AddressIntel MCP server

A read-only Model Context Protocol server that puts SF Peninsula building-permit and parcel-buildability data inside Claude, ChatGPT, or any other MCP-capable agent.

It is a thin client over the public AddressIntel API, so it inherits that API's auth, rate limits and tier ceilings. Every tool is a GET. Nothing here can write.

Tools

The permit and parcel tools are the differentiated half: permit-level detail and parcel-level buildability for the Peninsula, rather than a nationwide owner list.

Related MCP server: permisapi-mcp

Install

No install step: npx fetches it on demand.

Claude Code

claude mcp add addressintel \
  -e ADDRESSINTEL_API_KEY=your_key \
  -- npx -y addressintel-mcp

Claude Desktop

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "addressintel": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "addressintel-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ADDRESSINTEL_API_KEY": "your_key"
      }
    }
  }
}

From source

For working on the server itself:

git clone https://github.com/RantumBits/addressintel-mcp.git
cd addressintel-mcp
npm install
npm run build     # emits dist/index.js

Then point the client at node /absolute/path/to/addressintel-mcp/dist/index.js instead of the npx command above.

Restart the client, then ask it something like "what demolition permits were issued in Menlo Park this year?" or "which Palo Alto listings are SB 9 eligible?"

Configuration

Development

npm run dev       # run from source over stdio
node test_mcp.mjs # smoke test: connect, list tools, call one

Tools are declared in one table in src/index.ts. Each entry carries its zod schema and its advertised JSON Schema side by side, so adding a tool means adding one entry, and the two shapes cannot drift apart.