The Building Division is working hard to improve your permitting experience and better serve the people of San José.

We were honored at the February 24, 2026 City Council meeting by City Manager Jennifer Maguire for our innovative programs helping make city services more accessible. Programs like Pop-up Permits and Best Prepared Designer are making it easier for everyone from construction pros to the average home owner to build in San José. 

Here is how she recognized our team:

"Today, I would like to recognize the Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department’s (PBCE) Building Division for their excellent work in creating innovative programs that align with my Foundational Strategic Support Focus Area of Delivering Excellent Customer Service to meet our community’s needs. The Department, under PBCE Director Chris Burton’s leadership, is finding ways to make our Building services convenient, easier, and customer friendly.

 First, the Building Division recently launched Pop-Up Permits, which is a unique event series held in neighborhood libraries and community centers across the city. At the Pop-Up Permits, residents can receive advice from building inspectors and permit specialists on their future plans for their homes. At the first Pop-Up Permit events at Seven Trees Branch Library in October 2025, Camden Community Center in November 2025, and Almaden Branch Library in January of this year, hundreds of customers took advantage of the program asking questions about tree removal, getting real-time feedback on home renovation plans, advice on Building Accessory Dwelling Units, otherwise known as ADUs, and more. The events occur on weekends, feature multilingual staff, and help those needing assistance with online permitting, and in some cases issuing permits on the spot, making City services more accessible.

The next Pop-Up Permit event will be on Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Berryessa Community Center. Our community can learn about future events through the PBCE website under San José Pop-Up Permits webpage, the PBCE newsletter, a toolkit is sent to the City Council Office for the event taking place in their Council District, and through the City’s social media channels.

Further advancing our commitment to efficiency and exceptional customer service in addition to the Pop-Up Permit events, the Building Division welcomed a new class of Best Prepared Designers on February 13. The City’s Best Prepared Designer program is unique to San José as it allows trained building professionals to bypass the standard plan review process for smaller residential projects By having trained building professionals take full responsibility for building code compliance, this helps our residents get their projects built more quickly. City staff maintains a list of qualified Best Prepared Designers on the City’s PBCE website, making it easier for homeowners to partner with professionals who understand the City’s permitting process.

 Since 2023, I’m proud to share that 250 projects have successfully passed final inspection through this program, a true reflection of our staff’s dedication, expertise, and exceptional customer service to our community.  Continuing their strong commitment to service, the Building Division, which is one of four City partners serving in the Development Services Permit Center, plays a critical role in delivering results for our community. In 2025 alone, the team issued nearly 25,000 building permits, moving projects forward efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.

Thank you to the incredible City staff who provide outstanding support to our community. Whether here at City Hall or in our neighborhoods, we are strengthening our trust with the community and ensuring every resident and business owner has the help they need to build and grow in San José."