The Department of Licenses and Inspections today in partnership with the Office of Information Technology launched a new, more navigable website, making it the first city agency to provide its body of data in a way that can be searched, mapped and analyzed.
“We are excited to provide this tremendous resource, since it will further inform community members about our work in their neighborhoods, which in turn will help us do a better job,” L&I Commissioner Carlton Williams said in a statement.
Included are functions to search for a property’s full L&I history, apply online for common licenses and permits, view a list of licensed contractors, see upcoming Zoning Board of Adjustment, L&I Review Board and Board of Building Standards hearings and subsequent decisions, learn what is needed to start a business and report problems to 311.
There is also a link to a fairly exhaustive map with overlays plotting all manner of L&I permits, violations, demolitions and appeals, as well as vacant properties and vacant properties for sale. Users can browse or search by zip code, council, police or fire district, census tract, political wards or high school catchment and view service regions like sanitation areas and highway districts.
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– The gun permit appeal map includes the address and name of the appellant, the appeal board they’re addressing and their grounds for appeal, with a link leading to more information including the date the decision was issued and any further court action that has occurred.
– The vacancy map includes each property’s vacancy license number and type, the property owner’s name and address, the license’s status, issue and expiration dates and the primary contact for the property owner. It plots vacant property violations, listing each one’s location, nature and status and the dates it was issued and resolved. Also included is a compilation of demolition permits with each one’s issuance and expiration date, the demolition status and purpose, the contractor handling it and a case management agency and primary contact person associated with the property. There is also a map of vacant properties for sale with information about the owning agency, zoning code and square footage and a link to submit an “expression of interest” for further inquiries about buying the property.
– The business map includes issuance and expiration dates, statuses and contact information for each city business license, food license, or sign permit and case numbers, descriptions, statuses and dates of permit or license violations.
– The construction map plots the date, status and nature of construction violations and dates, statuses, contact information and descriptions of proposed work for all electrical, mechanical, zoning, plumbing and building permits issued. It also lists the status of appeals filed with the building standard, zoning and L&I review boards with the applicant’s name and grounds.
– The rental licenses map includes the company name and contact information, issuance and expiration dates and type of each rental license in the city, as well as the dates, status and description of each rental license violation.
– The zoning map lists all zoning and use permits, from new construction to demolition permits, with their dates, status, type, description of work, contractor and primary contact. It also compiles zoning board appeals with the appellant’s nannie and rationale,
– The violation map plots all of the L&I violations discussed with information about their dates, status, location and type, from business and construction to property maintenance and fire. It also includes information about appeals filed with the L&I Review Board.
– All properties on each map, whether they are listed as for sale, in violation or licensed and permitted, have “more information” and “location history” links leading users to pages with a full, clickable list of past property actions that include the date, status, priority, description and contact information for each permit, violation, appeal or demolition.
