4 ms·

Isn't permitting info in the public domain? I wonder why they don't leverage that?

• noir_lord 13y ago
  Here in the UK public domain does not equal easy to get. Planning applications are available for viewing at the local planning office but they are not available online (though I know a guy who works at the local council who is pushing for them to put all their data online as part of the open government initiative so change is slowly coming here).
• mrfusion 13y ago
  Good point. I wonder if that's a startup idea there? Go to local city halls and gather permitting information to sell to retailers?
  • dandelany 13y ago
    Shameless plug - the company I work for is (sort of) doing this for tons of public data sources. http://enigma.io http://enigma.io
• TheCraiggers 13y ago
  A good question. My assumption is that even though it's considered public knowledge, there is still a cost for it and it's not electronic. For instance, in my state and/or township one can go to township office and request a copy of all the property taxes for any piece of land, no matter who owns it. It costs something like ten dollars and in return you get a hardcopy with a bunch of numbers on it. Assuming the process for getting copies of new permits is similar, the biggest downside is cost for the information and paying for some intern or whatever to type it in. Even if it's five dollars plus intern is decent chunk of money (I have no idea what the profit margin is on lumber, etc). And then you have to factor in the cost of the promotion which will eat into yet more profits.
  • drone 13y ago
    In Houston, it's electronic and searchable. See: http://www.cohtora.houstontx.gov/ibi_apps/WFServlet?IBIF_ex=online_permit_start http://www.cohtora.houstontx.gov/ibi_apps/WFServlet?IBIF_ex=...