"Small businesses are the backbone of San Francisco's economy," said Mayor Newsom. "This new online permitting system means they engage a more efficient city bureaucracy while the city provides a necessary customer service that gets passed on directly to residents."
Recognizing that small business owners need to remain in their shops and run their businesses, Mayor Newsom and Supervisor Carmen Chu asked DPW to develop a system that allows merchants to remotely reapply for their permits every year.
"Whenever we are able to improve efficiency in city services, it is important that we pass these savings down, especially when it comes to small businesses," said Supervisor Carmen Chu, who sponsored legislation at the Board of Supervisors that streamlines the outdoor dining permit process.
DPW processes more than 400 permits annually. The permit allows café and restaurant owners to place tables and chairs on the sidewalk for outdoor dining. Permit processing has been reduced from one month to two weeks.
"This new tool highlights DPW's commitment to delivering customer-friendly services to our city's merchants," said Ed Reiskin, Director of Public Works. "By designing a convenient, flexible and responsive online service for permit seekers, we have created a more streamlined process that saves small business owners time and resources."
