Elmhurst homeowners and business owners waiting on building permits are running into longer-than-expected delays, city officials acknowledged at a budget meeting Monday, Oct. 19.

The city has seen an 18 percent increase in building permit applications in 2026, according to Patch, which first reported the discussion. The surge has stretched a short-staffed building department, and residents have been calling City Hall to ask what's taking so long.

Alderman Michael Bram raised the issue during the meeting, telling colleagues he had been hearing from constituents.

"I've gotten feedback in regards to the permit turnaround time, that it is longer than residents expect, whatever that is," Bram said.

He asked whether the city needed to allocate more money for permit reviews. Bram added that he understood the city must balance services against their cost.

Acting City Manager Kent Johnson said the department has managed the workload so far by pulling in engineering staff to help review applications. Johnson described the building department as short-staffed but said the city has been able to handle the volume.

Mayor Scott Levin confirmed he has received more calls than ever about permit turnaround times. Levin said the city would look into the issue, adding that Elmhurst prides itself on providing excellent service.

Neither Levin nor Johnson specified how long permits are taking or how that compares to previous years.

No timeline for a fix was announced.

Permit staffing tied to budget decisions

The permit discussion came during a broader round of budget hearings. Elmhurst's spending is rising faster than its revenue, Patch reported separately. The city cut $3.6 million in spending and raised property taxes by $1 million last year to address the gap. That increase worked out to about $56 for the owner of a $500,000 home.

Finance Director Christina Coyle has said Elmhurst will dip below its required fund balance by 2028 without further cuts.

Whether the building department gets additional staff or funding will likely depend on those budget decisions. The city is holding budget hearings through October and November. For residents and contractors with projects in the pipeline, wait times remain longer than usual, and the city has not posted updated turnaround estimates or announced changes to its permit process.