Why Blokova exists
Construction fences and unfamiliar storefronts raise familiar questions: what is happening here, what has been approved, and where can I find the facts? Blokova brings scattered city records into a consistent, approachable map and project experience.
How our information works
- Connect to official sources. We collect permit records from published city APIs and downloads. Some cities remain in source-validation status.
- Preserve the evidence. Every project links back to its source and shows the retrieval date. We retain recorded dates and original scope descriptions.
- Make it understandable. We organize records by place, category, and recorded stage. Categories may be inferred and can be corrected.
- Group only when supported. Explicit source project identifiers can connect related permits. Shared addresses alone are not sufficient.
- Be clear about the gaps. A recent batch is not a full city inventory. Missing coordinates, delayed sources, and unavailable cities are labeled.
What a permit cannot tell you
An issued permit does not prove that work has started. A closed permit does not necessarily mean an entire development is complete. We do not infer business opening dates from permits. Opening announcements require separate evidence and review.
Corrections
Owners and readers can submit factual corrections and announcements for review, free of charge. Paying for advertising never changes a recorded status or guarantees favorable coverage.
Data licenses and attribution
The Cleveland Building Permit Applications dataset is attributed to the City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing and is published under the Open Database License (ODbL). If you reuse the data, the ODbL share-alike terms apply to you as well. Other city sources are linked in our coverage directory; their individual terms apply.
Vector maps use OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, and OpenStreetMap data. The compatibility basemap is provided by USGS The National Map. Map attribution remains visible within the map.
Who runs Blokova
Blokova is a small independent project. It is paid for by clearly labeled ads and local sponsors, never by the cities or developers we cover. Questions, corrections and tips go through the contact page; a person reads every message.