Philly311

Philly311 is "the City of Philadelphia's contact center for non-emergency City services and information."^[1] Residents use it to report problems such as potholes, trash and graffiti, request services, or look up how a City program works. It is not for emergencies; those go to 911 (see Office of Emergency Management). NBC Philadelphia has reported on the call center reaching its six millionth call, and the City lists Jocelyn Jones as Executive Director.^[1][2] The service is the main entry point for neighborhood-level complaints and is the way many residents first interact with City government.

1 How to use it

Residents can call 311, use the web portal or the mobile apps, or ask for information about City services and programs. The phone center is staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.^[1] The online portal and apps let residents follow the progress of a request. The City has recently restricted anonymous submissions after inappropriate content was submitted, encouraging residents to create accounts so they can receive status updates.^[3] A typical request names a type (such as illegal dumping, a street light, an abandoned vehicle or a property maintenance complaint), an address and details, and may include a photo.

2 What happens to a request

Philly311 does not itself fix problems. Agents log the request and route it to the responsible department, for example the Streets Department for potholes and trash, Licenses and Inspections for building and property complaints, Water Department for hydrants and sewer issues, or Parks and Recreation for park conditions. Each department has a service-level target. When a request is closed, the status is updated in the system. Housing complaints such as landlord repair problems may be routed to inspectors; see Rental Licensing and Landlord-Tenant Law in Philadelphia and Safe and Healthy Homes Act. Council members' district offices often intervene when 311 requests stall; see Councilmanic Prerogative.

3 Technology and the new app

The Office of Innovation and Technology told Council in March 2026 that it is delivering a new 311 mobile app, with a mobile-first interface, photo upload, location services and clearly defined service categories, scheduled to launch in August 2026 and described as the City's first in-house built mobile application.^[4] Service-request data are a prominent part of the City's open-data offerings (see Open Data and Transparency Tools), allowing journalists and neighborhood groups to analyze response times by area.

4 Language access and accessibility

Philly311 "can provide an interpreter over the phone in over 200 languages."^[3] The City is also working to improve digital accessibility through the Office for People with Disabilities, and the Office of Immigrant Affairs coordinates language-access policy; see Office of Immigrant Affairs. Residents without internet access should use the phone line.

5 Limits and accountability

A 311 ticket is not a legal complaint, and it does not create enforcement rights for the individual who files it. For disputes with a landlord, discrimination or police misconduct there are other channels; see How to File a Complaint and How to Get Help From the City. The City Controller has reviewed City service delivery and complaint response in the past; residents who want data on performance can use public dashboards. Questions about how to use the system can be directed to 311 itself.

See also: How to Get Help From the City, Office of Innovation and Technology, Managing Director's Office, Open Data and Transparency Tools.

References

1. City of Philadelphia, "Philly311" department page (phila.gov/311).
2. NBC Philadelphia, "Philly 311 call center takes 6 millionth call" (nbcphiladelphia.com).
3. City of Philadelphia, "Submit a service request with 311" (phila.gov).
4. Office of Innovation and Technology, "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Testimony," March 31, 2026 (phlcouncil.com).