A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Oakland on October 30, 2024. The request, made by us at East Central Reporter, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks access to records pertaining to both new and active residential and commercial building permits.
Specifically, we requested a list of all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023, up until the present date. The details sought include the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address where the work is being done, and the contractor's name.
In addition to this information about new permits, we also asked for a list of all currently active residential and commercial building permits along with their status. The same fields as mentioned above were requested for these active permits.
As part of our mission to provide transparency and hold public institutions accountable through our reporting, access to these public records is crucial. We believe that as media professionals engaged in disseminating information to the public, we are eligible for a fee waiver under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
We look forward to cooperating with the City of Oakland in providing this essential information to our readership.
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