Federal government entities are supposed to be "opening" their data, publishing it online for any and all to see. While the goal is good, the reality of meeting the requirement is creating problems.
Next American City columnist Christian Madera looks at how the directive is playing out on the ground.
"[T]he Obama administration published its Open Government Directive one year ago this month, calling on the federal government to become more transparent, participatory and collaborative. Since then, there has been an explosion of new open government efforts around the country-not only at the federal level, but at the state and local level as well-and a number of agencies and cities have successfully created public data catalogs, developed new web and mobile apps, and embraced social media.
Yet, if you spend any time with folks working in the open government movement, you can't help but feel that the overall mood is less jubilant. Last year's excitement has given way to the reality of making open government actually work - a task that has turned out not to be as easy as some thought."
FULL STORY: The Politics of Open Government
Washington DC Launches Open Data Chatbot
City data is now available literally at the public’s fingertips, no data analytics skills required.
Office Vacancies at Federal Agencies as High as 75 Percent
Many federal agencies are sitting on underutilized buildings, causing a congressional committee to call into question the need for so much real estate.
New Interactive Mapping Tool Tracks all of NYC's Infrastructure Projects, Housing Permits, and City Facilities
The New York Department of City Planning has taken its open data practices to a new level with the launch of the Capital Planning Explorer.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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