Civic Tech

The facilities are definitely a popular trend in metropolitan Denver, potentially moreso than statewide. A tax exemption program could make the state as a whole more attractive, one observer said.

Libraries taking part in a Digital Equity Pilot Project will bring on digital helpers to give residents free tech assistance and build online skills. A $250,000 national leadership grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services underpins the effort.

The City Council is examining how the city’s famous views are being preserved. A recent study session on design and development standards included a proposal to use new software to examine how views would be impacted by proposed development.

The City Council has approved buying software and equipment to underpin an online portal capable of tracking water use daily or hourly. It could help residents who use it spot leaks and call out emergencies.

A City Council committee will consider next week a new contract with the company that provides the gunshot-detecting tech. Chicago and Seattle have moved away from it, and Houston's mayor has indicated he wants the city to drop it.

Students at Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa, Calif., started the nonprofit 404 Found Code to teach younger children concepts of coding. Now they have funding and gifts from tech companies and plan to expand.

Agencies in Southern Maine have tried using software with artificial intelligence to draft police reports. Officers who have tried it have said it produces an accurate summary, but observers are worried it may impact narratives and fairness.

How Iowa was able to navigate the red tape involved with real-time child-care search, vacancy and supply and demand dashboards to help parents quickly find available child care in the state.

In migrating to a more advanced digital platform, and moving off timecards, officials hope to save hours of time and eliminate inaccuracies and accounting errors. The timecard system will be retired next month.

The Windy City’s contract for the gun detection service will expire shortly, but two aldermen have launched attempts to extend it. A parliamentary move or a special vote could potentially compel an extension.

The organization that popularized civic hackathons is now taking on the responsible use of AI in government. Code for America draws on the collective expertise of the public, tech and nonprofit sectors to tackle societal challenges.

A tech startup is leveraging AI to empower tribal nations in navigating the complex landscape of grant funding. Their solution is tailored to address these communities’ unique challenges and data sovereignty concerns.

No rules currently govern where computer data generated by Chicago residents and employees and stored by the city must be kept. An ordinance requiring that data be stored within the United States is moving forward in the City Council.

Partnering is a critical piece of the California city’s strategy for digital transformation, informing its approach to digital equity and civic technology projects. A new digital inclusion plan builds on this approach.

Four technology companies are part of the city’s initiative, which is aimed at growing its tech industry and making strides in smart city and digital government work. A Living Lab facility is in the works.

The nonprofit's new edition of its accelerator program will include 16 startups, and will be run in partnership with the National League of Cities and the GovAI Coalition. Its mission: to help implement and scale AI at the local level.

Its newly launched Local Government Research and Development Agenda, a nationwide undertaking, looks to provide research and science to cities. Interviews and workshops with 20 munis are underway.

The New Castle Area Transit Authority, which serves communities in Lawrence County, has gone live with a bus tracking software system. It lets drivers know their next stops and if they’re on time, and lets dispatchers track buses.