My suggestions are a series of five related Website/SmartPhone App initiatives:

1. PORTLAND HOUSING PROJECT
   1. Users can search options for Portland housing on three tabs: affordable housing, transitional housing and shelters.
   2. Postings are in real-time: shelters, for example, should update number of open beds available for each particular night.
   3. Listings should include address, contact information, and an inlaid Google maps diagram to find housing quickly and easily.
2. RENT PORTLAND
   1. Landlords can post listings to rent residential units not listed as “affordable housing”; should be aimed at housing rentals for minimum two months.
   2. Includes information about the place, location (with map), information about amenities, and contact information for landlord.
   3. City officials can screen asking price to make sure landlords ask for reasonable rent prices (?)
   4. Similar to other rental platforms such as airbnb.com, renters can write reviews and post praises/complaints for landlords and vise versa. (Reviews should only be posted once the lease contract has been terminated.)
3. ENSURE QUALITY OF LIFE
   1. Involves the production and distribution of free home sensors to monitor air and water quality in your home.
   2. App/website should include:

i.     Information about the importance of clean air and water

ii.     A way to mail-order a free household sensor, and/or information about where to pick one up

iii.     A way to schedule an appointment for a city health official to come in person to evaluate air and water quality in your home, should the sensor indicate an unhealthy environment

4. GREEN HOUSING
   1. Involves the production and distribution of (a) subsidized home sensors to monitor energy efficiency in your home, and (b) subsidize energy efficient light bulbs, home appliances, products/services for improving insulation, etc.
   2. App/website should include:

i.     Information about the importance of conserving energy, and steps you can take to reduce your own consumption

ii.     A way to mail-order a subsidized household sensor or energy-efficient products, and/or information about where to pick one up

iii.     A way to schedule an appointment to have a city-approved official come to insulate your home

5. CROWDSOURCING FOR AN INTEGRATED HOUSING SYSTEM
   1. Ask the public to contribute to city initiatives to design affordable housing units and to plan their neighborhood location so as to best integrate them into the rest of the Portland community.
   2. Create a website with:

i.     A place to submit your design

ii.     A place to see other people’s submissions and comment on them

iii.     Forums for discussion

In his book Against the Smart City, Adam Greenfield reminds us that smart cities assume an objectivity and unity that is impossible in a real city. He argues that smart cities do not support diversity, but instead assume a singular definition of what is “good.”¹ In accordance with his ideas, I propose that Portland move towards a Smart City model that does not reduce the number of choices people have, but instead enhances their ability to access these choices. The best Smart City technology will therefore provide people access to more autonomy and human support, rather than replace social interactions with detached digital ones. Greenfield also points out that technical systems are destined to break, and that no algorithm will ever allow a city to run perfectly. The best Smart City technology will therefore facilitate a checks-and-balances system where human users can continuously assess and adjust city systems.

My first two suggestions involve the creation of linked website/apps to allow people to more easily find housing options in Portland. The first app would be aimed at low-income users looking for shelters or affordable or transitional housing; the second would be aimed at newcomers looking to settle in Portland who do not need subsidized housing. It was evident during our field trip that Portland is an up-and-coming city; places to live are in high demand. It is important to protect both low-income residents and newcomers, as these social groups are likely the most vulnerable to be taken advantage of by dishonest or irresponsible landlords. These apps/websites will allow users to access more housing choices, and the public nature of the information will ensure that the landlord-renter relationship is maintained in a fair and professional way.

Low-income housing is critical for any diverse and vibrant city. According to the India Street Sustainable Neighborhood Plan (Order 43-14/15),² reviewed by the Portland City Council on September 3, 2014, housing diversity is crucial to maintaining the population diversity that it so prides itself on. The Plan states, “The India Street neighborhood has always hosted a diverse resident population. The neighborhood plan should encourage and maintain that diversity of residents (age, race, ethnicity, gender, family size, income, etc) [19].” As the city contemplates the construction of new affordable housing units in the area (for example, on the corner of Franklin and Middle Streets), they also consider destroying old ones: “Munjoy South Townhouses is a low-income housing development…[that] may be redeveloped in the future. It is not known whether future development on this site will remain affordable housing and what form and density it will take. [11]” These are decisions that will greatly affect Portland residents; in order to more directly involve the residents, I suggest a Crowdsourcing webpage in which users can discuss the best affordable housing plans and the best way to maintaining a vibrant community through housing diversity.

References Cited

¹ Greenfield, Adam. 2013. Selections from Against the Smart City. 1.3 edition.

² Portand City Council. 2014. India Street Sustainable Neighborhood Plan. Final Draft, August 2014. Accessed on Sept 24, 2014 at http://www.portlandmaine.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/6471.