Data-Smart Cities

Weekend listen🎧: City leaders want to innovate, but they’re often stuck solving today’s problems with yesterday’s tools. Dr. Francisca Rojas of @publicinno joins the #DataSmartCityPod to discuss how tech, design & AI can truly respond to resident needs. datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/redesign-syste…

It was an honor to host the Spring 2026 Project on Municipal Innovation convening, where leadership from US cities came together to grapple with the growing affordability crisis. 💡Follow along as we share spotlights and stories from these critical discussions!

“CiviForm has endured & grown over 3 mayoral administrations in Seattle because of the results it delivers for residents…” Seattle’s CiviForm unifies applications for 16 city benefit programs, reducing admin burden and improving continuity. Read how: ow.ly/ZslM50YW243

What does AI "for good" look like in the criminal justice space? There are clear opportunities just waiting for the right person, start-up, or city 👇 datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/promise-peril-…

We’re thrilled to kick off the latest convening of the Project on Municipal Innovation, bringing together mayoral chiefs of staff from US cities! We're digging into how cities can confront affordability and sharing solutions that make cities more equitable and livable.👏

💡Agentic AI: More advanced than traditional chatbots, AI agents integrate with other software systems to operate & reason. Cities that can tap into this opportunity will see better services delivered by a workforce that is able to exercise discretion. ➡️ bit.ly/AgenticCityOne

Learn how the city built and scaled this open-source model – and how other governments are adapting it: datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/seattle-benefi…

NEW ARTICLE ➡️ When accessing public benefits means navigating multiple portals and repeated paperwork, many eligible residents never get the support they qualify for. @CityofSeattle's CiviForm tackles this by unifying 16 benefit programs into one co-designed application.

Local leaders and emergency personnel need to know: AI models are advanced enough to deploy in disasters, helping synthesize vast quantities of information to inform decision-making around resident safety and resource distribution. Learn more: datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/ai-disaster-re…

A sobering statistic: 48% of heat-related deaths in Phoenix occur among unsheltered residents, who make up less than 1% of the population. This means a 400-500x higher risk than the general pop. But, Phoenix is proving that targeted investment works: ow.ly/A33i50YIVLg

"In this model, the traffic engineer...can pull up pedestrian counts, crash data and the age profile of the surrounding residents in seconds and adjust the walk signal without waiting 6 months..." Read now in @VitalCityNYC, by @GoldsmithOnGov vitalcitynyc.org/nyc-government…

Cities keep building better data systems for tracking homelessness, but the real breakthrough isn't the technology...it's integrating it into workflows where people can actually act on it. datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/tech-homelessn…

Rather than asking "Who's at risk of committing a crime?" what if we asked "Who has risk factors that actually need housing support, job training, mental health services?" Prediction ➡️ prevention. datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/promise-peril-…

Cities hit by disaster aren't short on data. Instead, they're overwhelmed by it, but AI can assist in emergency decision making. Research @Tom_Manzini @TAMU shows AI doesn't need to be perfect to make a real difference in emergency response: datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/ai-disaster-re…

Smart use of technology can improve both outcomes & trust in how government responds to homelessness. @LAHomeless has a GIS app that reduces confusion & increases accuracy in PIT counts, designed around what frontline workers & volunteers actually need. datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/tech-homelessn…

2/🧵 In our latest #DataSmartCityPod, host @GoldsmithOnGov speaks with @AM_Headley (Evidence for Justice Lab @Georgetown) about her Lab's Justice AI Tracker, building with community input, and why it all comes down to a human in the loop. datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/promise-peril-…

1/🧵 AI is being deployed across the criminal justice system. The stakes are high. When AI gets it wrong, the consequences can be irreversible. But when it gets it right, it can help officers de-escalate, support people who need housing instead of jail, & mitigate bias.

Milwaukee is leading on environmental health and childhood opportunity - check out how: 🎧 Mayor Cavalier Johnson on the #DataSmartCityPod datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/childhood-oppo… 📖 Our mini case study datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/crisis-leaders…

As temperatures climb, cities across the country are preparing for another extreme heat season. If you're a city leader, public health official, or community advocate, you need to read these lessons from Phoenix: datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/phoenix-reduce…

Milwaukee turned a shocking discovery—lead poisoning from inside a school—into a citywide effort to protect kids. From loaned city staff to overnight action plans, this mini case study shows why cross-agency collaboration is critical in a crisis: datasmart.hks.harvard.edu/crisis-leaders…