The Fast Track Permits Act could make housing more affordable and attainable in Wyoming

Wyoming legislators have the opportunity to consider the Fast Track Permits Act (HB 2) during the legislative session. The local processes for building permits vary widely throughout Wyoming in both cost and timing by jurisdiction. This bill, if enacted, would make approval and rejection times consistent, which allows for easier scheduling and more accurate cost estimates for builders and homeowners.

The best part of the legislation, which covers detached single or two-family homes and townhomes, is that it requires local governments to respond to a completed application within 30 days, exempting certain situations. If the local government doesn’t comply within that time period, the application will automatically be considered approved one day after the deadline passes. And it does not compromise safety – all buildings must pass required inspections prior to a certificate of occupancy being granted.

Finding ways to increase the housing supply and make homes more attainable and affordable for all is a pressing problem in the Cowboy State and throughout the nation. As I chronicled here, building in Teton County is all but impossible for most because of onerous “workforce housing” fees that punish those who didn’t create the problem and do nothing to ease it. Years-long waits in Teton and other jurisdictions between when applications are submitted also create major hurdles to completion, as materials’ costs have skyrocketed in recent years.

This policy should be a no-brainer, as housing reforms in other states have received wide-ranging bipartisan support. As a recent article for Pew Charitable Trusts noted, “A diverse coalition of policymakers, residents and voters, housing policy experts and leaders from business, civil rights, property rights, tenant, consumer, and environmental organizations has united around the understanding that overly strict regulations are limiting the availability of homes, especially lower-cost options.”

Even progressive California State Senator Scott Wiener, who is running to replace the retiring Nancy Pelosi in Congress, wants to cut bureaucratic red tape to reduce housing costs – once only the rallying cry of fiscal conservatives. Similar legislation enacted in Florida in 2021 has spurred a massive increase in building permits in the Sunshine State and helped it to meet the demand of the millions who have flocked there in the past five years.

Unlike Florida’s legislation, however, HB 2 does not require local governments to post permit applications or the status of the review online. Adding that level of transparency would significantly strengthen the legislation by holding everyone accountable to public scrutiny. A state website that aggregated local permit rules, regulations and fees would also be beneficial for the same reason.

To further make housing more affordable, Wyoming legislators should also consider legislation allowing basement and stand-alone units— known as Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs—like 18 other states, including Montana and Washington in the Mountain West. Montana also recently enacted legislation to allow apartment buildings in commercial and industrial zones.

The Fast Track Permits Act is a great start to making housing more affordable and attainable in Wyoming. And in coming years, legislators should continue to find ways to allow more people across the income spectrum to enjoy home ownership and build generational wealth.