Serious civics apps a big deal in San Francisco

People are using the Net for civic purposes in increasing numbers for all sorts of useful stuff.

Now, the City of San Francisco has a civic apps store, check it out at datasf.org/showcase/

I already use a bunch of these, including EcoFinder, Routesy, and Everyblock.

This is real, and useful stuff, like telling me when the next train or bus is coming.

Mayor Gavin Newsome is pushing this hard, check out his pitch at Mashable:

A number of apps have already been created from government data and are featured in the Showcase with others in development. Check out an interactive crime map with San Francisco Crimespotting, or EcoFinder, an iPhone app that helps residents recycle based on their location or Routesy, an app that helps people find their way around the Bay Area’s transit systems in real time.

This is just the beginning. We hope creative developers will build countless more apps never dreamed of in City Hall.

We understand the key to creating more apps is making more City data available to the public. The initial phase of DataSF includes more than 100 datasets, from a range of City departments, including Police, Public Works, and the Municipal Transportation Agency. This is just scratching the surface. We are working with departments to free as much city data as possible.

Comments

[creative recreation]

Map is a guide to people's lives! It guides us true direction! Your blog is my guide! My guide ah !

[Burgess30Carol]

If you are willing to buy a house, you will have to receive the mortgage loans. Furthermore, my sister all the time utilizes a auto loan, which is really useful.

[Mnewson]

This is great! How can we get this going in Philadelphia???

[Douglas Bates]

Awesome stuff! I would like to know the reason Berkeley is no on board with any of the crime apps though. The Berkeley Police dept crime map ( http://209.232.44.42/cvc/ ) is awful.

[Davi Ottenheimer]

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.