San Francisco merges Planning and Building departments to consolidate permit processing | The Locally Times
Mayor Daniel Lurie ordered the merger of three permitting agencies on January 15, 2026, to manage 74,121 residential units in the development pipeline.
## Department Consolidation Mayor Daniel Lurie ordered the merger of the Planning Department, the Department of Building Inspection, and the Permit Center into one organization on January 15, 2026. The city intends to centralize the development pipeline to reduce wait times for housing and commercial projects. Records do not specify a final completion date for the integration of staffing and operations. ## Housing Pipeline Data As of June 13, 2026, the San Francisco Planning Department reports 74,121 residential units in the city's development pipeline. This total includes 16,959 units under review and 33,784 units within major, multi-phased projects such as the Candlestick Point and Hunter’s Point Shipyard developments. Currently, 3,036 units are under construction, while 8,915 units have approved building permits that have not yet been filed. ## Digital Processing Changes The Department of Building Inspection launched a digital contractor authorization process on April 28, 2026. This portal allows qualified contractors to access permits without manual review. The city maintains these project databases through the Planning Department and the Department of Building Inspection, which remove projects from the pipeline upon the issuance of a Certificate of Final Completion. ## Transit Budget Impact The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) faces a $307 million budget deficit for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, projected to reach $430 million by 2030. The SFMTA Board of Directors approved a $1.5 billion operating budget on June 13, 2026, to maintain current service levels. If the agency fails to secure additional funding, it may eliminate 20 Muni routes and reduce evening service by 60% beginning in the 2027-2028 fiscal year. A 60% reduction in evening service would increase wait times for riders, though the agency has not released specific headway data for individual routes. ## Key Questions **How will the department merger affect my permit application?** The city is combining the Planning Department, the Department of Building Inspection, and the Permit Center into one organization to reduce wait times and coordinate the review process. **What is the current status of the city's housing pipeline?** There are 74,121 residential units in the pipeline, including 16,959 units under review and 3,036 units currently under construction.