Mayor's Office of Innovation 2022 Impact Report

We're excited to announce that San Francisco has been awarded a three-year grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to boost digital innovation within City government! This grant, part of Bloomberg's Innovation in Government portfolio, puts San Francisco alongside an esteemed cohort of global cities, including Amsterdam, Bogotá, Mexico City, Reykjavík, and Washington, D.C.

With this support, our newly rebranded Mayor’s Office of Innovation (formerly the Office of Civic Innovation) will make some exciting changes. We'll be shifting from the Department of Technology to the Mayor’s Office, expanding our team, and diving into cross-departmental digital challenges. 

Mayor London Breed highlighted the potential impact of the Office's data-driven approach, stating, "Thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies, we can improve how San Francisco serves all residents and create a more efficient, accessible, and equitable government."

Learn more here. 

Examining Scattered Sites: How can we better engage Landlords?

In 2022, the newly formed Mayor’s Office of Innovation ("i-Team") zeroed in on improving accountability and efficiency within San Francisco's response to homelessness. Our primary project focused on the Scattered Site Housing program, a permanent supportive housing initiative designed to help people experiencing homelessness secure stable housing in privately owned apartments rather than in traditional, centralized shelters or congregate settings. Through rental subsidies, the program enables participants to live independently across various neighborhoods, providing a more community-integrated and less institutional approach to housing.

The challenge? Recruiting landlords to participate in this crucial program has been a significant hurdle, slowing efforts to house people swiftly and effectively. The i-Team, tasked by the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), stepped in to drive landlord engagement and increase the geographic diversity of housing options for voucher recipients.

Using user-centered design and data analytics, we mapped the challenges facing landlords, service providers, and clients. Through a mix of primary research—interviews, surveys, and site visits—and data analysis, our team developed a strategic approach to improve landlord recruitment and retention, streamline the housing process, and explore options for expanding the city’s rental assistance portfolio.

Stay tuned as we share updates on this project’s journey and our ongoing commitment to accelerating San Francisco’s progress in providing safe, stable housing for all. Learn more about the project here.

Building Accountability and Transparency in San Francisco's Homelessness Response

In our first year as the i-Team, we’ve focused on one of Mayor Breed's key priorities: increasing accountability in the City’s homelessness response system. This year, we’ve concentrated on enhancing programs like the Scattered Sites program to improve service delivery and develop new approaches to tackle homelessness.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to launch a website dedicated to providing clear, accessible information on the City’s homelessness strategies, goals, and progress. But we know transparency isn’t just about what we decide to share—it’s about listening to the people we serve. That’s why, over the next year, our team will be out in the community, gathering input through surveys and workshops in libraries, street fairs, and farmer’s markets across San Francisco.

We’ll be asking questions like: What does accountability mean to you? What does progress on homelessness look like? Where do you go to find information, and what’s missing? These insights will shape our work, ensuring we build solutions that reflect our community’s needs and priorities as we work toward a more accountable and effective response to homelessness. Learn more about our initiative here. 

This year’s Civic Bridge projects supported San Francisco’s Department on the Status of Women (DOSW) and the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) improve their data management and service transparency. Partnering with Zendesk, DOSW created a centralized data strategy, enabling streamlined data sharing across departments and strengthening its gender equity initiatives. Additionally, DPA’s collaboration with ZS Associates led to a secure, public-facing portal where complainants can track their cases in real-time, enhancing transparency and community trust. Together, these projects showcase Civic Bridge’s impact in building responsive, data-driven City services.