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Date ArticleType
12/7/2023 Member News

BDS Update: Director Rebecca Retiring, Process Improvements, etc.


There are several important updates to report on in the City of Portland’s Bureau of Development Services. The first involves the leadership of the bureau where Rebecca Esau has announced that she will be retiring from the position after nearly 7 years at the helm. Replacing Rebecca will be David Kuhnhausen, Permitting Services Division Manager who’s been with the Bureau since 2008. To mark this significant occasion and to wish Rebecca well in her retirement, HBA and several of our partners and BDS customers hosted a happy hour at Jordan Ramis’ office in Portland. Speaking at the event was Commissioner Carmen Rubio who wished Rebecca well and congratulated David on his new position.

Additionally, on December 7, BDS will be launching several big improvements to benefit customers of the city’s permitting process.
Improvements to how customers upload corrections; and
A visual and functional upgrade to DevHub PDX, the city’s permitting portal.

More details can be found here.

An excerpt from the press release is below:

Refresh of DevHub: A Visual and Functional Upgrade

We are thrilled to announce a comprehensive refresh of our DevHub platform, designed with your needs in mind. The upcoming changes bring a host of benefits to enhance your user experience:

  • Visually Intuitive Design - The refresh to DevHub introduces a visually intuitive interface, making it easier for you to find your way around the platform effortlessly.
  • Easier Navigation- New enhancements have been implemented to simplify navigation throughout the system, ensuring a more user-friendly experience.
  • Improved Logic for Permit Applications - Our enhanced logic within DevHub will now seamlessly guide you to the permits you need or want to apply for, streamlining the application process.

Easier Uploading of Corrections: Addressing Your Feedback

We have also made significant improvements to the uploading of corrections process based on your valuable feedback:
  • Direct Response to Customer Feedback - These changes reflect our commitment to responding to your feedback. Your insights have played a crucial role in shaping these improvements.
  • Elimination of Time Constraints - We understand the frustration caused by short time periods for link requests. The changes remove these time constraints, providing you with a more flexible and user-friendly experience.
  • Reduced Frustration with Expiring Links - Our update eliminated the need to deal with expiring links from the previous system, ensuring a smoother correction submission process for you.
  • Downloadable Checksheets for Transparency - You can now download checksheets, promoting transparency in the correction process and giving you greater control over your documents.
  • Improved Feedback on Submissions – We have enhanced the submission feedback process including on-screen confirmation of your submission. In addition, a series of emails will ensure you receive timely and clear communications regarding your corrections status.