Info and video here: http://civictech.ca/?p=922&preview=true

1. 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)

2. 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.

3.  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

12. 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 SeeClickFix
Month 4 Do a canvassing test with clip board and enter into system
Month 7 Lab gets 3 iPad minis for canvassing teams
Month 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” section
Month 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 team
Month 10 Team focuses on using data for pre-election action/ACORN Forum
Month 11 City Council election
Month 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