Inclusion of Underserved Residents in City Technology Planning.

Cities are increasingly integrating urban technologies into their infrastructures to improve municipal services, civic engagement, and quality of life for residents. Research suggests that technologies implemented in communities can worsen existing inequalities, yet there is little understanding of what underserved residents think about urban technologies or how they engage with their cities about technology policies or practices. Based on two technology forums held in underserved communities, we found that residents are motivated to participate in city technology planning because they believe technology impacts the economic and social health of their communities and because they are wary of the city»s intentions behind certain urban technologies and policies. However, avenues for such engagement with the city were not accessible to our participants. We conclude that residents» participation in existing forms of governance poses an opportunity for city officials and those in underserved communities to collaboratively build urban technologies that benefit all.