The Metropolis of Santa Barbara not too long ago unveiled a brand new app referred to as S.B. Join, a bilingual cellphone software geared toward connecting the Santa Barbara neighborhood to the companies and departments they want.
S.B. Join is offered for obtain without cost on the Apple App Retailer and Google Play Retailer and is described within the metropolis’s announcement as “an revolutionary cell software designed to revolutionize the way in which residents interact with their native authorities.”
The app interface is neat and nicely organized, and upon opening the app, simply accessible and useful hyperlinks present info on quite a few classes, together with upcoming and previous Metropolis Council conferences, the Santa Barbara Public Library, occasions, and space information.
“I’m actually excited that town has lastly launched the long-awaited app that may make it simpler than ever for our residents to get in touch with their metropolis officers,” mentioned Santa Barbara Metropolis Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez, who has been pushing for the app since 2018.
Town intends for S.B. Connect with function a one-stop store for paying water payments and making use of for permits for particular occasions, waterfront enterprise actions, and even sidewalk merchandising. It additionally gives intensive details about metropolis authorities employment alternatives and lays out steps to use for careers, hourly and short-term jobs, and volunteer alternatives.
Moreover, S.B. Join permits customers to create accounts or stay nameless to put up requests publicly for metropolis officers to obtain and direct to particular departments to deal with the required neighborhood companies. These companies embrace mitigating hearth prevention, elevating concern about neighborhood nuisances or homeless points, looking for water and sewer companies, or posting feedback about Metropolis Council conferences. Customers can monitor the progress of their report in English or Spanish from the “consolation of their smartphones or tablets,” the assertion reads.
Whereas a lot of the neighborhood requests within the app’s inaugural week have reported unlawful dumping on sidewalks and streets or raised problems with homeless encampments in public areas and close to colleges, town intends for studies to cowl all kinds of classes.
Nevertheless, S.B. Join doesn’t substitute current emergency companies such because the Santa Barbara Fireplace or Police Departments, and town maintains that 9-1-1 ought to at all times be dialed in case of an emergency.
“That is an thrilling step as we proceed to modernize our processes into the long run,” mentioned Justin Treatment, town’s info expertise director, who added that the the app’s conception is a step towards authorities modernization because the Metropolis of Santa Barbara plans for S.B. Connect with make essential companies extra available to deal with the neighborhood’s wants.
