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How fresh is the data, and why is a project missing?
Where ClearTract's projects come from, how current they are, and what to check when a project you know about isn't showing up.
Where projects come from
Everything in ClearTract comes from government public records: planning applications, building permits and related filings published by California cities and counties. We collect them from each jurisdiction’s own sources, combine filings that belong to the same project, and link the people and companies named on them.
Every project links back to its source. Open a project and go to the Cases & Permits tab to see each planning case and permit behind it, and click one to open the original record.
More on this: How it works.
How current it is
We read each source on its own publishing schedule. A permit reaches ClearTract after the city or county publishes it, so how fresh a project is depends on how often that jurisdiction puts out new records, and many publish in batches.
To see exactly where things stand, go to the Coverage page and open the per-jurisdiction details at the bottom. The Updated column shows the last date new records were added for each city and county. Where we’re behind, the date says so.
Why a project might be missing
If you know about a job and can’t find it, it’s usually one of these:
- We don’t cover that city yet. Check the Coverage page for your city or county.
- It hasn’t been filed yet, or the city hasn’t published it. We can only show what’s on the public record. A project you’ve heard about through the grapevine may not have a planning application or permit yet.
- It’s listed under a different address or name. Filings often use a parcel address, a range of addresses or the owner’s company name. Try the search box (Search address, description, applicant) with a street name, the applicant or a word from the description.
- Your view or filters are hiding it. This is the most common reason. For example:
- A Status filter that only includes early stages won’t show a project that’s under construction or completed.
- A Class filter set to Trade only shows permits with trade work; Development only shows whole projects.
- A County / City, Date, Market or Value filter may be ruling it out.
- It doesn’t have a usable address. Views and saved views only show projects with a location. Some filings, like area-wide plans, don’t have one.
What to do
- Search in All Records. Click All Records in the sidebar. It shows everything we track, including completed projects and ones without an address. Clear any filters, then use the search box.
- Widen your filters. Clear filters one at a time, or click Reset on a saved view. Set Date to a longer lookback.
- Check coverage. If the city isn’t on the Coverage page, it’s not in ClearTract yet. Use Request a jurisdiction there; requests move a city up the queue.
- Tell us. If the city is covered, the project has been filed and you still can’t find it, email [email protected] with the address and, if you have it, the permit or case number. We’ll look into it.
See also: Find projects and Key terms.
Still stuck? Email [email protected] and a person will reply.