April 29, 2026 | From City of New Orleans
City of New Orleans Announces Key Wins in Safety & Permits and Introduces the First Phase of PermiSTAT
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans is delivering major improvements across the Office of Safety and Permits (OSP), including faster approvals, better customer service, and new tools that will make the permitting process clearer and more predictable for residents and businesses.
At today’s City Council meeting, interim Director of the Office of Safety and Permits, Susannah Kirby and Cameron MacPhee highlighted their wins in the first quarter of 2026 and their plan to continue to improve service and efficiency.
Major Wins
- Faster permit approvals: Early analysis shows median approval times for selecting building permits dropped from 17 days in Q1 2025 to just 7 days in Q1 2026, a significant improvement driven by staffing stabilization and process modernization.
- Reduced delays & clearer processes: Cross-training inspectors and reviewing older requirements have already cut unnecessary steps and made inspections easier to schedule.
- Customer service improvements: New call center upgrades are underway to reduce the current 21% dropped call rate and deliver faster, more reliable service.
- Less burden on applicants: As of April 1, 2026, new trade and license applicants no longer need to apply in person, making the process simpler and more accessible.
“For all departments, including Safety and Permits, Mayor Moreno has emphasized reducing red tape, ensuring better resident services, and working with greater urgency," said CAO Joe Giarrusso. “Interim Director Susannah Kirby was hired to hit those marks and while more work remains to be done, she and her team are showing progress and results backed by data.”
"The mayor has been clear: after budget and infrastructure, fixing Safety & Permits is the priority,” said Deputy CAO of City Services Austin Wilty. “Bringing on Director Kirby was step one, and the Q1 results are promising, but we realize there is much more work to be done."
"In Safety & Permits, our mission is to deliver clear, consistent, and timely service for everyone who interacts with the city. To do that well, we must understand exactly how our systems perform today, use data to guide our decisions, and apply technology in ways that make the experience easier, not more complicated,” said Interim Director of Safety and Permits Susannah Kirby. “The city doesn’t need a theoretical improvement effort; it needs visibility, discipline, measurable action, and sustained accountability."
PermiSTAT: The New Performance and Accountability Tool Now in Phase One
PermiSTAT is a performance management tool designed to identify bottlenecks, track key metrics, and improve the overall customer experience in Safety & Permits. It was developed in partnership with the offices of Safety & Permits, Information Technology & Innovation, CAO, and the Office of Performance and Accountability. These offices meet biweekly to review KPIs, troubleshoot issues, and adjust workflows in real time and in the process of being rolled out.
What’s Coming Next: A Public-Facing Dashboard
Once the information is gathered, the city’s goal is to roll out a data-driven public-facing dashboard that will:
- Show residents and businesses where their permit type sits in the process
- Highlight bottlenecks and areas experiencing delays
- Provide increased transparency around both staff capacity and service expectations
- Give the public a clearer understanding of what the City can control—and what falls outside departmental authority
This dashboard will make it easier for the public to follow progress, ask informed questions, and hold the system accountable.
A Better Experience for Residents and Businesses
With improved timelines, clearer communication, lighter administrative burdens, and the launch of PermiSTAT, the city is building a Safety & Permits operation that is more efficient, more predictable, and more responsive than ever before.