Two-Factor Authentication

The Birmingham Neighborhood Platform holds civic records — election outcomes, meeting minutes, foundation finances — that need to stay trustworthy. A leaked or guessed password is the most common way accounts get taken over. Two-factor authentication blocks that pathway by requiring a second proof of identity beyond your password.

NA admins, foundation board members, and city auditors are encouraged to enable two-factor immediately. The platform may also require it for those roles in the future per the Citizen Participation Plan and CDBG compliance reviews.

Visit Settings → Two-factor authentication and click "Enroll." The platform shows you a QR code and a setup key. Open an authenticator app on your phone (Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, or any TOTP-compatible app) and scan the code — that links your phone to your account.

From then on, every sign-in asks for both your password and a six-digit code from the authenticator app. The codes refresh every 30 seconds, so they expire quickly even if someone catches a glimpse.

The platform also gives you 10 single-use recovery codes during enrollment. Save them somewhere safe (a password manager, a printed copy in a drawer). If you lose your phone, those codes get you back in.

Use one of your saved recovery codes to sign in. Each code works once and then is permanently spent — the platform tracks remaining count for you in Settings.

If you’re out of recovery codes, contact a platform administrator. They can reset your enrollment so you can set up two-factor again on a new device. This path is intentionally manual because resetting two-factor is the most powerful attack vector on the system — humans look at it.