Transforming Torrance with Accela’s Enterprise Platform

Introduction: The City of Torrance, CA, has embarked on a transformative journey to enhance its digital infrastructure and improve service delivery to its residents. With the implementation of Accela’s Asset Management, SRM, Building, Planning, Business Licensing, Environmental Health, Fire, Custom, and ERD solutions, Torrance has seen significant improvements in efficiency and transparency.

Customer Background: The City of Torrance, located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, is known for its commitment to providing high-quality services to its residents. The city’s Public Works Department plays a crucial role in maintaining the city’s infrastructure, including sanitation, communications, parks, and water services.

Challenges: Before partnering with Accela, Torrance faced several challenges, including outdated systems, manual processes, and a lack of transparency. The city’s departments operated in silos, leading to inefficiencies and communication breakdowns. The need for a comprehensive digital solution was evident.

Solutions Implemented: Accela provided Torrance with a suite of solutions, including Asset Management, SRM, Building, Planning, Business Licensing, Environmental Health, Fire, Custom, and ERD. These solutions were designed to streamline workflows, improve transparency, and enhance service delivery.

Key Achievements:

1. Enhanced Departmental Collaboration: Torrance’s sanitation, communications, parks, and water departments have integrated their workflows, leading to more efficient operations. The addition of traffic signals and street maintenance in 2023 further streamlined city services.
2. Improved Transparency: The city’s commitment to transparency is evident through the use of dashboards managed in PowerBI. These dashboards track various metrics, including homelessness data, and are a critical part of the city’s long-term strategy.
3. Efficient Processes: The Civic Platform has revolutionized processes for sewer maintenance, business licensing, and fire inspections. The transition from manual to digital processes has reduced workload and improved service delivery.

Departmental Use Cases:

1. Sanitation: The sanitation department uses Accela for sewer and storm drain maintenance. The integration of traffic signals and street maintenance has further improved efficiency.
2. Communications: The communications department benefits from shared workflows and data, enhancing coordination with other departments.
3. Parks and Water: These departments use Accela for asset management, ensuring that parks and water systems are well-maintained and efficiently managed.

Strategic Goals: Accela’s solutions have helped Torrance achieve several strategic goals, including improved transparency, enhanced service delivery, and better resource management. The city’s long-term strategy includes the development of public-facing dashboards and the integration of electronic plan reviews to increase interaction and visibility.

Measuring Success: Success in Torrance is measured through key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics, both quantitative and qualitative. Dashboards play a crucial role in tracking and reporting these metrics. The city’s IT department has reorganized to prioritize applications and analytics, ensuring that dashboards are heavily used and managed effectively.

Benefits:

1. Staff: Back-office and departmental staff have benefited from streamlined processes and reduced manual work.
2. Community: Residents enjoy improved service delivery and greater transparency, fostering trust in the city’s operations.

Conclusion: The City of Torrance’s partnership with Accela has been instrumental in driving digital transformation and improving service delivery. As the city continues to innovate and overcome challenges, it serves as a model for other municipalities looking to enhance their digital infrastructure.