When I sat down with newly appointed Boston CIO Jascha Franklin-Hodge, he hinted at the end of our conversation that he and his constituents were working on putting together a hackathon in order to overhaul the city’s antiquated and convoluted licensing and permitting system. On Monday, Mayor Marty Walsh’s office confirmed the details.
Dubbed HubHacks, the hackathon is the brainchild of Franklin-Hodge’s Department of Innovation and Technology and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics. The event will aptly take place at District Hall, in the Innovation District, August 9 and 10.
According to the Mayor’s Office, Bostonians, business owners and various organizations file thousands of applications for over 40 different permits citywide, ranging from digital dog licensing to bar and restaurant liquor licensees. The way in which these applications and processes are awarded, however, is a relic of a less tech-savvy Boston and an aspect that Mayor Walsh, as well as City Councilors like Michelle Wu, have taken up arms against.
Currently, Bostonians can only access some 12 permits online, ?Deputy CIO Matt Maryl said, mostly of the building and development variety and it goes without saying that this does not suffice. By creating a one stop shop for most, if not all, City of Boston permits, people who simply want to get the work done rather sift through a process more reflective of what happens on city officials’ end can do so.
“I have made a strong commitment to ensuring a smooth process for anyone in need of permits, from the biggest business seeking an entertainment license, to the individual residents hoping to add a porch to their property,” said Mayor Walsh in a statement. “Boston is a unique city and we want a citizen-friendly portal that is designed with our specific city in mind. That is why we are hosting HubHacks – to find a collaborative solution to an issue with broad implications.”
At the inaugural HubHacks event, city officials will debut a new application programming interface (API, for you non-techie folks) that will afford participants the opportunity to build their own programs and applications to streamline the entire system.
To accomplish this feat, hackers will attempt to overcome four different challenges that encompass most of the issues plaguing the system:
Which Permits Do I Need?
A single project may require multiple permits. Applicants need a clear, intuitive, and enjoyable guide that will help applicants identify the permits they need to start working.
What’s My Address of Record?
Every project needs to be linked to an address in the City’s master database. In the current system, finding your address is more difficult than it should be. The City’s new online system needs a clear way to search addresses and suggest alternatives, getting it right the first time.
Can I Apply for That Permit Online?
Developers will be challenged to provide a very practical solution using the City’s new API to create a simple online and/or mobile application for Street Occupancy permits required to block space for a moving truck.
Where Am I in the Approval Process?
Complex building projects can take months to review and permit, even if the process works correctly. Residents need a clear way to track all permits associated with their project, which helps them understand the time frame for intended work.
At the end of day two of HubHacks, each team will present their digital solution, and the one with the best idea wins.
And while generating new methods to make Boston run smoother and more efficient is great, participation from city residents is equally important for this endeavor.
“We want to really open it to the talent of Boston and the people therein to find creative solutions to it,” Dan Koh, City of Boston chief of staff said of upgrading the system. “More importantly, HubHacks will help to really unite the technology people in Boston to really see that their city wants to work with them and encourage innovation. We are a next-generation city.”
Franklin-Hodge and DoIT have undertaken a similar measure to help Bostonians and those privy to the city’s finances easily understand and digest the FY 2015 budget. An interactive tool in its own right, the breakdown of Boston’s budget falls directly in line with Mayor Walsh’s commitment to governmental transparency and open data sourcing, as well as keeping Boston at the forefront of an increasingly innovative word.
Rules and regulations are still being sorted out, as noted on the HubHacks website, as are prizes for the best hackathon solutions, but you can register to participate right here.
This will hardly be the first HubHacks event for developers and techies to enjoy. Koh expects the Walsh administration to host a bevy of HubHacks throughout the next four years and become a staple theme that fits snugly beside the idea of transparency.
