Governing is a sister publication of Techwire. Living Cities is a philanthropic group that focuses on community improvement across the nation. The survey looks at how the cities integrate and collaborate across departments, breaking a city’s work into seven indicators, including "dynamically planned," "broadly partnered" and "race-informed."
The city of San Diego saw top honors for involving residents in decision-making and basing those decisions on data. San Diego was also recognized for keeping employees engaged and having a staff that reflects the city’s residents.
San Diego’s highest honor came for its work in data-driven decisions. The city has a user-friendly website, an anti-graffiti app, an open-data portal and a dedicated chief data officer.
Riverside and San Diego were recognized for their efforts to inform and involve residents. Los Angeles and San Diego were considered smartly resourced, meaning they planned into the future for resources and finances, basing estimates on data.
The high-level takeaways from the survey-based comparison are:
- Planning for resource use and budget needs to extend into the future.
- Basing decisions on data improves outcomes.
- Recruiting new talent minimizes workforce challenges.
