Editor’s Note: Since this post was originally published in June 2020, Omaha’s OpenCounter portals are now live. Check them out at permitiq.cityofomaha.org.
Perched on the Mississippi River, Omaha, Nebraska is home to a community of nearly 500,000 residents and business owners who rely on the city for government services. The city aims to provide these constituents with excellent customer service and is making strides toward a better government experience for all citizens.
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert amplifies this message on the newly-revamped city website: “[the city] strive[s] to always provide excellent customer service, whether you are applying for a building permit or license, browsing our job openings, or looking for police reports and other public documents. Open and transparent government is your right and our responsibility.”
The city’s commitment is now reaching its permitting and licensing processes, which are undergoing a necessary digital transformation. Currently, constituents need to go to city staff for any inquiry around permitting and licensing, resulting in a significant amount of repetitive work for the city, and a lack of self-serve opportunities for residents.
Omaha decided to digitize its permitting process to resolve these issues, and we’re thrilled to say they chose to work with OpenCounter to make it happen. We’re working together to bring Omaha new business, residential, and zoning portals to help increase staff efficiency and constituent satisfaction.
We’re excited to work with Omaha to configure the portal over the next few months, and to see how the City saves time, resources, and improves how it serves its residents and business owners!
