Civic Innovators

How does a city turn raw permitting data into real operational insight? In this episode, Accela CEO Noam Reininger and e. Republic Chief Innovation Officer Joe Morris talk with Rob Liddicoat, Deputy Director of Community Development for the City of Stockton, California, about Stockton's journey from anecdotal performance explanations to data-driven KPIs and real-time dashboards. Rob walks thro...

What does it take to go fully paperless overnight? In 2017, Mesa, Arizona eliminated paper from permitting, planning, and licensing entirely. No phased rollout. No fallback. Just a full commitment to digital transformation. In this episode, Heather Bassford, Development Services, and Samuel Small, Senior Software Engineer, from the City of Mesa join Accela CEO Noam Reininger and eRepublic's Jo...

What does it take to modernize one of America's most complex permitting systems and make it work for residents? In this episode of Civic Innovators, we visit Cleveland, Ohio, where Mayor Justin Bibb's Cleveland Era agenda is transforming how the city delivers services. With nearly $2 billion in annual construction permitting and projects requiring review from up to 16 departments, Clevelan...

On this episode of Civic Innovators, we spotlight how Patrick Miner and Butte County are redefining disaster recovery and community resilience by leveraging Accela’s scalability and automation. Patrick shares his firsthand experience rebuilding after catastrophic wildfires, the challenges of operating with minimal resources, and how technology enables small teams to deliver big results for their c...

On this episode of Civic Innovators, we spotlight how Memphis/Shelby County’s Develop901 initiative is transforming development management, connecting departments, and driving efficiency through Accela. Nidia Logan-Robinson shares the story of building a common platform, fostering partnerships, and making it easier to do business in the region. Learn more at accela.com/podcast

When Eric Landon, Growth Management Director for Citrus County, Florida, faced 90-day permit delays and mounting constituent complaints, he knew something had to change. But instead of rushing into a technology solution, he did something radical: he got in pickup trucks with contractors and asked end users what they actually needed. In this episode of Civic Innovators, hosts Noam Reininger, CEO of...

On this episode, we will spotlight how the City of San Diego built a successful IT-business partnership to deliver effective technology solutions. Elyse Lowe and Jonathan Behnke join us to discuss how collaboration, shared leadership, and strategic alignment are driving better outcomes for all stakeholders. 

In this episode of Civic Innovators, we sit down with Nicole Ubbink, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development for Merced County, California, to explore how the county achieved a 72% improvement in permits processed within just 90 days of launching a new digital platform. Merced County recently unified its entire permitting and land management operations—moving to 100% online submit...

Cities and builders are collaborating to streamline complex processes, reduce delays, and meet the challenges of modern development head-on. In this episode, join Accela CEO Noam Reininger and eRepublic President Dustin Haisler as they speak with JC Hudgison, Chief Building Official at the City of Tampa, and Chris Smith, Vice President of Forward Planning at Lennar Homes, about their groundbreakin...

What Happens in Vegas… Can Transform Your Agency    Discover how Clark County CIO Bob Leek is transforming government services through strategic vision, platform integration, and a $40M investment in modernization. Learn how Accela helps scale civic innovation to meet the demands of one of the nation’s largest counties—and how any agency can follow the same path to success.