2000115-Strengthening-Communities-with-Neighborhood-Data

Institutional Context 45
Intervention and revitalization of residential neighborhoods can also
be aided by GIS technology. As Janes and Davis (2011) explain, the City
of Baltimore undertook a massive effort to address its substantial stock
of vacant and derelict rowhouses. Called Vacants 2 Value, or V2V, the
effort involved the creation of an aggressive and targeted code enforcement
effort to drive market-based redevelopment in the city. The premise
of the program was that rowhouses that were kept up to code would
be more marketable.
To undertake this effort in a fiscally responsible fashion, Baltimore
worked with contractors to develop two GIS-based management tools:
HousingView and CityView. HousingView, an internal application, contains
data on tenancy status, assessments, house sales, public or private
ownership, inspection districts, and other housing-related attributes
that allow the analysis of block and neighborhood development conditions
and opportunities. This application helps determine which city
blocks and neighborhoods hold the greatest promise for tapping into
market-based forces to help to stabilize the area. Inspectors from the
code enforcement office use this application to select appropriate neighborhoods
for working with property owners on keeping properties compliant
with the housing code. CityView, an internal application with a
public-facing component, generates maps with housing-related information
related to city services and local assets. This application can be
used to identify vacant buildings in neighborhoods and provides information
on relevant city services and local assets for individuals doing
business in the city.
Constituent Relationship Management and 311 Systems
A constituent relationship management (CRM) system is a technology
tool that enables governments to respond to residents’ requests for information
and service. A 311 system is the broader, centralized customer
service system—the people, processes, and CRM technology that enable
action in response to the public’s inquiries.
CRM and 311 systems give local governments the ability to track and
monitor citizen requests for information and services in nearly real time.
Using CRM software, customer service agents can collect detailed information
from citizens and assign a reference number to a call. Once the information
is logged into the CRM system, generally a work order or service
ticket is transferred to the corresponding service department. When work