Oakland, CA – The City of Oakland is offering a new tool that streamlines the process of reporting a problem. Yesterday, Oakland unveiled their portal into the mobile app called SeeClickFix for reporting non-emergency problems such as illegal dumping, graffiti, broken street lights and other infrastructure issues to help keep Oakland clean and safe. All of the data goes into the City’s existing Public Works system.

The SeeClickFix mobile app joins phone, email and web as another tool the community can use to report a problem. Information from all these sources are funneled into one database for tracking and resolution.

SeeClickFix allows residents to quickly report and track non-emergency community issues ranging from potholes to graffiti. Smartphone users can use GPS to enter the address of a problem and take a photo. Oakland Public Works crews benefit by having the photo clearly document the area of concern.

SeeClickFix works anywhere in the United States. Through mobile web, web, iPhone, Android and Blackberry apps, the SeeClickFix platform is the most widely-distributed citizen reporting tool in the country. Because it is multi- jurisdictional, it can be used to report problems in other communities.
Oakland Public Works has received and entered requests from SeeClickFix into its work management system for years. The City is now communicating results back to SeeClickFix, so people can see their issues resolved.

Mayor Jean Quan said, “With diminishing resources, this system can help City staff work more effectively and enlist more citizens to get involved. One of my favorite neighborhood leaders says that ’Grime equals Crime.’ Together we can make Oakland more beautiful and safer.”

“This tool allows every person in Oakland to become the eyes and ears of the City. Problems can be reported more quickly and more accurately, and the system continues to follow the problem until it gets addressed,” said Public Works Director Vitaly Troyan.

With increasingly limited resources, Oakland Public Works crews cannot be everywhere. SeeClickFix is designed to facilitate civic conversation and engage the community in improving Oakland’s infrastructure.

Oakland Public Works encourages residents and businesses to report problems via SeeClickFix, phone (510) 615-5566, email pwacallcenter@oaklandnet.com or web (www.oaklandpw.com). For more information, visit www.oaklandpw.com or call (510) 615-5566.

To download the free mobile app, go to http://seeclickfix.com/apps or visit the iPhone App Store or Android Market.