Digital Cities Survey 2023 Winners Announced

Nov. 9, 2023 – The Center for Digital Government (CDG) announces the winners of the 23^rd annual Digital Cities Survey, recognizing cities utilizing technology to strengthen cybersecurity, enhance transparency, digital privacy rights, and digital equity, and those finding innovative ways to support solutions for social challenges facing cities today. The top 10-ranking cities in each of five population categories will be honored during the Digital Cities Awards event at the National League of Cities “City Summit” on November 16^th in Atlanta, Georgia. Registration is complimentary and open to the public sector only.

“The Digital Cities survey winners continue to push the envelope of how government agencies deliver modern services during a period of rapid technological change,” said Todd Sander, VP, Center for Digital Government and Governing Institute. “Today we recognize and congratulate these trailblazers who are helping to build a government that works for everyone.”

This year’s first place winners in each population category include:

• City of Los Angeles, Calif. (500,000 or more population category):

LA's Information Technology Agency (ITA) uses technology to support housing the homeless, to increase public safety, and to make Los Angeles more livable for every community. For Mayor Bass's "Inside Safe" homelessness program, the ITA built a Data Analysis Solutions for Homelessness (DASH) platform for decision-makers; and utilizes the 311 Call Center and App, and the city’s TV station and social media as a communication platform for homeless initiatives with over 250,000 impressions monthly. ITA is also expanding infrastructure and devices, including Wi-Fi in homeless housing and tablets for service workers.

• City of Long Beach, Calif. (250,000 – 499,999 population category):

The Long Beach Technology & Innovation Department (TID) provides a customer-focused environment. TID developed an original Digital Rights Platform, set up the Homelessness Services and Information Hub with a dashboard to track results, a development map to show progress on affordable housing projects, and a homelessness survey with nearly 3,000 responses that utilizes AI technology. In addition, TID administered more than 2,400 free hotspots and 2,900 free computing devices to qualified Long Beach residents, businesses, and non-profits.

• City of Scottsdale, Ariz. (125,000-249,999 population category):

Scottsdale’s mission, to deliver "simply better service" through innovation, trust, and equitable public service delivery - includes a commitment to privacy and transparency. The city established a Digital Privacy administrative regulation to safeguard the public's trust in the city's use of new and emerging technologies and to protect their digital privacy rights. The policy enables residents to determine for themselves when, how, and to what extent information about them is communicated to others.

• City of Carlsbad, Calif. (75,000-124,999 population category):

Connectivity is a cornerstone of IT’s approach in Carlsbad. Connected Carlsbad, a comprehensive innovation roadmap, prioritizes community-wide digital transformation, capacity for data- driven governance, civic engagement, accessibility and transparency, and promotion of safety and sustainability through interconnectedness. For example, the city's Innovation and Technology partnered with the Fire Department using data and technology to create a real-time fire operations insight and strategy system.

• City of Tamarac, Fl. (up to 75,000 population category):
  

Tamarac maintains consistent good service with strong cybersecurity systems and policies, engagement with the FBI and peer communities, and expansion into physical security impacts using technology. The workforce initiatives that encourage all city employees to be more effective working in a tech environment, more sensitive to phishing or other attacks, and working to digitize procedures make Tamarac a model for other cities.

To view the awards article and winner summaries, CLICK HERE.

CDG expresses its gratitude to the underwriters of this year’s survey: Premier Corporate Members – Adobe, Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Armis; Standard Corporate Members – Abnormal Security, Accela, Infor, LogicMonitor, and SHI International Corp.

Congratulations to the 2023 Digital Cities Survey Winners!

500,000 or more Population Category
1st City of Los Angeles, CA
2nd City of San Diego, CA
2nd City of San Jose, CA
3rd Louisville Metro Government, KY
4th City of Albuquerque, NM
4th City of El Paso, TX
5th City of Dallas, TX
6th City of Boston, MA
7th City of Sacramento, CA
8th City of Atlanta, GA
9th City and County of Denver, CO
10th City of Memphis, TN

250,000 - 499,999 Population Category
1st City of Long Beach, CA
2nd City of Wichita, KS
3rd City of Durham, NC
4th City of Virginia Beach, VA
5th City of Henderson, NV
6th City of Chandler, AZ
7th City of Riverside, CA
8th City of Irvine, CA
9th City of Madison, WI
10th Town of Gilbert, AZ

125,000 - 249,999 Population Category
1st City of Scottsdale, AZ
2nd City of Bellevue, WA
3rd City of Modesto, CA
4th City of Columbia, MO
5th City of Corona, CA
6th City of Olathe, KS
7th City of Rancho Cucamonga, CA
7th City of Roseville, CA
8th City of Alexandria, VA
9th City of Fort Collins, CO
9th City of Norfolk, VA
10th City of Baton Rouge, LA
10th City of Hampton VA

75,000 - 124,999 Population Category
1st City of Carlsbad, CA
2nd City of Roanoke, VA
3rd City of Avondale, AZ
4th City of Pueblo, CO
5th Village of Schaumburg, IL
6th City of Lynchburg, VA
6th City of Westminster, CO
7th City of North Port, FL
8th City of Independence, MO
9th City of Allen, TX
10th City of Santa Monica, CA

Up to 75,000 Population Category
1st City of Tamarac, FL
2nd City of Punta Gorda, FL
3rd Village of Tinley Park, IL
4th City of Delray Beach, FL
5th City of Kalamazoo, MI
6th City of Williamsburg, VA
7th City of Newark, CA
8th City of Gainesville, GA
9th City of Dunwoody, GA
10th City of Hillsdale, MI

SELECTED SURVEY FINDINGS

Top 10 IT programs/projects that are likely to have an increased focus in the next 12-18 months:
1. Cybersecurity
2. Constituent/customer engagement/experience
3. Hire/retain/nurture competent IT personnel
4. Business intelligence/analytics
5. Data governance: transparency, open data
6. Business process automation
7. Networks: broadband, connectivity, addressing digital divide
8. Disaster recovery/continuity of operations
9. Digital services/processes
10. Infrastructure modernization

Top 5 most pressing challenges your city faced in the past year:
1. Ensuring multi-year funding
2. Impact of extreme crises on constituents and businesses
3. Federal or state-mandated responsibilities transferred to cities
4. Imposing federal policies and/or legal constraints
5. Population demographic changes

About the Center for Digital Government: The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute focused on technology policy and best practices in state and local government. CDG is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s largest data, media and events company for state and local government and education.

Contact:

Janet Grenslitt
Director of Surveys and Awards e.Republic | Center for Digital Government
916-932-1300
jgrenslitt@erepublic.com