MySCCounty+, now available in the App Store and Google Play, represents a new technological advancement for the county by allowing residents to purchase and store digital permits and other credentials on their electronic devices.
The new app also builds off of features launched in 2015 through the Citizen Connect app, later renamed to My Santa Cruz County, including the ability to access community services, apply for public benefits, sign up for emergency alerts, report potholes, abandoned vehicles and track the progress of issue resolution.
"With the launch of the new MySCCounty+ app, the County has taken a technological leap forward that helps lay the groundwork for fully secure anywhere, anytime County services," said Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Chair Zach Friend in a county release. "No other local government in California is as dedicated to leveraging the power of technology to serve residents."
Additionally, the app will also allow visiting relatives or anyone else to secure RV parking permits for unincorporated roadways. Public safety officials and residents, using the app, will be able to rapidly verify whether someone has permits without needing to make contact with permit holders. Additional permits and other available credentials will be included in future updates to the app, according to the county release.
The app was launched with help from HUMBL, a San Diego-based technology company that develops mobile apps for digital payments, including transactions founded on blockchain technologies. According to the release, MySCCounty+ is the first municipal app developed in conjunction with a local jurisdiction in California.
The app, which is free to download on App Store and Google Play, includes a a library of credentials called a "vault" where vital documents and select permits will be securely stored. HUMBL does not store or have access to users' financial information, according to the release, and similar to other apps, MySCCounty+ can use biometrics to login for an additional layer of security.
The app can also help users register to vote, view or pay property tax bills, view parcel information, review restaurant inspection reports, search county jobs and explore the county parks network.
NEW COUNTY APP
What: MySCCounty+ allows residents to purchase and store digital permits and other credentials on their electronic devices.
How: Available on App Store and Google Play.
When: Available now.
©2023 the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.