Philadelphia, PA, (pop. 1,560,297) is the fifth largest city in the United States. What comes with this ranking is the challenge of connecting with individual citizens. How can 1.5 million Philadelphians feel connected to their city government? How can those citizens receive information? How can they have the tools to improve their community?

The Philly311 Non-Emergency Contact Center answered most of these questions. Citizens could call, email, write letters or stop by the walk-in center to connect with City Hall.

Philadelphia Managing Director Richard Negrin, however, wanted something more. He wanted to pair technology with the 311 service to engage citizens on an intimate level.
Under Negrin’s leadership, in September 2012 the city launched its Philly311 Mobile App, which enables citizens to place service requests from their smart phones.

For instance, a resident can take a picture of graffiti, write a description, and send the request for removal directly into the city work system. The app also provides a map of other requests nearby, city press releases, videos, FAQs, and a form to provide feedback on the app’s functionality.

The app has also increased the city government’s versatility and ability to respond quickly to changing situations.

When Superstorm Sandy hit in late October 2012, the city used the app to send out “Hurricane FAQs.” That Monday, October 29, Philly311 was the thirty-third most downloaded app in the App Store.

In the weeks leading up to the November 2012 elections, the city added an “Election Day” widget with a polling locator, candidate information, and voting rules.

Most recently, the app added a “Licenses and Inspections” widget, allowing citizens to see the property history for specific locations.

Since its September launch, the Philly311 Mobile App has been downloaded more than 11,000 times. In December 2012, the app received City Paper’s Big Vision Award in the category of “Government and Politics.”

Most important, however, the app opened another channel for a large city and its government to connect with citizens individually.

Meet the Manager

Richard Negrin

Deputy Mayor of Administration and Coordination and Managing Director

Richard Negrin has been deputy mayor of administration and coordination and managing director of the city of Philadelphia since July 2010. Before joining the city's staff, Negrin was appointed by Mayor Nutter as executive director of the Board of Revision of Taxes. He has also served as vice chair of the independent Philadelphia Board of Ethics; was vice president, associate general counsel, and a member of the Executive Leadership Council of ARAMARK Corporation; held a position as a litigator with the firm of Morgan Lewis; and served as a prosecutor in the Mayor Trials Unit of the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Negrin is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Law and received his bachelor's degree in political science from Wagner College. After college, he played briefly in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets.