A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City of Dekalb on October 30, 2024. The request was made by us at DeKalb Times, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The records requested under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, were lists of all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023, till the date of the request. The information sought included details such as the type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester’s name, address and contractor’s name.
Additionally, we requested a list of all active residential and commercial building permits along with their current status. The same fields as mentioned above were requested for these active permits.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We await the City of Dekalb’s response to this request as it will provide valuable insights into local development activities for our readership.
