Newark, New Jersey, USA

A Group Approach to Violence Prevention

Project Type:
Public Safety, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Community Engagement

At a Glance

Established a coalition of over 50 cross-sector partners to share and strengthen public safety and infrastructure data, which led to a 25% decrease in homicides in 2024 compared to 2023.

36% decrease in auto thefts in 2024, compared to 2023. Neighborhood hotspots have seen drops of 55%.

5% of Newark’s blocks account for the majority of violent crimes in the city.

50+ organizations that are part of Brick City Peace Collective, which coordinates Newark’s violence prevention ecosystem.

When the right data gets to the right people, significant change is possible. That’s what the City of Newark has pioneered with its groundbreaking approach to reducing violence. The city of more than 300,000 residents has become a national model in shifting responses to violence to be more data-driven, collaborative, and focused on violence as a public health challenge.

Newark’s Police Division works alongside The Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery (OVPTR), a community-based public safety entity. Under this umbrella is the Brick City Peace Collective (BCPC) that coordinates an ecosystem of more than 50 organizations working to reduce violence and increase wellbeing. Under Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s leadership, the collective launched in 2020 to coordinate and share data analysis, design interventions, and strengthen relationships between law enforcement and residents. BCPC partners include nonprofits, grassroots organizations, city agencies and the Newark Public Safety Collaborative (NPSC), an initiative of Rutgers University-Newark’s School of Criminal Justice.

“When we bring data into the conversation to understand where violence does and does not happen, we can start to move past misinformation, stereotypes and stigma, and redefine what Newark is and can be.”

Jessiah Paul, Director of Brick City Peace Collective

“Through measurable and data-driven outcomes, we can decrease violence and ultimately save and change lives.”

Mayor Ras Baraka

With NPSC providing key data analytics support, BCPC members meet regularly to discuss trends and share insights, including crime hotspots and to develop response strategies. Take bodegas: In 2023, 53% of shooting incidents occurred within two blocks of several identified small corner stores. BCPC members then zeroed in on the 10 bodegas most associated with gun violence. Additionally, further data analysis illuminated what time of day shootings were most common near stores.

By utilizing data, the city can implement targeted responses rather than relying on generalized strategies. Responses built around this kind of data involve much more than police patrols. For instance, Newark’s power utility, PSE&G, may prioritize street lighting improvements if data correlates violence with darker streets. Staff from community-based organizations conduct targeted outreach walks, actively engaging local residents to better understand what a particular neighborhood is experiencing and needs.

All data, including information gathered through community outreach, goes into the City’s data management platform, which is accessible to all BCPC members. The platform also supports the City’s belief that violence prevention should be about more than policing: Through the platform, the Police Division is able to alert community support officers when crime victims or other residents may need mental health and other stabilizing services.

With weekly data reports highlighting the location of crimes and social service needs (based on referrals), social service organizations in BCPC are able to ramp up targeted outreach and community engagement efforts. Compared to five years ago, Newark’s violence prevention leaders no longer feel they’re playing catch-up. Instead, through disaggregating data to understand crime patterns and disseminating the analysis among coalition members, public safety strategies can be effectively co-produced by BCPC partners.

Strategies to prevent homicides and auto thefts (which spiked in 2023) are working as planned. Newark has seen a 25% decrease in homicides and a 36% reduction in auto thefts in 2024, compared to 2023. Juvenile arrests are also down. It’s no surprise that other cities across the country have visited Newark and looked to the city to learn about its comprehensive approach as a valuable violence prevention model. Their success is proof that data-driven collaboration can power on-the-ground progress.

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Maipú, Chile

Data Transformation and Transparency in Maipú Water Services

Project Type:
Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure and Utilities, Public Safety

In 2021, Maipú was going through a serious crisis in the drinking water and sewage service: more than 20,000 water leaks flooded its streets that year, affecting the quality of life of more than half a million inhabitants. A neighborhood came to be nicknamed “the Venice of Maipú”, and one resident mentioned that some leaks in her neighborhood had been going on for more than two years.

The Municipal Drinking Water and Sewer Service (SMAPA), the only municipally managed water company in Chile, was struggling with aging infrastructure, inefficiency and limited resources, while public trust in local government was low due to measures taken by the previous administration: bad management and a deficit of $31 billion pesos ($31 million dollars).

In response, since taking office in June 2021, Mayor Tomás Vodanovic has prioritized the management of SMAPA as a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda. It was decided to invest an additional $5 billion ($5 million dollars) for the maintenance of drinking water and sewage networks. However, the key to success was improving tracking and analysis. To save resources, city staff inspected water infrastructure and worked closely with the public safety team. Through mixed patrols between professionals from different areas, the tours were more efficient, since they only needed a mobile phone to travel. They then took this data in the field and created comprehensive dashboards, allowing real-time monitoring and analysis of water and sewer service reports. Today Maipú can better allocate resources and proactively address more problems.

Image courtesy of the City of Maipú, Chile.

This work was supported by administration support, with a commitment to building a data culture across government. Maipú joined the Digital Transformation Leaders Network, participated in the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance, and city leaders are active members of the What Works Cities Certification Community. In each of these networks, Maipú has learned from other cities and has developed a disciplined, consistent and challenging approach to data.

For example, the Urban Advisory Department developed the Maipú Territorial Information System (SITMA), powered by technology with ArcGIS. This platform helps the City optimize resource allocation by breaking down data by neighborhood and provides transparency by allowing residents to monitor projects and report issues.

“We only measure in terms of improving people’s lives. It makes no sense to use graphs, numbers and bars just because of our love of numbers and figures, they must effectively push municipal management to have a greater impact on the people.”

Mayor Tomás Vodanovic

“Teams no longer come with proposals unless they have data. “Hey, I think that’s a good idea” isn’t enough. Now people come with a georeferenced proposal, analyzed or compared with other municipalities. In other words, analysis is already part of the process.”

Natalie González, leader of the Government Center in Maipú, Chile

Transparency and rebuilding public trust have been integral to Maipú’s efforts to improve SMAPA. Management launched a robust communications campaign, using social media, newsletters and community meetings to inform and engage residents. In addition, educational initiatives, such as the Museum of Water, share the history and importance of SMAPA as the only municipal water service in the country.

Maipú’s efforts bore fruit: the City went from 29,000 water leaks in 2021 to less than 2,000 in 2024. Today, Maipú’s innovative approach serves as a model for other cities that want to make their public services reliable for the community. This is a testament to what can be achieved when technology and transparency drive public service.

“The What Works Cities Certification is an important tool for recognition and internal mobilization. It shows that we value the good performance of city workers and is an example for others to follow.”

Mayor Tomás Vodanovic

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San Fernando, Chile

After the Flood, a Disaster Relief Upgrade

Project Type:
Environment, Health and Utilities, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Technology

At a Glance

100% of the municipal administrative process for climate emergency relief was digitized after the destructive floods of June 2023.

The average response time of the municipality to provide food and other assistance to flood victims in 2024 decreased from six to two days.

Introduced an emergency phone line that was able to receive a daily peak of 150 to 200 calls during winter emergencies, a significantly higher volume than its average of six calls per day.

Used data science to segment the population within the network of three primary health centers, which will reduce overcrowding in one of the centers by 79%.

In June 2023, disaster struck San Fernando. Residents of the provincial capital city, which sits along the Tinguiririca River in central Chile, watched as floodwaters rose following the heaviest rainfall to hit the region in decades. Nearly 600 families living in vulnerable neighborhoods were affected. Some lost everything.

To receive emergency aid, flood victims had to register with the government through a laborious process. The main communication channel connecting residents was the telephone—but the City could only handle eight calls at one time. Government officials met with affected residents, taking notes on paper to record individuals’ needs and locations. Sometimes documents would get wet and damaged, requiring additional work and slowing aid delivery. The analog process was time-consuming. Relief supplies, such as food and clothing, didn’t reach those in need for six days, on average.

Image courtesy of the City of San Fernando.

Following the disaster, the Municipality decided to create a Directorate for Disaster Risks, which leads and coordinates responses to climatic emergencies. (The Municipality also built a new retaining wall to mitigate future flood risks.) Leaders of this new office quickly made the decision to bring disaster relief administration into the 21st century, in support of San Fernando’s inaugural data governance strategy. Spanning 2024-25, it aims to improve data-driven decision-making, efficiency and performance management.

The Directorate analyzed and then digitized each part of the emergency aid registration process. Its team then implemented a cloud-based platform to capture data from in-person visits, including from a new GIS tool detailing exact locations of individuals in need. New digital infrastructure also sped up aid delivery reporting processes and allowed local officials to gain a more current understanding of disaster relief operations.

It didn’t take long for digitization to deliver value to residents. In 2024, the Tinguiririca River flooded again. There were fewer flood victims, thanks to improved physical barriers as well as flood awareness communications from the Directorate. The residents who did require aid saw help arrive within just two days, on average, thanks to faster relief registration and aid delivery processes.

This is just one example of the benefits San Fernando is seeing as it upgrades its digital infrastructure, says Mayor Pablo Silva Perez. He created the City’s Continuous Improvement and Data Science departments after his election in 2021. “Better data infrastructure sets the stage for improving our operations and decision-making. We see how it improves our city, and we’re just getting started.”

“In an era of tight budgets, data-driven decision-making allows government to optimize the use of resources and maximize benefits to residents. The What Works Cities certification process is so valuable because it supports all this, and much more.”

Mayor Pablo Silva Perez

“Data is an extraordinary tool for improving cities. If I could say one thing to leaders of cities around the world, it is: Don’t doubt the value of data and don’t hesitate to begin and then continue the work of creating a new governing normal.“

Mayor Pablo Silva Perez

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Savannah, Georgia, USA

Using Data to Guide a Parks and Rec Transformation

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Transportation

At a Glance

The Recreation Reimagined initiative uses resident feedback and detailed data on facility conditions to prioritize investments in aquatic centers, athletic facilities and community centers.

Traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements cut fatal traffic accidents by 56% and serious injury crashes by 33% between September 2023 and September 2024.

Savannah’s Community Partnership Program takes a results-driven approach to collaborating with nonprofits by contracting for services via a competitive process.

If you want to see how Savannah is transforming its parks and recreation facilities, it’s best to pick a hot summer day. That’s when the city’s sparkling new splash pads buzz with kids dashing through spray fountains and newly renovated public pools are packed with swimmers.

It wasn’t always like this. Savannah had underinvested in recreation for years. Splash parks were little more than weathered concrete slabs where water poured out of a pipe. Pools had not been resurfaced in 20 years, and were often closed due to equipment failures.

The revitalization is the result of Recreation Reimagined, a city initiative that is improving parks and rec programming and upgrading recreation facilities across Savannah using federal pandemic relief dollars. Tired community centers are getting fresh coats of paint, new furniture and gaming consoles to attract teenagers. Basketball and tennis courts are getting resurfaced. Athletic fields are getting new lighting and turf. And playgrounds are getting new slides, swings and play equipment.

“We’ve created a new Information and Public Affairs Service Center. Their job is to wake up every day thinking about data — how we collect it, how we visualize it, how we analyze it, how we use it to make decisions, how we use it to engage residents to understand their needs and involve them in decision making, and how we use it to tell our story better.”

City Manager Jay Melder

City leaders grounded the entire effort in data. First, they surveyed more than 800 residents on the state of current recreational services and what amenities they wanted to see. Splash pads and pool renovations ranked high on that list, as did walking and biking paths, playgrounds and dog parks. City leaders used this data as one of their guides in deciding what kinds of facilities to invest in.

Next, they sent city staff across Savannah to conduct the city’s first physical assessment of every picnic table, bike rack, trail, trash can and see-saw — more than 5,000 items in all. Before the assessment, the City trained staff on how to classify both the appearance and functionality of equipment using the same methodology to yield consistent citywide data.

“Oftentimes, departments request funding but they don’t have data to back it up — it’s just ‘take my word for it,’” says Taffanye Young, Savannah’s Chief Community Services Officer. “Having this data was a big help for us.”

One way the data helped was in prioritizing investments to public spaces with the greatest needs (based on the resident survey and physical assessment). The data also enabled city leaders to bundle procurements for everything from playground equipment to court resurfacings, yielding lower prices and helping to deliver results quickly.

Residents can see the difference, and are coming out to parks and rec facilities in greater numbers. In 2024, pool attendance was up 40 percent over the previous year, participation in youth programs was up 37 percent and 13 percent more meals were served to seniors.

“I firmly believe that the quality of your facilities speaks volumes about how much you care about the people who live there,” Young says. “Our focus is to show that we’re good stewards, prioritize the projects and deliver quick victories. We want people out in these neighborhoods saying, ‘A year ago I said I wanted a splash pad, and now it’s here.’”

“Achieving What Works Cities Certification shows that we’re really moving the needle. You can’t make that judgement internally. You have to have someone outside look at what you’re doing. When I first explained to our team about pursuing Certification, I told them it might reveal some truths about ourselves that we don’t like. But we’ll take it, and we’ll learn from it, and we’ll adjust.”

Mayor Van Johnson

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Guatemala City, Guatemala

Improving the Quality of Life in Neighborhoods Through Public Space, Resident Participation and Preventive Security

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Equity, Health and Wellbeing, Technology

At a Glance

44% reduction in criminal activity (on average) in 2019 compared to 2016 in six neighborhoods prioritized through the program Prosperous Neighborhood. 12% reduction in crime victims and 26% increase in the perception of security in the Próspero San José La Chácara neighborhood in 2022.

More than 275,000 residents benefitted directly or indirectly from the Prosperous Neighborhood between 2017 to 2023.

Residents of all ages created 1,216 drawings of their ideal neighborhood in the Neighborhood of Your Dreams workshops. These drawings informed the design of public space improvements.

In a 2023 survey, 90% of respondents in the Próspero San José La Chácara neighborhood said that improving public spaces contributes to improving relations between neighbors.

The preventive security and protection of a neighborhood is strengthened when residents feel empowered to improve and control public spaces. This simple but powerful idea is a fundamental premise of Guatemala City’s Prosperous Neighborhood Program, promoted by Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez, which combines data analysis and resident participation to increase safety and improve quality of life in neighborhoods in this growing city. The Prosperous Neighborhood Program, implemented by the Municipality of Guatemala, with the support of the Embassy of the United States of America in Guatemala and the Government of Guatemala, focuses on three main areas:

Work in the neighborhood to revitalize and improve public spaces that promote social gatherings, recreation, and community events.
Increasing civic participation of residents, through training, social, cultural, recreational and economic strengthening programs.
Collaboration between police and the community to improve security, promoting peaceful coexistence and order.

Inauguration of the Lavarreda Community Kiosk with Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez, representatives from the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala, National Civil Police and residents. Image Courtesy of Guatemala City.

The first step was to identify where to start the program. In 2016, with the support of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Civil Police and other government agencies, Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez’s delegates identified the six municipal areas with the highest crime rates. These six zones comprise 38% of the city’s area and are home to 64% of its population. Subsequently, the program team identified the areas where there was the highest concentration of criminal acts in each area. For the first phase of the program (2017-2019), six neighborhoods with high population concentration adjacent to these areas with higher crime rates were prioritized to make improvements, seeking to strengthen citizen coexistence and improve security with a preventive approach. For the second phase, three priority neighborhoods were added (2020-2022).

The City sought a successful crime prevention model to inform improvements in public spaces. The municipal government team involved residents in priority neighborhoods through exploratory walks, surveys and workshops. For example, the “Neighborhood of Your Dreams” workshops allowed residents of all ages to express their visions for improvements through drawings.

The improvements in public spaces varied depending on the neighborhood, since they respond to the needs that the neighbors expressed about each one. For example, in one of the nine neighborhoods intervened to date, in the area of San José La Chácara and Saravia in Zone 5, more than 15,000 residents have directly benefited, since a new promenade has been implemented that includes a bike lane, exercise machines, trees and improved lighting.

Regarding preventive security infrastructure, a Community Kiosk was installed in the existing park. The strategy to locate these facilities seeks to build them close to squares, parks or public transport stations, integrated into a video surveillance system and constant training for police officers, since they are articulated with existing police stations, stations and substations of the National Civil Police.

The overall results are encouraging: more than 12,000 square meters of public spaces recovered in 9 neighborhoods, including squares, parks, walks and bike paths, directly benefiting more than 119,000 people.

For residents, the benefits of the Prosperous Neighborhood Program included a reduction in crime rates and an increase in perceptions of safety. For example, a survey conducted in 2022 of residents of San José La Chácara and Saravia found a 12% reduction in crime victims, a 26% increase in the perception of safety and an increase of seven hours in the use of public parks.

Infographic of highlights and achievements of the Prosperous Neighborhood Program. Courtesy of Guatemala City.

Looking ahead, the Municipality of Guatemala will continue to expand the program while optimizing its approach based on data and lessons learned. Since 2023, it has expanded the Program to 36 neighborhoods, benefiting 48% of the municipality’s population. The results so far confirm that sustainably improving public safety requires more than simply deploying police resources. When residents can confidently use the public spaces they feel are their own, it produces a deeper sense of community—and a more prosperous and secure Guatemala City.

“The city is our home and the goal is for us to love it. Let’s take care of it, live in it and improve it together.”

Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez

“Strengthening coexistence between neighbors and improving security in the neighborhoods are priorities for the Prosperous Neighborhood program. We aim to improve the quality of life and create a city with opportunities for all.”

Mayor Ricardo Quiñónez

Plaza El Limón was revitalized as part of Prosperous Neighborhood. Image Courtesy of Guatemala City.

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Las Condes, Chile

Crime Falls as Data-Driven Governance Rises

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Environment, Equity, Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Technology, Transportation

At a Glance

More than 3,000 innovative security technologies, including cameras, sensors and drones in Las Condes. Of these, there are about 1,900 video surveillance cameras that stream data to an analytics software that detects possible crimes.

Robberies fell by 22% in 2023.

51 different movements the analytics program flags as potential problems.

Crime rates have risen in recent years in Latin America. But Las Condes, an affluent municipality of about 340,000 people that abuts Chile’s capital city, offers a different story: Its crime levels have fallen. For Las Condes’ leaders, this is proof that their strategy for improving public safety is working as planned.

Las Condes doesn’t have its own police force—instead there are municipal guards that are usually first responders. Municipal guards help uphold local regulations and maintain public order, but have limited law enforcement authority. Thus, state police forces are ultimately responsible for public safety. So leaders turned to technology, not manpower, to help make the city safer. Setting up a municipal network of security cameras around the city was key. To determine the most effective sites for thousands of cameras, the City identified locations with high numbers of thefts and other crimes between 2018 and 2022. The next step was integrating the cameras (there are now about 1,900 in place) with a predictive analytics software platform that could support fast police responses. The software analyzes data from the videos and automatically alerts municipal guards to potential crimes.

“For us, a smart city is not about gadgets; it’s a strategy and, of course, it’s always evolving.”

Daniela Peñaloza, Mayor

While Las Condes’ leaders were confident the security video network would boost safety, they also understood that residents had legitimate privacy concerns. To address them, officials make footage available to residents upon request. They’re also transparent about how the cameras are used—and how they fit into Las Condes’ larger public safety strategy.

Mayor Daniela Peñaloza calls the analytics system the City’s “brain.” And data-driven decision-making didn’t end once the strategy was up and running.

The City maintains a heat map detailing crime—e.g., where it happened, what was stolen, mode of transportation, etc. Each week, municipal inspectors review the map, while also tracking a predictive crime model fed by fresh data.

In 2022, crime fell across all categories except one: pedestrian robberies. After digging into the data, including video footage, officials realized there was a surge in crimes committed by people disguised as motorcycle delivery drivers. In response, the City’s public safety inspectors began using motorcycles to improve their mobility and address robbery hotspots. The result: Robberies dropped by 22% in 2023. As of May 2024, crime has dropped by 29% compared to the same period in 2023.

For Mayor Peñaloza, this is just one example that illustrates the power of data-driven governance. “In Las Condes, data paired with advanced analytics has become an essential part of our strategy for improving public safety,” she says.

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Issaquah, Washington, USA

Data Helps Issaquah Close Gaps in Homeless Services

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Equity, Housing

At a Glance

Staff from the City’s Homeless Outreach program had 1,555 interactions with unhoused community members between September 2021 and January 2024. On average, it takes four to five interactions with a person before they consider accepting services.

Created and launched Data Quah, a data training program for staff. All new hires participate in Data Quah 101 to learn about the City’s data collection and tracking systems. Over 50% of staff engaged with Data Quah in its first year.

Monitored crime trends and partnered with local businesses to gather and share data. In 2023, burglaries fell by 37% and thefts by 26%.

Using data to show how investment in the arts promotes tourism and economic development. The City tracks requests for arts grants, providing insight into community-wide needs and allowing for more strategic funding decisions. (Jakob is a city art highlight.)

Staff from the City of Issaquah’s Human Services team first met John in September 2021. At the time he was camping under bridges and had been homeless for four years. It took repeated meetings to build enough trust with John to begin the process of finding him a permanent home. With the help of the City, federal rental assistance and family, John moved into an apartment in March 2022.

John is one of 37 people the City has helped move into permanent housing since it began its Homeless Outreach Program in June 2021. It has also provided unhoused community members with over 1,000 connections to services, such as temporary shelter, transportation and medical treatment.

The Homeless Outreach Program started with a goal of filling information gaps about homelessness in Issaquah. Data collected by the Human Services team showed that homelessness was more prevalent than originally thought, and that shelter, treatment and affordable housing were needed in Issaquah. These findings were incorporated into the first-ever Human Services Strategic Plan, which includes goals and action steps for effectively responding to homelessness. In 2022, the City began using an online dashboard to track data from the Homeless Outreach Program and share timely updates with the community.

“We’ve got some good data over time. But are we really able to tell that we got the outcome that we were trying to? Not just that we tried, but that we moved the needle.”

Mayor Mary Lou Pauly

Trends emerged from the data. Because Issaquah didn’t have an emergency shelter, people had to leave town for a bed, something many did not want to do. Even when they were willing to accept shelter, 43% of the time no beds were available in the regional shelters. To fill the need, the Homeless Outreach Program began collaborating with a local hotel franchise to provide emergency shelter during extreme winter weather.

The initiative was modeled on a successful hotel-based emergency shelter program King County ran during the pandemic to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Human Services staff found that people were more likely to accept shelter in a motel room in Issaquah during extreme weather than other shelter options. The stability of the motel also allowed staff to engage more consistently with individuals, build trust faster and make quicker progress on service goals.

Seeing the positive outcomes, the City proposed expanding the collaboration with the motel beyond short-term shelter and into emergency housing. Data gathered from the homeless outreach encounters led to the City Council’s approval of a pilot program. The pilot program dedicated 12 rooms in the motel to supporting community members as they move from homelessness to permanent housing. The Human Services team, in partnership with the City’s Performance Program Analyst, will continue to collect and analyze data, look for trends, and evaluate whether their approach is alleviating homelessness in Issaquah.

From left WWC’s Emily Ferris, Issaquah’s Assistant to the City Administrator Dale Markey-Crimp, and WWC’s Jake Hemphill in front of Issaquah’s troll, Jakob Two Trees. Jakob is one of six trolls that form a large-scale public art installation.

“I was approved for a voucher to find housing. They did that for me!! The City of Issaquah rescued me but that’s only part of it. The man, Amir, who helped me went above and beyond the call of duty. He drove me places to apply, he paid deposits and holding fees. He started out as a case manager, but I consider him my friend.”

John, Issaquah resident who experienced homelessness

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Luján de Cuyo, Argentina

Bajo Luján’s Journey to New Housing.

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Environment, Equity, Health and Wellbeing, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Technology, Transportation

At a Glance

Relocated more than 1200 families who lived in flood-prone areas.

Created a workforce development initiative that employed residents, renovated public land and expanded access to recycling centers.

Improved access to territorial data, which made getting land permit data faster—going from months of waiting to just three clicks. The platform, Luján 3D, allows renovations and housing development to have substantial improvements.

Improved accessibility for residents with disabilities through an adapted bicycle program.

In 2016, a survey conducted by the city of Luján de Cuyo, Argentina, revealed a heartbreaking reality. There were about 3,500 families who lived in marginal or informal neighborhoods, of which 700 were concentrated in the Bajo Luján area, often without basic services. The most vulnerable residents lived near a flood-prone river, underscoring the urgency for change. As a result, the City developed an ambitious urbanization and relocation project, supported by the World Bank.

At the heart of the initiative was a resident-driven approach. Residents were surveyed to identify and prioritize needs, including proximity to employment, family size, and level of need to minimize disruption to their daily lives. Efforts to monitor the impact of this relocation were key. A survey and audit process was initiated, capturing residents’ experiences before, during and after the move. This data was visualized through PowerBI dashboards, allowing real-time tracking of project progress.

“Governing is making decisions. Doing it well requires exceptional use of data. If we intend to achieve real impact in the community, our public policies must be data-driven. We dream of becoming an international example of well-managed local government.”

Esteban Allasino, Mayor

The result was the construction of 700 homes in 11 neighborhoods.

This enormous initiative not only provided new homes, but restored a sense of human dignity and trust in government for those who had long been marginalized.

Seven hundred safe and practical homes is a significant achievement.

Additionally, the community intervened and regularized other settlements benefiting 500 families, completing a very ambitious stage that managed to reach more than 35% of the most vulnerable sector of the City.

But the government did not stop there. City leaders knew that housing is only one part of poverty. Thus, in an effort to create employment opportunities, the city turned its attention to residents who worked at the landfills as urban recyclers.

These families made a living collecting recyclable materials from garbage dumps. To help them, the following public policies were promoted: Closure and remediation of garbage dumps, Social inclusion of urban reclaimers, Inclusive Recycling Program – Centro Verde. In this way, the city, together with a group of neighbors, mainly women, officially formed a cooperative. The City provided land and necessary infrastructure.

The Fortress of My Earth, which now has nearly 30 members, launched a program that uses geographic information system (GIS) data to strategically place recycling bins throughout the city. This project successfully increased the number of Green Dots from 8 to 65, ensuring that residents could easily find a container within 500 meters of their homes. This caused a notable increase in recycling from 2021 to 2023.

The story doesn’t end there. In 2021, the City cut the ribbon on Luján Park, located in the previously abandoned housing settlement Bajo Luján. The area has been transformed into a lively community space, with children’s play areas with equipment made from recycled plastic from the cooperative.

The Bajo Luján and Centro Verde projects reveal how intertwined initiatives can have an exponential impact on residents’ lives. They boosted citywide sustainability, helping hundreds of Luján de Cuyo residents achieve housing stability and financial independence and building much-needed trust in local government.

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Rionegro, Colombia

Leveraging Data for Fiscal Sustainability

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Transportation

At a Glance

Has one of the lowest unemployment rates for mid-sized cities in Colombia at 7.5% in 2023, compared to the national unemployment rate of 9.3% in 2023.

Created the Tax Intelligence Center (CIF), through which the City developed its internal data management capacity and increased tax revenue by USD $14,000 in 2022.

In 2021, improved public safety by increasing the number of cameras throughout the City from 65 to 337, which has corresponded to reductions in theft, sexual and domestic violence, and extortion.

Implemented a data-driven triage system for hospital emergency rooms, saving the city $377,500 USD in operating costs (a 91% decrease according to the Secretary of Family, Health, and Social Inclusion).

In recent decades, Rionegro, Colombia, has invested heavily in sectors to improve quality of life for residents, such as housing, sanitation and public spaces. However, this investment has come at a cost, and since 2017, the Rionegro government has operated with a budget deficit. At the same time, the population of Rionegro has grown and its economy has diversified. At the same time, Rionegro’s population has grown and its economy has diversified, and while these developments open opportunities for Rionegro, they also come with challenges.

In response, Rionegro created the Fiscal Intelligence Center (CIF). CIF is a comprehensive citywide initiative to use analytics and business intelligence to monitor, manage, evaluate and optimize Rionegro’s financial decisions, notably regarding taxes. Through this data-driven approach, the City is better able to combat tax evasion by using data to choose who to audit. CIF’s work to revamp tax collection is about more than making sure residents contribute their fair share—it aims to transform the culture through taxpayer outreach so that residents see themselves in Rionegro’s development and build trust in city government.

What are CIF’s results?

Rionegro’s industry and commerce revenues increased by 22% in 2022 and another 24% in 2023.

Residents and city staff alike understand that more revenue means more opportunities for the government to address issues that matter, such as employment, security, community projects and health care.

For instance, Rionegro struggled with overcrowded emergency rooms as residents, especially those from rural communities, flocked to emergency rooms with non-emergency needs. In 2022, Rionegro found that 93% of patients were admitted to emergency rooms for non-emergency services.

With strong data practices and increased revenue, Rionegro launched the Te Acompaño platform in coordination with other health service institutions. Te Acompaño helps redirect patients who might not need emergency services from emergency rooms and educate them on how to best seek alternate forms of care. Within the first year, the platform reached 8,000 users, helped improve health care resource savings by 91%, and saved the city’s health care system USD $377,500 in operations costs. In a resident survey, 93% of Te Acompaño users said they were satisfied with the service.

CIF is not a behind-the-scenes government initiative, it’s a program that directly impacts residents. From health care to mobility to employment, Rionegro’s residents are seeing how increased digitization and efficiency allow the City to provide better services and build trust with residents.

“With the commitment, support and coordination between the municipal administration and all the actors in the network, it will be possible to improve access and opportunity to health services.”

Felipe Puerta, former Secretary of Family, Health and Social Integration

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Port St. Lucie, Florida

Residents Tag Mobility as Priority. Port St. Lucie Uses Data to Deliver.

Project Type:
Community Engagement, Infrastructure, Public Safety, Transportation

At a Glance

In 2023, launched a newly formatted Port St. Lucie Stat program, moving from an annual review of operations to quarterly reviews.

Collects resident input through an annual Citizen Summit and National Community SurveyTM.

In response to resident demand for better mobility options, the City developed and found funding streams to support a Sidewalk Master Plan, Multimodal Plan and Mobility Plan.

Anticipating new jobs bringing over 9 million sq. ft. of new office, retail, research and industrial developments, the City created a jobs corridor with public art and green space requirements.

Port St. Lucie is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, adding more than 35,000 new residents in the past three years. This rapid growth comes with benefits and challenges. But, with the help of data and resident input, the Mayor, City Council and staff are successfully managing today’s growth and planning for the future.

At the heart of their efforts is Port St. Lucie’s strategic plan. First developed in 2013, the plan is updated annually to reflect residents’ priorities as gathered at the #IAMPSL Citizen Summit and through a National Community Survey(NCS)TM. The City strives to make the Citizen Summit fun and easy for residents to attend – approximately 800 people came in 2023. The NCSTM takes a different approach for reaching residents. Run by the National Research Center at Polco, the survey is sent to a scientifically random sampling of households.

For several years now, residents have made it clear – at both the Citizen Summit and through the NCSTM – that improving mobility around the city should be a priority. In 2023, only 4 in 10 residents said it was easy to walk around the city and even fewer thought it was easy to bike or use public transit. These findings are not necessarily surprising. Port St. Lucie was developed as a retirement community in the 1960s and included few sidewalks. But, in line with resident feedback, the City has made adding more sidewalks a key infrastructure priority in its strategic plan.

In 2017, the City Council approved an enhanced 10-year Sidewalk Master Plan to add 35 miles of sidewalks, particularly on streets within a two-mile radius of schools, and to create a network of connected sidewalks. Progress on the plan has been helped by a resident-approved half-cent sales tax increase for infrastructure projects. As with its other strategic goals, the City tracks its performance on the Sidewalk Master Plan on a public dashboard. It also recently revamped its Port St. Lucie Stat program to meet quarterly and to align with best practices on strategic planning and establishing performance metrics. This allows the Public Works and Police Departments to better collaborate on mobility solutions in response to traffic data. The Police Department also has a Stat program in place as part of their data-informed approach.

And the City has not stopped with the Sidewalk Master Plan. In 2021, it began exploring multimodal planning as a way to increase sidewalk connectivity, expand transit coverage, reduce congestion, and accelerate street repairs and improvements. State legislation allows local governments with multimodal plans to collect flexible mobility fees on new developments instead of road-specific impact fees. The City adopted both a Multimodal Plan and a Mobility Plan in order to access this flexible funding. As of September 2023, the City had collected $22 million in mobility fees to invest in projects that will have the biggest impact for current and future residents.

“The City of Port St. Lucie has a strategic plan to bring the City towards an even better future. Each year, our nationally award-winning planning process begins with listening to the input and ideas of Port St. Lucie residents. Through this process, residents can truly help shape the future of their City.”

Kate Parmelee, Deputy City Manager for Strategic Initiatives & Innovation

“Basically everything we do here is based on our strategic plan.”

Shannon Martin, Mayor

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