OpenAddresses.io

See OpenAddresses (disambiguation) for other address collection projects

OpenAddresses.io, often referred to as simply "OpenAddresses", is "a global collection of address data sources, open and free to use" which was created by OSMers Ian Dees, Nick Ingalls, Mike Migurski, and others. Originally a spreadsheet of government address datasets maintained by Dees, it now has an aggregated download, an API, and a website at openaddresses.io. The project's data store and collaboration center is its Github repository.

At least two other projects exist that share the name "OpenAddresses," but OpenAddresses.io is the largest by territory covered, source count (2,100+) and total addresses (470+ million).

Importing OpenAddresses Data To OpenStreetMap

OpenAddresses is a useful way to find openly licensed address datasets, some of which may be appropriate candidates for addition to OpenStreetMap. But a data source's presence within the OpenAddresses project should not be interpreted as proof that importing it to OpenStreetMap is appropriate. Each individual data source's original license must first be reviewed for compatibility with OpenStreetMap. If that review determines the licenses are compatible, the OSM import guidelines must then be followed.

OpenAddresses Data, Licensing and Liability

OpenAddresses' metadata and list of sources is offered under a CC0 license. The datasets indexed by OpenAddresses are licensed under many different terms by their publishers, from well-known Creative Commons licenses to idiosyncratic documents used nowhere else. OpenAddresses contributors make a good-faith effort to ensure that the data sources the project indexes are available under open licenses that fit within with broadly-defined "Freely Shareable" or "Share-Alike Required" categories. However, like OpenStreetMap, the OpenAddresses volunteers making these determinations are rarely trained lawyers. OpenAddresses does not offer indemnity or other guarantees to users of the data it indexes. Use of OpenAddresses data is at the user's own risk. A data source being accepted under OpenAddresses' sense of "open licensing" does not mean it is compatible with the ODbL used by OpenStreetMap.

Contributors and Supporters

Notable active contributors include Nathaniel V. Kelso, Nelson Minar, Stephen Hess, Sam Libby, Sergiy Protsiv and Justin Meyers. The project's primary Github repository has received contributions from over 120 individuals. Although many of its contributors are also active OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenAddresses.io is not associated with OpenStreetMap or the OpenStreetMap Foundation.

Usage of the project's data is not tracked, so a complete list of individuals and companies using OpenAddresses data does not exist. But the project is actively supported by staff from both Mapzen and Mapbox. Amazon Web Services donates storage and computing services to the project.

Talks and Presentations 

• OpenAddresses has 440M points. How can we tell when we’re done? - a blog post by Michal Migurski for Mapbox in 2017
• OpenAddresses celebrates 400 million addresses - a blog post by Nathaniel V. Kelso, Stephen Hess, Justin Meyers, Ian Dees, and Michal Migurski at Mapzen in 2017
• OpenAddresses: A collection of open address data - a talk by Ian Dees at FOSS4G NA 2016 in Raleigh, NC, USA
• Opening Address Data Around The World - a talk by Tom Lee at FOSS4G 2015 in Seoul
• AWS Symposium - a talk by Ian Dees at AWS Government, Education, and Nonprofits Symposium in Washington, DC USA, June 2015
• Unlocking Open Data with the Power of Search - Ian Dees, Mike Migurski, Diana Shkolnikov at Code for America Summit 2015
• Mapzen's Support for Code for America and OpenAddresses - a blog post by Michal Migurski at Mapzen in 2015
• Video of a talk about OpenAddresses - a lightning talk by Alex Barth at SOTM EU 2014