Economic Development, Permit and Inspection Services

Welcome and thank you for visiting the Department of Economic Development, Permit, and Inspection Services website.

When Mayor Brown took office in January 2006, the Department of Economic Development, Permits and Inspection Services was created to streamline economic development agencies, permitting, licensing and inspections to promote investment in Buffalo. 

Since then, of $4.5 billion in announced projects over $500,000 have been identified, development-ready sites doubled in acreage, and the City continues to grow its reputation as a community with a trade-border location, access to natural resources and a highly-educated workforce.  One example of the Department’s efforts is the acquisition and development of the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park, a 200 acre, shovel-ready site located near Lake Erie and major transportation networks.

The Department also addressed over 12,000 citizen-requested inspections with the purpose of creating safer built environments for local residents and businesses.  The Department has also led the implementation of Mayor Brown’s “5 in 5” Demolition Plan to demolish 5,000 vacant and abandoned residential properties in five years.

Permit and license applications are increasingly becoming available online through our ePermit service.   The Department continues to seek to modernize its business practices in order to promote investment in Buffalo.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have interest in investing in the City of Buffalo, we will make every effort to be of assistance.

James W. Comerford, Interim Commissioner