Local governments are facing increasing expenses and revenues that are not keeping pace, leaving infrastructure in decay. Open data and apps can help address these challenges by making cities more digital, accessible from any device at any time with digital documentation, cloud services, and open data. A case study from Palo Alto aims to build a leading digital city with a vision for its IT department and characteristics like social focus, augmented features, and collaboration. Mobile app challenges presented include a StreetViewer app, parking finder, smart grid app, and augmented reality of Palo Alto.