A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the City of Elmhurst, Illinois on October 30, 2024. The request, filed by the DuPage Policy Journal, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, seeks detailed information about both new and active residential and commercial building permits.
The specific records requested under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act include a list of all new residential and commercial building permits issued from January 1, 2023 till the date of the request. The fields requested for each permit include type of permit, date issued, fee paid, requester's name, address, and contractor's name.
In addition to this, a list of all active residential and commercial building permits along with their status has also been requested. The same fields as mentioned above are required for these permits as well.
As representatives from DuPage Policy Journal stated in their request letter: "Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public." They believe that they are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals involved in gathering and reporting news to the public.
The City of Elmhurst has yet to respond to this FOIA request.
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