From dirty to clean in a click

Sunday, January 30, 2011 - By EJ - No comments

Argentina, Buenos Aires has been utilizing SeeClickFix to help better their community! Issue #13240 reported trash outside a local convenient store. The citizen recently reported that a trash can was placed outside for customers to throw out their trash. Problem solved!


In Buenos Aires, 67 issues have been reported and 47 have been closed. Issue #13240 is just one example of how communities in Argentina are utilizing SeeClickFix to come together and improve their environment.

The Washington Post gripes about fallen trees

Thursday, January 20, 2011 - By Kayla Vandervort - No comments



The Washington Post recently investigated SeeClickFix issue "Tree Removal" on their Daily Gripe. With the help of SeeClickFix, user Jason Anderson reported the fallen trees in Anacostia and got a timely response from DC 311. 

Jason reported, "we have a dead tree whos limbs break and fall, I have conted DCRA, MAYORS office and DPW nothing has been doe since the big snowlast Feb recently a branch fell and hit a child playing on the side walk, I call 311 got no help, I sent pics to show we wave a deaf child on this street still no help."

After investigation, the Washington Post found two interesting facts for its citizens. First, issues regarding fallen trees on public property should be reported to the Urban Forestry Administration, a division of the District Department of Transportation. Second, for debris removal, citizens should report to 311 where the Department of Public Works will work to address and clean-up debris in public property. The Washington post says that "Yes, we're confused too." 

What lesson can be learned through the Washington Posts's investigation? It's helpful for citizens to also  become familiar with their own public officials so they know who to follow up with when they have a problem. This way both the community and government officials can more efficiently engage with each other. 

Brandon Jackson - App Developer/Super Star

Thursday, January 13, 2011 - By Unknown - 4 comments

About 6 months ago we met Brandon Jackson, an undergrad at Yale University. Brandon was not only excited about SeeClickFix but had the skills to jump on the team part time to develop our most recent iPhone app.

Brandon has developed a very sophisticated application with a host of new features that's faster and more stable than our previous version. Not only did he create the tool but he also designed and led the vision of the project with our CTO and CoFounder Jeff Blasius.

Its been a pleasure working with a developer who understands usability and the true value of SeeClickFix: Connecting people locally and getting concerns in the public space addressed collectively.

Brandon will continue to work part-time for SeeClickFix in the interim before he heads back to Yale.

The SCF community thanks you Brandon.
Check out more about Brandon here.

Dangerous building demolished with help of Pontiac community activist

Wednesday, January 12, 2011 - By Kayla Vandervort - 1 comment



Last week the Oakland Press reported that a former dry cleaner and adjoining businesses have been demolished. The buildings were found to be dangerous to the environment and to public safety.  The issue was first reported 2 months ago on SeeClickFix  by community activist  and  member of Citzens Against Blight, Mona Hofmeister.

Mona explained, "There is a abandoned old dry cleaners on E Pike between Sanford and Tasmania St. that is wide open. I've seen kids and adults leaving and entering this building. I think it should be secured and boarded up. It's very dangerous for the community".

With Mona's persistence, her issue was addressed by Christy Clark, a senior geologist for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Christy graciously thanked Mona for her community activism saying:

"My pleasure, Mona. Thank you for being so diligent - you are an invaluable asset to your community.Keep in touch and let me know of any other environmental concerns in your area.
Christy Clark"

Well we thank Mona and Christy for being great examples to the community! 

An SCF 1ST: Media pays for Citizen to Government Communication System

- By Unknown - 3 comments

We are excited to announce the partnership between SeeClickFix, WRAL and The City of Raleigh.
Starting today all Raleigh City Council, The Mayor and City Services will be using SeeClickFix Plus to track and acknowledge issues. Their citizens will be using the Raleigh customized Blackberry, Android and iPhone apps to take photos of potholes, graffiti and other non-emergency issues to create reports for the city to fix. They also will be able to report via the web on WRAL's website and the City of Raleigh's website.


Its not unique that media partners and city partners are using SeeClickFix in the same city. The Washington Post and Washington DC 311 as well as  Philly.Com and Philadelphia are good examples of media and gov SCF cities. What is unique is that WRAL has committed to purchasing the Plus service for the city. This marks a new level of commitment to civic engagement from a SeeClickFix media partner.

When media and government work together to foster accountability, responsive governance and engagement there's no stopping them. A big thank you goes to Councilman Gaylord who first brought SCF Plus to Raleigh back in the fall and proposed the bill to approve the use of the software.

You can see SeeClickFix embedded on the city's site here: http://www.wral.com/news/local/page/8758007/

You can see SeeClickFix embedded on WRAL here:
http://www.raleighnc.gov/portal/portal/cor/ext/SeeClickFix


Here's the home page of the custom app:

SeeClickFix iPhone app 2.0 Released

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 - By Unknown - 4 comments

We are very excited to announce the release of our new iPhone app in the itunes store.
The new app is faster, stabler, prettier and has a host of new functions which you requested.

Download the new app here and please rate it in the itunes store honestly. We really want the feedback.

Here's a list of some of the new features:

1) Launches in a second
2) Photos for reporting and commenting can be added from the phone's library
3) You can start a report off-line and then submit when you have returned to service
4) Easily share issues on twitter, fb and by email
5) Full integration with SF311, DC311 and New Haven, CT's CitiWorks workorder system
6) Close issues with a photo of the fix
7) Filter issues on the map by keyword
8) Report issues away from your current location using the map or address
9) Sleek new branding for our SeeClickFix Plus and Connect clients
10) Runs in the background when closed
11) Improved location experience and stability

Here's a video demo of the new app:





We really want to thank Brandon Jackson who did most of the work on this application in his time off from Yale this semester. He's a great example of why it pays to start a company in New Haven, CT !

Loose Pitbulls and Community that gives a damn.

- By Unknown - No comments

Saturday night I was a passenger in a car that was halted on Chapel Street in New Haven behind a couple of cars who were attending to something on the side of the road.

When we finally were able to see what was causing the hold up we realized that there were some people checking out a stray pitbull on a leash.

We decided to let them assist but I quickly posted the loose dog on SeeClickFix in hopes that the owner might find it.

The ensuing response from neighbors was really amazing including two who actually went out and took a look for the dog.

When we are connected and informed we are safer and stronger as a community. Its always exciting to reap the benefits of a tool you helped to create.

This is why I love SeeClickFix.

http://seeclickfix.com/issues/72519-loose-pitbull-sitting-on-edgewood

Omidyar Network and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures Bring Neighborhoods and City Hall Closer Together with Investment in SeeClickFix

- By Unknown - 1 comment

 



January 11, 2011, REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Omidyar Network and O’Reilly AlphaTech

Ventures (OATV) today announced an equity investment in SeeClickFix, the developer

of technologies that enable citizens to report and monitor non-emergency issues in their

local community. The investment reflects both organizations’ belief that technology can

scale programs that foster meaningful engagement among citizens, their local government

and others in the community. It is Omidyar Network’s first for-profit investment in its

Government Transparency investment area and OATV’s first investment in a Gov 2.0

initiative.

Through its Government Transparency investment area, Omidyar Network invests in

organizations that use technology and media platforms to provide access to information and

tools necessary for citizens to participate in the governing process and hold governments to

account. Over the last two years, the firm has granted over $30M to organizations such as

Code for America, the Project On Government Oversight and the Sunlight Foundation.

“Omidyar Network is deeply committed to furthering the use of technology platforms to

engage citizens on issues of importance to them,” commented Stacy Donohue, director of

investments at Omidyar Network. “The SeeClickFix team has created a powerful platform

that can have significant, tangible social impact. They’ve created a scalable, low-cost way

to turn citizen frustration into participation and engagement while strengthening community

bonds.”

O’Reilly Media, a general partner of OATV, works to promote greater government openness

and citizen participation through its events, books and online. The Gov2.0 Summit,

co-presented by O’Reilly Media and UBM TechWeb, brings together the creators and

innovators, citizens and government leaders who are building ‘government as a platform.’

Tim O’Reilly, CEO and founder of O’Reilly Media, said: “Now is the time for government

to reinvent itself, to take the old idea of government 'for the people, by the people and of the

people' to a new level."

Mark P. Jacobsen, managing director at OATV, will join the SeeClickFix board of

directors. “SeeClickFix is poised to bridge citizens into governments which have traditionally

offered limited channels of communication,” said Jacobsen.

SeeClickFix provides online and mobile platforms that empower citizens, community groups,

media and local governments to care for and improve the country’s neighborhoods. It was

founded on the belief that citizens who take the time to report even minor issues and see

them fixed are likely to become more engaged in their local communities. Started in New

Haven, Connecticut in 2008, SeeClickFix now has millions of viewers and has logged tens of

thousands of reports. The service is accessible online, via Blackberry, iPhone and Android

mobile platforms and widgets found on media partner websites such as the Washington Post,

Gannett, SFGate, Philly.com and Boston.com.

“SeeClickFix has grown faster than we could have imagined and the platform’s ability

to connect neighbors and resolve local problems is benefitting communities of all socio-

economic backgrounds across the United States as well as some locations internationally,”

said SeeClickFix founder and CEO Ben Berkowitz. “In the past year, SeeClickFix has

seen more and more governments adopting the citizen platform as their primary online

engagement tool. The funding provided by OATV and Omidyar Network will enable us to

continue to capture the market we are helping to create. Capital will be used to enhance the

existing SeeClickFix smartphone and web platforms as well as increase sales and support to

our current and future media partners, government clients and users.”

About O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures

O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures (OATV) is a seed-stage venture capital fund located in San

Francisco. OATV is in the business of funding disruptors, innovators and hackers of the

status quo. OATV takes a cash efficient approach to seeding and growing businesses which

creates a natural alignment with the entrepreneurs it funds. In addition to capital, OATV

brings a depth of operational experience and industry relationships to amplify the efforts of

its portfolio companies.

About Omidyar Network

Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power

of markets to create opportunity for people to improve their lives. Established in 2004 by

eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, the organization invests in and helps scale

innovative organizations to catalyze economic and social change. To date, Omidyar Network

has committed more than $371 million to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations

that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple

investment areas, including microfinance, entrepreneurship, property rights, consumer

Internet, mobile technology and government transparency. To learn more about Omidyar

Network, please visit www.omidyar.com.

Contact:

Greg Pershall

Omidyar Network

gpershall@omidyar.com

360-607-8901

The Ultimate Snowstorm Tool: SeeClickFix

Monday, January 10, 2011 - By Kayla Vandervort - 1 comment

As the winter plows through, snow season continues to bring numerous unplowed streets, parking lots and icy roads. Mother nature hit the east coast last week with a huge blizzard, and she was ready to hit again last weekend.

So why is SeeClickFix the ultimate snow storm tool? As snow plows gear up to clean up the new snowfall, SeeClickFix users can prepare by warming up their fingers and get ready to report their local snow issues through our SeeClickFix mobile app, clicking onto our website, or reporting through one of our widgets. Once the issues are reported, local government officials that are monitoring their city or town will be notified!

So who is ready for this snow storm? The Trentonian recently published an article giving their users a snow survival guide and suggested that once the snow storm blows over, users should turn to their SeeClickFix map widget to report unplowed streets.

Keep ahead this snow season and use SeeClickFix to help keep your streets plowed and safe!

Kondratick running on "streamlined government" platform in Ashburn, VA

- By Unknown - No comments

Michael Kondratick

Mike Kondratick understands the value of connecting people to their governments.  It’s been his passion (and his job) during the years that he’s worked as Director of Grassroots Advocacy for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in Washington, DC.  He strives to maintain a strong connection between JDRF and members of Congress using mobile technology, social media, and other grassroots mobilization methods.  His strategy, he says on his blog, is “to find ways to communicate that build relationships by following the old adage that 'all politics is local.’”  

Sounds a lot like what we do here at SeeClickFix!  We’re interested in eliminating communication obstacles between citizens and their governments.  Kondratick has been doing the same for JDRF, and now he’s taking things a step farther by running for a seat on the General Assembly’s House of Delegates in Virginia where he resides (according to a recent article in “Leesburg Today”).  He has been an advocate for diabetes-afflicted youth in America -- now he is seeking to advocate for his Ashburn-area neighbors, utilizing the same concepts of efficiency, collaboration, and technology (in a word, Gov2.0!)

Kondratick’s platform will focus on solutions like data curation, smarter procurement processes, incubators to facilitate business development, and streamlining tools like -- ta-DA! -- SeeClickFix.  He mentioned our site as a good way for citizens to help cities distribute money as effectively as possible.  It’s a way to focus on specifics (litter, graffiti) without sacrificing efficiency.  In his talk with “Leesburg Today,” Kondratick summarized his goals:

"At the end of the day I'd like to have a campaign where we talk about how we can invest our resources in a way that empowers the greater community. I want to be able to empower citizens and businesses to find ways to work together to achieve things that we all want to see."

Replace the word “businesses” with “governments” and that would practically be the SeeClickFix mission statement!  Paving the way for citizens to speak directly to their local leaders, we help to create better communities that everyone can enjoy.  Thanks, Mike Kondratick, for advancing the vision of open communication and collaboration in your corner of the world.  We look forward to being part of it.

Vancouver Downtown Ambassadors are on fire!

Sunday, January 9, 2011 - By Unknown - No comments

Lost your way on the streets of Vancouver?  Need assistance crossing the road with your handicapped grandfather?  Not sure where to find the nearest public restroom?  Never fear -- just look for the guys (and gals) in the bright red shirts.  They’re the Vancouver Downtown Ambassadors, and they’re here to help you.  

Equipped with cell phones, first aid kits, digital cameras, maps, and more, the Ambassadors bike and hike the streets of Vancouver on a daily basis, ready to aid persons in distress and to address “quality of life” issues like litter and panhandling.  They are also charged with monitoring and deterring criminal activity on public property, from graffiti to illegal parking.  The Ambassadors even partner with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia by carrying handheld Casio computers, which track stolen vehicles, and in this way have recovered 5 - 10 stolen autos each month!

In 2008 the Downtown Ambassador Program was honored with the "National Meetings Industry Award", presented by the British Columbia chapter of the Meeting Professionals International, in recognition for being such effective “eyes and ears” on the streets of Vancouver.  The Ambassador Program is funded by the thousands of business and property owners in the downtown area.  Ambassadors have played a key role in reducing drug dealing and other criminal activity in Vancouver’s downtown.

If these red-clad civil servants weren’t awesome enough already, they recently flooded SeeClickFix with a storm of reports -- mostly related to graffiti -- which drew our attention to their awesomeness.  Their account is only a few weeks old, and already they’ve reported nearly 150 issues!  Looks like the Ambassadors are adding SeeClickFix to their arsenal of do-good weapons.  It’s a perfect match -- since these folks are always on the go, it makes sense for them to use SeeClickFix for quick, efficient civic reporting.

This is also a great example of how SeeClickFix can be a powerful tool for community groups (not just individuals).  Neighborhood associations, formal programs like the Ambassadors, and other groups have a ready-made platform to aid in mass reporting or to monitor a particular area.  We make sure those reports end up in the right place, so civic groups can invest their time and energy where it counts.  We’re honored to be part of what the Downtown Ambassadors are doing for the streets and citizens of Vancouver, and look forward to hearing from them often.

Clifton's "Mayor Jim" connects with citizens on SeeClickFix

Saturday, January 8, 2011 - By Unknown - No comments

What does a New Jersey mayor have in common with celebrated Craigslist founder Craig Newmark?  A leadership style that listens -- and replies -- to the voice of the people.  Specifically, James Anzaldi of Clifton, NJ has been responding directly to citizen reports on SeeClickFix.  When residents see his signature -- “Mayor Jim” -- attached to a personal response concerning a reported issue, they realize he’s willing to be part of the process of community improvement, rather than just delegating the task to someone else.


Similarly, Craig Newmark is recognized as being surprisingly responsive to correspondence from the general public despite his celebrity status.  He created Craigslist to fill a need -- not to gain popularity -- and now remains accessible, ready to have a conversation with anybody.  For that reason he is respected as a down-to-earth guy who doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.  Mayor Jim is bringing the same service-oriented philosophy to his hometown by creating a personal watch area on SeeClickFix, which he monitors and maintains as part of his service to the people of Clifton.
The “civil servant” approach recently gained considerable recognition as it was employed by another New Jersey mayor -- Cory Booker of Newark -- during the “Snowpocalypse” of late December.  Booker impressed the “Gov2.0” community (and a lot of other people too) by his continual use of Twitter to keep Newark citizens informed and encouraged during the storm and the days following.  He took things a step further by personally attending to the needs of stranded citizens.  A mother in need of diapers for her baby received some from Booker’s own hands; residents saw him shoveling out their cars; a woman in labor was attended by Booker and his team until EMS arrived.  That’s what is known as “leading by example.”
We think Mayor Jim of Clifton is setting a leadership example, too.  He cares about his community -- which encourages his citizens to continue their improvement efforts.  In reporting issues to local authorities, it’s always nice to know someone is listening -- and willing to talk back.  Keep up the great work, Mayor Jim!

The "Idea Greenhouse" Is SeeClickFix-ing In Downtown Durham

Wednesday, January 5, 2011 - By Unknown - No comments



The “Idea Greenhouse” began with -- well, an idea.  Specifically, the idea of “growing a creative culture in downtown Durham, NH by providing a space to connect people."  Tom Elliott, digital evangelist and idea maven who lives and writes in Durham, realized the community was home to dozens of creative starters and entrepreneurs who were still working out of coffee shops or locked in their home offices talking to the walls.  So he founded the Idea Greenhouse with a view to giving the creative community of Durham a physical home where concepts and projects could come to life, where conversations among smart people could spark even more progress.

Elliott arranged for office cubicles, “drop-in” style workspaces, meeting rooms, a coffeepot and restroom -- in short, a workplace where people could connect and collaborate.  The Greenhouse started small just six months ago, but experienced a huge response from the community and is now partnering with the University of New Hampshire in re-locating to a bigger and better idea-hatching space.  Looks like Durham has the potential to become a hub of entrepreneurial energy -- because somebody had a good idea and worked hard to make it a reality.

That’s the kind of story we love here at SeeClickFix -- citizens taking the initiative to make good things happen instead of waiting around for someone else to do it.  Naturally we were tickled to find that Elliott was touting SeeClickFix on his blog, encouraging the Idea Greenhouse community to report issues using the widget or their mobile phones.  Durham, as Elloitt explains in his post, is a small college town with 6000+ students and brisk New England winds that often cause considerable accumulation of debris in the downtown streets.  Elliott’s hope is that with the help of SeeClickFix and the responsive civic staff, real improvements can be made in the town’s core.  We’re honored to be part of the process, and glad to come alongside Tom Elliott and the Idea Greenhouse in “improving downtown Durham one click at a time.”

Ben Berkowitz fixing community problems one click at a time at BIF-6

- By Kayla Vandervort - No comments

Check out our very own Ben Berkowitz from the 2010 BIF-6 Collaborative Innovation Summit which took place in Providence, RI this past September.



Read Ben's previous blog post explaining the event!

Reposted from GovFresh: A proactive snow strategy for Cory Booker and other elected officials

Monday, January 3, 2011 - By Kayla Vandervort - No comments


By Luke Fretwell
January 3rd, 2011
To view original post, click here.
There’s no question Newark Mayor Cory Booker deserves the accolades he’s received for responding to constituent needs during the recent blizzard that hit the East Coast. It’s inspiring to see a politician step out from behind the desk and photo opps to do something tangible and meaningful where people can witness it firsthand. Who doesn’t love a diaper-delivering mayor?
What surprises me most about this story is that our elected officials should have a more proactive plan in place when it comes to something as obvious as snow. Every government should have an established, modern era snow plan that includes both government officials and citizens.
Here’s what we know about snow and people:
  • It will snow (if you get snow where you live).
  • People will complain when it does.
  • People are good and want to help.
Here’s some quick thoughts for public officials on what to do when snow might fall where you live.

Create a centralized reporting platform

Booker’s use of Twitter is a great example of how it can be used to respond to citizen requests quickly and informally, but it’s by no means a great citizen service platform. Whether it’s SeeClickFixor Ushahidi, government needs to establish a centralized, two-way service platform in order to be efficient and effective during a crisis. When the next snow storm hits, people will know a) where to report an issue b) help resolve one or c) have real-time insight into how assistance is progressing.
Other benefits:
  • Shows citizens they’re not the only ones in need.
  • Lets citizens help prioritize.
  • Opportunity to highlight other government Web services and how citizens can leverage.
  • Gives media a powerful visual (they love that).

Encourage citizens to help

There’s something incredible about the human spirit when adversity strikes. Whether it’s patriotic pride or a civic adrenaline rush, people will help if you ask. Leaders should acknowledge they need help, especially in uncommon scenarios like a blizzard, earthquake or any other crisis situation. Having a platform to reference will allow you to manage this civic surplus effectively.

Praise quickly and openly

When government service staff or citizens respond they’ve resolved a request, thank them quickly via Twitter, Facebook or other public mechanism. When people see they’ve been acknowledged, they will work harder and others will begin to participate. Once the snow has cleared, honor these good citizens. Create the ‘Golden Snow Shovel Awards’ and bring the community together. Make it a regular part of your administration’s appreciation agenda.
Booker is the first recipient of GovFresh’s ‘Golden Shovel Award.’ I just hope him and other public leaders get proactive and build platforms in preparation for when the next blizzard hits.
For a more articulate post on this issue, read Patrick Meier’s Why Crowdsourcing and Crowdfeeding may be the answer to Snowmageddon.

Getting ready for pothole season

- By Kayla Vandervort - No comments


Get ready folks, pothole season has approached, and SeeClickFix is ready for it. Who else is ready?

According to the Seattle Times, starting today, Seattle also prepared to address pothole season by sending out "Pothole Rangers" to make repairs. Thankfully, the citizens of Seattle can report their pothole issues straight through the SeeClickFix map widget that is embedded on the Seattle Times site. 

The Maple Leaf blog of Seattle helped publicize this upcoming pothole season by asking citizens to report potholes  in their area. After making the request, according to Maple Leaf, "Suddenly, our Maple Leaf watch area on SeeClickFix.com lit up. A number of the reports are outside the neighborhood proper, but we all drive these streets."

So, are you ready to report potholes in your community? Embed the SeeClickFix Map widget to your site to become fully prepared for this upcoming pothole season!