The system, which city staff have been in the process of revamping for the last nine months, aims to give residents more options for the ways they can report non-emergency issues to the city. It also consolidates repeat requests and allows staff to update the status of a request on a public-facing dashboard after it is completed.
“Not only will this reduce wait times for people who need to call 3-1-1 instead of creating a service request on our app or web portal, this investment and upgrade in our technology will prepare us for the next 20 years of demand,” said Tina Paez, Houston’s administrative and regulatory affairs director, in a news release.
The new website and app gives users real-time updates on the status of a request made to the city, something they could previously only get from calling 3-1-1 again or contacting City Council members. Some of the most common reports to 3-1-1 are concerns about water leaks, traffic light issues and missed trash pick ups, according to the city.
“The new system is another example of how Houston is building a Smart City of the future. This new 3-1-1 system has the potential to be the platform that connects all city departments and systems to each other ensuring a smooth and seamless experience for constituents,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in the release.
Residents can report concerns and make service request to city departments by calling 3-1-1, visiting the website or downloading the mobile app.
