Show HN: SimCity, but with Permits

You are the mayor. You know exactly what this city needs. Now get it past the zoning board, the neighbors, the appeals court and the next election.

Permit Pending is a city simulation in the spirit of the classics, with one difference: you are not a god. You are an elected mayor. Every apartment block, bus lane and factory goes through hearings, reviews, objections, lawsuits and appeals. The economy underneath is real. The neighbors are not always rational. Win the argument, or win the election. Ideally both.

A typical case from your inbox. The economic answer was obvious. The political path was not.

New housing lowers rents and angers homeowners. New industry brings jobs and smog. Better transit attracts development, and development attracts opponents. Fix one problem and you create a new group of voters who are angry about it.

Your inbox fills with applications, controversies and recurring characters. Negotiate concessions at public hearings, win votes on a seven-seat council, and spend your political clout wisely. Some cases last longer than your term.

Residents have ages, incomes and homes. Businesses hire, grow and leave. Land values, rents, jobs, taxes and services all connect. The city keeps changing while you are stuck in committee.

High-turnout groups have more power than their numbers suggest. Know who votes.

Heatmaps, graphs and plain explanations show why voters are angry and which decision did it.

The Gazette reports your successes, your scandals and your parking minimums.

No campaign and no win screen. The city goes on as long as the voters let you.

Start from empty land, or inherit somebody else's problems.

A hamlet at a crossroads and empty streets waiting for zoning.

A small town with room to grow. Nobody is organized yet.

Housing demand and homeowners who are getting very organized.

A mature economy, severe land-use conflict and very entrenched interests.

"We have filed an appeal on procedural grounds. The procedure is the point."

No. The game runs in your browser. Saves stay on your computer, and after the first visit the game also works offline.

A desktop or laptop with a current browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari). A mouse helps.

Not exactly. It's a sandbox. Your goal is the city you want, and your challenge is to stay in office long enough to build it.

The hearing is scheduled. The neighbors are already here.