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HBA Director of Policy and Government Affairs, Ryan Makinster, and Portland Builder & Urban Development Council (PBUD) members joined Commissioners Dan Ryan and Mingus Mapps for a town hall on December 13th to discuss current work on streamlining the permitting process and aligning department priorities to realize more efficient permitting timelines. Testimony focused on the need for all departments, not just the Bureau of Development Services, to make housing a priority and for competing regulation and department interest to be adjudicated by an ultimate arbiter. In addition, members pointed out that some approval processes designed for larger development, public works, or commercial projects are also used for much smaller residential projects and should be revamped to provide a shorter approach tailored to residential construction timelines and processes. Commissioners Ryan and Mapps updated the seventy-plus community members in attendance on the progress of the Permitting Improvement Task Force and reiterated their commitment to cutting permitting approval times by a third. In addition to process changes, technology updates, and better cross department communication, Commissioner Mapps also highlighted the need for charter reform to address some of the oversight problems inherent in the current system. For more information or to participate in future PBUD meetings contact Ryan Makinster, Ryanm@hbapdx.org.