It’s that time of year for road trips and construction — and the combination of a busy building season and frequent staff vacations can make it hard to keep up with community development as schedules heat up.
Summer is a busy, unpredictable time for many local governments trying to provide efficient service to citizens.
With peak construction season upon us, it’s more important than ever to have efficient permitting and inspections processes in place to get everything done. That’s why municipalities are turning to the latest digital tools for community development and online software to stay productive, even as government professionals are traveling or working remotely.
A Time of Unique Challenges
The increased need for efficient community development during the summer comes about because of two simultaneous factors during this short season: Increased vacation time and ramped-up construction to take advantage of better building conditions.
One survey found 44% of Americans are going on vacation this summer, and most planned to travel the same or even more than they did last year.
According to a recent Cloudpermit poll on LinkedIn, about half of local government professionals said their biggest challenge during the summer building season is managing the volume of permits. Inspections and scheduling were also seen as hurdles during this busy time.
While one-third of respondents said they have to wait until residents or contractors return to town to handle permitting needs, more than 30% instead use digital tools for community development so permits can be submitted and processed online anytime.
Handling the Summer Surge
Summer is a time of high demand for permits, new builds, and home improvement. Digital permitting software like Cloudpermit can dramatically speed up application reviews and prioritize time-sensitive projects that need to happen during the warmer months.
Cloudpermit helps building department professionals keep up with the increased demand by streamlining workflows with templates, automated status updates, and online permitting.
By reducing administrative work and visits to the office to check on the status of permits, staff can focus on the important things: Approvals and work in the field.
For many communities, the population surges during summer. Digital workflows can help municipalities handle seasonal activity like pool installations and short-term rental compliance and inspections — all without requiring extra staffing.
Cloudpermit’s mobile inspections app gives an even bigger boost to productivity by enabling building officials and inspectors to get their work done from the job site. Rather than spending time re-entering photos and notes when they get back to the office, employees can complete inspections right where they are, whether they’re online or offline.
Keep Projects Moving, Even While on Vacation
Digital access can keep construction projects moving forward in spite of vacations and an even slimmer staff than usual.
Online community development software enables residents and contractors to submit permits, check statuses, and make payments online, no matter where they are. Comprehensive permitting, planning, and inspections software like Cloudpermit can eliminate the need to visit town hall or wait for office hours to get things done.
With the right digital tools for community development, applications don’t get delayed just because someone’s out of town or taking a few days off work.
Cloud-based access can simplify the work of all departments by centralizing communication and real-time access to information, which means colleagues can pick up tasks, assign inspections, and monitor applications from anywhere.
When employees return to the office, they’ll have less pressure to catch back up on delayed reviews or applications.
Summer Doesn’t Have to Slow Down Community Development
Without planning ahead and implementing efficient processes now, local governments could struggle with slowed-down permitting and overburdened staff during the summer months.
The right digital tools for community development let municipalities work smarter, serve better, and keep up with demand while still giving staff the flexibility and time off that they deserve.
Learn how Cloudpermit can help you stay productive and responsive during the busiest time of year by booking a demo with us today.
