Quick Take:
Santa Cruz County is partnering with a Southern California app developer to offer residents the ability to apply for RV permits through a mobile app that uses blockchain technology for secure transactions. San Diego-based HUMBL is developing the digital wallet program at no cost to the county, which says the company won’t have access to residents’ financial information. Building permits, registering bicycles and reserving spots at county parks are other possible future uses.
Interested in applying for a permit for your recreational vehicle? You can now do that through an app on your phone, with the transaction secured by the blockchain thanks to an agreement between Santa Cruz County and a Southern California app developer.
Earlier this year, the county board of supervisors approved the use of mobile “digital wallets’’ that allow residents to interact with a variety of government services using their phone. Supervisors also greenlit a partnership with HUMBL, a San Diego-based tech company. That approval came a year after the supervisors initially accepted a proposal from HUMBL to develop the digital wallet program at no cost to the county.
The county’s digital wallet comes as more municipalities look for ways to make services easier to access, digitize records and better serve constituents without always requiring them to visit government offices in person. In September 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that allows county governments to issue vital records for birth, marriage and death certificates via verifiable credentials. These can then be held in digital wallets and secured by blockchain technology.
Essentially, a digital wallet lets you store funds and make transactions on your phone, serving as an alternative to cash or cards; it can also be used to store things like tickets or, in this case, permits. HUMBL executives say they believe Santa Cruz County is the first major county in the U.S. to launch a digital wallet.
The county already had an app that allowed residents to do things such as register to vote, report potholes and look up restaurant inspections. The upgraded app, called MySCCounty+ and available in both Android and Apple app stores, adds the ability to purchase and store permits.
HUMBL uses blockchain technology, an unchangeable, decentralized digital ledger that enables verification and tracking of data among separate parties. Proponents of the technology say it brings increased trust, transparency and efficiency to systems while also making it easier for local residents to interact with government services online.
To allay concerns around data privacy, the agreement with HUMBL requires the company to follow a comprehensive data security plan that’s been developed in collaboration with Santa Cruz County’s Information Services Department. The app developer doesn’t have access to residents’ financial information, the county said.
For now, the technology can be used only to buy RV parking permits, which allow RV owners to park their vehicles on county roads. But county spokesperson Jason Hoppin said the government expects to roll out several more features in the coming months. Other possibilities include adding the ability to buy building permits, register bicycles and reserve spots at county parks, though there’s no set time for adding more services, he said.
“We want to explore using systems where the permit or credential can be applied for and delivered remotely,” he said.
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