have to rely on anecdotal updates or gut feelings. You’ll know when your process is working—and when it needs attention.
Success Leaves Clues
In every high-performing city we work with, the leaders are tuned into these metrics. They use them to accelerate revenue, reduce frustration, and make better decisions for their communities.
You don’t need to be a data scientist to lead with data. You just need the right KPIs—and a partner who understands the power of making the complex simple.
At SAFEbuilt, we’re here to help you build a stronger, smarter, more responsive community—one measurable improvement at a time.
Let's bring your vision to life. Contact us today.