Rolled out beginning on April 16, CHA 311 replaces the city’s previous app, which dates to 2016 and is now being phased out. Accessible via both a web portal and mobile app for Android and Apple devices, the new platform offers more than 60 service request categories — from reporting potholes and missed trash pickups to addressing flooding and stormwater concerns.
A new feature of both formats allows residents to comprehensively track service requests — something not possible in the previous system. Users can submit their asks by dropping a pin or entering an address, choosing a service category and hitting “submit.” From there, they’ll receive notifications at every stage, including when the request is received, dispatched and completed.
Derek Frizzell, director of the city’s 311 operations, said the new system significantly simplifies how service requests are handled — a beneficial upgrade, considering his team processed 21,457 requests through the previous app and another 12,000 via the city’s website last year alone.
However, the driving force behind the 311 platform’s overhaul, according to Frizzell, was the desire for more open communication with residents.
“I think the core objective is transparency. That is No. 1,” he told Government Technology. “With this new system, it allows us to give updates throughout the entire process. I think that’s something that our citizens want, and it’s something that we should be able to provide them.”
Additionally, the app brings back-end improvements for city staff. Integration capabilities allow CHA 311 to sync with other municipal systems, connecting various departments for greater collaboration.
“Our focus is not just solely on the front end,” Frizzell said. “Service reps in our 311 service center also enter service requests on the back end using the system as well. The updates are expected to help their workload — with the center having already submitted 18,000 service requests on behalf of residents over the phone this year before the new app launched.”
Building on a strong foundation of more than 34,000 users who engaged with the previous 311 platform and have downloaded the new app, Frizzell said he sees CHA 311 not just as an upgrade, but as a major step in transforming how Chattanooga connects with residents and delivers services.
The new app is still in its early rollout phase, with the city automatically updating the app for users of the previous version and transferring data from the old system to the new one.
“We give ourselves to the end of May to pull the remainder of data from the old system into the new app, but it’s going really well and we’re having very few requests coming from the old system,” Frizzell said. “We’ll continue to monitor that before we completely shut that system down. But it looks like we may be able to shut that system down quicker than anticipated.”
As the technical transition moves forward, the rollout has gained traction.
“We’ve had 111 new downloads since we launched and the press release went out,” the 311 director said. That number reflects new users only — since data for automatic updates wasn’t available — but it signals early interest from residents.
This early engagement, the director said, ties directly into one of the city’s broader goals: building trust through clear communication. Supporting that effort, the app includes a built-in feedback feature — giving residents a direct line to share their experiences and help shape future updates.
“A huge incentive of our current administration is to provide as much transparency as possible,” Frizzell emphasized. “This system allows us to do that all in one centralized location with quickness and reliability.”
