The Technology Innovation Challenge is coordinated by the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative, which works to combat and prevent homelessness in the nation’s most populous county. In addition to the county, participants include numerous cities and other entities.
“In partnership with the County of Los Angeles Office of the CIO, this competition will award $1.375 million to bold, human-centered and scalable solutions that will enhance service delivery to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in LA County,” says the announcement on the initiative’s website. “We are seeking bold technology solutions that reimagine service delivery for those experiencing homelessness in LA County, and that exemplify human-centered design, impact, scalability, and integration into the existing LA County homeless service delivery system.”
The county of Los Angeles “is engaging the tech sector to join us in forging bold new solutions and harness creative new approaches,” the announcement says.
The challenge covers four areas; they’re listed here, along with descriptions:
- Centralized Customer Portal: Improve access to services through direct communication between clients and case workers, electronic form submission, and real-time tracking of available housing, and other areas of need for homeless services.
- Customer-Drive Mobile Digital Services: Create customer-driven digital services based on user needs and improving access to services and management of program outcomes.
- Geo-Mapping Hub and Resources: Influence near real-time and accurate decision-making and alignment with forecasting and strategic plan using geo mapping for priorities including, but not limited to: identifying trends; tracking housing inventory/demand; and allocating staff, funding and other resources.
- Operational Reporting of Performance Outcomes: Improve outcomes reporting for the Homeless Initiative (tied to strategies) and track near real-time Measure H contracts, expenditures, and requirements.
The Homeless Initiative was created in 2015 by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. “In 2018, the response to a Request for Information (RFI) was strong, with more than 50 responses from a diverse representation of technology companies,” the site explains. “In 2019, the review of the RFI responses and input from Homeless Initiative leadership across LA … confirmed the solution areas and approach to support the Technology Innovation Challenge.”
The competition has five key concepts: “Enable and accelerate the countywide movement to combat and prevent homelessness. Identify business and/or customer needs first, look for a technology and/or data solution second. Think boldly and reimagine service delivery. Keep an open mind to the possibilities. And envision the outcome or future-state the County of Los Angeles needs to achieve through this process from the beginning.”
The rules are detailed online, and the initiative’s website includes multiple pages of instructions.
Up to 12 finalists will be chosen in May, and they will present their solutions to the Selection Committee at a live pitch event in Los Angeles in June.
Techwire will have more details on the initiative in coming days.
