Special Report

Permit Pileup

Honolulu Building Permits Are Expected To Be Issued Faster With Tech Upgrades, Director Says David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Honolulu Building Permits Are Expected To Be Issued Faster With Tech Upgrades, Director Says

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New tools promise to give applicants faster feedback on their plans.

One Way To Ease Honolulu’s Building Permit Backlog: Pay Workers More Christina Jedra/Civil Beat/2023

One Way To Ease Honolulu’s Building Permit Backlog: Pay Workers More

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The permitting director says her employees are underpaid. But the mayor has not tried to negotiate raises for plan reviewers, saying there's more to the problem than pay.

Honolulu Permitting Office Making Progress While Delays Persist, Audit Says Christina Jedra/Civil Beat/2023

Honolulu Permitting Office Making Progress While Delays Persist, Audit Says

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Permit review times at the troubled permitting office are worse than before, but the department has taken steps to improve its processes. 

Honolulu’s Building Permit Delays: A ‘Nightmare’ Decades In The Making Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Honolulu’s Building Permit Delays: A ‘Nightmare’ Decades In The Making

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Construction industry professionals say it’s taking longer than ever to get a permit in Honolulu. The delays disrupt lives and put a drag on the economy.  

Some Honolulu Building Permit Applicants Sailed Through Despite Long Waits For Most Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Some Honolulu Building Permit Applicants Sailed Through Despite Long Waits For Most

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A Civil Beat analysis raises questions about the fairness of wide disparities in how fast permits get approved. Bribery, political influence, people skills and other factors help determine a permit application's speed.