The Cleanup/Fixup app enables students and city residents in the Exchange Street corridor area to quickly notify officials about an array of issues, from high weeds and junk cars to burned-out streetlights and trash dumping.
“This enables the city, county and the university to become more accessible to these students so they take some ownership in creating this community,” said Greta Johnson, chief of staff for Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro.
The online reporting tool was developed by Carissa Choong and Suma Patri of the county’s Geographic Information Systems Division. A live version of the app is available here.
Cleanup/Fixup is free and can be found in UA’s mobile app in the “Safety,” section. The UA mobile app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store.
The app works with the city’s current 311 reporting system, which operates in real time. It uses GPS technology to pinpoint problem areas and allows users to upload photos for more accurate reporting.
The city will review the information submitted and determine the next steps. Users who submit reports will receive an email once the problem has been remedied.
At a news conference, UA Interim President John Green said the university has taken additional steps to improve the area and enhance safety, including demolishing abandoned homes and buildings to create green space.
So far, the university has razed:
the Trecaso Building at South College and Forge streets;
the Plasma Alliance Center at East Exchange and Brown streets;
and the Vine Street Apartments at Goodkirk Avenue and Vine Street.
The school also has redirected unarmed police patrols to Exchange Street. The patrols work on foot and by bicycle from 7:30 p.m. to 4 a.m. The patrols have radio access to university police, whose shifts have been adjusted to offer greater overnight and early morning coverage, the university said.
Security cameras on and around campus are also being upgraded, while a blue light emergency phone system will be continued along with a round-the-clock service that offers to escort students across campus.
The city and university also will work to increase code enforcement, when needed, and communication with landlords, according to a press release.
FirstEnergy also is working to have more than 60 streetlights replaced in the Exchange Street corridor, the release said.
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