Detroit's post-bankruptcy licensing reforms (2014–2018)
After Detroit exited the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history in December 2013, the city consolidated its building, safety, engineering and environmental departments into one body to cut permit delays. It also built a single online portal for licenses and permits.
Permit times fell for many categories and applications became trackable online.
Today, a food license application like this one appears in public data within days of filing.
The deli's plan review runs through the same online system the city built after bankruptcy.
