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Executive Summary

Across the region, spanning from Baltimore through Washington DC to Richmond, the ability to build housing, infrastructure, energy systems, research facilities, and commercial development is increasingly tied to economic competitiveness. Companies evaluating where to invest, expand, and grow are looking for regions that can deliver projects with speed, predictability, and coordination. Today, lengthy and inconsistent permitting processes across local, state, and federal systems are creating uncertainty that slows investment, increases costs, delays critical projects, and weakens regional competitiveness. For the Greater Washington Partnership, modernizing permitting is not simply an administrative or development issue — it is a core business conditions issue tied directly to whether the region can remain investable, competitive, and positioned for long-term growth.