Frustrations Run High at Dallas City Hall as Builders Air Grievances on Permitting
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Members of the Dallas Builders Association descended on Dallas City Hall on Monday, Jan. 31, for a Festivus-style airing of the grievances.
The City of Dallas asked for feedback from stakeholders at the special called Government Performance and Financial Management Committee meeting. And builders did not hold back.
“Nearly every day for the last two years, I have heard from builders and residents who are stuck,” said Dallas Builders Association Executive Officer Phil Crone during the session.
The sticking point is one that builders have decried since before the beginning of the pandemic. Permits at the City of Dallas — even ones for the most basic services — are taking weeks and costing builders thousands.
“We have been managing them with staff one at a time, but fixing the problem involves aligning the people, process, and policy once and for all,” Crone said. “Of all the major problems facing our city, this should be the easiest one to solve.”
The problems center on the excessive cost of delays, the lack of intuitive systems, and the unresponsive staff at City Hall.
“Just a simple process like inputting the new water account information that used to take 10 minutes now is taking two weeks,” said Dallas Builders Association past president Jeff Dworkin. “The seven weeks I waited cost my small construction company more than $8,000.”
Executive in residence Will Mundinger provided an overview of the current situation and the challenges with staffing and technology. Mundinger was brought in last year to address these issues. However, he stated that builders should expect to wait six to eight weeks for a permit now, but added that should improve in the coming weeks.
Despite challenges with the city’s online permitting system, called ProjectDox, the Dallas Builders Association is encouraging builders to submit plans themselves.
“I’m finding several cases where builders hire a third party to submit their permit and that entity drops the ball,” added Crone. “If you do it yourself, you can check on the status of your permit and any requests for revisions on your own without relying on someone else.”
Is your project stuck in limbo at Dallas City Hall? Crone encourages anyone who is waiting to contact the Dallas Builders Association for help.
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As a realtor, this is becoming an all too often excuse. I had a client who had to wait seven months for a building permit with a well-known builder in Dallas. The cost of supplies went up and my client had to pay $30,000 more for the home due to the delay. It is inexcusable that Dallas city Council is this remiss about doing the simplest of jobs. Shame on them!
I am writing to express my grievance regarding significant delays in processing my permit application for a project located at 6882 Shady Brook Ln, Dallas. I initially applied for this permit on June 20, 2024, intending to expand my existing food carryout business by incorporating an adjacent space. The work involved is straightforward: removing a middle wall to combine the two spaces, with no electrical or plumbing modifications required.
Upon applying, I was instructed by a staff member at the office to download and submit the necessary application. As a self-contractor managing my project, I promptly followed these instructions. Unfortunately, my initial interaction with the staff member was far from helpful. Although I prefer not to name individuals, this person was fulfilling their role with minimal effort and lacked a willingness to assist beyond the basic requirements of their job.
After applying, I was told to wait for the review process to be completed. I allowed two weeks for this, but my application was not reviewed within that timeframe. Concerned about the lack of progress, I visited the office in person. At that time, I was approached by a different staff member who appeared to take over the handling of my case. Again, I complied with the new instructions, but after waiting another month and a half, there was still no movement on my application.
Over the past four months and fifteen days, I have made several visits to the office. While the staff has been courteous during each visit and offered help, tangible progress has yet to be made. Each time, I am told to wait a few more days, yet nothing happens. I am still waiting to receive my permit for the scheduled site visit, which is required to move the project forward.
This delay is causing me serious financial strain, as I continue to pay rent on the adjacent, unused space while being unable to begin the project. The work I am proposing is relatively minor—removing a non-load-bearing wall to combine two spaces—and I am struggling to understand why the permitting process is taking so long. The project is simple, involves no complex modifications, and should not require this level of delay.
Whom should I ask about this matter? I would appreciate it if anyone could explain what to do.