A Call for Help – New York City’s 311

Many internationals moving to New York often wonder what the country and city are doing for their residents. Those coming from abroad might be used to many easily accessible social services being provided by the government free of charge, and many are surprised not to find those same amenities here in the United States. New York, however, offers a helpful social program to its residents in the form of 311.311 offers quick, easy access to government assistance with a variety of services that you may not know the city of New York even offered.  311 is also a great source of information regarding the city’s well being when other sources of information are not available. This article gives you a quick rundown of what kind of  help 311 can offer, the information 311 provides, how to file complaints with 311, and some of the social services you might not know that 311 can connect you with.311 – Seeking Help

 311 was actually first implemented by the Baltimore Police Department since more than 50% of their telephone calls to 911 were non-emergencies.  After implementing it Baltimore saw a dramatic decrease in non-emergency 911 calls and President Bill Clinton suggested that 311 be implemented in more cities.  New York’s 311 has grown into a system that not only allows people to report non-emergencies, but also get help and access to programs they may not have known about and file complaints that otherwise may have gone unrecorded.

Many New Yorkers became more familiar with 311 when Hurricane Sandy battered New York. No matter the news source, residents were urged to call 311 rather than 911 to report issues like power outages, trees that were uprooted, or flooding that was occurring in their area.  This enabled the first responders at 911 to focus on more critical issues, such as the fires that engulfed 80 homes in Queens.311 also offers help in scenarios when the city is not under the siege of natural disasters. For example, if you are in a situation of domestic violence, 311 will connect you with the appropriate programs to get you out of the situation safely.  If you are close to becoming homeless, 311 will connect you with agencies to help you pay your rent and keep you out of shelters and off the streets.  There are a number of issues 311 is happy to help you with. Even if you are unsure if it’s a situation they can assist you with, calling in never hurts as they can at least guide you in the right direction.311 – Complaints

 Another purpose of 311 is providing New Yorkers a place to submit complaints regarding public or private services that may be breaking the laws of New York.  For example, if a New Yorker were to see MTA employees mistreat an individual, he or she could submit this complaint by calling 311, and 311 would submit it to the correct agency.  The same could be done for the private sector.  For example - calling in about a construction zone that you do not feel is safe for the residents of the community.  These complaints are recorded against the contractor and, if valid, eventually can lead to fines or stop-work orders against the contractor.  Other reasons to file a complaint are problems with your landlord, building violations, issues with your employer, problems with the New York City Public School System, or complaints about sidewalks, subways or other modes of transportation.

311 – For Information

311 also offers the most up to date information on what’s going on in the city, from subway construction to public safety and law. When you are unsure of anything related to New York City, 311 gives you the option of calling, texting or browsing the website to find resources that answer your questions as a resident of New York.This service is particularly useful when other modes of information – such as the internet or television – are unavailable. 311 encourages all New Yorkers to call in for updates about subway and tunnel closures, the status of the bus system, and inquiries regarding power outages.311 offers answers to questions not regarding emergencies, too.  If you have questions about the numerous social programs offered by New York City described below, you are encouraged to use either the 311 website or call or text questions.

311 Programs You Didn't Know About

 Another great aspect about 311 is that it connects the residents of New York City with programs that are relevant to their needs.  This includes programs for helping people afford their apartments, bringing fresh produce in from the farms in the outskirts of New York City, assistance with immigration (especially helpful for internationals!) and information for parents regarding recreation and education for their children. There are a number of other programs that you can check out by visiting the 311 website.

Helping You as a Global CitizenInternationals are no exception to all the opportunities 311 has to offer the residents of New York. You can find information on housing, immigration and employment, while also making sure you are taken care of by your landlords and employers in New York City. The 311 service employs a number of multilingual agents but they are also able to bring in intepreters and do a three-way phone call with interpretation in over 150 languages.  311 is a number worth remembering – we encourage you to take advantage of it!Article updated: December 2, 2014