A new app allowing people to report non-emergency problems directly to Centro San Antonio, the nonprofit organization that manages downtown’s Public Improvement District, is expected to launch publicly this fall following the completion of a pilot program.
The app, called “See Say,” will allow users to report issues such as graffiti, trash, sidewalk hazards, suspicious activity and wellness concerns directly from their phones, sending real-time alerts to Centro dispatchers who can route issues to ambassador teams, crisis response personnel or, in some cases, the city’s 3-1-1 system.
Centro publicly announced the pilot program this week, though the platform has already been operating for roughly two months with downtown property owners, law enforcement partners, homeless services agencies and city officials testing out the mobile app.
Early data shows nearly 39% of reports submitted during the pilot phase involved quality-of-life concerns or requests for assistance for people appearing to be in distress.
Those incidents resulted in coordinated responses involving Centro’s crisis response team, homeless outreach organizations and, in some cases, law enforcement.
Centro’s crisis response team is intended to serve as a first line of response for individuals in need, before referring to partner agencies, an effort Centro says is intended to help reduce strain on existing emergency response resources.
Another 36% of reports involved cleaning and maintenance concerns such as graffiti abatement, litter cleanup, trash removal and power washing requests.
Roughly 24% involved issues outside Centro’s scope of work, including streetlight outages, sidewalk hazards and infrastructure concerns. Those reports were redirected through the city’s 3-1-1 system.
While residents can already report issues across the city through the 3-1-1 app, Centro said “See Say” is intended to supplement — not compete with — the existing platform.
The app is geographically focused on Centro’s 0.8-square-mile downtown service area within the Public Improvement District. A spokesperson for Centro added that they are exploring opportunities to integrate the app with the City’s 3-1-1 system.
During the pilot phase, average response and closure times remained slightly above three minutes from dispatch to resolution.
Most reports submitted through the app so far have originated along Commerce Street, Navarro Street and St. Mary’s Street, according to Centro. The organization said the information is helping guide ambassador deployment strategies and determine where additional coverage may be needed downtown.
Officials say early results indicate a likely need for staffing and operational capacity to expand before the app launches publicly in order to maintain response times and current service levels.
Once publicly launched, the app is expected to be available to residents, workers, business operators, property owners and visitors in the downtown area. Centro also plans to work with Visit San Antonio to promote the platform to convention attendees and downtown hotels.
The application cost roughly $17,000 for its first year, including a $14,000 annual subscription and a one-time $3,000 setup fee, according to Centro. Funding for the pilot is currently coming from the city’s Public Improvement District budget which was renewed for another decade in 2023.
Annual costs are expected to remain around $14,000 moving forward, though additional costs could emerge if the platform is integrated with other applications or city systems.
