Kingston, New York Opens a Faster Path to Rooftop Solar

A small city just became the first in New York to offer instant solar permits and the idea behind it could save homeowners thousands.

The house on the hill in Kingston, New York, looked like a good candidate for solar. Plenty of roof space, a south-facing pitch, and a family wondering why their electricity bill kept climbing. But before a single panel could be mounted, there was paperwork to file, a trip to city hall to endure, plans to resubmit, and weeks of waiting for someone to review them. In many American towns, that bureaucratic journey can add thousands of dollars to a project that was supposed to save money in the first place. That...