Hack for LA
You can change LA for the better!
Can you design, write, or code? Are you an activist with an idea? You can help Los Angeles live up to its potential at Hack for LA. Everyone is welcome!
Current Projects
Have an idea? Submit your pitch
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Active
100 Automations
Hack for LA seeks to reduce repetitive work in our open source projects and for the open source community. This project will be both a showcase for the automations and/or microservices that we develop, but also a convenient home for those automations, so that they can be found, forked, and contributed to easily.
Looking for:UI/UX designer
,Content Writer
,Anyone who wants to write open source automations
,API writers
,API integrators
Location:Remote
Technologies:GitHub Pages
,Jekyll
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Active
311 Data
The 311 Data project seeks to empower local Neighborhood Councils to improve the ideation and analysis of their initiatives using the wealth of publicly available 311 data.
Partner: EmpowerLALooking for:Frontend Developers
,Backend Developers
,Product Owner
,SDET
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,Redux
,Flask
,Sanic
,Pandas
,Bulma
,PostgreSQL
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Active
BallotNav
BallotNav will help voters quickly find the location, times of operation, and due date for dropping off mail-in ballots in person. Due to COVID-19 and cuts to the United States Postal Service, some voters may feel insecure not only about going out to the polls, but also about utilizing the mail to cast their vote. While it is possible to drop off your mail-in ballot in person, the rules for doing so are not clearly outlined in one single location. Information is scattered across state and county websites, each of which may individually fail to provide one or more elements of crucial information, such as available ballot drop-off times. The BallotNav project will collect this data through a network of brigade partnerships and update it accordingly leading up to November’s election.
BallotNav’s overall goal is to provide information that helps voters cast their ballots safely and correctly, and avoid accidental disenfranchisement.Partner: Code for America, Other BrigadesLooking for:Marketing, PR & Partnerships
,Fundraising
,Software Developers
,Data Scientists
,Translators (Spanish especially)
,Community Data Monitors: We need an army of people to collect information about drop-off sites for 3,000 counties, and remain on-call to update it when changes occur.
Location:Remote
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Active
Civic Opportunity Project
The mission of the Civic Opportunity project is to develop and curate the journey of all volunteers that we interact with to reach their fullest potential. Relationship bridge-building and workforce readiness development of volunteers is at the core of the Hack for LA brand. We have found that this effort enables and supports the delivery of a consistent pipeline of knowledge worker resources. In turn, our volunteers are more prepared to create products that are impactful in local government and beyond.
Partner: UndisclosedLooking for:UI designer
,UX researcher
Location:Remote
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Active
Civic Tech Index
Our goal of the project is to create a comprehensive, searchable index of all civic tech open source software projects around the world. We have created the framework. Now our next step is to create a website and other marketing tools that will demonstrate the power of the index and will provide instructions for how to tag and share your github repository in 2 min or less.
Partner: Code for America, Yale OpenLab and many more.Looking for:Fullstack Developer with Node/React knowledge
,Experienced Data Scientist
,Database Architect
,Front end react developers
,UX specialist for testing and conducting interviews with stakeholders
,UI designer
,Video content script writer
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,Django
,PostgreSQL
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Active
Civic Tech Structure
Each of the 80+ Code for America Brigades is an experiment which generates valuable learnings and new effective processes and practices. However, Brigades and other civic tech volunteer organizations need not start from scratch. This project aims to improve existing structures and create new ones that make it easier to share replicable processes and practices so that organizers and members can iterate on each others work, improving outcomes for the whole network.
The Civic Tech Structure's first project seeks to improve the existing Code for America Brigade Organizer’s Playbook (BOP) into a communal, high-value resource for sharing. We will be performing an intensive UX Research phase with the BOP end users to understand their priorities, infrastructure, and potential contributions.Partner: Code for America & its BrigadesLooking for:UI designer (brand building)
,UX team manager / Lead
,UX researchers (40)
Location:Remote
Technologies:Google Docs (Doc, Sheet, Slide, Forms)
,HackforLA.org guides
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Active
Engage
Engage is a civic participation platform. Currently in beta, Engage makes it easier for residents of Santa Monica, CA to offer their feedback on policy issues that City Council is considering. Engage aims to increase access for community stakeholders who are unable to attend public meetings or may otherwise feel unheard by their local government.
Partner: City of Santa MonicaLooking for:UX designers
,NLP engineers
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,Django
,PostgreSQL
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Active
Food Oasis
The website is focused on individuals seeking food in Los Angeles who need an up-to-date resource about food pantries and meals. Our mission is to update the existing website, foodoasis.la with a simplified UI and verified data. Future development goals include creating functionality for referral services that will allow the end user to annotate and update listings through a peer verification system.
Partner: seekingLooking for:React developers (2)
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,Express
,Node.js
,PostgreSQL
,PostGIS
,AWS
,Docker
,Mapbox
,Material-UI
,SCSS
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Active
Hackforla.org Website
The hackforla.org website is our organization's way of communicating with volunteers, stakeholders, and donors. This project is a good place to start for new volunteers looking to polish their git protocol skills (branches, separation of concerns, etc.). We currently have two development paths: growth (building out new pages and guides) and optimization (taking inventory of our code and design systems) to ensure we are consistently delivering value to our users while being scalable in our approach to building the site.
Looking for:UI (wireframes)
,Junior JavaScript developers
,Javascript Mentor / PR reviewer
,anyone wanting to learn how to do Git commits in a collaborative work environment
Location:Santa Monica
,Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:GitHub Pages
,Jekyll
,Docker
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Active
HelloGOV
HelloGOV is helping grassroots organizations connect supporters to their state assembly and state senate representatives for call campaigns to advocate on the legislation that matters most to their work. The HelloGOV webapp generates a campaign shortlink that can be used in texts, social posts, and more.
Partner: Digital Defense FundLooking for:Implementation of end to end testing
,User Testing and Outreach
,UI redesign, all skill levels
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
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Active
Home Unite Us
We're working with community non-profits who have a Host Home initiative to develop a workflow management tool to make the process scaleable (across all providers), reduce institutional bias, and effectively capture data.
Host Home programs are centered around housing young people, 18 - 25 years old. Their approach focuses on low-cost, community-driven intervention by matching a willing host with a guest or group of guests, providing a stable housing environment for youths who are experiencing homelessness and seeking stable housing.Partner: Safe Place for Youth (SPY)Looking for:UI (including wireframes, familiar with Figma)
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,NoSQL
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Active
LA TDM Calculator
We’re building a TDM web calculator for LADOT. It scores proposed real estate developments in real-time and aims to discourage exceeding parking requirements to reduce the occurrence of single-occupancy trips to new developments.
Partner: LA Department of Transportation LADOT (https://ladot.lacity.org/)Looking for:UI Designer
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,Express
,Node.js
,Microsoft SQL Server
,Docker
,Azure App Service
,SCSS
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Active
Lucky Parking
A platform looking for nearby street parking with least possibility of getting citation
Partner: SeekingLooking for:Frontend Software Engineer
,Backend Software Engineer
,Advanced Data Scientist
,Python Enthusiast
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,PostgreSQL
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Active
New Schools Today
We’re building a platform for students across LA County to create more accessible school-related apps and web apps. Our desired impact is to make students feel more welcomed and included in their community through an online academic environment created by peers, for peers
Partner: SeekingLooking for:Mobile Development
,UX knowledge
,React Web Development
,Marketing/Research
,any high school student or technical mentor interested
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
,Flutter
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Active
Not Today - Self-Defense Against Suicidal Thoughts
Not Today is an app intended to help people wait out periods of suicidal thinking without acting on their thoughts.
Links: GitHubPartner: SeekingLooking for:Flutter Development
,UI/UX
,Empathy and sensitivity with subject material and end users
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Technologies:React Native
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Active
Public Tree Map
Public Tree Map helps connect people to Santa Monica's urban forest. The map includes information about each of the 35,000 trees (and vacant tree sites) in Santa Monica's publicly-owned urban forest (compiled from open datasets, digitized city records, and federal ecosystem services values), as well as tools for users to share favorite trees. To reflect tree plantings and removals, the map updates every day.
Partner: City of Santa MonicaLooking for:Front-end web development (JavaScript, Leaflet)
,Data processing (GeoPandas, Python)
,QA and UX testing
,Appreciation for trees (anyone interested is welcome!)
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Technologies:GeoPandas
,jQuery
,Leaflet
,Node.js
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Active
Record Clearance Project
Record Clearance helps people in California with non-violent criminal records accomplish record clearance, expungement or reduction as a result of Prop 47 & Prop 64. The main features include building trust, educating the public about the program and informing those who are eligible for this program.
Partner: NDICALooking for:Research
,UX-UI
,Content/writing
Location:West Los Angeles
,Remote
Technologies:ReactJS
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Active
Undebate
Not debates, but recorded online video Q&A with candidates so voters can quickly can get to know them, for every candidate, for every election, across the US.
Partner: EnCiv.org, Ballotpedia.orgLooking for:Node
,React
,UI/UX
,Marketing/Branding/Social Media
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Technologies:MongoDB
,Express
,ReactJS
,Node.js
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Active
VRMS
VRMS is a tool used for the engagement, support, and retention of a network of volunteers.
Partner: TBDLooking for:Front end devs (any level)
,Back end devs (any level)
,UI/UX
Location:Santa Monica
,Downtown LA
,Remote
Technologies:MongoDB
,Express
,ReactJS
,Node.js
,SCSS
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Active
Write for All™
We want to improve the language used in websites to be more inclusive (of all communities) while also educating the public about exclusionary language. @writeforallorg™
Partner: SeekingLooking for:Gender researcher
,Communications writer
,Videographer
,UX developer
,JavaScript programmer
,QA coder
,DevOps engineer
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
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Completed
Heart
Heart is a project working directly with the LA City Attorney’s Homeless Engagement and Response Team. The HEART program helps individuals experiencing homelessness resolve eligible traffic and pedestrian infractions and related warrants and fines by engaging with relevant services. Hack for LA is helping them build a database and case management system to streamline their workflow and enable them to scale their program.
Partner: LA City Attorney’s Homeless Engagement and Response Team -
Completed
Railstats LA
Trailstats LA tracks LA Metro trains and generates punctuality reports. Our website enables both Metro officials and the public to easily review up-to-date statistics for LA's 6 train lines.
Partner: LA Metro (https://www.metro.net/)Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
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Completed
Work for LA
Applying for work should be simple—but the application process for the City of LA is confusing and cumbersome. We’re going to make it easier to find the job of your dreams.
Partner: Department of PersonnelLocation:Downtown LA
,Remote
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On Hold
Jobs for Hope
We compiled job listings from 60+ different non-profit organization websites for the LA County Homeless Initiative and consolidated them into a single database so that it is easier for job-seekers to search and filter for jobs.
Partner: LA County Homeless Initiative; http://homeless.lacounty.govLocation:Downtown LA
,Remote
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On Hold
Shared Housing Project
The shared housing team works on creating an efficient & effective solution for matching multiple individuals who experience homelessness as potential co-tenants, and placing the matched individuals in suitable shared housing units.
Links: GitHubLooking for:Graphics Designer
Location:Downtown LA
,Remote
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On Hold
Spare
A fun new project project that connects people in need of clothing and other essentials with people in the community who have things to spare. It's kind of like one on one Goodwill. The main objective is to foster interactions between the housed and unhoused. The donation is the mechanism for building these connections throughout our community.
Partner: Hope of the Valley and hopefully others in the near future.Looking for:Front-end development
,Back-end development
,Product Management
,Marketing
Location:Santa Monica
,Remote
Hack for LA is a great example of how we can harness technology and our city's creativity to solve everyday problems. As Mayor, I will closely partner with our tech industry to create jobs and bring innovation to City Hall so government works faster and more efficiently.
Mayor Eric Garcetti
Press
Want to know more about Hack for LA?
We bring together civic-minded volunteers to build digital products, programs and services with community partners and local government to address issues in our LA region. Hack for LA is a project of Code for America and is it's official Los Angeles chapter.
