Query NYC's 'DOB Permit Issuance' dataset (data.cityofnewyork.us/Housing-Development/DOB-Permit-Issuance/ipu4-2q9a) via the Socrata SODA API, filtering by address/BIN and job-type/work-type text fields for underpinning-related descriptions
Note that DOB Permit Issuance only covers permits issued in the legacy Buildings Information System (BIS); most current NYC permits now issue through DOB NOW, so also check DOB NOW's public look-up for recent activity the BIS-sourced dataset may miss
For Chicago, query the 'Building Permits' dataset (data.cityofchicago.org/Buildings/Building-Permits/ydr8-5enu) via its SODA API, filtering the work_description or permit_type fields for foundation/underpinning-related text
Because neither city publishes a dataset pre-filtered to 'underpinning' specifically, build the filter around free-text search terms (e.g., 'underpin', 'foundation repair', 'shoring') against the description fields rather than expecting a dedicated category code
Use the permit-holder/contractor fields in results to identify which licensed foundation contractors have prior underpinning work on file in the area, useful for due diligence or competitive research
Known gotchas
Free-text filtering on work-description fields is inherently imprecise — expect false positives/negatives and spot-check a sample of matched permits rather than trusting the filter blindly
NYC's DOB Permit Issuance dataset is BIS-sourced and excludes DOB NOW-issued permits, which represent most current activity — a query limited to this dataset alone will undercount recent underpinning permits
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