We work with local partners to collect, clean, and integrate disparate datasets such as parcel and assessor records, rent registries, ownership, and active market listings into a single platform. This technology backbone enables our partners to build tools and applications aimed at making housing more stable and equitable.
When cities can see their full rental market clearly, they can act precisely, fund programs smarter, and build policy that actually works.
The Open Rent Initiative is a nonprofit venture founded by Citizen Codex and is fiscally sponsored by the PSL Foundation. Our first pilot launched in summer 2026 with Mountain View, CA, built in close partnership with the city's housing department.
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Executive Director
Biniam has spent his career at the intersection of data, policy, and public service, spanning international development, civic technology, and housing data advocacy. He authored the foundational research that launched the initiative.
Technology Advisor
Scott Nichols is Chief Technology Officer of Element14 and has spent 20 years building data platforms for government agencies, including USDA, the State Department, the VA, and the Census Bureau. He ran Accenture's global Palantir Business Group and, earlier at Novetta, built entity-resolution systems that matched billions of records across hundreds of sources. He began his career as a U.S. Air Force intelligence analyst and Mandarin linguist. He advises Open Rent on its data and technology work.
Senior Advisor
Carol is the I. Donald Terner Distinguished Professor Emerita in Affordable Housing and Urban Policy at UC Berkeley and founder of the Terner Center, and former Federal Housing Commissioner under President Obama. Her expertise in housing policy and affordable housing finance directly informs how Open Rent is built and for whom.
Partnerships Lead, Bay Area
Pedro Galvao is a senior California housing policy strategist who led the creation of the California Housing and Homelessness Agency and held senior roles with the State of California shaping housing policy. He advises Open Rent on California partnerships and fundraising.
Partnerships Lead, Los Angeles Area
Greg Good is a principal at Good Strategy and a longtime Los Angeles housing and infrastructure leader. He served as Director of Strategic Engagement and Policy at the Los Angeles Housing Department, Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Garcetti, and President of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works. He advises Open Rent on partnerships and engagement with leaders and organizations across the Los Angeles area.