Digital News - San Rafael

San Rafael Wraps Canal Broadband Feasibility Study

Posted on February 14, 2025

On Monday, February 3rd, the Digital Service team presented the findings of the Canal Broadband feasibility project to the City Council. The presentation focused on the results of work over the past 2 years to begin the process of addressing permanent broadband infrastructure needs for the Canal neighborhood. The project was funded by a Local...

Now Hiring: Civic Engagement Manager

Posted on August 15, 2024

Civic Engagement Manager Digital Service and Open Government City of San Rafael, California Annual Salary: $130,116 - $158,160 DOE/DOQ The City of San Rafael is seeking a dynamic and experienced Civic Engagement Manager (formal title is Civic Design Manager) to spearhead comprehensive engagement programs while coordinating the Communication Team's activities. This role will work within...

map of Canal neighborhood showing internet speeds (MBPS)

Canal Broadband Project Highlights Digital Divide in the Community

Posted on February 13, 2024

For many residents in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood, unreliable or unaffordable internet service is a frustrating reality. It hinders residents’ ability to work, learn, and stay connected. To address this issue, the City of San Rafael is working alongside the County of Marin as part of the Digital Marin initiative to develop strategies and outcomes...

Canal Internet Access Survey

Posted on September 22, 2023

Now, more than ever, broadband Internet is an essential and crucial service to those who live, learn and work in the City of San Rafael. In some areas, high-speed Internet is not available. In order to bridge this digital divide, the City of San Rafael needs to gain a better picture of which properties do not...

Request for Proposal (RFP): Permit Management System Replacement

Posted on April 30, 2023

BID NOTIFICATION SAN RAFAEL, CA May 1, 2023– The City of San Rafael is pleased to announce the release of our Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Permit Management System Replacement. We are seeking to implement a commercially available, native cloud-based Permit Management solution that can provide broad administrative functionalities and a modern user experience...

City of San Rafael Request for Proposals for Telephone System Replacement

Posted on March 18, 2022

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION 7/25/2022 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: TELEPHONE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT The City of San Rafael ("City") has determined that it would be in its best interest to cancel the solicitation and reject all proposals. The City recognizes the current budgeted amount may be insufficient. The City’s intention is to revise the Statement of Work and...

City of San Rafael Request for Proposals for Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) (CLOSED)

Posted on March 7, 2022

Proposal Deadline Extended to April 29, 2022 The City of San Rafael seeks to implement a commercially available, native cloud-based (SaaS) ERP solution that provides broad administrative functionality, long term sustainability and adaptability, and a modern user experience. The City has undertaken extensive user research to determine the needs across the City and how they...

Digital Service Friday Memo, January 21, 2022

Posted on January 21, 2022

Building A Citywide Technology Improvement Plan (TIP) What it is: The FY22-23 Technology Improvement Plan serves as a comprehensive strategy to support the upgrade, replacement, and development of digital solutions across the City. Digital in partnership with each City department will inventory current technology, define and roadmap improvements, and build a transparent process for forecasting, budgeting, and developing realistic project timelines. ...

Are You Online? Digital Marin Surveys Public on Internet Access

Posted on February 8, 2021

Thousands enjoy strong internet access in Marin County, and thousands more don’t. Digital Marin, an effort to develop a countywide roadmap to achieve digital equity for all, seeks feedback from the community about internet access. Officially launched in December 2020, Digital Marin has set the following goals: Everyone in Marin has access to high quality, affordable...

Installing a root access point for the Canal WiFi network

Collaboration to Identify and Eliminate Gaps in ‘Digital Divide’

Posted on December 19, 2020

The City of San Rafael is part of a new cross-sector effort to develop a countywide strategic plan to address local internet access and digital equity gaps. The project, called Digital Marin, will look beyond infrastructure needs and identify opportunities for data sharing, efficiencies, resiliency, and digital service improvements. The plan will outline projects and...

Canal WiFi and Digital Equity in San Rafael

Posted on August 10, 2020

Access to the internet is necessary for so many facets of our lives including getting news and information, participating in civic life, applying for jobs or unemployment, access to education, and more. Residents in San Rafael do not have equal access to the internet and computers at home. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated digital equity...

Canal Neighborhood WiFi Network

Posted on May 1, 2020

On Monday, the City Council will hear an informational report about a project to increase internet connectivity in the Canal Neighborhood. With the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures, students and employees need access to reliable internet now more than ever—to complete homework, apply for government assistance, and sign up for food assistance....

San Rafael Anuncia Cierres de Centros Comunitarios y Cancelaciones de Eventos hasta el 31 de Marzo de 2020

Posted on March 13, 2020

PARA PUBLICACION INMEDIATA 13 marzo, 2020 SAN RAFAEL ANUNCIA CIERRES DE CENTROS COMUNITARIOS Y CANCELACIONES DE EVENTOS HASTA EL 31 DE MARZO DE 2020 SAN RAFAEL, CA- Para mitigar aún más la propagación de COVID-19, también conocido como nuevo Coronavirus, la Ciudad de San Rafael está cerrando centros comunitarios y cancelando todas las clases comunitarias,...

San Rafael Announces Closures of Community Centers and Event Cancellations

Posted on March 13, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 13th, 2020 SAN RAFAEL ANNOUNCES CLOSURES OF COMMUNITY CENTERS AND EVENT CANCELLATIONS THROUGH MARCH 31st, 2020 SAN RAFAEL, CA- To further mitigate the spread of COVID-19, also known as novel Coronavirus, the City of San Rafael is closing community centers and cancelling all community classes, programs, recreation leagues, and events starting...

Notice of School Suspension for Marin County

Posted on March 13, 2020

To further mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Marin County, Marin County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) announced that all public school campuses will suspend classroom instruction to students for at least two weeks beginning March 16. Para mitigar aún más la propagación de COVID-19 en...

PG&E Moratorium on Service Disconnections for Non-Payment

Posted on March 13, 2020

PG&E announced Thursday (March 12) that due to the COVID-19 pandemic it has voluntarily implemented a moratorium on service disconnections for non-payment, effective immediately. This suspension will apply to both residential and commercial customers and will remain in effect until further notice. Read the Full Press Release on the PG&E website.

Help us make our O365 environment awesome

Posted on December 16, 2019

Our Challenge The City of San Rafael implemented O365 a couple of years ago, but with no adoption strategy. Since then, some employees and work groups have explored the applications but for the most part the organization is not leveraging the software to its full potential. Some users are frustrated because of the inconsistent use...

City of San Rafael Awarded Helen Putnam Award for Excellence

Posted on November 1, 2019

The City of San Rafael has been awarded the League of California Cities’ 2019 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in internal administration at the October meeting of the League of California Cities for its initiative Together San Rafael. The League presents annual awards in a number of categories. The competition is competitive with only one winner per category....

Street Sweeping Schedules

Posted on September 13, 2019

Here at the City of San Rafael, it’s no secret that we strive to make San Rafael a great place to work and live. We recently created a visualization tool to display sweeping routes and their schedules to make it easier for you to see what days and timeframes the sweeper will be on your...

Open Engagement - Service Design - Data & Analytics - Technology Modernization

Digital Strategic Framework

Posted on August 2, 2019

The new department of Digital Service and Open Government is a reorganization of the former Information Technology Division and expands traditional tech and network support services to include broader functions of strategy, analytics, and product management. Over the last six months, the Digital Service staff worked with other City departments, as well as received feedback from community...

Preparing for Extended Power Outages

Posted on August 1, 2019

Wildfire season is here and Marin County residents need to be prepared for prolonged power outages related to PG&E’s efforts to reduce wildfire risks. Having key items, such as a working flashlight and 3-day supply of water and food, is one important component of a preparedness plan and can make it easier to cope with power...

Alert Marin Emergency Notification System

Posted on July 31, 2019

About Alert Marin If you live, work or go to school in Marin County and are 18 and over, you may now register your cell phone or VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone to receive emergency alerts sent by call, text, email, or smartphone application from the County of Marin. Listed and unlisted/blocked Marin County...

Red Flag Warning In Effect for Marin County Until 5 p.m. 06/09/19

Posted on June 7, 2019

Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and other parts of the Bay Area above 1000 feet, which is in effect from 9 PM this evening (Friday) to 5 PM Sunday. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected...

New department of Digital seeks feedback

Posted on May 28, 2019

The new demands of the digital era require a new approach to government. Technology now touches everything in the 21st century. Our new Department of Digital Service and Open Government is developing a Strategic Framework to help make sure we’re delivering services that are easy to use and that work for everyone. We’ve identified four...

Online Encroachment Permit Application and Payments

Posted on May 10, 2019

The Department of Public Works is pleased to announce that Encroachment Permit applications and payments will now be accepted online at www.cityofsanrafael.org/epapply. Property owners and contractors will now be able to apply for all types of encroachment permits and make payment via credit card. Once applied for staff will review the permit and send the...

San Rafael Appoints New Director of Digital Service and Open Government

Posted on April 18, 2019

SAN RAFAEL, CA: The City of San Rafael is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Rebecca Woodbury as the Director of Digital Service and Open Government, effective January 2019. This new department is a reorganization of the former Information Technology division, with expanded services that include data analytics and performance measurement, user-centered service design, and community engagement. “The new department will...

Text-to-911 Now Available

Posted on April 11, 2019

The San Rafael Police Department, in conjunction with the Fairfax Police Department and Novato Police Department’s dispatch centers, is excited to announce that we now have the ability to accept text-to-911 service throughout our jurisdictions. CHP - Marin also accepts text-to-911. The Marin County Sheriff’s Office should begin accepting text-to-911 calls in June 2019. Wireless...

Digital Service and Open Government banner

Tales of the City – Digital Service and Open Government

Posted on January 31, 2019

The City of San Rafael is a full-service city, where we work hard to provide the best service to our nearly 60,000 residents. As part of our vision to improve on our service delivery, we’re constantly challenging ourselves as an organization to “reimagine the status quo” by taking every opportunity we can to find innovative...

Construction Around the City – Buildingeye Map

Posted on October 5, 2018

San Rafael Public Works is proud to announce that we've launched buildingeye, an interactive, user-friendly online map that allows constituents to easily look up roadway construction happening in San Rafael and allows those doing the construction to view the status of their permit online. The map is now live on the Public Works homepage at...

San Rafael launches new online business development tool

Posted on June 14, 2018

The City of San Rafael is proud to announce the launch of its new online business permitting portal, OpenCounter, which includes two new tools centered around business development. The first tool, a Zoning Portal, will allow users to explore where different businesses are permitted throughout the City. The second, a Business Portal, is designed to...

Thanks for using our new website!

Posted on March 3, 2017

In December, we launched this new website with features like issue reporting, online forms and payments. Over the past month alone, we’ve had 12,500 users and 66% have been new visitors. You’re favorite browser seems to be Chrome and 32% of you used your phone or tablet to access our mobile-responsive site. Next time you visit,...

We need your feedback on walking and biking in San Rafael

Posted on February 24, 2017

We are updating our Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and need your help identifying safer, more convenient bicycle and walking routes to jobs, schools, retail, recreation areas, and other destinations. Leave a comment on the map and/or take a 5-min survey. Together, your responses to the map and survey will help us update our policies...

screenshot showing online service center on City website

Report an Issue from your Phone

Posted on February 22, 2017

Did you know that from your phone, you can report a pothole to public works? Snap a photo and send it to us through our online service center, where you can report issues, ask questions or voice concerns. The Service Center is also available on the City’s Facebook page and will soon be available in...

Marin Voice: After marching, what can we do to make a difference?

Posted on January 31, 2017

by Councilmember Kate Colin It’s been said that democracy is not a spectator sport and the thousands of people who marched in cities across America took that to heart. But what happens next? How do these acts of personal choice become translated into systemic change? How does the inspiration that people feel have a lasting...

New City Website

Posted on January 13, 2017

In December, the City was proud to launch our new digital presence, located at www.cityofsanrafael.org. Key features of the new site include a robust search feature, easy access to frequently asked questions, payments, localized services, and issue reporting. At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council will receive an informational update about the new website and other...

New Facebook-powered tool delivers city services, expands civic inclusion

Posted on December 16, 2016

Cities often debate what social media platforms they should engage on and how they should interact with residents. Now there is a tool that helps answer both of those questions. Read the full article on StateScoop.com...

San Rafael launches new digital city platform to better serve residents online

Posted on December 13, 2016

San Rafael, Calif., launched its new digital presence, located at cityofsanrafael.org, using a holistically innovative approach to how cities will procure and deliver online services to residents in the future. San Rafael (pop. 57,713), the largest city in Marin County, located directly north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge, began its digital transformation...

Done/Doing (#10)

Posted on December 13, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Finalized content creation for all departments and landing pages. Created a subsite for our Community Services department (parks, recreation, and childcare). Reviewed and refined content throughout site, focusing on Answers section of Service Center. Uploaded and labeled...

Casting a Wide Net for Innovation

Posted on December 12, 2016

There are ways for jurisdictions without big city budgets to bring startup energy to the challenges they face. Read the full article on GovTech.com...

Why Partnering with Startups Was Right for San Rafael

Posted on November 30, 2016

Two key upgrades for this small Northern California city led them to unconventional vendor choices. Read the full article on GovTech.com...

3 Reasons Some Local Governments are Eschewing Big Tech Vendors for Startups

Posted on October 27, 2016

The public sector moves more slowly than the business world. Government information technology contracts are huge, long-term beasts. Public agencies prefer establishment over risk. All of that used to be true — but it’s changing. Read the full article on GovTech.com...

Getting San Rafael to BETA

Posted on October 26, 2016

After about 70 days of interviewing departments, creating content, uploading files, developing online forms and a whole lot of refining, we launched a beta version of the new San Rafael website. Read the full article on ELGL.org...

Making open election data more accessible to voters

Posted on October 25, 2016

Having access to timely and comprehensive election data is fundamental to democracy. Knowing when and where to vote, as well as what your ballot options are is critical to being fully informed. Read the full article on govfresh.com...

San Rafael launches public test of future city website

Posted on October 6, 2016

San Rafael (Calif.), the largest city in Marin County, has released a public test version of its future website as part of an effort to increase civic engagement prior to an official launch in December 2016. “We’re excited about this fresh new digital face of the City,” said Mayor Gary Phillips. “We look forward to...

Done/Doing (#9)

Posted on October 6, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Added more layers to the map with helpful descriptions. Drafted department descriptors. Created FAQs for business licenses & parking. Audited all the broken links. Incorporated feedback from department directors. Added under construction symbols to areas of the...

Done/Doing (#7)

Posted on September 17, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Small department pages (City Attorney, City Clerk, City Council, City Manager, Human Resources, IT, and Finance) are ready for director review! The residents and visitors landing pages are pretty much ready for review too! Doing Integrate our...

Done/Doing (#6)

Posted on September 9, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Had an awesome Labor Day weekend and some well deserved r&r. Created new online forms for claims, a neighborhood association directory, various applications and complaints. Identified about 50 PDF handouts to be converted and consolidated into webpages....

Done/Doing (#5)

Posted on September 2, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Developed draft content for smaller department pages (City Attorney, City Clerk, City Council, City Manager, Human Resources, IT, and Finance). Provided feedback on design options for color palette, image gallery, iconography, typography, and overall look & feel...

Done/Doing (#4)

Posted on August 25, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Wrote a post about our current site analytics. Decided the team needed a Trello board for better coordination and communication. It’s already helping. Pretty much finished all the answers content! Whew! There’s a few we still need...

Our first look at analytics

Posted on August 22, 2016

Understanding our current site analytics is a piece of our new content strategy. Although they don’t tell the whole story, they provide insight on what people are looking to do on the current site and how they are getting there. Over the past year, our site had almost 371,382 unique page views and 56.4% exited...

A Scorecard for Public Engagement

Posted on August 22, 2016

If you're a local-government manager or elected official, by now you've probably heard a fair amount about the need for better citizen engagement in government decision-making. You may even have your own success stories about times your city or agency made a special effort to involve community members in policies that affect them. And you...

Done/Doing (#3)

Posted on August 19, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Created design subcommittee to work with local design firm on color palette, image gallery, iconography, typography, and overall look & feel. Identified workflow and process issues to solve with online forms and new digital services, such as...

San Rafael Plans Digital Transformation

Posted on August 19, 2016

This month San Rafael, Calif., has released a beta site along with a new strategy to modernize its digital presence. The Bay Area city just north of San Francisco plans to revitalize its outreach and citizen services with a number of digital upgrades. Read full article on techwire.net...

Done/Doing (#2)

Posted on August 12, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Developed mission statement for the project: Easy to use online services to make your life better. (And, we decided on a theme song). Started interviewing departments to learn about key programs, services, and common questions. Discovered some...

Bay Area city kicks off push to build ‘iterative’ website as part of digital services overhaul

Posted on August 12, 2016

San Rafael, California, is hoping to re-design its web presence with some help from the public — and improve city services in the process. Read full article on StateScoop.com...

How San Rafael is re-inventing city digital government

Posted on August 9, 2016

We’ve been quietly launching small cities on the ProudCity platform, but we’re particularly proud of our new partnership with San Rafael, Calif., and the holistic approach they’re taking to changing how government works. Read full article on ProudCity.com...

Done/Doing (#1)

Posted on August 4, 2016

Here's an update of what we've done and what we're doing next to better serve San Rafael. Done Held a project kick-off meeting with implementation team, steering committee, and doughnuts. Everyone is on-board, excited, and on a sugar-high. Connected the implementation team up onto Google Docs for easy collaboration on weekly assignments. Assigned lead and...

Let’s Get Digital, San Rafael!

Posted on August 4, 2016

This week we kicked off our journey to a beautiful new city website; a process to reimagine how residents businesses and visitors engage with San Rafael. This new site will help to lay a key foundation for our community engagement efforts as well as be a home to our expanding digital services. Meet our amazing...

What I Learned ‘Buying’ Our New City Digital Services

Posted on August 3, 2016

Procuring technology is hard enough with endless vendor sales pitches, too many options and confusing pricing schemes. Then, on top of that, throw in some outdated procurement practices. Read full article on ELGL.org...

Platinum public engagement award from the Davenport Institute

City receives Platinum public engagement award

Posted on July 18, 2016

On Monday, July 18, 2016 the Davenport Institute awarded the City of San Rafael with a Platinum award for public engagement. “This award is a testament to the great work of our dedicated staff and to a City Council committed to working with the community to make San Rafael an even better place,” said Mayor...