Aurora Smart City Strategic Plan Playbook
Cityfi created the Aurora Smart City Playbook, a framework that supports Aurora as a network of diverse communities strengthened and unified by a municipal government that thinks and acts in new ways to sustain a high quality of life for its residents.
Aurora Smart City empowers the city to re-envision the use of data, technology, resources and partnerships to deliver the best outcomes for its diverse communities, today and tomorrow.
Context
Now the third largest and most diverse city in the state, the City of Aurora is truly a “City in Transition.” No longer a suburban outgrowth of Denver, Aurora boasts a population of over 380,000 people. Since 2000, more than 100,000 people have moved to Aurora, including significant immigrant and refugee populations, making Aurora the most diverse city in Colorado. Demand for housing is growing, and businesses are opening in Aurora to access talent, a regional transportation network and an international airport. Since 2017, Aurora has attracted and retained more than 35 primary employers, creating more than 5,700 new jobs. There is a swelling optimism about the city’s future.
Photo credit: City of Aurora
Vision
The Aurora Smart City Playbook and Toolkit was created to guide the City of Aurora, Colorado’s approach to leveraging innovation, technology and data to advance the City’s existing priorities and prepare it to effectively respond to ongoing change. It aims to build a network of diverse communities strengthened and unified by a City government that thinks and acts in new ways to sustain a high quality of life. Aurora Smart City boldly commits to being cohesive, connected, proactive, accountable and inclusive in order to inform smart, strategic decisions and ensure the community is well-prepared for the future.
Method
To develop the vision, goals and strategies of Aurora Smart City, Cityfi conducted extensive staff engagement and capacity building exercises through stakeholder workshops and working group meetings representative of departments across the City. These engagements garnered critical input that shaped the direction, vision and actions of the Playbook, and also supported buy-in of Aurora Smart City as a citywide priority.
