Anyone with a smart phone can snap a picture and report an issue directly to an Omaha department without going to city hall.
The Omaha Mobile App launched last Thursday. Through the app, you can snap a photo of a problem area, such as graffiti or potholes, and submit a report.
Mayor Jim Suttle says the app makes reporting an issue more efficient than in the past. "The previous way is very labor-intensive. You might call the Mayor’s hotline and then be transferred to another department, and then somebody has to sit there and take your information and either record it by hand or record it in to an email, which goes on to the department and eventually goes in to a work order. This takes days."
CitySourced, the mobile platform that hosts the Omaha Mobile App and others around the country, estimates the app improves citizen participation by more than 20 percent.
The app is available for the iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone, and is free.