Change by Us Philly, a website that allows civic-minded users to share ideas, network with like-minded people and connect with local resources, has launched in beta mode.
The local version of the site, which was originally launched in New York, asks users to propose local projects or initiatives and to collaborate with other people, allowing residents to organize and city officials to keep their finger on the pulse of issues important to communities.
Change by Us Philly is being developed by public service fellows Code for America and is funded by the Knight Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Case Foundation.
User-submitted ideas and opinions, which range from thought-provoking to humorous and have grown to 62 submissions in merely a day or two, so far include:
- Introduce more functional mobile devices to the patrolling police
offers; improving effect communications when responding to calls for
service. - Build software/media/arts/craft spaces in Kensington to empower
residents of the neighborhood to connect, share their stories, and
collaborate with one another. - Improve public safety within the City. Our citizens are under
attack….our children are under attack….our police officers are under
attack. - More solar-powered trash cans. Oregon Ave has none!
- To teach people how to eat sunflower seeds without leaving the shell casings all over the street/bus/subway floor.
- Cotton candy vendors on every corner.
- To set a goal for paperless city government by 2013.
- Weekly block-wide cleanups — an hour a day makes the chicken bones go away!
What would you like to see happen in Philly?
