CA Housing Permitting Friction
Where in California is permitting friction plausibly suppressing housing production?
Jurisdictions are ranked by Approval Speed — a weighted measure of how long it takes to move from application to permit, with partial credit for construction time. Full methodology →
Across 275 scored California jurisdictions, 125 have over 100 days of excess permitting delay vs. their peer benchmark.
Based on 2025 HCD Annual Progress Report filings.
Rankings by approval speed
Approval Speed = time from application to entitlement + entitlement to permit + 25% of permit to completion. Lower is faster. Grouped by jurisdiction population.
Fastest 10
| # | Jurisdiction | Speed (days) | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANAHEIM | 68 | 510 |
| 2 | SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY | 83 | 1,674 |
| 3 | FRESNO COUNTY | 94 | 153 |
| 4 | LOS ANGELES | 98 | 13,529 |
| 5 | PLACER COUNTY | 107 | 1,391 |
| 6 | OAKLAND | 109 | 774 |
| 7 | MONTEREY COUNTY | 124 | 472 |
| 8 | SANTA BARBARA COUNTY | 136 | 351 |
| 9 | SACRAMENTO | 140 | 1,876 |
| 10 | LOS ANGELES COUNTY | 142 | 4,323 |
Slowest 10
| # | Jurisdiction | Speed (days) | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | STOCKTON | 862 | 582 |
| 2 | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY | 630 | 238 |
| 3 | CONTRA COSTA COUNTY | 292 | 897 |
| 4 | RIVERSIDE | 254 | 263 |
| 5 | SACRAMENTO COUNTY | 233 | 894 |
| 6 | ALAMEDA COUNTY | 208 | 232 |
| 7 | SAN MATEO COUNTY | 196 | 241 |
| 8 | FRESNO | 150 | 1,940 |
| 9 | LOS ANGELES COUNTY | 142 | 4,323 |
| 10 | SACRAMENTO | 140 | 1,876 |
Source: California HCD Annual Progress Reports (self-reported by jurisdictions). Population data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2022 5-year estimates. Data may contain reporting inconsistencies.