July 5, 12:06 PM click here to comment > 3
Job-creating new development is up in Seattle
I just received the following note from Diane Sugimura, the director of my Department of Planning and Development:
“47 MUP applications in June, compared to an average of 35 per month for the first 5 months of the year. Less than half compared with the boom times, but prior to this, 38 had been the high over the past three years!”
Master Use Permits (MUP) are a great indication that new projects are starting in our city. This will lead to construction jobs, sales of materials and other products, and new locations for housing and jobs in the coming years.
Up to this time, we were primarily seeing existing projects being resurrected (this is good too) rather than new ones started.
We have worked hard to speed up the permitting process for new and existing development in Seattle. At the Master Builders’ annual dinner on May 5, they told me it was taking up to 9 weeks to get an intake meeting. That was unacceptable.
I convened my staff and said we had to do better. And they responded. Today, if you call DPD for a construction permit, we can schedule an intake appointment within two weeks.
We’ve got new job-creating development, and faster permitting to support the work.
This is good news for Seattle.
Posted by: Mayor Mike McGinn
Comments
Comment from Guyanthony Parramore
Time July 5, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Mayor
It is great that jobs are increasing in our great city! I have concern that fair and equal employment might be over looked. As I pass most work sites theirs always more white Americans than any other Americans. Very few African and Asian American. This is by choice of the contractors,if contractors are to receive tax payers dollars they should be equally employing all Americans and someone in your office should be monitoring the rate of dollars be evenly /equally paid to all American Citizens.
Comment from Sondage Rémunéré
Time November 29, 2011 at 12:17 am
hanks for the great post on your blog, it really gives me an insight on this topic.
Comment from Larry Williams
Time July 5, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Hey mayor Mike, This is great news! As one of the voices for Empowering Black owned businesses in Seattle, FirstThursday Seattle looks forward to seeing more Black businesses included in future City of Seattle contracting opportunities. More contracts means more jobs for the highest sector of unemployment in the City of Seattle, urban Blacks. Blessings, Larry