San Antonio reinvented its approach to what has traditionally been one of the most frustrating local services to access: permitting and inspection. While technology is part of the story, the city also made changes to business processes and culture, enabling multiple breakthroughs in customer service.
Getting a construction permit has long been a time-consuming, bureaucratic, paper-based process. Multiple agencies had a role, going one after another in a sequence, while a weary homeowner or builder waited to start work. Digitization changed this. As Shannon said, “Previously, only one person could review physical plans at a time; now all 10 team members can review the digital submission simultaneously.” This concurrent digital process enables real-time communication with owners, architects and engineers, speeding up the time it takes to identify missing items, revise plans and issue a permit. The customer-facing benefits of these improvements are substantial.
One of the most compelling illustrations of these benefits is the significant increase in digital transactions, including permit applications, plumbing registrations and other straightforward permits. Customers can now submit applications and sketches online, eliminating the need to visit city offices in person. Shannon highlighted the impact: “We wanted to streamline the process for our residents, customers and developers from out of town. We used to have over 200 people walk into our lobby every day to do business with us. We now have less than half of the walk-through traffic.” This shift demonstrates the efficiency gains and convenience offered to both residents and public employees.
San Antonio’s modernization efforts extend beyond the initial application process to include inspection sign-offs, which had long been a source of aggravation for building owners. Traditionally, owners waited for multiple inspections — electrical, plumbing, fire and more — before receiving a certificate of occupancy. San Antonio addressed this challenge by authorizing and training residential inspectors to conduct multiple inspections and implementing an online system for scheduling next-day services. The integration of digital tools with business process re-engineering provided a comprehensive solution for residents.
Technology and process improvements alone are not sufficient without the right organizational culture. San Antonio shifted from an adversarial “us versus them” dynamic — where permit reviewers might look for reasons to deny requests — to a collaborative partnership with the development community. The city emphasizes the importance of customer service by including it as a key performance indicator. In addition, anecdotal feedback to the mayor, city manager and council provides support and guidance for further enhancements. San Antonio provides a model for a current project at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, funded by the Knight Foundation, which aims to use generative AI tools to help cities and community groups identify the reasons for process backlogs and any dissatisfaction.
San Antonio’s approach is straightforward: implement a digital, integrated system; re-engineer inspection and review processes; maintain a continuous digital flow of information between applicants and the city; and foster a culture that values and rewards resident satisfaction. Shannon summed up the results: “We get a lot of compliments from our customers, both large developers and small mom-and-pops that just want to do a room addition on their house or build a deck.” The city’s experience demonstrates that when technology, process and culture evolve together with a focus on service quality, successes and satisfaction naturally follow.
This story originally appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of Government Technology magazine. Click here to view the full digital edition online.
