Almost a year ago, Mayor Eric Adams announced a new Office of Technology and Innovation that would lead a variety of efforts to make the city more efficient. The creation of MyCity — a system where New Yorkers could access services and benefits the city offers — was one of the key efforts the new office would lead.
"I made a commitment to New Yorkers that we would leverage technology to improve the delivery of government services and track agency performance in real time, and we are doing just that," Adams said at a Jan. 19 press conference last year.
The MyCity commitment has yet to come to fruition despite over a year in office and a host of six-figure city contracts that had public hearings, according to the City Record.
Since taking office, Adams and members of his administration have varyingly described MyCity as a "card," a "portal," a "platform," and an "app."
A wide net has also been cast over its uses, but most commonly, members of the administration anticipate it to be used for things like food stamps, and senior and childcare benefits.
In June, Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser, who heads the Office of Innovation and Technology, described MyCity as a "simple, seamless, and intuitive experience that aligns with New Yorkers' expectations of digital-era government.
"Through this one-stop portal, we will ensure parents no longer need to search multiple websites and subsequently print and mail forms to apply for subsidized child care," he said. "Instead, we'll provide them one unified online intake form to expedite the process. By removing unnecessary barriers to accessing essential government services, MyCity exemplifies our best ongoing efforts to leverage technology to 'Get Stuff Done' for New Yorkers."
A spokesman for the Office of Technology and Innovation referenced the agency's 2022 report when asked about the project's rollout, and Adams made his latest pitch for the product during a Monday radio appearance.
He told WBLS's Dahved Levy that MyCity remains one of the top things he wants to do, and a crux of what the city's 2023 will look like.
"It's one card that all New Yorkers can get the resources that they deserve so they'll know what's available to them. It's using technology," he said. "That's what this year's about, using technology to improve the quality of life of New Yorkers."
If and when MyCity becomes a reality, remains to be seen.
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