San Francisco Revamps 311 App With Language Access Enhancements

The city of San Francisco has released a new version of its SF311 service request app, which now supports Chinese, Spanish and Filipino language options for residents.

During a Thursday call with media, Nancy Alfaro, director of the San Francisco 311 Customer Service Center, said the new functionality will greatly expand access to residents looking to report non-emergency issues, such as graffiti and street cleaning.

The previous iteration of the smartphone-enabled app received more than 800,000 service requests each year, according to Alfaro. Roughly one-third of those service requests fall under the purview of Public Works.

“We've really spent months testing the app and language to make sure that it's easy to understand and easy to use, and now Chinese, Spanish and Filipino users can submit service requests in seconds, upload pictures and get updates in their native language.”

“When people need help, and they don't know where to go, they usually will come to 311 because we are open 365 days a year, and we understand that navigating city services isn't always easy, and it's particularly difficult when English isn't your first language,” Alfaro added.

When the app is downloaded, it automatically recognizes the user's default language settings, officials said.

User experience and language accuracy testing was conducted in partnership with the city’s Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA).

“San Francisco is a city of immigrants; 1 in 3 San Franciscans is an immigrant, and 43 percent of its residents over the age of 5 speak a language other than English at home. Language access is a core part of our mission here at OCEIA,” said OCEIA Director Jorge Rivas.

The city worked with enterprise mobile technology vendor Connected Bits to build out and test the new functionality. The company has worked on similar app-based projects in cities including Austin, Seattle and Chicago, according to its website.