Builders Group Says AI Could Cut Wait Times for Building Permits

The head of the Long Island Builders Institute wants New York to pay towns to try artificial intelligence on building permits. Michael Florio makes the case in an opinion piece. He says software could give applicants first feedback in hours or days instead of weeks.

The problem he describes

Florio says permit applications often sit for weeks or months waiting for review. Some need several rounds of corrections before construction can start. He argues those delays raise financing costs, push up housing prices and discourage investment.

Town and village governments have their own trouble. Experienced building department staff are retiring and taking decades of know-how with them. Towns find it hard to hire replacements, especially younger workers. Salaries, healthcare and pensions keep rising, while towns operate under New York's property tax cap. Florio says some are considering going over that cap just to keep services running.

How AI would fit in

Florio points to New York-based companies that are showing how AI-assisted tools can review construction plans and flag possible code violations. He pictures applications submitted electronically, checked automatically for completeness and screened against building codes.

He says this would not replace municipal employees or weaken safety. Staff would spend their time on complex applications, field inspections, audits and enforcement. He also argues that faster approvals could bring new properties onto the tax rolls sooner, which could grow local revenue without raising taxes on current homeowners.

What he is asking for

Florio notes that Governor Hochul's Pro-Housing Communities Program already offers financial incentives to towns working on the housing shortage. He wants the state to add a dedicated AI permitting pilot with grants for certified Pro-Housing Communities.

• Grants would help towns adopt AI-assisted plan review and train staff.
• Towns would track permit processing times, administrative costs and backlogs.
• Safety standards and human oversight would stay in place.
• Successful pilots could become models for other municipalities.

What is not known

This is one advocate's opinion, not a state plan. The piece gives no dollar amount, no timeline and no sign that a pilot has been proposed in government. It does not name the companies or share results from any town. Florio himself says AI cannot replace sound zoning, environmental protections or professional judgment.