New Haven, Conn.-based SeeClickFix is a 311 app cities can use to give their citizens an opportunity to electronically report concerns about infrastructure and public works.
The 311 app is widely used in California, Florida, Georgia and the American Midwest and is also spreading in cities across many states. Recently, SeeClickFix hit two million citizen reports, and estimated that 80 percent had been fixed by its local government clients.
When a resident sees an issue, such as a pothole or graffiti, they can send a picture or video and report the problem through the app.
The app is free for users, but local governments pay a fee to get their residents’ reports, which are mediated by SeeClickFix. There are also tools to help city staff keep track of their progress fulfilling the 311 app requests.
According to founder Ben Berkowitz, most of its local governments clients are looking to increase governmental transparency and accountability.
The city of Broken Arrow, Tenn., partnered with the company to create an action center with several 311 reporting features. Residents can post concerns and also comment and vote on their neighbors’ posts. They can watch areas of town and set up notifications about reported issues, using the SeeClickFix app to follow the progress of any service request.
While it will not replace traditional contact with employees, it will give citizens another option to report non-emergency issues when it’s convenient for them, not just when City Hall is open,” said Michael Spurgeon, Broken Arrow city manager.
Earlier this year Medford, Mass., signed up for one year of the 311 app. The city offers residents online registration and invites them to report incidents. Medford Mayor Stephanie Muccini Burke’s office is supposed to be copied on the 311 reports as a matter of checks and balances.
Prior to the new 311 app, Medford residents took it upon themselves to set up a Google sheet to track complaints. Now, Medford 311 app complaints can be tracked via an online map powered by SeeClickFix.
