CitiStat + 311

By Gavin Newsom

http://www.gavinnewsom.com/issues.html

CITYSTAT + 311

HOW CITISTAT WILL TRANSFORM SAN FRANCISCO

San Franciscans deserve a city government that is effective, cost-efficient, and responsive to their needs. A government that gets the job done right, on time, and within budget. A government accountable to all San Francisco residents. As Mayor of San Francisco, I would transform the way city government does business by implementing an innovative and highly successful performance management strategy known as CitiStat.

Since CitiStat was first developed in Baltimore in the year 2000, it has dramatically improved the performance of city agencies, saved the city millions of dollars, and made city government more efficient and effective. San Franciscans deserve the same level of performance from their own city hall.

As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I have established a strong record of improving customer service and increasing use of technology in San Francisco. CitiStat is the next step. In 2000, I passed an ordinance requiring city departments to establish annual plans for customer service and performance reviews. I recently introduced legislation urging the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to strategize with other criminal justice agencies about how to best implement Compstat crime-mapping technology, on which CitiStat is based, in San Francisco. I also recently introduced legislation urging the SFPD, the District Attorney, the Emergency Communications Department, the Department of Telecommunications and Information Systems (DTIS), and the Department on the Status of Women to make recommendations on how to use 911 digital technology to help combat domestic violence.

WHAT IS CITISTAT?

CitiStat is a powerful combination of technology and management. It would enable San Francisco to collect information on and evaluate the performance of a wide variety of city functions and concerns, from crime fighting to lead paint violations, vacant buildings, food inspections, potholes, and summer recreation programs. Most city agencies such as the departments of Public Works, Police, Fire, Recreation and Parks, the Office of Contracts Administration, and the Housing Authority, and others, would be asked to regularly measure and report on how well they serve the public.

CitiStat technology integrates database, spreadsheet, and mapping software to collect and report essential data about delivery of city services. DTIS already possesses the basic technology architecture and expertise we need to implement CitiStat.

However, the essential element needed to make CitiStat work for San Francisco is the leadership of a mayor committed to managing city agencies to achieve excellence and results. As mayor, I would direct city departments to use CitiStat to regularly track how well they are performing their missions.

EXAMPLES: the Department of Parking and Traffic would record the location and number of parking tickets written and the amount of money collected from parking meters. SFPD would report recent crime statistics citywide, and highlight crime "hotspots" that require immediate attention and resources. The Office of Contracts Administration would report progress toward meeting the city's goals of increasing the number of contracts made with minority- and women-owned local businesses. The Department of Public Health would report outcomes from their drug treatment programs. The Department of Human Services would report progress toward moving homeless clients into stable housing and helping qualified disabled San Franciscans enroll in the federal Supplemental Security Income program.

A CitiStat team working under the direction of the mayor's office would audit the data and compare it with previous periods. The team would also generate electronic maps that show the locations of various department activities, such as streets where potholes have most recently been repaired, graffiti and crime hotspots, and locations of recent fires. The CitiStat team would then provide summary information for my office and senior staff that would identify successes and highlight areas for improvement.

I would convene regular CitiStat meetings with my department heads and top staff to review the data, identify problem areas, develop plans to address those problems, and review actions taken since the previous meeting. These meetings would allow department heads to share information and ideas, and to collaborate to solve problems quickly. Strategies would be developed and employed, managers held accountable, and results measured - not yearly, quarterly, or monthly, but week to week.

HOW CITISTAT WOULD IMPROVE CITY GOVERNMENT

CitiStat would enable the city to make better choices based more on data than on politics. Rather than making budget and management decisions using little or anecdotal information, my administration would be able to make the right choices for San Francisco based on up-to-date facts.

My administration would abolish conventional reasoning such as "that's the way we've always done it," or, "I hope the Board of Supervisors forgets about this issue before next year's budget hearing." Instead, we would infuse San Francisco government with:

1. ACCURATE AND TIMELY INTELLIGENCE: Accurate and timely data on cleanliness, crime, citizen complaints, and other issues, mapped with Geographic Information Systems technology, which is shared with the city leadership and the public.

2. EFFECTIVE TACTICS AND STRATEGIES: a powerful strategy and accountability system through regular data review and planning with the mayor and department heads, rather than just once a year at budget time.

3. RAPID RESPONSE: rapid deployment of resources to where they are needed most in response to real-time data.

4. FOLLOW UP: a mechanism for follow-up and assessment through regular department head meetings.

As Mayor of San Francisco I would make it a priority to implement CitiStat technology in key city agencies in the early months of my administration. I would appoint department heads committed to implementing CitiStat to improve the performance of their agencies. I would also meet regularly with department heads to evaluate their agencies' performance, reward outstanding work, and hold managers accountable for producing results.

Baltimore city services improved dramatically after implementation of CitiStat. Tracking use of overtime and sick leave reduced chronic absenteeism among city employees and saved the city $6 million per year. The number of illegal dumping sites in the city has been slashed from 2,700 to fewer than 200. 97 percent of all potholes are filled within 48 hours of a citizen phoning to report them; prior to CitiStat, pothole repair was not even tracked. With an initial investment of $20,000 to purchase software and renovate a room at City Hall, and an estimated annual operating expense of $400,000, CitiStat has already saved Baltimore more than $43 million in the first two years of operation.

CITISTAT WOULD BE LINKED WITH 311

My administration would integrate our CitiStat system with a new 311 non-emergency city services phone number and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) proposal as outlined in my 311 policy paper (below). San Franciscans would make requests for city services such as pothole repair and graffiti removal by dialing a new 311 phone number or by logging onto the Internet. Citizens would receive a unique tracking number for their request that would allow them to track the city's progress on addressing their need. CitiStat would use data from the CRM database and 311 to track citizen requests and provide city officials with information about how quickly and effectively city agencies are responding.

CONCLUSION

A cutting-edge city like San Francisco should use top-of-the-line technology to deliver outstanding city services to its residents. San Francisco deserves a mayor who will commit to managing city government for excellence, and who will ensure city agencies produce results. One of my top priorities upon becoming Mayor of San Francisco would be to implement CitiStat technology and management principles in key city agencies, and over time expand CitiStat throughout city government. Improving the effectiveness, accountability, and excellence of all aspects of city government has long been part of my record on the Board of Supervisors, and is what San Franciscans can expect from me if I become mayor.

SOURCES

Baltimore CitiStat. http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/citistat.

Conte, Andrew. "Mayor hopes data-tracking program helps save city money." Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. October 2, 2001.

Francke, Caitlin. "CitiStat system put on display." Baltimore Sun. October 15, 2001.

Schiller, Bill. "In Baltimore, things get done. If they don't, city managers had better have a good explanation." Toronto Star. February 23, 2001.

Swope, Christopher. "Restless for Results." Governing Magazine. April 2001.

311

311: IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR SAN FRANCISCO NEWSOM

San Franciscans should expect city government to respond quickly and effectively to their needs. They have a right to outstanding customer service that allows them to easily access city services, track the city's progress on their requests, and get their needs met quickly. Unfortunately, in the year 2003 San Francisco lags well behind other cities in providing easy access to city government through a single point of contact: a 311 phone number for non-emergency city services. Building on my record for improving customer service in San Francisco, I have already begun work to bring 311 to our city, and pledge to have it up and running during my term as mayor.

WHY SAN FRANCISCO NEEDS 311

Confusing Bureaucracy: Today, San Franciscans in need of city services face a confusing array of 140 different city departments and agencies listed on the city's website that have thousands of phone numbers and employees. Moreover, there are 77 general information numbers that operate only during business hours, and 32 Teletype lines. The unfortunate result is that access to city services is all too often limited to the savvy and the persistent. Citizens' problems often go unresolved and their questions go unanswered. Those most in need of city services, such as the elderly, those living at or below the poverty line, and new arrivals to San Francisco, are least likely to find their way through this confusing bureaucratic maze.

Misuse of 911: Lack of a non-emergency 311 number causes extensive misuse of 911, which threatens public safety in San Francisco. 911 dispatchers answering non-emergency calls can result in dropped 911 calls and unacceptable wait times for the public. Of the estimated 1.5 million phone calls made to San Francisco's 911 center every year, almost 70% are for non-emergencies.

Lack of Coordination Between Departments: San Francisco city agencies lack a shared database that allows for problem resolution when a citizen's request involves more than one city department. Complex problems often require the attention of multiple agencies. Without a database accessible to all city agencies, work conducted or begun by one department can languish because another department has not been notified about the need for their service. When the Fire Department changes the location of a fire hydrant, months can pass before the Public Utilities Commission is notified of the need to connect the main water supply. The Department of Public Works can tear up, repair, and repave a street, only to have PG&E dig trenches on the same street a month later.

Lack of Citywide Performance Evaluation: There is no citywide program for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). CQI has long been the standard in service-based industries. Establishing performance benchmarks, tracking performance, and assessing customer satisfaction are long-established practices in private industry and certain areas within the public sector. While some San Francisco departments such as MUNI track their own performance, there is no mechanism in place to assess citywide agency performance.

HOW 311 WILL WORK IN SAN FRANCISCO

When fully operational, San Francisco's 311 call center will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Like 911 or 411, dialing 311 will connect citizens to a call center staffed with trained call takers who have access to translation services. 311 call takers will be more than just operators - they will function as customer service representatives for all city departments. San Franciscans will also be able to access 311 through the Internet. This two-pronged solution will vastly improve the exchange and sharing of information between city government and the citizens it serves, as well as between city departments. Additionally, the 311 call center can backup San Francisco's 911 call center in the event critical systems fail during an earthquake, terrorist attack, or other disaster.

A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system will allow all public inquiries to 311 to be managed by a single database. City residents, workers, and even anonymous callers can check the progress of service requests with a follow-up call to 311, or by visiting the city's website. The CRM system will allow the city to evaluate and improve its performance in responding to all service calls. It will also enable better coordination between multiple agencies addressing the same citizen request.

Providing San Franciscans with a single point of contact for all city services will dramatically improve access to those services, especially for those most in need. 311 could provide information about health clinics, drug treatment programs, elderly and adult nutrition programs, and educational information and enrollment from both the unified school district and the Community College District. Health care services ranging from inoculations for school age children to information about sexually transmitted disease prevention can be delivered with a phone call or an email. Access to cultural events, free performances, and arts classes for children, adults and the elderly could be reached in real time and in a myriad of languages. Citizens would be able to help the city protect public health by easily reporting sewer backups, water main breaks, potholes, or potential health violations in stores and restaurants.

San Franciscans can expect to reap the tremendous benefits of 311 enjoyed by other cities. In Chicago, the response time for providing garbage cans to residents fell from 17 days to 2 days after implementation of 311. In Baltimore, non-emergency calls to 911 dropped by one third and 311 callers enjoyed a 78 percent decrease in busy signals when calling city agencies. The cities of Los Angeles, San Jose, New Orleans, and others have also enjoyed improved customer service and delivery of city services after implementing 311.

WE ARE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD

I have established a strong record for improving customer service in San Francisco government. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, I passed an ordinance in the year 2000 requiring city departments to establish annual plans for customer service and performance reviews. As chair of the Neighborhood Services Committee I convened an October 2001hearing to develop a strategy for creating a 311 call center. In November 2001, I passed legislation directing the Emergency Communications Department (ECD) to initiate the process to establish 311 in San Francisco. Per my request, the Department of Telecommunications and Information Services (DTIS) and the ECD have begun a preliminary planning process for 311.

Because of the current budget constraints facing San Francisco, my administration will implement 311 in a fiscally responsible way that phases in the program over several years. We will first focus our resources developing a web-based request system attached to the city's existing http://www.sfgov.org website. We will then phase in 311 for essential city services, which may include: Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, Parking and Traffic, Public Works, Recreation and Parks, Building Inspections, and Planning. We may begin renovation of space for the new 311 call center as early as 2005, and go live with the call center for all city services in early 2006. By executing a phased, department-by-department rollout, project development costs can be distributed across multiple fiscal years.

We will also conduct an aggressive public education campaign using billboards, public service announcements and community outreach to prepare the public for the appropriate use of 311 as the gateway to information and services. San Franciscans will be instructed to call 911 for a burning building, and 311 for a burning question.

We will be able to significantly reduce the cost of creating a 311 call center by utilizing the building that previously housed the Emergency Medical Services ambulance dispatch center. Much of the infrastructure required for a call center is already in place there, including fiber optic cable, microwave uplink, telecommunications trunk lines, etc. The building is already owned by the city, and has recently undergone an extensive seismic retrofit that will enable the building to withstand a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

In conducting research for the project, ECD and DTIS found that other large cities invested between $3 million and $10 million for a comprehensive 311 system. We expect to spend a similar amount in San Francisco on equipment, software, personnel, training and building renovation to give our citizens the 311 system that they deserve. ECD has already applied for $700,000 in federal funding to begin the process of building a backup 911 call center, which would be the foundation of a 311 center. My administration will aggressively pursue opportunities for additional federal and state funding, as well as foundation grants and local public finance initiatives.

CONCLUSION

The development and deployment of 311 will be an enormous stride forward in the use of technology to provide better services to San Franciscans. 311 will eliminate the confusion of trying to find the right phone number to access city government. It will improve public safety and customer service. By bringing 311 to San Francisco, my administration will promote the increased accountability, efficiency, and responsiveness San Franciscans deserve from their city government.

SOURCES

"Legislative Analyst Report - Call Center." San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Office of the Legislative Analyst. October 8, 2002.

"Calling 311: Creating a Central Point of Contact." American City and County. Special Report. January 28, 2003.

Emergency Communications Department and Department of Telecommunications and Information Services. "Government Service Center, 311, and Customer Relationship Management Proposal." March 25, 2002.

Department of Telecommunications and Information Services and Emergency Communications Department Memorandum to Gloria Young, Clerk of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. February 14, 2003

Department of Telecommunications and Information Services memorandum to Lewis Loeven, DTIS, and Dan Sullivan, ECD. January 29, 2003.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To receive policy updates or for more information, please contact the Newsom for Mayor campaign at newsom4mayor@yahoo.com.