Where local government and tech intersect

Yelp’s recently released Economic Impact Report found that between March and August of this year, an estimated 163,735 U.S. businesses closed their doors, with 60% shutting down permanently. Unsurprisingly, the most impacted businesses were those

“Disasters don’t stop for a virus,” said former FEMA administrator, Craig Fugate. The Atlantic hurricane season that started on June 1, was predicted to be one of the most active hurricane seasons on record. With the

Halloween 2020 will be remembered as one unlike any before. Frankenstein masks are being replaced with surgical masks, haunted houses will go unvisited, and door-to-door trick-or-treating may not happen at all. Local governments across the

A Pew Research Study conducted in August found that nearly half of American voters are approaching this year’s presidential election with uncertainty due to the combination of the pandemic and a fear of cyber attacks.

Co-Author: Assaf Frances 7 Takeaways from this year’s Biggest City/County Manager Conference – ICMA UNITE COVID-19 has determined a new normal, and conferences certainly haven’t been exempt. For many city/county managers and urban geeks (like

With over 3,000 counties throughout the US, county officials are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to help local county leaders navigate these uncharted territories, Zencity held an open discussion with

Counties’ role in facilitating the electoral process is more critical than ever before due to COVID-19. Overcome communication challenges this upcoming election by reading our guide for local government leaders.

Residents are engaging with their local governments more than ever before particularly on the topic of reopening schools during a pandemic. See what their top concerns are.

In a personal note, following the announcement of raising 13.5M in new funding, Eyal Feder-Levy, CEO and Co-Founder of Zencity, shares why it is especially exciting right now and how this funding will be used to continue working tirelessly for local governments.

As budget shortfalls impact the nation, US citizens are voicing their opinions online. Learn why transparent local government communication is vital in your FY21 planning.

Masks are here to stay. Therefore, understanding what your residents have to say about them is critical. Zencity analyzed over 9.7M online interactions to understand what Americans are saying about face masks and collected best practices for local government communications surrounding masks.

Co-Author: Assaf Frances Public events and gatherings were (and are continuing to be) postponed, altered or cancelled altogether in response to Coronavirus sweeping the nation; but what are local governments planning for the upcoming federal

For census content to cut through the online noise, it needs to be relevant, digestible, engaging, and even a bit humorous. Zencity gathered a few tips, resources, and ideas for how to increase awareness to your census content and increase response rate during this time.

Zencity is helping local government leaders unlock the critical insights found in residents’ online discourse about COVID-19, so they can understand developing trends, tackle misinformation, and use the data to create actionable insights.

While our economy was mostly shut down for the past couple of months, many of our parks and green spaces remained open to allow people to maintain some sort or normalcy as well as their physical and mental health. In the months to come, it is evident that the “new normal” will take its toll on how we spend our time outdoors and enjoy our green spaces.

Co-Author: Michaela Sokol COVID-19 has impacted cities, both big and small, across the U.S. Subsequently, the varying ways in which it has affected these cities also differs greatly. College towns are communities that are dominated

Co-Author: Michaela Sokol The majority of the American population is currently under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order due to COVID-19. However, as a result of the economic impact from coronavirus, some states are beginning to

Co-Author: Carmel Blanca While the Coronavirus outbreak has been significantly impacting all segments of the population, Californians are not only concerned for their own well-being, but are also actively expressing interest in the safety and

Coronavirus has placed a significant strain on communities throughout the world. Since the beginning of March, residents across the United States have been dealing with the physical threat, and subsequent economic instability, of the novel

At-risk communities are not only those who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, often due to limited access to healthcare, mobility and reduced hygiene, but these people are also most vulnerable to the economic

In order to keep businesses afloat, local government authorities, alongside residents and businesses themselves, are stepping up to fill the “time is money and money is time gap” in both traditional and innovative ways.

With activitations of state of emergencies throughout the U.S. and self-isolation periods lasting beyond a month, the very fabric of society has been impacted . Many local government CIOs had contingency plans in place pre-corona,

Stronger together, weaker apart; or so the saying goes. In the wake of the Coronavirus era social distancing has become the new norm and we all need to find a way to stay apart while

COVID-19 has made it harder for local governments to physically hear from their communities, especially at a time when they need their feedback the most. City halls are closed, many local government teams are working

As the coronavirus new normal sets in and confines people largely to their homes, residents are continuing to utilize a range of social media platforms to voice their concerns/interests related to the outbreak. The public

As another week goes by, it seems like the world is starting to set into a  new normal, a coronavirus normal. The coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdowns, self-isolation, and school closures have meant that communities

The coronavirus outbreak is completely changing day to day realities across the world, and fast. As more cities announce positive cases, create new policies, and implement different measures, the concerns of their communities change as

As the coronavirus starts to spread across the US, so too has online discourse about the new pandemic, including questions, concerns and misinformation.  Subsequently, local government agencies across the country find themselves on the frontlines

Census 2020 is right around the corner and local authorities are gearing up for the biggest count of the decade! To help your city evaluate and refine its approach to the 2020 Census, Zencity’s Urban