“There’s an app for that” is a saying that could apply as early as January to the city’s campaign against neighborhood blight.
Paul Martinez, city director of Intra-Governmental Services, presented a prototype app Wednesday to the City Council Special Ad Hoc Committee on Jacksonville’s Neighborhood Blight.
He said the app could connect anyone with a smartphone to city resources that mitigate overgrown property and other illegal activities, including snipe signs and tire dumping. Residents also would be able to send a photo of potential blight violations to the city.
“It could be part of our public awareness campaign,” said Martinez.
The app would connect users directly with 630-CITY, the city’s customer service call center. The department fields an average of 30,000 complaints and inquiries each month, with about 20 percent related to blight.
After a user has downloaded the app for an Apple or Android device, several options and actions would be available, said Monica Chichowlas, call center manager.
In addition to providing information on what constitutes blight, users would be able to report an issue to the city and send an image of the blight. The submission would include the location of the offense if the smartphone’s GPS is enabled, or the customer could type in the address with the complaint, she said.
The app would confirm the request and allow the submitter to track the city’s progress toward resolution of the issue — “real-time tracking,” said city Director of Information Technology Usha Mohan.
In addition to reporting blight, the app also could be used to notify the city of criminal activity, animal complaints, potholes and other maintenance concerns handled by the call center, she said.
Information about the city schedules for yard and hazardous waste, trash, recycled items, tires and appliances at the user’s location would be available on the app.
The city offers three apps: JaxReady, which connects residents with the Emergency Preparedness Division; JaxHapps, which shares information and news from the Office of Special Events; and JaxFerry, which provides schedules for the St. Johns River Ferry.
The blight app is being purchased from Qsend Technologies, a software developer in Waterbury, Conn., that specializes in government websites. The cost is about $10,000 and is budgeted as part of an overall upgrade to the 630-CITY system.
Martinez said the new app could be launched as soon as January, along with the other elements of the community awareness campaign against blight. Other plans include a dedicated “Fight Blight” website, public service advertisements, partnerships with the private sector and community outreach through a mascot character in the form of a trash can.
@DRMaxDowntown
(904) 356-2466