The City of Long Beach will host the first of three forums on Saturday, October 10 in an effort to develop the city’s policies for Open Data, the city announced Friday. Categories such as budget, inspections, code enforcement, crime, permits and lobbyist activities will be discussed.

“The Open Data Initiative gives the creative community and entrepreneurs access to our City’s data so that they can develop new ways to meet the needs of our City,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement. “This will improve efficiency, increase transparency, community engagement, and accountability, and drive further innovation.”

The community’s input will help the city better understand the types of data people are seeking, whether for academic research, developing mobile apps, analyzing business and real estate opportunities or simply a better understanding of the city’s government and its finances, according to the release.

The forums will feature panel discussions and are scheduled as follows:

• Saturday, October 10, 12:00PM to 2:00PM at MADE in Long Beach, 236 Pine Avenue, with an Innovation Expo.
• Saturday, October 17, 2:00PM to 4:00PM, Long Beach City College, 4901 Carson Street, Room T1200, with a panel discussion.
• Monday, November 16, 6:00PM to 8:00PM, California State University, Long Beach, 1212 Bellflower Boulevard, Student Union Beach Auditorium, with a panel discussion.

The forums are sponsored by members of the Technology and Innovation Commission and are part of Long Beach’s Innovation Week(s), in partnership with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), and Los Angeles County’s Innovation Week(s), a countywide celebration of the depth and breadth of innovation and creativity within our region.

To join the online discussion about open data, click here, to share your thoughts about open data online, click here and for more information about Innovation Week(s), click here.