City of Santa Fe Chooses OpenGov to Digitize Permitting & Licensing Experience

New AI-enabled system will provide residents and businesses faster approvals, real-time updates and easier access to information

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- After struggling with incomplete applications due to insufficient communication tools in its permitting system, the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico, set out to find a modern, user-friendly system to put staff and the public back in control.

To manage development services, Santa Fe expanded its relationship with OpenGov, the leading AI and ERP software provider for local and state governments in the U.S. Santa Fe chose OpenGov Permitting & Licensing, citing its intuitive design, strong reporting capabilities and proven ability to deliver a better experience for both staff and applicants.

As the capital of New Mexico and home to more than 90,000 residents, Santa Fe needed a system to eliminate reliance on paper, improve communication with applicants and deliver timely data.

"It's overdue that we review permits electronically," said Heather Lamboy, Director of Planning & Land Use for the City of Santa Fe. "OpenGov will let us be efficient, transparent, and modernize land use in Santa Fe, finally meeting the expectations of residents and developers."

Earlier this year, the city partnered with OpenGov Enterprise Asset Management for its infrastructure management where they've bi-directionally integrated GIS and tracked asset conditions on a user-friendly mobile application. They've also successfully used OpenGov Procurement & Contract Management to make the procurement process more efficient and improve supplier engagement.

This experience compelled city leaders to expand to OpenGov's permitting suite, which the city says will be a significant improvement in how permits and licenses are managed.

Specifically, they anticipate applicants benefiting from a user-friendly online portal where they can submit plans, receive automated reminders and track their application status without needing to contact staff. Staff will also gain the ability to conduct concurrent reviews, speed up inspections using a mobile app and generate reports that provide city leaders with insights on permit volumes, business types and valuations.

The city hopes these improvements will reduce turnaround times from months to weeks and help restore trust among residents and developers.

"Some of the biggest complaints the mayor gets are about our permitting process," added Lamboy. "OpenGov will finally let us deliver."

With two other successful OpenGov implementations already underway, the city was eager to extend that progress into Permitting & Licensing, starting with business licenses and expanding across building, planning, inspections and code enforcement.

"Santa Fe is showcasing how the breadth of OpenGov's offerings can transform local government," said Seth Greenlaw, Senior Director, Product Management at OpenGov. "By expanding into Permitting & Licensing, Santa Fe is harnessing the OpenGov Public Service Platform to prevent bottlenecks, automate manual tasks and provide leaders with real-time insights, joining governments nationwide proving how modern software and AI can transform services."

About OpenGov

OpenGov is the leader in AI and ERP solutions for local and state governments in the U.S. More than 2,000 cities, counties, state agencies, school districts, and special districts rely on the OpenGov Public Service Platform to operate efficiently, adapt to change, and strengthen the public trust. Category-leading products include enterprise asset management, procurement and contract management, accounting and budgeting, billing and revenue management, permitting and licensing, and transparency and open data. These solutions come together in the OpenGov ERP, allowing public sector organizations to focus on priorities and deliver maximum ROI with every dollar and decision in sync.

Learn about OpenGov's mission to power more effective and accountable government and the vision of high-performance government for every community at OpenGov.com.

SOURCE OpenGov, Inc.