Long Beach Extends Outside Plan Review and Inspection Support
Long Beach is continuing its use of outside firms to help with plan reviews and inspections, an approach that could provide more capacity and help keep projects moving.
The Long Beach City Council approved extending contracts with eight outside firms that provide as-needed plan review and inspection services through October 2027.
The action provides $3.5 million in contracting authority for the additional year.
For commercial real estate, this is worth watching. We continue to advocate for faster, more predictable permitting across the region, especially when delays can hold up tenant improvements and other building projects.
What You Need to Know
Long Beach already uses outside firms to supplement City plan review and inspection services. By extending these contracts, the City will continue to have additional resources available when needed.
That outside capacity could help the City:
- Handle increases in plan-review demand
- Supplement City staffing
- Address plan-check and inspection backlogs
- Keep tenant improvements and other projects moving
- Create more predictable construction timelines
For commercial properties, time matters. When a tenant improvement is delayed in plan check or waiting for an inspection, a space can sit vacant longer, a tenant's opening can be delayed, and project costs can increase.
How It Impacts You
Permitting reform remains an important advocacy priority for us. Faster and more predictable approvals can help get tenants into spaces sooner, reduce project uncertainty, and support investment in our buildings and communities.
Long Beach's continued use of outside plan reviewers and inspectors could also provide a useful example for conversations about permitting reform in Los Angeles and other cities.
The City has authorized the capacity. Now, we wait to see how well it works.
We will continue tracking Long Beach's permitting performance and advocating for solutions that make the approval process faster, more predictable, and more responsive to commercial real estate.
Get engaged with our Codes and Regulations Committee and stay connected to BOMA on the Frontline for more permitting news.
