The city completes 98.5% of plan reviews on time, and 97% of building inspections on time and will attempt, in the coming months, to reduce the timelines even further, staff told council. Sacramento launched a small business liaison program, will run a \u201cPermitting 101\u201d class in March and is piloting expanded hours for the Community Development Department\u2019s public counter, increasing to five days a week, up from three.<\/p>\n
Some developers said at Tuesday\u2019s meeting that Sacramento\u2019s permitting system is more efficient than other California jurisdictions. Still, multiple builders called on the city to make further improvements. Several described instances of waiting months for various approvals, delaying projects, business openings and lease payments.<\/p>\n
The effort comes as high interest rates and tariffs have created other headwinds for development. And the city\u2019s attempts to ease permitting will be an ongoing process with no real end \u2014 unless the city achieves its housing goals, Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum said during the meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of what we\u2019re trying to do is to create conditions that are favorable to the outcomes that we\u2019re trying to achieve,\u201d Pluckebaum said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s a difficult measure to be held accountable for.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city issued 2,387 housing permits in 2024, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting<\/a>. To meet an eight-year goal of building 45,580 new units by 2029, it would have needed to issue 5,698 permits. Figures for 2025 aren\u2019t yet available.<\/p>\n John Vignocchi, CEO of an association of local businesses called Region Business and managing partner for the Sacramento development firm Urban Capital, said the streamlining effort has created a welcome \u201cmindset shift.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, he added, \u201cthere are still a lot of little things that can be improved\u2026 we\u2019ve got to keep the pedal to the metal.\u201d<\/p>\n Many of the city\u2019s changes so far will assist with infill development and accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, said Tim Murphy, president and CEO of the North State Building Industry Association, in an interview ahead of the meeting.<\/p>\n Murphy said he would like to now see more attention on streamlining single-family housing.<\/p>\n \u201cThese processes are definitely a step in the right direction. But in order to address the amount of needed housing in the city of Sacramento, they have to keep their foot on the gas,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cThe old maxim, that time equals money, is true.\u201d<\/p>\n Officials said the effort would be an ongoing process.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a living, breathing, evergreen project,\u201d McCarty said during the meeting. \u201cWe\u2019re doing a fine job in this, but let\u2019s keep at it.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 12:05 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
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