Alexandria will use Bloomberg Philanthropies money to speed up building permits

Correction, 12:45 p.m., Oct. 15 — An earlier version of this story said Alexandria did not apply for the initiative. Bloomberg Philanthropies says the 15 cities submitted an assessment as part of the selection process. The reference has been removed from the subheadline and the story.

Updated 10:55 a.m., Oct. 15 — Bloomberg Philanthropies told The Alexandria Brief that Alexandria will adopt the permitting model, one of three in the initiative, and answered questions about how the 15 cities were chosen, how the money is paid and when the work begins. Mayor Alyia Gaskins provided a statement.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Alexandria will use a new Bloomberg Philanthropies grant to speed up and digitize building permits, the organization told The Alexandria Brief on Thursday, hours after naming the city one of the first 15 local governments in a national housing initiative.

Cities in the initiative adopt one of three approaches that worked elsewhere: faster and digitized permitting, modeled on San Diego; expanded accessory dwelling units, modeled on Austin, Texas; or a housing “strike team” that pulls every agency touching housing under one office, modeled on Atlanta. Alexandria is taking the first.

Each city will receive between $450,000 and $750,000, which Bloomberg Philanthropies said goes directly to the city government. Staff support from Accelerator for America and other consultants is provided separately.