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Permits, Fires, and Now AI?

I’ve wrestled with building permits more times than I care to admit. They’re like that one relative at Thanksgiving—nobody really wants to deal with them, but if you ignore them, the whole house collapses (sometimes literally). Now Governor Gavin Newsom says California has a new plan: let artificial intelligence handle the paperwork. Honestly, if AI can do permits faster than the coffee line at a jobsite, I’m all ears.

On April 30, 2025, the state announced the rollout of an AI-powered “e-Check” tool built by Archistar, offered free to Los Angeles City and County in the wake of the Eaton and Palisades wildfires. Backed by LA Rises, Steadfast LA, Autodesk, and even Amazon, this software promises to shave weeks—sometimes months—off the permit approval process.

👉 Read the full announcement here

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Nuts and Bolts

Here’s what makes it tick:

• Computer vision & rulesets: The AI scans building plans and automatically checks them for code and zoning compliance before they hit a reviewer’s desk. That means fewer resubmissions and less back-and-forth between homeowners, contractors, and the city.
• Speed: What used to take months can now take days or hours. As Steadfast LA’s Rick Caruso put it, this is a “game-changer” for rebuilding communities.
• Scalability: The tool isn’t just for Los Angeles—it’s already in use in over 25 cities worldwide, from Austin to Vancouver. California is putting it on a statewide contract so any city can use it.
• Policy backdrop: Newsom paired this with executive orders suspending some CEQA and Coastal Act reviews in fire-affected areas. Translation: less red tape while communities rebuild.

Local leaders—from LA Mayor Karen Bass to County Supervisor Kathryn Barger—are on board, saying it will help families get home faster and give them plans that pass review the first time. For homeowners in places like Altadena and Topanga Canyon, that’s not just good news—it’s a lifeline.

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Final Word

Will AI finally make building permits painless? I’m not betting the farm. But if it can cut the waiting game from “someday” to “soon,” I’ll happily let the robots take this one. After all, I’d rather be out framing a deck than filling out another set of forms in triplicate.

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