Abandoned Vehicle Abatement: Best Practices & Revenue Potential

Graphic showing a tow truck lifting an abandoned car with text reading “Abandoned Vehicle Abatement: Best Practices & Revenue Potential” on a dark gradient background.

Abandoned vehicle abatement is more than just towing junk cars—it’s a vital municipal service that enhances public safety, reduces urban blight, and restores community pride. Across the U.S., cities like Stockton, Columbia, Honolulu, and Denver are implementing diverse approaches to solve this growing issue. And as municipalities seek smarter, scalable solutions, technologies like City Detect […]

Fire Hazards Hiding in Plain Sight

IDING IN PLAIN SIGHT' overlaid on a stylized flame illustration in red, orange, and yellow. Below the flame are simplified line drawings of trees in a lighter blue color, creating a silhouette effect against the background. The design emphasizes the concept of fire risks in everyday outdoor environments.

Urban Fire Hazards: A Growing Municipal Risk Urban fire threats are no longer confined to rural peripheries or forested zones. Increasingly, cities face significant risks due to overgrown vegetation, accumulated debris, and litter, conditions that turn everyday neighborhoods into fire-prone zones. For public works and code enforcement leaders, the challenge isn’t just spotting these hazards. […]

Summer 2025 Grants for Code Enforcement & Public Works

Graphic with a blue gradient background featuring dollar sign icons, a yellow sun in the center, and bold white text that reads “Summer 2025 Grants for Code Enforcement & Public Works.

Municipal code enforcement and public works departments are often tasked with solving complex, visible problems, such as blight, illegal dumping, vacant property management, with limited tools and insufficient staff. Many municipal leaders are overwhelmed by paperwork, constrained by legacy systems, and locked in reactive cycles instead of driving proactive solutions. But there’s good news: millions […]

Unlocking Public Works Technology for Smarter Cities

Illustration showing the text "Unlocking Public Works Technology for Smarter Cities" over a stylized city skyline. A large yellow key is shown unlocking a dark padlock, symbolizing access to technology and innovation in urban management.

Why Public Works Departments Need Better Technology Public works departments are central to a city’s day-to-day success. They bring multidimensional value to the cities they serve, including economic, social, environmental, and cultural benefits. From maintaining roads and signage to clearing storm drains and managing right-of-way areas, these teams keep communities safe and functional. But with […]

Tackling Snipe Signs: How Code Enforcement Can Take Control

Graphic featuring a large green and large white snipe sign that read "Tackling Snipe Signs: How Code Enforcement Can Take Control" against a blue gradient background.

The Hidden Cost of Snipe Signs If you’re a code enforcement officer or public works director, you already know snipe signs. Those unauthorized “We Buy Houses,” “Cheap Roof Repair,” or political campaign signs aren’t just an eyesore; they’re a drain on city resources, a persistent enforcement challenge, and an unfair loophole that undermines legitimate businesses.  […]

AI-Driven Defensible Spaces for Wildfire Mitigation

The Growing Threat of Wildfires Wildfires are a persistent and escalating threat across the United States. At the time of this writing, 269,986 acres have burned so far this year. According to the Department of Homeland Security, approximately 70,000 wildfires occur annually, threatening lives, infrastructure, and the environment. Along with rising wildfire rates, fire suppression […]

From Chaos to Clarity: AI in Post-Storm Recovery

Cover image that reads From Chaos to Clarity: AI in Post-Storm Recovery

The heart of a community is tested when disasters strike. Hurricane Helene delivered a devastating blow to Greenville, SC, uprooting lives and creating chaos, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. City officials faced the monumental task of restoring normalcy while urgently ensuring thorough documentation for FEMA audits—an essential step to secure federal aid for recovery. […]

2025 Guide to Code Enforcement Conferences

CEO Gavin Baum-Blake and Stockton Director of Code Enforcement speaking about Stockton's AI approach to blight management to a room full of interested people with bold text overlay reading "2025 Guide: Code Enforcement Conferences."

Happy code enforcement conference season! February kicks off a number of code enforcement conferences and industry expos around the country. Trade shows and industry or professional conferences are great opportunities to connect, learn, and adapt to the ever-changing environment of code enforcement. Every year, there are new technological advancements, new regulations, new research on human […]

Securing Smart Cities: SOC 2 Compliance Builds Trust & Innovation

Night view of a modern city skyline reflected on water with the text 'AICPA SOC 2 Type I' and 'Thoropass' displayed alongside a circular graphic.

City Detect proudly announces achieving SOC 2 Type I compliance, marking a major milestone in our mission to secure smart cities. This certification reflects our commitment to cybersecurity, privacy, and Responsible AI, ensuring that municipalities can trust our innovative solutions to build cleaner, safer, and more efficient communities.

Reducing Bias from AI

mage with three sections showcasing City Detect's AI-powered platform in action. On the left, a photo of urban blight with graffiti, overlaid with green detection boxes illustrating AI analysis. In the center, a triangular cutout transitions into the right section, displaying a heat map of property conditions in a neighborhood, ranging from green to red. The text 'Reducing Bias from AI' is vertically aligned on the left, and the City Detect logo appears in the bottom-right corner.

This week is the GovAI Coalition Summit in San José, CA. GovAI is a coalition of municipal leaders and technologists working to make artificial intelligence (AI) safer, more equitable, and transparent for everyone. Artificial intelligence holds the promise of transforming public services, making them more efficient, equitable, and accessible. However, realizing this potential requires a […]