Monthly Memo
On June 2, we launched the Shovels Decisions API. All this stuff I've written about is now at your fingertips (or Claude's, if you use our CLI :) It's in "beta" which just means it's going to be changing and improving rapidly but we didn't want to wait to push it live.
This launch is tied to a bigger shift: Shovels now gathers permits, contractors, decisions, and property data 100% on our own. By the end of the year, we will have them all "Shovel-ready", interconnected, clean, fresh, and ready for your data teams.
Read my June memo to learn more.
Ryan Buckley - CEO
Content Roundup
Berkshire Hathaway Just Bought Taylor Morrison. Here's What We See in the Permit Data.
Overture Maps feature: How 10 AI Startups are Grounding AI in the Real World with Overture
Inside America's Data Center Buildout
By the Time a Permit Is Filed, It's Too Late. The Shovels Decisions API Beta Is Live.
Going to Esri User Conference in San Diego July 13-17? Find us in the Startup Zone for a demo or to chat about permits, maps, and more.
Map of the Month
Where was multifamily construction hottest in Q1 2026? LA, Houston, and Dallas led the permit count 🗺️, but Columbus, OH (#6) and Boise, ID (#8) cracked the top 10 alongside the Sun Belt.
June 2026 Release Notes
Our biggest data product launch since ReZone joins the platform: Decisions, the rezonings, variances, and planning votes that set a project in motion long before a permit is filed, is now available in beta. This release also adds 3.5M new permits, 259 newly covered jurisdictions, and a new window_door project tag backfilled across history. Our mid-June release includes 124 newly active jurisdictions (1,682 → 1,801) and +18.7K trailing-2026 permits.
Around the Web
- Every AI coding limit, in your menu bar.
- Project Glasswing: what Mythos showed us
- Climate Central examined historical trends in fire weather — a combination of hot, dry, windy conditions — across the U.S.
- Private Equity Firms Now Own 13% of US Apartments
- Article on treating LLM reliability as a protocol problem, not a model problem
Shovels Sights & Sightings
Chloe ran a half marathon, pacing at an amazing 7:59/mi average!
Liz rescued a pup, named Juliette. Pure love.
Matej travelled Spain and shared a few pics of stuff he liked. Look how that bougainvillea pops!
Keep an eye on our blog where we add all relevant information for data diggers like you.