Journal article
Potholes, 311 reports, and a theory of heterogeneous resident demand for city services
Policy studies journal, Vol.52(3), pp.647-669
08/26/2024
DOI: 10.1111/psj.12540
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Understanding the needs of residents is vital in public administration and management, as this helps officials when making choices on policies and service distribution. Increasingly, cities rely on 311 systems to elicit information from residents on emergent needs in particular policy areas (e.g., road quality, pest control). For residents, 311 systems provide a low‐cost means of voicing concerns, whereas for public officials and researchers, they provide low‐cost data on specific, discrete needs. We argue that residents systematically differ in their engagement with 311 systems, with lower‐income, minority communities less likely to participate and, therefore, less likely to receive city services. We test this argument using census‐tract data from the city of Houston and find that 311 reports are significantly less frequent in areas with lower average socioeconomic status, more Black residents, and more Hispanic residents. Furthermore, we find that these same areas are more likely to have potholes. Taken together, our results indicate that despite greater need (more potholes), fewer services are demanded (less 311 reports) in areas with lower socioeconomic status and a higher percentage of minority residents. This suggests that public officials need to carefully consider heterogeneity in 311 participation to ensure these systems do not inadvertently exacerbate inequities in public services.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Potholes, 311 reports, and a theory of heterogeneous resident demand for city services
- Creators
- Scott J. Cook - Texas A&M UniversitySamantha Zuhlke - University of IowaRobin Saywitz - Independent Researcher
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Policy studies journal, Vol.52(3), pp.647-669
- Publisher
- Wiley
- DOI
- 10.1111/psj.12540
- ISSN
- 0190-292X
- eISSN
- 1541-0072
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 06/07/2024
- Date published
- 08/26/2024
- Academic Unit
- Center for Social Science Innovation; Public Policy Center (Archive); School of Planning and Public Affairs
- Record Identifier
- 9984649054002771
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