Code for America

Civic Engagement

Rating the Effectiveness of Eight Approaches to Civic Engagement

Code for America has released an Engagement Standard that provides concepts for measuring the quality of new engagement platform technology—not a bad tool to have in the perpetual quest to increase the quality of engagement processes.

December 19, 2015 - User Experience Magazine

Solutionism in Urban Data Science

Shannon Mattern surveys the new wave of urban data science projects and argues that practitioners are trending toward an obsession with data-for-data’s-sake and an idolization of method.

November 14, 2013 - Places Journal

Blockee Eagle Rock

Trick Out Your Street With Two New Design Tools

People-powered street design is getting a major boost with the help of two new tools that make it easy to reimagine unsatisfactory streetscapes.

October 17, 2013 - Gizmodo

Streetmix Socializes Street Design

OK, so we missed this relaunch for our just-published list of the Top Websites. Another remarkable venture from the fellows at civic tech leader Code for America, Streeetmix is an impressively user-friendly and attractive tool for designing streets.

August 13, 2013 - Streetsblog

Civic Tech Leader Joins Obama Administration

Jennifer Pahlka, the founder and executive director of civic tech leader Code for America, has announced she's taking a year-long sabbatical to join the staff of the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House.

May 31, 2013 - Next City

10 Ways Civic Hacking Can Benefit Your Community

Code for America is planning a National Day of Civic Hacking next month to "promote transparency, participation and collaboration between governments and citizens." In advance of the event, they've explained how cities can benefit from civic hacking.

May 15, 2013 - Code for America

Incubator Provides Bridge for Civic Startups

Google is teaming with Code for America to help transition the most promising ideas from the civic tech group's fellows into viable businesses.

April 18, 2013 - VentureBeat

$9 Million in Grants Aim to Improve Civic Engagement

This week, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced the recipients of $9 million in funding aimed at utilizing technology to get people "more deeply engaged in community life." The announcement was not without controversy.

February 27, 2013 - Knight Blog

Play 'Name That Neighborhood'

Looking for a stimulating way to waste some time this afternoon? A new game from the inventive software developers at Code for America will test how well you know your city - down to the neighborhood.

February 15, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Are Apps the Answer to Oakland's Problems?

Azeen Ghorayshi looks at how Oakland's civic hackers are trying to change the city through technology -- giving people greater access to data, increasing transparency, and keeping people better informed -- all with minimal investment by the city.

January 14, 2013 - East Bay Express

Gov 2.0 Gets Boost from 'Peace Corps for Geeks'

The nonprofit Code for America (CfA) gets a laudatory write-up by Holly Finn in The Wall Street Journal for bringing transparency and innovation to local governments with stealth teams of "computer-savvy SEALs."

August 27, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

Accelerating Civic Engagement Technology

Although cities are looking to technology to help them better connect to their residents, get them involved in decision making, and share data, Silicon Valley has been slow to catch on. Emily Badger looks at one company trying to change this.

June 14, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Introducing the Text Hall Meeting

A free platform that promises to "bring citizen feedback into the digital age" is being employed to help shape Philadelphia's comprehensive plan, reports Matt Bevilacqua.

June 6, 2012 - Next American City

Connecting Coders and Cities

Urban Omnibus talks with Jennifer Pahlka of Code for America, a group looking to get the youth involved in developing computer programs and applications that help improve urban areas.

August 12, 2010 - Urban Omnibus

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.