Get a problem unstuck.

A useful brief has four answers. Keep it about places and institutions. Leave out private information about individual neighbors.

Bring a problem

Your question. A plan you can use.

Choose the issue, find who can act, and plan a check-back date. Your answers stay in this tab; copy or print them before leaving.

Start with a public neighborhood pattern (optional)

Only public area totals are carried over. Your own answers stay in this tab.

What’s wrong, exactly? Be concrete: where, since when, who it affects. “Streetlight at Linwood and Prospect out since July,” not “the city ignores us.”

Who has the power to fix it?

What evidence exists? 311 case numbers, dated photos, permits, meeting minutes. Things anyone can check.

What’s the smallest next step, and who will take it? Name an action, who will take it, and when to check back. Keep the response with your own copy.

Not sure who handles it? Open the local routing guide

Keep it about places and institutions, not about individual neighbors.

Your problem brief

One page, four answers.

The problem: Your answers appear here.
Who can fix it: Not chosen yet.
Evidence: Nothing yet.
Next step: Nothing yet.

Before you finish: name who will act and a date to check back. Keep the response with your own copy.

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