MCALLEN – A cellphone application is helping one community and inspiring others. But city officials said it could be utilized for more.

McAllen’s 311 App streamlines the way residents report problems to the city.

After recent Valley rains, many residents probably saw a lot of weed–covered lots. McAllen resident Sandra Hinojosa said she reached out to the city over similar concerns in her neighborhood.

“We have mosquito issues. My granddaughters can’t go outside unless we spray ‘em down. We can’t play outside unless we fog the yard. The mosquitoes will just come and get you. Day or night,” she said.

Residents that report an issue by phone are directed to one of five operators working for McAllen’s Emergency Operations Center. Each takes around 500 calls a day. From there, upwards of 300 work orders are submitted to fix things around the city.

But Hinojosa made her report using the 311 app.

“If it’s 7 o’clock and the call center is closed. Instead of having to remember on Monday morning to call it in, you can just do it in the app,” Marco Tovias with the city of McAllen said. “They can just take a picture. They don’t have to know an address because it pinpoints your location.”

Tovias said it’s quick and free for the city to use. He said the app function came included with the computer program they use to process city work orders.

Hinojosa said she’s glad reporting an issue has become easy for them.

“It’s aggravating not to be able to enjoy your backyard when someone down the street has not addressed their own yard,” she said.

She hopes the city will now be stricter about addressing those problems.

“Neighbors need to do something. And the city needs to tighten up themselves, too, and address these issues,” she said.