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This week: A town that runs on Twitter; grading landlords; mapping rest stops for truckers; and, court-appointed advocates for animals
Government Innovators Network 
 
June 23, 2016
In This Issue

What's New

In the News

Data-Smart City Solutions

WHAT'S NEW


great wall of china

Building China’s Silicon Valley

Innovators Insights

As we consider the “pivot towards Asia” announced by the Obama administration, it is important to remember China’s own “pivot towards America” that came over two decades ago when a landmark policy shift in China opened the path for foreign venture capitalism to take root. Read more>>

Aerial view of San Jose

A Model for Closing the Digital Divide?

Better, Faster, Cheaper

The chief innovation officer for San José, CA, describes how the city is using technology to try to close the digital divide. San José's combination of innovative, technologically-focused businesses and diverse population make it an ideal testing ground for these kinds of smart-city solutions. Read more>>

IN THE NEWS


The Spanish Town That Runs on Twitter

Over the past several years, the Spanish town of Jun has used social media, particularly Twitter, to deliver essential public services. Residents use the medium to communicate with local government officials, book appointments with doctors, provide school lunch notices, and alert police to suspicious activity. Town workers also post excerpts of their daily activities on Twitter for city residents to follow. The mayor of Jun claims that he has saved $380,000 annually — 13 percent of the local budget — by driving communications and services through Twitter. Researchers are examining whether lessons from Jun can be replicated on a larger scale.

Toronto Is Considering an Experiment That Would Give Landlords and Apartment Buildings Restaurant-style Grades

Toronto may require landlords to be licensed to ensure that tenants are protected from neglectful owners. The proposed licensing system would apply to buildings that have 10 or more units and are three stories and above, and would require owners to ensure that the interiors and exteriors of their buildings are up to certain standards. Landlords would subsidize the system through a $12–$15 fee per unit. Observers note that the costs of a license system may end up being passed on to renters.

This Airport Is Becoming a Circus ... Literally

In California, San Diego International Airport has brought in Fern Street Circus as a part of its performing arts residency program to lighten people’s moods as they make their way to the gate or out of the airport. A team of eight circus performers, including stilt walkers, jugglers, clowns, and musicians roam the airport to entertain weary travelers. The performers will also be cognizant of people who may not want to be entertained by them and will ensure they are not in the way of people’s movements. The circus’ residency will end in October.

First-in-nation System Aims to Gain Upper Hand on Gambling Addiction

This spring, Massachusetts launched a first-in-the-nation slot machine system that allows people to limit their bets with the goal of preventing players from developing a gambling addiction. The “Play My Way” system is being piloted in the state’s only slot parlor, Plainridge Park, and allows patrons to set up daily, weekly, or monthly betting limits and be alerted when they are approaching those limits. The system does not prevent those people from exceeding the betting limits if they choose.

In Connecticut, Abused Animals May Get Their Day in Court

Connecticut has become the first state to allow for the appointment of courtroom advocates for animals subject to neglect, abuse, or cruelty, functioning in a similar manner to guardians appointed to represent the best interest of children involved in custody battles. Due to a lack of resources, each year thousands of people are charged in animal cruelty cases without resulting in trial or conviction. Under the new legislation, judges can appoint pro bono lawyers or law students to represent the victims. The advocates can then gather information about a case and present it all at once during a trial. While animal rights advocates have hailed the new measure, critics observe that bringing more of these cases may further clog the court system, delaying justice to human litigants.

Parking a Truck Is a Pain in the Butt. Tech to the Rescue!

The Federal Highway Administration is funding a project to help long-haul truckers find easy places to rest and sleep, encouraging them off the roads when they are fatigued and thereby leading to safer driving and less fuel wasted. Researchers have determined that there are not enough parking spaces in safe areas to accommodate the growing number of trucks hauling loads around the county. The project uses cameras and image processing software to monitors parking lots to identify vacant spaces and transmit that information to signs along the highway for truckers to see. The goal is to expand the tally of spaces throughout Minnesota and other Midwestern states and perhaps develop the technology so that the information is transmitted directly to the drivers from their trucks.

DATA-SMART CITY SOLUTIONS


Predicting Fire Risk: From New Orleans to a Nationwide Tool

The New Orleans Fire Department and that city’s analytics team, the Office of Performance and Accountability, teamed up to build a map-based risk assessment model to prioritize free smoke alarm distribution to houses most at risk for fire. The model was expanded into a nationwide tool called Smoke Signals, which offers block-level risk assessment for 178 American cities and is available as an interactive map and downloadable CSV files. Cities can also upload their own historical fire incident data to improve the model for their area.

ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER


Innovators Insights is the news digest from the Government Innovators Network on the latest in government innovations. This digest is sent out every two weeks and is compiled and written by the editorial staff of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School. In each issue, the editorial team identifies top policy and programmatic news that is related to government innovations so that you can stay informed about creative government at its best.

Editor: Jessica Engelman
Researcher & Writer: Brendan St. Amant
Note: The stories in this newsletter link to source articles on other websites and may not be available after a certain length of time.



ABOUT THE ASH CENTER


The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, education, international programs, and government innovations awards, the Center fosters creative and effective problem solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world's citizens. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center. Additional information about the Ash Center is available at http://ash.harvard.edu.

 
 
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