Builders in this program could get their permits in a matter of hours.
The program was available to builders who had enough experience with the city and the work they needed permits for. Once the pandemic reached Dallas, permit processing was moved online, and staffing shortages led to a massive backlog of building permits, meaning many projects were delayed and became pricier across the city.Īround the same time, the city suspended what's known as the Gold Card Program. As Alan Hoffmann sees it, when it came to constructing residential projects, the city of Dallas' permitting office used to be "the best in the region." But Hoffmann, the founder and CEO of Hoffmann Homes, said all that changed when the pandemic hit.