KnowToYes launches development application tracker for early project leads

KnowToYes has launched a subscription tracker that surfaces new development applications in target counties, often two to four years before projects go out to bid. The service is designed to help contractors, suppliers, builders and lenders get in front of work earlier, after a pilot in North Carolina and a scale test in South Florida.

Why it matters: - The Development Application Tracker is built to give contractors and related firms a years-long head start on projects before most competitors even know they exist. - Earlier visibility can help site contractors, material suppliers, engineering firms, homebuilders and lenders reach developers when budgets, site plans and contractor relationships are still forming. - KnowToYes positions the tracker as a way to turn fragmented public filings into one early lead list across counties of interest.

What happened: - KnowToYes launched the Development Application Tracker on Oct. 15, 2026. - The subscription service is open nationwide. - The product surfaces all new development applications filed in selected counties, often two to four years before projects go to bid. - KnowToYes tested the service this summer with a small group of companies across 10 North Carolina jurisdictions. - The company also ran the Tracker in South Florida to validate that the model can scale.

The details: - The North Carolina pilot ran from June 23 through Sept. 18, 2026. - The pilot captured 438 development filings and 118 board items. - Of those filings, 214 were major site projects at early stages such as pre-submittal meetings, technical review, preliminary subdivision and rezoning. - Each Tracker entry includes what was filed, where it was filed, by whom, which board has it, what the board did, the applicant, the case number and a link to the town's source document. - The system tags each entry as major or minor site work so users can filter out items like sign permits. - The tracker adds filings as each jurisdiction publishes them and does not predict whether a board will approve a project. - KnowToYes will deliver the product through API access, weekly email updates or a password-protected web portal. - Coverage is built from the counties each subscriber identifies. - Contractors typically buy the counties they want to work in, while suppliers and lenders buy statewide coverage. - Prospective subscribers can request a quote at the Development Application Tracker page. - KnowToYes says the tracker joins Municipal Monitoring and other report products that read the public meeting record of 279 municipalities across 24 states as of Sept. 18, 2026.

Between the lines: - The product is aimed at a recurring market problem: many contractors learn about a subdivision only when plans are already circulating and bidding is competitive. - KnowToYes is betting that early public records, if organized well, can create a commercial advantage before entitlement and bid-stage activity begins. - The South Florida run suggests the company is trying to prove the service works beyond one state and beyond a narrow pilot group. - Charlie Yokley, AICP, said the relationship often starts at the application stage, when the developer is hearing early cost information and may have limited advice available.

What's next: - KnowToYes is taking the tracker to subscription after the pilot response. - Prospective customers can submit their counties of interest for a quote. - The company is likely to keep expanding coverage as more jurisdictions publish records in formats the tracker can ingest.

The bottom line: - KnowToYes is selling time: earlier project intelligence for firms that want to get in front of development work before the bid list forms. - "A few days behind the town is still years ahead of the bid list," Yokley said.