How to Get Help From the City

Getting help from the city in Philadelphia usually means choosing the right door. Philadelphia is both a city and a county, so a single resident problem can belong to a city department, an elected row office, a state-created authority, a state court, or a federal agency. This guide explains how to route a request, what to expect, and how to escalate when nothing happens. It is general civic information, not legal advice.^[1]

1 Step 1: Decide if it is an emergency

Immediate threats to life, active crimes, fires and medical emergencies go to 911, which dispatches the Police Department and Fire Department. Philly311 is the city's non-emergency line. Longer-term emergency planning and disaster information is handled by the Office of Emergency Management.

2 Step 2: Use Philly311

Philly311 is the city's central contact center for non-emergency services and information. As of 2026, requests can be made by:

• Phone: dial 311 (the contact center is staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, per the city); from outside Philadelphia call 215-686-8686.
• Online or mobile app: through phila.gov/311 or the Philly311 app, which lets you attach a photo and location.
• Email: philly311@phila.gov.
• In person: the walk-in center in Room 167, City Hall, during business hours.

Typical 311 matters include missed trash collection, potholes and street defects handled by the Streets Department, abandoned vehicles, graffiti, vacant lots, and complaints routed to the Department of Licenses and Inspections, such as unsafe buildings or unlicensed contractors. Every request receives a service request number. Write it down: it is the key to tracking the case online, asking a department for an update, and showing a Councilmember's office that you already tried the normal channel.^[2]

3 Step 3: Go to the right department

Some matters are better taken directly to the responsible body. Examples:

• Water bills, leaks and sewer problems: Philadelphia Water Department.
• Property tax bills, business taxes and payment plans: Revenue Department; disputes over a property's assessed value: Office of Property Assessment.
• Rental problems: Fair Housing Commission and the Rental Licensing rules summarized in Rental Licensing and Landlord-Tenant Law.
• Shelter and homelessness: Office of Homeless Services.
• Child welfare and family services: Department of Human Services.
• Health clinics and public health concerns: Department of Public Health.
• Voting and registration: City Commissioners.
• Parks, recreation centers and trees: Parks and Recreation.

Not everything is a city matter. SEPTA service, the Parking Authority, PHA public housing and the courts are separate bodies; see SEPTA, Philadelphia Parking Authority, Philadelphia Housing Authority and First Judicial District. The guide How Philadelphia Government Is Organized explains the map.

4 Step 4: Involve your Councilmember

Each of the ten council districts has a district Councilmember, and seven members are elected at large; all can help constituents. District offices commonly handle constituent services, such as following up on stalled 311 cases, connecting residents to departments, and attending community meetings. Find your district with the steps in How to Find Your Elected Officials. Because of councilmanic prerogative, the district member also has unusual influence over land-use matters in the district, so for zoning or vacant-land issues the district office is often an essential contact.

5 Step 5: Escalate

1. Ask the department for a supervisor and quote the 311 number.
2. Contact the Managing Director's Office (see Managing Director's Office), which oversees most operating departments.
3. Contact the Mayor's office (Mayor of Philadelphia) for broader service failures.
4. Report misconduct or waste to the City Controller or the Office of the Inspector General; see How to Report Corruption or Misconduct.
5. Formal complaints against police, landlords, workers or contractors follow different routes: How to File a Complaint.
6. Speak publicly at City Council: How to Testify at City Council.

6 Tips for a stronger request

• Give a precise address or cross streets, the date it started, and photographs.
• Keep a written log: dates, names, case numbers and what you were told.
• Ask for a written response by email when possible.
• If a record is needed, see How to Request Public Records.
• Neighbors strengthen a request; see How to Organize a Block or Neighborhood Group.
• For legal problems such as eviction, free civil legal help is described in Legal Aid and Public Interest Law.

See also: Philly311, Open Data and Transparency Tools, Philadelphia Neighborhoods Guide, Glossary

References

1. City of Philadelphia, "Philly311," phila.gov/311 and phila.gov/departments/philly311 (accessed October 2026).
2. City of Philadelphia, Philly311 "Our process" page, phila.gov/departments/philly311/our-process/ (accessed October 2026).
3. City of Philadelphia, "Report an unlicensed contractor or unpermitted work," phila.gov/services (accessed October 2026).