Polis, a blog about cities around the world, recently featured an interview with SeeClickFix CEO Ben Berkowitz.  A few highlights of the interview are below. To read the entire interview, go here.

When you first brought the idea of using SeeClickFix to local government, what kind of response did you receive?

I was not expecting it to go as smoothly as it did. I didn't expect issues to get fixed when we made them public. I suspected that local government wouldn't like us right away. But it works, and it turns out most local government officials actually do want to do their jobs. More and more governments are partnering with us and not trying to look the other way. Also, I was surprised that so many governments started using our software for managing internal data. I have lots of faith in the engineers on our team and we're building really good software, but I thought that "legacy software" was more entrenched in local government than it was.

When I started, I had a very "us vs them, citizens vs government" mentality, and now I have more of a "we" mentality. There are people on both sides who can be disruptive to the community, and people on both sides that can really make the community a positive place.

Do you think SeeClickFix has succeeded in helping residents and local government connect?

Definitely. People have gotten together to resolve things, people have gotten together to discuss things, people have gotten together to lobby things, people have helped each other. Here's my anecdote of the week: Users reported a desire for a dog park in a previously unused public space, and we helped fundraise for the dog park and got it put up. I just saw a report that a woman's purse had been found in front of the dog park and was posted to SeeClickFix. I'm not sure if she's gotten her purse back yet, but it's amazing to think that the incident might not have been reported if that park hadn't been there.
 

The slogan for the magazine Real Simple is "Life  Made Easier." It's no wonder that the magazine selected SeeClickFix as its "App of the Month" for November 2012, because SeeClickFix makes life so much easier for people who want to improve their community.

We're happy that SeeClickFix is continuing to receive recognition for the practical way it helps citizens to engage with their community, and look forward to working with more cities to make this possible for more people.

For over two years, SeeClickFix media partner The Saratogian has published a column entitled SeeClickFix Series, highlighting civic and public space issues identified and reported by residents throughout Saratoga Springs, NY. The latest installment brings attention to a dangerous intersection first reported back in April of 2010.  As the article points out:

The intersection is not actually one junction, but two placed close together. Gilbert Road intersects with Lake Avenue at an odd angle, and approximately 100 feet away Lake Avenue intersects with Weibel Avenue at a light. In between those two intersections lie two business entrances — to a busy Stewart’s Shop and an office building. 

In response to the original SeeClickFix report, concerned citizens suggested a variety of solutions, from the installation of traffic lights, to the reduction of speed limits, to the construction of a roundabout. One SeeClickFixer recommended adding an on-ramp to I-87 (Adirondack Northway) from Lake Avenue, as a way to reduce the number of cars that pass through the.

As city desk reporter Lucian McCarty confirms:

[DOT spokeswoman Carol] Breen said she would have the intersection added to the list of those being studied. A study, she said, would observe the traffic volume, how left turns are handled and the number of accidents.  "They’ll see if there is anything that needs to be done".  The study should be taken up shortly, according to Breen.

Of particular note, this illustrates how SeeClickFix can be of particular aide in drawing attention to the dangerous intersections of roads of mixed jurisdiction. In the case, a Saratoga Springs city road (Gilbert Road) joins two state roads (Route 29 & Weibel Avenue), thus requiring involvement from the New York State Dept. of Transportation.

Full article

About SeeClickFix media tools

The Saratogian uses a SeeClickFix media widget not only to engage their audience and improve their community, but also to generate unique hyper-local content and boost repeat website traffic. Our reporting and mapping tools connect their website with readers, and readers with their local government, for solving non-emergency public space issues. Citizens use the widget not only to post new concerns, but also to support the existing concerns of friends and neighbors by adding comments, adding photos or videos, and voting to fix.

There have been a number of great conversations around outsourcing local journalism in the fall-out of the Journatic Controversy. The general sentiment is that its not so great to have folks out of country writing your local news, but its definitely great to have your readers augment your content creation with lead generation and even content.

Josh Stearns just posted on FreePress.Net with his reflections on this conversation citing SeeClickFix as one of the main players augmenting local journalism through the crowd:

http://www.freepress.net/blog/2012/07/24/whats-answer-outsourced-news

SeeClickFix media partner WIS-TV in Columbia, SC hit the streets this week to investigate an issue reported by one of their viewers. Issue #153450 - Need Stop Lights - highlights a deceptively dangerous intersection that many fear could lead to serious injuries if something isn't done.

After an anonymous viewer reported the issue through the SeeClickFix widget on the WIS-TV website, another viewer logged on and left a comment, adding important information about the intersection at Clemson and Percival. Vickie Covino wrote:

A stop light DEFINITELY needs to be added at percival and clemson road. It is nearly impossible to get out of Clemson road onto percival in the mornings and afternoons. If something isn't done soon someone is going to get hurt or killed. It is a very dangerous area. Plus it will help with the Fort Jackson Cemetery. Please consider putting a light there ASAP.

Reporters Shana Smith and Taylor Kearns read Vickie's comment on the original issue and posted a comment of their own, asking if she would be interested in being interviewed for the story they were working on.


Within a day, Vickie, her coworker Heather, and the WIS-TV crew were at the intersection filming and helping fix this problem once and for all! As part of their investigation, WIS-TV called the Department of Transportation and found out that the intersection has been approved for a stoplight which will be installed in the next several months.

Congrats to WIS-TV for a job very well done on their first SeeClickFix segment, and to Vickie and Heather for getting their issue the attention it deserves! Our team can't wait to see that WIS-TV will be fixing next!

With Election Day just around the corner (read: Tuesday),  Ivan Lajara (@ivanlajara) of the Kingston Daily Freeman recently discussed making an 'Election Day Problems Widget' using SeeClickFix. We thought this was such an interesting application of our technology and wanted to share it with you here. From long lines to glitchy machines, there's always something happening at your polling place. This year, keep both your neighbors and public officials informed about voting irregularities by publicly documenting them in real time. From news outlets to community organizations, anyone can create his or her very-own Election Day Map with a few easy clicks.

1. Go to SeeClickFix.com/widget and click "Generate a Map Widget Now!"
2. On the "Create a Map Widget" page, you'll be able to set the preferences for your widget from inputting the correct location to creating the desired widget dimensions. As Ivan states, you should make the primary tab the "Report Form" to encourage more individuals to submit voting issues.

Under "Options," you'll see the section entitled "Filter by Keyword." This allows you to only display issues containing certain keywords or phrases on your map. For instance, you might consider filtering for the following: voting vote "polling place" "election day" poll election.
Similarly, you can also create a "Default Issue Summary" for the widget. With this option, the report form would feature a suggested summary when users report issues through the widget. For example, you could make the default issue summary "Voting Problem" or "Election Day Issue." Finish completing the form and input your contact information.
3. Click "Create Widget" and embed the code onto your website (as we did below).
4. Spread the word! Make sure your audience knows they can highlight any issues they encounter on Election Day directly on your website.

SeeClickFix welcomed a new media partner to the family this week with the launch of our service on Maine's newspaper of record for over a century, Bangor Daily News! The outlet partnered with us to offer a platform by which readers can voice their concerns and advocate for quality-of-life issues to be fixed.

From a left-turn arrow needed in Bangor to neglected roads in Orono, over 130 issues have been reported across Vacationland since Wednesday when Bangor Daily News implemented our reporting tools and introduced SeeClickFix to their readers. Issues can be viewed and submitted through our widgets on their statewide news page, as well as through their regional pages for Portland, Bangor, and Aroostook County. As with all SeeClickFix media partners, issues reported by Bangor Daily News readers can become the focus of stories, features and investigations by journalists covering the region.


In addition to submitting new issues, Bangor Daily News readers can use the new SeeClickFix powered forms to support the concerns of friends and neighbors by sharing comments, voting to fix, adding pictures and more. Citizens who wish to work with their local government to resolve community problems can also use SeeClickFix tools such as our watch area feature. Creating a watch area allows citizens to sign up elected officials or municipal departments to receive email alerts about issues submitted locally, helping everyone to take an active role in improving their community!

SeeClickFix is proud to welcome Bangor Daily News and their readers to our growing community of media outlets and users!

By Jacob Apkon, Superstar SeeClickFix Intern

After seeing an increase in issues reported on SeeClickFix, Saratoga Springs’ Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth now wants to establish a committee to address public traffic concerns, consisting of community members, engineers, and public safety representatives (for example, police officers). That way, Wirth and company can better address SeeClickFix issues raised by Saratoga Springs citizens.

Already a SeeClickFix media partner, the Saratogian regularly reports SeeClickFix issues submitted by citizens to the city and, oftentimes, the city official contacted is Wirth. With the establishment of this committee, Wirth hopes he can get rid of this middle step. The committee would check SeeClickFix directly instead of going through the Saratogian. As Wirth states:

It might be beneficial to have their concerns and inquiries forwarded directly to the commissioner of public safety. There is such an influx of these concerns and we want to look into each one because these apply not only to the city, but also to the county and the state because they can involve their roads.

Reported over a year ago and still receiving SeeClickFix activity, Issue #31661-Intersection of Ballston Ave. and Lincoln Ave involves a traffic light request at an intersection one SeeClickFix user felt was unsafe.
Despite receiving 862 views and 49 votes, this issue still persists according to resident--and SeeClickFix user--Nancy Muldoon. Hopefully, Wirth’s new committee will be able to address and close this traffic concern on SeeClickFix (and others like it!)

This just in: our media partners are awesome.

Okay, so while this information might not be breaking news, it's definitely true! Since our launch in 2008, hundreds of media outlets have partnered with SeeClickFix to help empower their audience, improve their communities and generate unique, hyperlocal content. Not only that, media outlets utilizing SeeClickFix have played a significant part in helping us happily say that over 50% of issues reported through our online platform have been resolved offline. From The Washington Post to the 18 dailies published by the Journal Register Company, some big names in news are SeeClickFixin'! While you may not have heard of our latest media partner, we think you'll be just as excited as we are about them!

Keizertimes, the newspaper in Keizer, OR, is a weekly publication and news site focused solely on news and events within the Keizer community. With a staff of two full time employees, Keizertimes will be using our platform to engage their readers while improving Keizer, one fix at a time. The paper launched SeeClickFix late last week and published a story about our partnership in the August 1 edition. After helping managing editor Jason Cox get set up with our widgets and sharing examples of how powerful media can be in getting issues fixed, we were thrilled that he shared our same enthusiasm with his readers.

“This partnership goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to increasing civic participation and covering Keizer like no one else can,” said Managing Editor Jason Cox. “We’re happy to provide our readers this service and allow them an easy, anonymous way to report issues in their community.”

Adding to our excitement about our partnership, Keizertimes staff will be following up with local officials about issues in their area and reporting on the progress of fixes to their readers concerns. Citizens, media and local government working together to solve problems and improve their community - it doesn't get any better than this, folks!

A few weeks ago, Demos fellow and author Jared Duval discussed his new book Next Generation Democracy: What the Open-Source Revolution Means for Power, Politics, and Change on PRX's Voices of Our World, an award-winning public affairs radio program. With its focus on solving challenges collectively, Duval's book highlights those organizations--including SeeClickFix--assuming leadership roles in this revolution.

In the Wi-Fi Democracy interview, Duval discusses how collective action emerges through open-source technology and participatory online sites like SeeClickFix. Voices of Our World host Eileen Bott described how SeeClickFix changes the way citizens communicate with their municipalities (and each other):

Telling them [local government] off is now just a click away. No nasty paper letter, no dead trees. You can now go to a civic website which connects you and your neighbors to your local government, allowing you to report a problem.

Duval elaborated on this thought, describing how citizens are becoming more active and invested in their communities thanks to an increasing access to information:

Rather than seeing government as something separate to be complained at, I think SeeClickFix is enabling us because we can come together and share information more effectively. It enhances our role as citizens to feel investment and ownership of our own communities. And to come together to do things rather than waiting around for some distant force, or at least that's what the frame is about our government.

This participatory approach reforms and reinvents government in transparent, decentralized ways while simultaneously creating communities of engaged, proactive citizens. Without SeeClickFix, many questions remain unanswered after an individual reports something, like a pothole or missing street sign, to their local government: What happens to it? Where does it go? Is it getting fixed? With SeeClickFix, however, Duval believes this problem can be overcome:

And so the cofounders of SeeClickFix created this site as a platform where you could post nonemergency issues in real-time, other citizens can go on and share information about that as well. They can post pictures or videos that help give a better sense of what's going on, but there's also discussion so you can engage with government [...] And so, it's tracked totally transparently, citizens collaborating with their fellow citizens who happen to work for the government to solve local problems rather than just seeing government as a complaint board [...]

I checked out my own little rural hamlet in New York state on SeeClickFix. And son of a gun, my town is there with its tall grass obscuring a curve in the road and the need for a new traffic light. We're connected, but while most of us are just sharing giggles with friends on Facebook, and ya know that's not that bad, I can't help but extrapolate from what I'm learning on the local level or national level what is possible on the global level. Act local, think global.

The open-source revolution continues to reshape the way civil society functions with the bottom-up, grassroots efforts of innovators and average citizens alike. SeeClickFix places itself on the frontlines of this 'next generation democracy' movement--transforming residents into citizens with one easy click of the mouse!

We love technology. We love media. We really love when those two join forces and create one amazing result. One of our media partners, the Journal Register Company, perfectly exemplifies this symbiotic relationship with its 'digital first' strategy.

CEO John Paton recently spoke with NetNewsCheck.com about how the Journal Register Co. has used its new online strategy (which includes SeeClickFix) to reinvent itself while simultaneously becoming "on par with the best in the newspaper industry."

Flashback to three years ago: the Journal Register Co. looked like "one of the newspaper industry’s worst black eyes" with its accumulating debt, delisting of its stock, and subsequent bankruptcy. Today, the company has completely transformed itself, "emphasizing content and sales while shedding printing plants and above all, focusing on building online readership."

Part of this transformation? Crowdsourcing with SeeClickFix.

Clearly they’ve [bloggers] played a role in expanding our content offerings and expanding our audience. As has our partnering with companies like SeeClickFix, which is a phenomenal success for us. SeeClickFix lets us do old-fashioned journalism about fixing a pothole here or raising an alarm about a dangerous intersection there.

With SeeClickFix, news outlets like the JRC can stay up-to-date on the issues that directly impact the communities they serve---engaging and empowering citizens along the way. What happens in neighborhoods affects individuals in very immediate, personal ways. Through our widget feature, media outlets can connect with their audiences over these concerns and allow residents to report community issues directly through their website--thereby making the site more interactive and relevant to residents.  Just look at the New Haven Register or the News-Herald.

News outlets can then receive email alerts about those issues being reported through 'watch areas' containing the counties, cities, or neighborhoods they cover. These publicly documented SeeClickFix issues can even serve as content for media outlets (see Gripe of the Day), creating new space for public debate, and even leading to investigation and resolution of those matters.

To learn even about the JRC and its growing digital strategy, check out NetNewsCheck.

Recently launched by Al Jazeera English, 'The Stream' (@AJStream) focuses on the 'extraordinary potential of social media to disseminate news.'  A few days ago, contributor David Cohn (@DigiDave) discussed his experience using SeeClickFix in its episode focused on micro-blogging and crowdsourcing:

Spot.Us has used a similar tool called SeeClickFix to map potholes in Oakland. We got 15 bikers, they all went in different directions, found the biggest potholes, and we mapped them. I'll say that the potholes weren't as bad as that flood [in Saudi Arabia] looked, but still that was the kind of thing where we could go in and bring it to the city officials' attention and see what we could do to fix them.

Cohn added that you can't fix something unless you have information about it. We couldn't agree more. Online tools like SeeClickFix display information publicly, making it accessible to anyone in the world. With that information comes power. And with that power comes the ability to make change.

SeeClickFix media partner The Saratogian is at it again, bringing attention to a hazardous stretch of road in Saratoga Springs, New York. As part of their ongoing SeeClickFix Series, The Saratogian recently highlighted Issue #55010 - Large dip creates horrific accidents. The issue was anonymously reported nearly 9 months ago.

The large dip in Petrified Sea Gardens Road is quite a dangerous spot. I have seen three major accidents in which an ambulance took one or more severely injured people. At the very least, would it be possible to put signs at the top of the hill? If you take this hill too fast, you run a strong risk of wiping out. It is very steep, and cannot see who is coming until you crest over the hill.

Shortly after being reported, other residents began commenting on the issue and voting for it's fix. From speeding drivers to lack of signage, SeeClickFix users had a variety of opinions about what exactly makes this hill so dangerous to motorists and cyclists. A commenter named Von summarized the number of factors that contribute to this issue:

Even if both parties are traveling the speed limit this area is still a dangerous location. The problem is a combination of a blind hill and the fact that the road also bends at that point. This mean someone who's traveling south needs to adjust to the right as they crest the hill otherwise they'll find themselves in the oncoming lane. This is all compounded by the fact that few people adhere to the speed limits while traveling through here. Something certainly needs to be done to make this situation safe.

With the help of The Saratogian, and the 20 SeeClickFixers who voted on this report, this issue is getting the attention of public officials in Saratoga Springs. Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth told The Saratogian he was not familiar with the commenters’ particular concerns, but said that he would gladly send staff to investigate the SeeClickFix issue. Wirth also explained to the paper that the city can review the accident history on the road and see if it merits a traffic study.


We're proud to again see media, citizens and local government coming together to resolve community issues using SeeClickFix. Thank you to The Saratogian and all in Saratoga Springs who voiced their concerns about the hazardous street. SeeClickFix is looking forward to seeing the final fix for this problem!

With the help of social media, police officers have been exploring new ways to serve and protect their citizens according to The Next Web. The tech-focused blog detailed how social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter allow for instantaneous communication and information sharing on a large scale. Utilizing these outlets, police departments encourage greater interaction and dialogue between the people they serve and themselves--an idea that SeeClickFix can proudly stand behind.

Perhaps the most interesting change, however, ties directly into police investigations. Based in New Haven, SeeClickFix recently witnessed firsthand how its online tool can actually aid local police units as they challenge crime in their communities.

Reported 12 days ago, Issue #94124-Prostitution involved the presence of prostitutes on Chapel Street between Norton and Winthrop. With their 'Gripe of the Day' feature, the New Haven Register decided to look into the problem and spoke with the police department on April 11th. Lt. Ray Hassett told the newspaper they would look into it---and they sure did. Just three days later, the New Haven Register reported that nine individuals were charged with prostitution after the police department conducted its recent sting operation.

This issue not only demonstrates the ability of SeeClickFix to keep communities safe and crime-free. It also shows the power of collaboration. When local governments, media organizations, and citizens work together, everybody wins.

Like many media outlets before it, the News-Herald has started investigating issues reported on SeeClickFix with its newly-launched 'Today's Gripe' feature.

Earlier this week, we told you about the New Haven Register's new 'Gripe of the Day' feature. On Wednesday, the media outlet investigated the lack of bike racks at Union Station after one resident reported it via SeeClickFix.

Following in the footsteps of the Washington Post, the New Haven Register launched its very own "Gripe of the Day" feature back in early March. And we couldn't be more excited here at SeeClickFix, especially since the newspaper (and SCF media partner) is based in New Haven with us.

Most recently, the newspaper featured drag racing as its "Gripe of the Day" after an anonymous user posted about it fifteen days ago. Viewed over 60 times, Issue #89389- Drag Racing involved nighttime drag racing and cruising on Foxtown Boulevard in New Haven. According to the user, he or she has almost been hit twice already, and the problem continues:

Police come and chase them them away, but they just come back and start again. I have a feeling as it warms up it is only going to get worse and someone is going to get hurt.

Another user 'L' agreed and added that local drag racing has been a problem for years.

The police need to do some investigation and impound these cars, making it harder for these jerks to do this. I hear them almost every weekend, at the wee hours, but I didn't know where they were lately, because I couldn't see them.

The user also called for citizens to document license plate numbers and details of those automobiles involved in the drag racing.

To help stop the drag racing, the New Haven Register contacted the city on Friday, asking what measures were being taken. The city spokesman Adam Joseph told the paper:

In an effort to make our streets safer for pedestrians, motorist and cyclists the (city) of New Haven has greatly increased its traffic enforcement operations.

It's great to see local media organizations shedding light on (and helping to fix) community issues reported via SeeClickFix. A huge thanks to the New Haven Register team!

Based in Saskatoon, the StarPhoenix just started documenting potholes in the area using our interactive SeeClickFix widget. While they've already reported several, they need your help to track local potholes by posting them on SeeClickFix. And if you have any good photos, send them to citydesk@thestarphoenix.com and they may be featured in their photo gallery!

We're excited to partner with this Canadian media organization and wish them luck on their pothole-filled journey!

Back in early March, Ben Berkowitz and the SeeClickFix team won BusinessNewHaven's 'Innovator of the Year' award. Its February issue even featured SeeClickFix in an article entitled "Power to the People: A Revolutionary Online Tool Promotes Positive Change, One Click at a Time." A huge congrats to everyone at SeeClickFix!

Read some excerpts below. You can check out the full article here.

When Ben Berkowitz noticed some ugly graffiti staring back at him from a neighbor’s building, he did what many people would do: He got worked up. So he called City Hall — and ended up with even more aggravation. “I am actually a big graffiti art fan, but this was not the kind that belonged on my neighbor’s building,” Berkowitz recalls. He called the city and quickly became disenchanted with his inability to get past telephone gatekeepers to talk to someone who could actually do something. Out of his frustration came a plan to change the way citizens could effect positive change.

“Forty-five percent of the issues on the site are fixed, and that number is quickly climbing as the number of issues goes up,” Berkowitz says. “The more awareness there is of the site, the more people pay attention to it.”

[Robert] Smuts’ staff was faced with prioritizing and triaging a blizzard of e-mails. “As SeeClickFix was growing and finding out what they were all about, I met with Ben and we talked a lot about how it could be more helpful to the city and other municipalities,” says Smuts. “He picked my brain, wanting to know how governments think.” Soon Smuts realized he had found the solution to creating a public interface that worked. From those discussions, SeeClickFix Pro was created and New Haven now integrates the program with its existing City Works work-order program. Using SeeClickFix Pro, when someone posts an alert, it feeds automatically into the city’s Public Works Department.

Berkowitz is also hoping for continued great things: “I would like to see SeeClickFix to be a single platform for the entire world that everyone can trust that they can get results from.”