The Center for Digital Government (CDG) announces the winners of the 23rd 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 16th 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.

For the full list of Top 10 winners in each of the five population categories, 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.

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.

Janet Grenslitt, Director of Surveys and Awards
e.Republic | Center for Digital Government