Bellflower’s Permit Reform Draws Regional Attention for Speed and Accountability

June 17, 2025

By Brian Hews

As cities across California struggle with housing delays and bureaucratic red tape, the City of Bellflower has quietly carved out a reputation for getting projects moving—without sacrificing oversight or safety. Thanks to its streamlined self-certification process and a flexible Owner-Builder program, Bellflower is now being looked at as a model for cities seeking to modernize their permitting systems.

Under Bellflower’s self-certification program, licensed architects and engineers can move forward with construction faster by certifying that their submitted plans comply with all applicable codes and regulations. But contrary to common belief, the city doesn’t simply approve these projects and step aside.

Bellflower City Manager Ryan Smoot told Los Cerritos Community News, “The licensed professional submitting the project certifies with the City that the project as designed meets all of the necessary codes and requirements. Once the project is submitted and fees are paid, the permit is issued—at their own risk—and City staff still conducts its usual reviews and plan checks through various departments.”

According to Smoot, this includes inspections during construction and reviews by external agencies when necessary. If problems are found in the field, the city issues a courtesy list of items to be corrected—but the responsibility remains squarely with the licensed professional to resolve any code violations before final sign-off.

“The process is intended to allow the licensed professional and contractor to start construction as quickly as possible and accept the professional responsibility for any corrections during the inspection process,” Smoot said.

Bellflower also stands apart for its adoption of the California Fire Code rather than the more restrictive LA County Fire Code. Fire plan reviews are conducted locally through a contractor, adding to the city’s control over timelines. While the number of projects submitted under self-certification has been relatively small, the program is gaining interest—especially in the wake of recent wildfires that have spurred rebuilding efforts across the region.

“We have had a significant increase in inquiries about the program related to the recent fires,” Smoot said. “We’ve also seen a lot of interest in how we’ve adopted and locally manage the California Fire Code. All of this plays into our goal of getting development done as quickly as possible with minimal interruption from the City’s processes.”

Despite the program’s streamlined nature, Smoot emphasized that oversight remains intact. “The City conducts its usual review of the submitted plans and performs the standard inspections during construction,” Smoot said. “Any deviations from code are the responsibility of the professional and contractor to be corrected in the field.”

So far, there have been no major issues. “We have not seen any major problems,” Smoot said. “Some projects have needed corrections in the field, but that’s expected. Overall, professionals who use the program know what they’re doing. If they’re willing to take it on, we don’t see a reason to get in their way.”

The City also offers a robust Owner-Builder permit option for homeowners who want to act as their own contractors—a program that has been structured to protect both the city and the property owner. Applicants must submit notarized declarations, show proof of ownership, and assume full responsibility for code compliance, subcontractor licensing, and insurance.

Bellflower’s approach is drawing attention not only from builders but from other municipalities. A January 2025 motion by the Los Angeles City Council cited Bellflower as one of the few cities already implementing reforms like self-certification to help speed up housing and commercial development. The motion called on L.A. departments to study Bellflower’s practices alongside those in San Diego and New York.

With California’s housing crisis intensifying and pressure mounting on local governments to streamline approval processes, Bellflower’s system shows what’s possible when policy favors accountability over delay.

Contact Brian Hews at [email protected] or follow @cerritosnews.bsky.social