Oakland is nationally recognized for its diversity, cultural, and architectural history and stunning natural beauty. Incorporated in 1852, Oakland is the eight most populated City in California with 400,000 residents and more than 55,000 businesses. The City is celebrated for its vibrant nightlife, dynamic arts culture and flourishing food scene recognized by USA Today, Lonely Planet, and Zagat. The City is the proud home of three professional sports teams: the Oakland Raiders, the Oakland Athletics and the Golden State Warriors.
Learn more about the City’s accolades and distinctions. Follow us: @Oakland. Visit us on the web: www.oakland.net.com
City of Oakland will prioritize selection of applications from local startups and from those that reflect the city’s diverse communities.
Department of Human Services: App to Engage, Enroll, & Track Families in Head Start
Context: The Human Services Department builds strong communities by enriching the quality of life for individuals and families in Oakland. Head Start promotes school readiness for three- to five-year-old children. The program provides activities that foster children’s social, emotional, and cognitive (language, reading and math) skills, and that nurture physical health. Full- and half-day programs are available at 17 locations throughout the City.
Technology Tool: Human Services seeks advice on the process to implement a user-friendly, integrated software tool to support Head Start outreach and enrollment, simplify program administration and track the program’s clientele. The app should be easy for both City employees and Head Start parents to deploy, use and maintain. Features could include a phone-based application process, a data dashboard that shows administers information on current enrollees and a reporting system for applicant data. An app could also provide notifications for parent activities or parent meetings; child development resources; the daily schedule; the monthly menu; health tips, and ask for parent feedback.
Public Works & Economic Development: Access for All Through Integrated Wayfinding in Uptown Oakland
Context: The City of Oakland is a leader in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) implementation, promoting social equity and delivering effective access compliance programs that support individuals with disabilities to thrive in their communities. The Public Works Department - ADA Programs Division and Economic Development Department – Project Implementation Division work jointly on infrastructure improvements and citywide accommodations.
Technology Tool: Develop an application or web-based tool to assist pedestrians, with a focus on blind and visually impaired individuals and limited English speakers to navigate and access services in the Uptown Oakland area. The software solution should embody the principles of universal design to augment the static pedestrian wayfinding signage that is currently being implemented in the Uptown area. The tool should connect multi-modal transportation services, government buildings, and other essential services. A successful system should support users in a dynamic environment, provide real time updates of path of travel obstacles, function across age groups and languages, and readily adapt to other neighborhoods and scale in application City-wide.
Housing and Community Development: Digital Communication Tool for Tenants and Landlords
Context: The Housing & Community Development Department exists to ensure Oakland residents have safe, affordable housing. HCD’s Rent Adjustment Program works to encourage open communication and to foster a climate of understanding between Oakland landlords and tenants by providing mediation services for cases involving rent increases and some evictions.
Technology Tool: Develop a software tool to support staff in responding to tenant inquiries that educates renters about their rights and options. A solution is needed to streamline tenant-landlord disputes that is easy for City employees and community members to use and maintain. The system should make it easier for renters to engage with the City and learn their rights and recourses without putting additional burden on staff. Feature could include a mobile application process, a data dashboard or a reporting system reflective of applicant data.
Housing and Community Development: Residential Lending, Engagement and Building Code Compliance Tool
Context: The Housing & Community Development Department exists to ensure Oakland residents have safe, affordable housing.
Technology Tool: Create a software tool to integrate with the City’s website that helps residents bring their homes up to code. A solution is needed that breaks down the complexities of building codes with easy prompts and visuals and better communicates available resources around housing. The system should provide information about the city’s available lending programs for making residential buildings compliant and include an application for city assistance.
Oakland Police Department: Prioritization & Equal Response to Community Reports
Context: The Mission of the Oakland Police Department is to provide the people of Oakland an environment where they can live, work, play, and thrive free from crime and the fear of crime.
Technology Tool: Identify services and information most commonly requested of the Oakland Police Department and the best formats for delivery of these services and information. Assist in the development of software to manage delivery formats that minimize impact upon staff while reaching the maximum number of stakeholders.
