New York, New York (April 25 2024) – On Thursday, the Council’s Committee on Technology held an oversight hearing on 311 operations and technological upgrades. The 311 service, which processed 3.4 million requests last year, has seen a reduction in average wait times recently, updated its application this past March, and has taken action to improve staffing efficiencies. However, some users have reported issues and concerns with the 311 mobile app, including GPS location accuracy, third-party data sharing, and onerous service request procedures.  The Committee heard several bills related to 311 operations, like providing an estimated wait time to callers, introducing a live chat functionality, adding a 311 complaint category for dog runs, and more.

After the hearing, Chair Gutiérrez released the following statement: 

“The nation’s largest 311 service serves as a crucial interface between New Yorkers and city agencies, providing vital data for decision-making on resource allocation and improvements – for many New Yorkers, it is their primary and only experience interacting with government.

While 311 serves as a conduit to other agencies, OTI and NYC311 are the architects of this vital public-facing system, and it’s essential to continually enhance NYC311 through technological advancements, responsiveness to user feedback, and collaboration with responding agencies.”

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