Same-Day Eligibility
Walk-in pre-applications get a same-day eligibility screen, before you spend a dollar on plans.
Work With the OCS
Three common kinds of work — all going through the same Counter, the same case file, and the same promise to write down conditions and corrective work in plain language.
01
Permits & Building
The most common matters at the Counter. Most folks arrive with rough plans, a budget, and an opening date — Eleni’s job is to surface every gate before they spend money on architects.
- Pre-application screening (free, walk-in, no filing fee)
- Storefront permits, ADUs, tenant improvements, change-of-use
- Cedar Street historic-overlay coordination with the Heritage Commission
- Plan-check liaison with Planning, Building, Fire, ADA, and Public Works
- Inspection scheduling and re-inspection within 10 business days
Permits & Building
02
Licenses & Grants
Annual renewals come pre-filled. New applications are screened the same day. Grants are awarded on a fixed quarterly cycle, no surprises on timing.
- Business license — new + annual renewal
- Sidewalk parklet license — up to 4 outdoor tables on commercial corridors
- Façade Improvement Matching Grant — up to $25,000 city match per address
- Small-Business Resilience Fund — bridge support during construction
- Health permits, special-event permits, mobile-vendor permits
Licenses & Grants
03
Records, Disputes & Resilience
Sometimes the matter is not a new permit — it is a stuck case at another department, a public-records request, or a benefit application that needs language support. The OCS handles those too.
- Public records requests — routed to the right custodian, with status tracking
- Inter-departmental escalations when a matter has stalled past SLA
- Address verification, certificate-of-occupancy lookups, easement research
- Language access — Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Russian on request
- Senior + ADA assistance for in-person visits and document upload
Records & Disputes
The OCS Service Standards
The OCS publishes its service commitments under Council Ordinance 2024-118. They’re short, written down, and the same for every constituent — whether you are opening a coffee roastery or just renewing a parklet license.
Written Conditions
Every permit, license, or grant comes with a plain-language conditions sheet. No hidden requirements at inspection.
10-Day Re-inspection
If a department flags a fix, a re-inspection slot opens within 10 business days. No silent rejections.
One Case Team
Your case team is named at intake and stays the same through issuance + inspection. No third-pass re-explaining.
How a Case Moves
1
Pre-application
30 minutes at the Counter or via Zoom. Eleni or a case lead reviews what you have and writes down what is missing.
2
Intake & Case File
One sit-down opens all related cases (permit + license + grant). Your case-file portal goes live the same day.
3
Review & Hearing
Departments review on a tracked clock. Public-notice and any hearing windows surface in your portal so nothing is a surprise.
4
Issuance & Inspection
Permits, licenses, and grant award letters land in your Documents tab. Inspections pre-scheduled. Annual renewals pre-filled.
What kind of matter is yours?
Walk in, call 311, or email — we’ll triage and tell you the right path.
Open a Case