CitySeed

CitySeed Banner

Inspiration

As a resident of Troy, I often find myself traveling to other cities for many things I want. One evening, craving Asian pastries, I discovered the nearest Asian bakery was in Albany, quite a distance away. After discussing this with friends, we realized many of us shared similar experiences, whether it was for an Asian market or other services. This sparked an idea: what if Troy's residents could actively participate in shaping their city's development based on community needs? What if new shops and services could be established in the city based on residents' desires? This led me to create CitySeed, where residents can vote to decide what they want in their city.

What it does

CitySeed empowers citizens to propose city improvements and report issues. Users can submit and vote on proposals, from new businesses to infrastructure needs, as well as vote on issues they want solved. Issues and proposals with high vote counts can attract the attention of politicians and entrepreneurs. For example, if residents in a city without an arcade express strong interest in having one, this could either convince local government to support arcade development or motivate business owners to open one, seeing the clear demand. The platform features Google Maps and Street View integration for better visualization of proposed changes. Users can explore the areas around potential business locations and visualize improvements. Our AI system analyzes each proposal's feasibility, cost, and potential impact on both the environment and community.

How we built it

We developed CitySeed using a modern tech stack including Next.js, MongoDB, Tailwind CSS, TypeScript and Next Auth for Google authentication. We integrated the Claude API for proposal analysis, Google Street View for visualization and imgbb API for image management. We approached development through an iterative process, first establishing core features like authentication and voting systems, then adding advanced features like AI analysis and street view integration. This way, we ensured we had something functional early on, and then iterated to add advanced features to give it that wow factor.

Challenges we ran into

Our team faced initial challenges with Next.js and Next Auth implementation since some of us weren't familiar with Next.js. We encountered database connectivity issues with Prisma, leading us to pivot to a different solution. API endpoint development could have been more comprehensive, and deployment hit some snags due to file formatting issues.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Our team had many achievements to be proud of. We successfully integrated the Claude API for comprehensive proposal analysis, which evaluates costs, benefits and environmental impact of each proposal. We also implemented a seamless Google Street View and Maps integration, allowing users to better visualize proposed changes. Additionally, we built a robust authentication system with Google integration, making it easy and secure for users to participate in their community's development.

What we learned

We learned valuable lessons working with new technologies like Next.js, Next Auth and Claude API. On top of that, we discovered the importance of thorough planning, especially in database schema design. Team communication and initial design discussions proved crucial for project success.

What's next for CitySeed

We want CitySeed to become a go-to platform for growing cities like Troy, where residents can actively shape their community's future. We believe there's huge potential for connecting what people actually want with city development decisions. We're excited to add more features like smarter analysis tools, better ways to visualize proposed changes, and work directly with local governments to turn community ideas into reality.