Civic Tech

Hawaii’s capital city is piloting artificial intelligence-based software for building plan reviews, and will fully implement a new platform that went live in February. Updates to a third system are planned this year, all in the name of faster permitting.

The new 2023 Geospatial Maturity Assessment report from the National States Geographic Information Council evaluated 46 states and Washington, D.C. It highlights successes and disparities in GIS integration, and emphasizes collaboration.

The federal grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will pay for a project to increase safety in the downtown Fremont Street area, including using AI to adjust traffic signals and the timing of crossing flashers.

Sheriff’s deputies in Kanawha County, W.Va., donned body-worn cameras Wednesday as part of a $3 million county program. All 106 deputies in the county will get the devices, along with in-car cameras by early June.

Officials hope to break ground in April on the Habitat Green Freedom subdivision, in Aurora, Ill. The new 17-home area will feature solar panels, battery storage, in-ground fiber and devices including smart thermostats.

Riverside-based ElDorado National—California (ENC), a subsidiary of REV Group Inc., of Wisconsin, will wind down its business. Its clients include the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Cox Enterprises’ purchase of OpenGov, which valued the company at a landmark $1.8 billion, saw it buy out private equity stakes in the firm. A company executive said it offers “long-term stability” as investments in AI for local government are planned.

The Kettering Police Department, outside Dayton, Ohio, will dramatically increase its use of automated license plate readers this year. Capacity is expected to rise by 300 percent.

Just over a year since the launch of Atlanta’s new Office of Technology and Innovation, city tech leaders reflect on the role of the office in the city's work to build a broader technology ecosystem.

The city of Chicago’s recently established Department of Technology and Innovation aims to transform the way city agencies work with one another and the way the city provides services to constituents.

The 2024 Government Innovation Challenge and Pitchfest puts gov tech startups in touch with potential local government partners to address pressing public-sector issues. The event will be held in Kansas City, Mo., on April 30.

Point-in-time counts show government officials how and where homelessness impacts communities, informing the equitable distribution of resources. GIS tech and new processes are improving the accuracy of these counts.

Results for America has awarded a dozen new cities for the quality of work with data to inform policy, engage residents, allocate funding and improve municipal services.

An innovative solution is being piloted in Surprise, Ariz., leveraging 3D-printing technology to reduce and reuse plastic waste. The ultimate goal is to help enable a circular economy in the region.

This new AI Elections Initiative, launched this week by the Aspen Institute's Aspen Digital program, seeks to strengthen U.S. election resilience against the evolving risks posed by generative AI tools.

A newly launched program in Fairfax County, Va., is offering small businesses technical assistance in a range of areas, helping them enhance their website, e-commerce capabilities, digital presence, and more.

The new office will broaden and restructure city service options for residents, while also building a collaborative team to meet government agency IT needs throughout the city. Its work begins officially in the new year.

With an election that promises to usher in a new administration for North Carolina, CIO James Weaver is focusing his energy on improving the foundations of state IT while also embracing new — and unstoppable — technologies.