# Innovating Permitting in Boston July 10, 2014 [ Jessica Huey ](#jessicahuey) - July 10, 2014 - [Regulation](/regulation) *This post is part of the Regulatory Reform for the 21st Century City project.* If you’re thinking about opening a business in Boston, things may be looking up. As the source of many headaches for new and existing business owners, the permit and licensing process is receiving some much needed attention from state and local officials. State legislators are considering a law that would allow municipalities to control the liquor licensing process. Currently, the state determines the number of liquor licenses a municipality can offer based on a formula linked to population. According to a [Boston Globe article](http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2014/05/27/eateries-are-crucial-revitalizing-town-centers-but-state-must-expand-liquor-licenses/6ad8kgww4IAlCh80wUZ9sI/story.html), in the case of Boston, a statutory cap was put in place long ago which has resulted in escalating liquor license costs as well as the migration of licenses to rich downtown areas from outlying neighborhoods in need of economic activity. At the local level, Councilor at Large, Michelle Wu, has led the [charge on permit and licensing reform](http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/02/26/councilor-michelle-pushes-ease-permitting-and-licensing-process/f4PHNqlDOiMY18UYTyTXUK/story.html). In April, Wu launched a [permitting and licensing listening tour](http://michelleforboston.com/smallbiztour/) with neighborhood small business owners, advocates, and residents to discuss their experiences navigating the permitting and licensing process in the City of Boston. Permits and licenses are an important part of putting existing regulations into practice, but the process for gaining approval can be arduous. In many cases, federal, state, or local governments do not regularly update regulations to ensure they remain relevant – [an issue we’ve covered in a previous blog post](http://datasmart.ash.harvard.edu/news/article/regulatory-reform-rationale-and-principles-402) - which can result in antiquated regulations that add unnecessary hurdles to the process. Recognizing the impact of its permit and licensing process on its business owners, the City of Boston has decided to take the issue to citizens. In May 2014, the City of Boston participated in [Innovate Now](http://innovatenow.squarespace.com/), a half-day innovation lab engaging Boston’s leaders and residents to drive local civic innovation sponsored by the [World Economic Forum Global Shapers initiative](http://www.globalshapers.org/). The government innovation workshop, hosted by the [City of Boston New Urban Mechanics Department](http://www.newurbanmechanics.org/boston/), focused on improving user experience with the [existing online business and construction permitting process](http://businesshub.boston.gov/apex/WizardHome). Attendees included individuals from a wide range of backgrounds – from students to practitioners - as well as existing business owners and local officials. Participants had a chance to test out the system prior to the workshop and came prepared to share their ideas. Aided by the insights of business owners and city leaders like Matthew Mayrl, Deputy CIO for the City of Boston, participants had questions answered in real-time allowing them to provide a fresh, but informed, perspective. Similarly, administrators and users had a chance to hear from one another and gain a more comprehensive understanding of how to create a system that maximizes utility for all parties. As a result of the workshop, the City of Boston walked away with a number of recommendations and has continued to engage with participants, most recently reaching out to participants to provide further user experience feedback related to public permitting informational displays. Most people think of regulations as hard-and-fast rules. Cities like Boston, however, are proving that regulations are far more dynamic than people realize. To achieve a [true balancing act](http://datasmart.ash.harvard.edu/news/article/the-fine-balance-a-dialogue-on-regulatory-reform-session-overview-407), regulators must include all stakeholders in the process of crafting regulations, from informational tours through the continual reevaluation of permitting and licensing. ## About the Author ### ![Headshot of Jessica Huey](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/datasmart/files/huey_color.jpg?itok=4izYabCO) Jessica Huey Jessica Huey is a MPP candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Prior to attending the Kennedy School, Jessica spent five years working for the City & County of San Francisco focusing on workforce development initiatives and labor negotiations. Jessica got her start with the City & County of San Francisco as a member of the inaugural class of [City Hall Fellows](http://www.cityhallfellows.org/), a year-long fellowship program in local government. Jessica received a BA from Brown University with a double major in Public Policy and Hispanic Studies. Her current research interests include civic innovation at the local level, public-private partnerships, and economic development. See also:- [ Regulation ](/topics/regulation) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)