It took a while, but Dallas finally has a Spanish version of its 311 service for mobile phones that allows residents to file complaints about city code violations. The new portal and app had a soft launch in December, but on Friday the city is kicking off its rebranding campaign.

This is critical. Making sure that residents are aware of this service is just as important as providing a tool they can use and understand.

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The marketing campaign for the Dallas 311 app includes 30-second commercial spots, billboards across the city and social media ads. City officials told us that they have also reached out to Spanish-speaking residents in person. The campaign will be announced Friday at a news conference in City Hall.

Daisy Torres Fast, director of 311, told us that the city has a bilingual team that has been working with Dallas residents ahead of the app rollout. She said these staffers have been out and about attending community events at rec centers, libraries and other places to talk to people about 311.

The new 311 app is easy to navigate, but the Spanish version still needs improvement. Notably, the word for “save” has been translated with the Spanish equivalent for saving money (ahorrar), and “close” has been translated with a word that means “nearby” (cerca). This is confusing but should be an easy fix, Fast told us.

Iris Romo, a Bachman Lake resident, also noticed some of the translation issues in the app but highlighted improvements like the option to upload photos for service requests.

Another improvement in the app is a form that allows residents to inform the city if they are facing retaliation from landlords for reporting code violations. This is an important protection for tenants who are vulnerable because of their economic or immigration status.

This is exactly the predicament Bachman Lake tenants faced last year when they reported hazardous conditions in their apartments. The city is right to be proactive in helping renters, and now this app will allow users with limited English skills to navigate Dallas’ bureaucracy more easily.

About 46,000 households in Dallas speak limited English, with almost 38,000 of those being Spanish-speaking homes, according to Census Bureau figures. Many of these residents are in West Dallas and eastern Dallas and live in apartment complexes. These areas should be a target of the rebranding campaign.

This technological upgrade should lead to better results for residents who report code compliance problems. The more residents know about it, the better.

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