Longer permit processing times feared to increase housing costs

Developers say that permit processing turnaround time has almost doubled from four months in 2011 to seven months in 2015.

The wait can take as long as six to eight months—up from two to three months in some hot markets. City governments have been slow to re-staff after layoffs during the recession and can become overwhelmed by permit applications, especially in booming markets. Delays can be costly to developers as they continue to incur staffing and other costs as they wait for the okay to build.