WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Obama isn’t shy about technology and social media, nor is his administration about getting the private sector to commit to helping local governments increase upward mobility with open data.
With data contributions from companies like Redfin, Zillow, Socrata, Esri, and others available through the Administration’s Opportunity Project Portal, developers can access and sort relevant data sets to build civic tech tools. The information can be used to help people find affordable housing, policymakers visualize housing and economic inequalities in their communities, and more. According to a fact sheet by The Office of the Press Secretary:
This project is about unleashing the power of data to help our children and our children’s children access the resources they need to thrive..to tackle inequities and strengthen their communities.”
For example, using Zillow’s data tool, developers can map the affordable housing potential--based on cost of living and density--of a city or region. The city of Baltimore used it to create Invest in the Future of Baltimore. Federal census and Zillow data, like the frequency of crimes, the ranking of nearby schools and more factor into each neighborhood’s rating.
If you are going to take advantage of the opportunity, the President asks that you give the Administration a heads up on what you are doing with this online form.
Learn more about the Opportunity Project with the official White House fact sheet.
