Portland’s Slow, Fragmented Permitting Process Is Hindering Housing Production

Portland City Auditor Mary Hull Caballero released an audit showing that the city’s building permit process is slow and suffers from poor customer service and a lack of accountability. In 2019, just 7% of residential projects and 27% of commercial projects received a timely first review. Problems within the process are exacerbated by the fragmentation of reviewing bodies, which are overseen by multiple agencies. According to the audit, these issues could slow the city’s post-pandemic recovery efforts. Read more.