City of Oakland Submits Response to US Dept of Transportation's Smart City Challenge

Addressing Secretary Foxx, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf ends her cover letter for the City’s response to the US Dept. of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge by writing that Oakland stands “ready to build the partnerships and policies to enable shared, connected and autonomous vehicles, and to harness the revolutions in data, communications and transportation technology. If you have any questions, please contact me or Matt Nichols, my Policy Director for Transportation and Infrastructure at mdnichols@oaklandnet.com. Thank you for your leadership and consideration of Oakland’s Smart and Equitable City Vision. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf

The City's final submission documents can be found here.

Smart Letter: Whatever you vividly imagine...

Dear Smart Oakland project team and supporters everywhere,

Smart Oakland and its draft Oakland+ response to the DOT's Smart City Challenge have received their first letter of support. Here's the link to the folder where we will post all of our letters as they come in.

Visualizing the Smart Oakland Vision Narrative

I have a previous commitment that will keep me busy from now until about 6pm this evening, so my ability to work on the draft will be very brief and sporadic today.

Smart Oakland Shifts Gears: Wrapping Up Idea Generation and Transitioning to Proposal Writing

To date, we have had over 3,600 page views of the Smart Oakland blog and we expect many more in the next week! Your ideas and comments have been a driving force in Oakland's open, crowdsourced response to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Smart City Challenge. Thank you Oakland and others pulling for Oakland everywhere!

With one week to go before proposals must be submitted, the Smart Oakland project team is shifting gears. Beginning tonight, Thursday, January 28, you are still invited to submit ideas and information, but the team may not be able to respond or address them until after the February 4th deadline.

Where in Oakland is Liberty Cheng...

Based on the enthusiastic reception and feedback of a number of schools and teachers of our special invitation to Oakland youth to help their city see its way to 2045, we have decided to extend the date for submissions of student projects to April 1, 2016. 

Between, now and then the Smart Oakland team welcomes any and all communication from students and their teacher and parents who would like to share how they are using the University of California's Center for Cities and Schools' Y-PLAN roadmap to help their city. 

Smart Oakland Announces Schedule for Final Week

Morning Team,

First, I am very pleased to report the working title of our response to the DOT's Smart City Challenge: 

Oakland Plus (Oakland+): A Smart & Sustainable Transportation Initiative 

Now and going forward, if anyone asks you how things are going with the proposal, you can simply direct them to www.oakland.plus and invite them to see for themselves.

Second, what follows is a detailed schedule for our last week of this Smart Oakland sprint:

Smart Letter: Back to the Future; or, Once Again, Parking Leads Development

Dear Brooke (Director of Oakland Public Works),

Over the past week, it has become increasingly apparent that Oakland's response to the US Dept. of Transportation's Smart City Challenge grant for $50 million will not only respond to a set of transportation problems with a suite of smart technology solutions, but also and perhaps more importantly it will respond to a significant institutional or business model challenge by putting forward an organizational innovation that builds directly on policies and practices that have been decades in the making.

Smart Oakland Proposal Writing Hackathon: Ignite Speech

Project manager and host for the day, Michael Ford, delivers an "ignite speech" to open the Smart Oakland Proposal Writing Hackathon, Friday, January 22, 2016.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 1. Vision

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 1. Vision.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 2. Population Characteristics

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 2. Population Characteristics.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 3. Other Characteristics

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 3. Other Characteristics.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 5. Project Approach & Alignment to Elements

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 5. Project Approach & Alignment to Elements.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 13. Cost share, in-kind donations and partnering opportunities

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 13. Cost share, in-kind donations and partnering opportunities.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 12. Commitment and Capacity

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 12. Commitment and Capacity.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 11. Goals & Objectives

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 11. Goals & Objectives.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 10. Cooperative Approach to Demonstration

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 10. Cooperative Approach to Demonstration.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 4. Demonstration Site Map

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 4. Demonstration Site Map.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 7. Project Partners and Governance Processes

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 7. Project Partners and Governance Processes.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 6. Risk Assessment & Mitigation

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section6. Risk Assessment & Mitigation Plans.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 8. Existing Transportation Infrastructure

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns 8. Existing Transportation Infrastructure.

Oakland.Plus -- Section 9: Data: Collection, Sharing and Security

Post-Hackathon Instructions for Contributors (including Smart Oakland Veterans & New Recruits)

Our all-day proposal writing "Hackathon" held yesterday at 250 FOP and online was a great success! Not only did it give the Smart Oakland community an opportunity to gather together to reflect on the ground we have covered over the past week-and-half, but to bounce ideas off of one another, affirm or bracket specific contributions, and begin to systematically order and develop those elements that are now making their way into the draft proposal.

This message (and its sibling post on www.smartoakland.com) is one of a dozen or more that focuses on a specific theme or section of the City’s response to the DOT $50 million funding opportunity. This particular message/post concerns Section 9: Data: Collection, Sharing and Security.

And we are off! Smart Oakland Proposal Writing Hackathon Begins...

The Smart Oakland project team has assembled and Michael is preparing to give his ignite speech! We don't have a way to broadcast, but we are filming it and will get it posted as soon as possible. Again, everyone is invited to follow along on our draft vision narrative -- click here.

What follows are the notes that the project manager posted on the Google Doc in the morning and structured much of our work through out the day.

Smart Oakland to Host Vision Narrative Writing Hackathon -- Friday, January 22, 2016

Smart Oakland is hosting its first and (hopefully) only “Vision Narrative Writing Hackathon” in a push to prepare the City of Oakland's response to the US Dept. of Transportation' Smart City Challenge.

When: Friday, January 22, 2016, 9:00am - 5:00pm (or whenever they force us to leave) 

Where: Online (here) and in person at 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, 4th Floor, Suite 4314 (unless we need to find a bigger room; note that in person participation will be limited to the Smart Oakland project team and select contributors)

Who: Anyone who cares about the future of Oakland, safe transportation, enhancing mobility, addressing climate change, the sharing economy, responsible and trustworthy government, "techquity" (sp?) and a slew of other important things that are making cities smart(er) is invited to participate by following along with "View" privileges online; members of the Smart Oakland project team and select contributors will be given "Comment" privileges. 

Never been part of a "hackathon" before? Not to worry--most of us haven't either! That being the case, let's get some comments going on this post with resources for putting on a successful event!

Sandcastle: The Importance of Smart Parking

This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart as my primary responsibility at the City of Oakland is managing the City's twenty municipal parking garages and lots. This past November at the California Public Parking Association (CPPA) annual conference, I had the honor of facilitating a general session workshop on the topic of "Smart Parking Initiatives," combining insights from Xerox, the City of Berkeley's goBerkeley program and recent efforts to study and implement smart meter technologies and demand-responsive parking strategies in Oakland.

CPPA Smart Parking Initiatives General Session Workshop (28.6mg file)

Thanks to Kevin from DKS, we have some more food for thought on the importance of smart parking in our response to the Dept. of Transportation's Smart Challenge.

What is crowdsourcing and what does it have to do with Smart Cities?

Earlier this month, the City of Oakland announced that it would be taking an unusual--and perhaps unprecedented--approach to preparing its response to the US Dept. of Transportation's Smart City Challenge notice of funding opportunity. 

The standard approach to grant writing is to dedicate city staff who, alone or together with hired consultants with subject matter expertise, research the opportunity, develop the proposal and complete the application packet.

Wikipedia is a famous example of a crowdsourcing effort that disrupted a centuries old industry and changed the way we relate to encyclopedic information

In response to the Smart City Challenge, however, the City has opted to use an open, crowdsourced approach. Will this fundamental shift in proposal writing strategy work? As Shakespeare said, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating." It took some time, but eventually Wikipedia pushed Encyclopedia Britannica off of the top shelf.

Smart Letters: The Public Economics of Smart Cities and the Internet of Things

Smart Letters are open letters addressed to individuals and groups that are in a unique position to help Smart Oakland address issues and answer questions that arise during our open, crowdsourced idea development process. This letter is addressed to Stanford Professor of Public Economics Raj Chetty.

Sandcastle: Smart Urban Genome Project

(Source: Pandora Investor Presentation, 2015 Q3, December 2015)

Anonymous got this sandcastle started with the following comment:

"Here is a thought...Pandora is a great Oakland business...Pandora transformed music discovery across genres by breaking apart the music genome...how can Smart Oakland channel (or even work with) Pandora to break apart the transportation genome for the smart city of the future...

Smart Cities 101

Wondering what a "Smart City" is? Have a good idea what it is, but would like to know what others are thinking and to share your ideas? If you can answer "yes" to either of these questions, then this is the Post for you! Smart Cities 101 is a primer that offers an introduction and a forum to continually develop the subject.

Smart City: Defined 

To get us started, let's consider a couple of influential (that is, often cited) definitions:

Sandcastle: Mobility Hubs Improve Access to Mobility, Address Climate Change

Josh had a good idea: "Development of mobility-as-a-service hubs in low income communities, perhaps with subsidized rentals of bike share, electric bikes, or other mobility tools?"

Sandcastle: In, Out & Around the Port of Oakland

Here are some pilot project ideas that the Port of Oakland has developed as part of their California Sustainable Freight Action Plan.

Innovative Modes of Transportation: Try Beating Mayor Libby Schaaf's Flaming Snail

Mayor Schaaf riding her flaming chariot in the Golden State Warriors championship parade--June, 2016. Oakland is Warriors Ground!

The Future of Smart: Oakland Youth Help Their City See Its Way to 2045

The U.S. Department of Transportation is challenging mid-size cities like Oakland to use bold and innovative thinking to improve safety, enhance mobility and address climate change. Only one city will be awarded $50 million to demonstrate how new “smart” technologies can help achieve these important outcomes. Mayor Libby Schaaf thinks that Oakland can be that one city, but only by inviting everyone to help.

The Future of Smart is a special invitation to Oakland youth to join this community-wide effort by helping their city see its way to 2045. The City is partnering with the UC Berkeley Center for Cities + Schools (CC+S) to utilize their proven Y-PLAN Roadmap for change to guide the visioning process.

1. Start up. Learn more about the “Smart City Challenge”; connect online with the “Smart Oakland Project” team. 
2. Make sense of Oakland. Study the ways that people and things move in, around and out of your neighborhood and other parts of Oakland; ask some people abut transportation safety, mobility and climate concerns; teamwork and collaboration are key!
3. Into action. Inspired by your new understanding of our City’s current transportation problems and the future possibilities, brainstorm together and generate an innovative proposal in the form of a short essay, artwork, video, or map to respond to the challenge.
4. Go public. As soon as possible, but no later than April 1st, 2016, submit your inspired creations to the Smart Oakland Project team by emailing smartoakland@gmail.com.
5. Looking forward and back. Join the Mayor and other officials in the Council Chambers in mid-April to celebrate our city-wide effort to envision a Smart(er) Oakland.

The Future of Smart initiative is sponsored by the City of Oakland and UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities + Schools. We ask that all essays, maps and artwork include a title or short description of the work’s importance (in the words of the student-artist). For date & time of the celebration, categories & prizes, instructional materials and related information, please visit this site again soon. Please email your questions or comments to mford@oaklandnet.com

Download The Future of Smart flyer here.