EngagingCities

A global govtech sector is emerging to make government more efficient. But is that always the best thing for democracy?

Urban Footprint makes it easy to run simulations to see how a new plan might change traffic and commute times, the ability of kids to walk to school, access to jobs, energy use, the local economy, health, and carbon emissions. 

During Sunshine Week, three scholars of government transparency look at a potential collision between the old freedom of information movement and the new open government movement. Is there room for both?

Transforming your city on a budget can foster a bottom-up approach to public policy and urban transformation. It can manifest a sort of direct democracy that empowers citizens, community groups, and local businesses to be change agents in their cities – and to work in collaboration with city officials to foster a vibrant city life. There are many ways citizens and governments can collaborate. Below are only a few modest, yet transformative, approaches for revolutionizing cities.

Civic Tech and digital democracy have the potential to make dreams of engaged citizens and responsive governments working together a reality. Rebecca Rumbul, Head of Research at mySociety, reflects on the risks of rushing into digital and how we can approach it for the benefit of all.

At first glance, Oakland may be seen as a city with a thriving Spanish-language media scene. There are as many as four bilingual newspapers distributed in certain parts of town. Turn the radio dial and you will hear Spanish on several AM and FM stations, and there is nightly news on both Univisión and Telemundo. As one San Francisco-based ethnic media specialist told me, “when I think of news deserts, I don’t think of Oakland.”
But speak with the audiences of those outlets and you find much to be desired.

5 takeaways from the Innovations in Participatory Democracy Conference

What do biological ecosystems have to do with promoting social change? In our work, using the metaphor of ecosystems has been a powerful tool for taking on complex and evolving problems.

Autonomous vehicles will transform urban life by 2020, if Waymo’s time line is correct.

New technology and real-time analytics are helping cities use energy more wisely, while galvanizing support throughout the community.

From Bristol to Barcelona, cities around the globe are leading a revolution in the creation of complementary “civic currencies” — some digital, some physical — designed to promote local economic development, foster active citizenship, and invest in sustainability while building a sense of community cohesion.

Curbed visits four cities to uncover why the next big thing in American homes is small

In Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf is leading the exceptionally diverse city through a period of unprecedented growth and investment–while trying to create an ethos of inclusion.

Digital stardust won’t magically make future cities more affordable or resilient.

Like other for-profit civic technology companies, Loveland sits at an uncomfortable intersection of priorities. Since its inception, Loveland has struggled to reconcile what its founders think the city needs with what community organizers and residents want and need and what nonprofits, government agencies, and companies are willing to buy.

Supermarkets are community anchors. Amazon’s “just walk out” version embodies a disconcerting social transformation.

How playing a game helped train over a dozen U.S. mayors on how to think like a futurist.

Researchers want to know how ride-hailing companies are affecting their streets, but don't have much information to help them.

This year's Digital Democracy Day, initiated by ECAS, focused on the question of how crowdsourcing can improve and simplify citizen participation at both local and EU level. By Melissa Ihlow

A few weeks ago, leaders from 16 cities met in Los Angeles for the last of four meetings in our inaugural yearlong Smart Cities Collaborative.

Over the last decade, state and local governments have invested in open data initiatives. Have those efforts done what we thought they should?