About Us
The Mayor’s Office of Innovation uses new approaches to drive progress and deliver outcomes for the Mayor’s top priorities. We use data & technology tools and human-centered design to source and test new ideas, iterate quickly, and scale what works. We believe that government can move fast and deliver better results when it is willing to take smart risks.
We also collaborate with private sector and nonprofit partners to bring in new ideas, tools, and capacity to the City. Our ongoing partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies makes our ambitious vision possible.
Our Tools
- Data
- Technology (hardware and software)
- User centered design
- Partnerships with the private sector
- Best practices from other cities
Our Approach
- Start with a deep understanding of the problem and user pain points
- Establish and track clear, measurable outcomes
- Test and pilot new ideas
- Embed MOI into cross-functional teams to ensure successful implementation
- Integrate data and operations
Our History
The Mayor’s Office of Innovation (MOI) launched in 2012, making San Francisco one of the first U.S. cities with a dedicated innovation team. MOI set out to build a more collaborative, inventive, and responsive city government. The team forged cross-sector partnerships to tackle major civic challenges, including affordable housing, open data, and digital service delivery.
In 2021, San Francisco received a Bloomberg Philanthropies i-Team grant to expand MOI’s capacity. The funding brought in expertise in service design, data science, and product management to the team. MOI’s primary project, the All Street Integrated Dataset (ASTRID), integrated disparate data sets from across the City’s 12 street response teams into a single comprehensive client database. The integrated dataset strengthened the City’s homelessness response through improved individual care, system-level tracking, and data analysis & modeling.
Under Mayor Lurie, MOI expanded its scope to deliver a portfolio of projects across the Mayor’s top priorities. Working directly with the Mayor, Policy Chiefs, and Department Heads, MOI drives outcomes on the administration’s central goals:
- Improve Street Conditions: Safety, Cleanliness, Behavior
- Revitalize the Economy
- Effective Government Services and Responsible Finances
Our Current Projects
We work with the Mayor and Policy Chiefs to build cross functional teams that drive a portfolio of projects.
- Homelessness, street safety, street conditions
MOI is piloting data and technology tools to expand the City’s capacity to address homelessness and improve street safety. By using real-time information, the pilots will quickly deliver care and services to high-need residents while ensuring cleaner, safer streets. - Permitting
San Francisco’s complex permitting process slows small business openings and housing construction. MOI is delivering a new permitting technology tool to make approvals simpler, faster, and more transparent. This effort supports a more vibrant city with affordable housing, thriving businesses, and high-quality services. - Public Safety
San Francisco faces a shortage of 500 police officers that limits the City’s ability to keep streets safe. MOI created a data-driven view of hiring bottlenecks, tested digital platforms to expand applicant reach, and used human-centered design to speed up hiring. These efforts will help reduce police response times and make the city safer for residents, workers, and visitors. - Transportation
San Francisco faces a $330 million annual transit budget deficit that threatens public transit service for residents. MOI is implementing immediate changes to improve rider experience to increase ridership. - Benefits Experience
MOI is using service design and technology tools to redesign the customer experience for Medicaid and SNAP recipients, preventing coverage loss and creating a national model that safeguards residents and strengthens long-term economic stability.