Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said she is asking the state to review the city’s Buildings Department.

Patterson-Howard acknowledged she has received complaints about the way the department operates. She said chronic under staffing over the last decade, old codes and procedures have led to 800 backlogged permit applications in the department.

Patterson-Howard has made some changes, like hiring more code enforcement officers and appointing a new building commissioner. She hopes the state can now help the city's building department learn best practices and become more efficient.

"We've asked the state partner to come in, who is the expert in building departments and do a review of our work, how we do our work and help us learn how to do this better," Patterson-Howard said.

She added the review will help the Buildings Department meet standards and codes set by New York state.