What We're Hearing from District 7 Residents

1. Residents value attractive, well-kept neighborhoods.

The highest volume of EP311 service requests involved overgrown grass/weeds/trash (107 requests) and junk vehicles/abandoned autos (54 requests). Together, these account for nearly 30% of District 7's top five EP311 service request categories.

This suggests residents prioritize clean neighborhoods, property maintenance, neighborhood pride, preserving community standards, and timely responses to quality-of-life issues.

2. Safe and reliable transportation infrastructure is a high priority.

Transportation-related concerns represent one of the strongest themes in the data. Residents submitted 75 pothole, 29 traffic signal, and 23 streetlight illumination requests during the month of June.

Collectively, these requests demonstrate residents are prioritizing:

• Safe road conditions
• Efficient traffic flow
• Reliable traffic signals
• Well-lit streets
• Safe travel for motorists and pedestrians

Rather than requesting new infrastructure, residents are largely asking the City to maintain and preserve existing transportation assets.

3. Responsive routine maintenance matters.

District 7's service requests focused primarily on ensuring everyday municipal services are delivered.

Residents expressed a desire for:

• Consistently-performed routine maintenance
• Timely response to neighborhood issues
• Preventative upkeep of public infrastructure
• Reliable City services

Through their service requests, district residents signaled that they value dependable day-to-day service delivery that keeps neighborhoods functioning well.

4. Community safety and accessibility are undercurrent themes.

Although not as numerous as roadway or vegetation requests, the presence of traffic signal and streetlight illumination requests suggests residents are also thinking about how infrastructure contributes to public safety.

These requests indicate a community premium on safer intersections, improved nighttime visibility, safer travel conditions, and accessible public infrastructure. Many of these requests are preventative in nature, addressing conditions before they become larger safety concerns.

5. Consistent service is being provided throughout the district.

The geographic distribution of requests demonstrates that concerns are occurring uniformly across District 7 rather than concentrating in a single neighborhood. This suggests that trends are district-wide concerns that reflect the broader needs of area residents.

A notable figure, however, is the duplicate EP311 service request rate of 8.7%. While not as high as in other districts, the closure of duplicate cases may create confusion and concern in residents who reported the cases.

On the administrative side, duplicate requests increase the department workload, create multiple records for the same issue, complicate tracking and reporting, and consume staff time that could otherwise be dedicated to addressing new concerns.

This presents an opportunity for the District 7 Office to practice themselves and educate residents on:

• Checking whether an issue has already been reported before submitting an EP311 SR or CR.
• Retaining their EP311 SR number(s) for future reference.
• Using the EP311 app or website to monitor request status.
• Allowing sufficient time for inspections and departmental response before submitting a CR for follow-up.

An example of a messaging infographic that can be shared in your newsletter or during community meetings regarding the Code Enforcement process can be seen below. If the District 6 Office would like some guidance in creating communication plans, please reach out to the Community Innovation & Strategy Manager to schedule time to discuss.

Investing in Safe Streets and Reliable Infrastructure

This month, City crews continued improving transportation infrastructure throughout District 7 by repairing potholes, maintaining traffic signals, and addressing streetlight illumination concerns. These ongoing efforts help provide safer roadways, improve mobility, and enhance travel throughout the district.

City departments activated on these concerns include:

• Streets and Maintenance
• Capital Improvement

Together, these departments work behind the scenes to:

• Repair potholes and roadway damage
• Conduct traffic studies and engineering evaluations
• Maintain streetlight infrastructure
• Evaluate signage and traffic control improvements

Connecting Young Adults to Their Local Government

District 7's Youth in Public Service Leadership Academy launched in June 2026, prompting a unique partnership between City departments and the District 7 Office to give participants an opportunity to learn firsthand about municipal government and the many services City employees provide to our community every day.

City departments activated on this initiative include:

• City Manager's Office
• Community Driven Innovation
• Strategy Office
• Economic and International Development
• Parks and Recreation
• El Paso Public Libraries
• Museums and Cultural Affairs
• Streets and Maintenance
• Environmental Services
• El Paso International Airport
• City Clerk
• Code Enforcement
• Community and Human Development
• Sun Metro
• International Bridges
• El Paso Police Department
• Public Health
• Risk Management

Together, these departments work behind the scenes to:

• Create educational materials
• Provide facility and operational tours
• Answer questions and concerns
• Craft interactive learning opportunities
• Provide departmental and promotional materials

The Bigger Picture

District 7 is balancing proactive community engagement with responsive neighborhood services. While City departments continued maintaining roads, neighborhoods, and public infrastructure through hundreds of EP311 requests, the District Office leveraged the CR process to support youth leadership initiatives, facilitate constituent communication, and coordinate across departments. Together, these efforts reflect a district focused on maintaining high-quality municipal services while strengthening community connections and civic engagement.

Recommendations

The Two-Year Street Resurfacing Plan Is Your First Checkpoint

Several CRs requested street resurfacing for roadways that were not included in the Council-approved Two-Year Street Resurfacing Plan provided by Streets and Maintenance. Because resurfacing projects require dedicated funding and are prioritized through an established engineering evaluation process, requests for streets outside the approved program are typically closed as unfunded requests.

When the District Office receives a request for street resurfacing, staff should first review the current Two-Year Street Resurfacing Plan to determine whether the street is already programmed for resurfacing. If the street is not included in the current plan, District 7 Office staff should document the street segment and limits of the concern (e.g. Alameda Ave. from Val Verde St. to Delta Dr.) and retain that information for consideration during the development of the next Two-Year Street Resurfacing Plan. In the meantime, District staff and residents are encouraged to report potholes and other roadway maintenance concerns through EP311 to they can be directly routed to Streets and Maintenance for evaluation and repair.

Double-Check Jurisdictions for Appropriate Routing

Because District 7 abuts tribal and other municipal/county jurisdictions, often CRs submitted are for issues that do not fall within the City of El Paso's jurisdiction. Checking the address provided by the constituent using the GIS map on the City's website (under Government -> Find Your Representative) or EPCAD, can help you determine whether the issue is within City bounds and either submit to the City or direct the individual to the appropriate jurisdictional body.

Leverage EP311 for Routine Operational Service Request

Many of the concerns reported by District 7 residents - including overgrown vegetation, potholes, junk vehicles, traffic signals issues, and streetlight outages - are routine operational items that are better initiated directly through EP311. Using EP311 as the first point of contact allows departments to inspect, prioritize, and schedule work through their established operational processes. CRs provide the greatest value when they are used to coordinate complex issues, facilitate communication across multiple departments, or request updates on projects that require management-level coordination. This presents an opportunity for District 7 staff to guide residents on how to use EP311 online or by phone call.

To assist with the determination of when to submit a CR versus an EP311 service request, here is a helpful cheat sheet based on the issues reported in June 2026 by District 7 residents.

Monitor the CR Board Regularly to Keep Requests Moving

The CR Board serves as the primary platform for communication between District Offices and City departments throughout the life of a CR. It's important for District Office staff to schedule some time to regularly review submitted items to respond to requests for clarification, confirm item closure, and acknowledge departmental updates. Regular participation helps maintain momentum and ensures issues continue progressing toward resolution. Remaining actively engaged helps prevent delays, reduces unnecessary administrative follow-up, and minimizes the need to administratively close requests due to extended inactivity.