Atkinson Foundation hosts:CivicTech Hacknight #52

‘Hacking the system with SeeClickFix for low-income housing’

Judy Duncan (ACORN Canada) and Kate Collins (Toronto Star digital lab project)

Setting the scene…

In 2014, the Toronto Star’s digital lab was obsessed with civic data. They had a hypothesis that the right data could act as a hub, drawing community partners, its audience and newsroom to relate differently to each other as they tackled social goals.

David Eaves, an open government ‘visionary’, imagined how SeeClickFix’s 311 ticketing service could be pointed at more ambitious problems than Rob Ford’s potholes.

ACORN Canada, a membership-led advocacy non for profit, wanted passionately for people to see and hear about the inequity of moldy walls, leaky taps, bug infestations, and other deplorable conditions in Toronto’s low-income housing.

And the Atkinson Foundation saw an opportunity to go beyond being a funder. This is the story of what happened. It may not be the classic ‘civic tech’ project but it is the story of an unlikely and informal partnership, its ups, downs and its possibilities.

Who we are (a little about what realities, expectations, and ‘assets’ we, in this project partnership, brought to the initial meeting

The idea

Challenges along the way

What went well

Next steps /Possibilities

Start! Eaves pitches ideas to lab, and lab approaches Colette who introduces ACORN and lab to each other

Month 1 First idea generation meeting. Month 2 Re-group - we work out what’s possible (we come up with a plan)Months 3 Weekly calls – Lab set up the special instance of SeeClickFixMonth 4 Do a canvassing test with clip board and enter into systemMonth 7 Lab gets 3 iPad minis for canvassing teamsMonth 8 ACORN starts canvassing campaign (105 buildings - talked to

4,300 tenants and gathered 2800 property standards violations). These go up live on the SeeClickFix instance housed on the Star’s website/”The Fixer” sectionMonth 9 We analyze data, run into hurdles for uploading en masse to SCF. Newsroom assigns a reporter; editorial management flags concerns with verifying data collected by ACORN teamMonth 10 Team focuses on using data for pre-election action/ACORN ForumMonth 11 City Council electionMonth 13 ACORN delivers 2800 violations to MLS and the new Mayor at city hall -- press conference. Project on pause when lab is shut down.

Timeline