The City of Carlsbad earned top-tier recognition in the Center for Digital Government’s 2022 Digital Cities Survey. The awards recognize cities that utilize technology to improve the government experience for their communities. Carlsbad ranked ninth in the nation among cities with a population of 75,000-124,999 for the second year in a row.

“This award showcases our city’s commitment to ensuring that we have the technology infrastructure in place to provide robust services and enhance the lives of all who live, work and play in Carlsbad,” the city’s Chief Innovation Officer David Graham said. “We’re proud to be recognized as one of the most innovative digital cities in the country.”

The city is committed to strategically invest in improving connectivity for its residents, businesses and visitors. As a connected city, Carlsbad is using information and communication technologies to increase efficiency, communication, transparency and the overall quality of government service. Carlsbad recognizes that the ever-increasing connectivity and integration of technologies demands a more unified approach, guided by a common understanding of needs and priorities.

As the city continues to grow and develop, the use of technology has also grown exponentially over the last two decades. The city developed Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap to provide a high-level, organized guide to the principles that matter to the city in creating a more connected community. Connected Carlsbad is Organized into the five primary goal areas approved by City Council, including:

• Pursue Community-wide Digital Transformation focuses on the foundational elements, including connectivity, up-to-date hardware and software, and a robust security strategy while providing an aspirational vision for the future.
• Build Capacity for Data-Driven Government focuses on the policies, procedures and staffing necessary for the city to fully capture the value of emerging models of data analytics.
• Foster a Vibrant Civic Engagement Culture builds upon the first two goals with a human- centered perspective that an engaged city that uses data and technology in a way that respects people and their privacy will support a vibrant culture where residents, organizations and businesses are invested in their community and its future.
• Enhance Accessibility and Transparency recognizes that open government and approaching problem-solving from an accessibility perspective leads to better outcomes for all.
• Promote Safety and Sustainability Through Connectivity leads to understanding the interconnected nature of our communities that can achieve environmental, mobility and sustainability goals when approached in a cross-departmental and community informed manner.

This technology-forward roadmap has enabled the city to take a proactive approach to today’s digital challenges, enables innovation, and fosters creative approaches to delivering efficient service to residents.

More information
Learn more about the awards
Email business@carlsbadca.gov