Who to contact in the Bay Area: 311 reports, 211 referrals and emergency help

A broken streetlight, a need for food assistance and a sudden injury call for different services. First assess immediate danger, then identify the city and county where the issue occurs. Your home address does not necessarily determine the responsible agency. A clear description reduces transfers and helps you track the outcome.

Choose the right kind of help

• 911: contact emergency services immediately for fire, a serious medical emergency or immediate danger to a person. Do not wait for a web service request.
• 311: city information and infrastructure issues such as potholes, streetlights, graffiti and illegal dumping. Accepted categories depend on the city and location.
• 211: non-emergency referrals for food, housing, bills and family support. The consultation is free; the referred program may have fees, eligibility rules or limited capacity.

Report by city and find support by county

• San Francisco: use SF311. Call 311 within the city, check the official full number from outside it, or find services through SF.gov.
• San José: select the current issue category on the San José 311 website or app and save the receipt and tracking number.
• Oakland: use the OAK311 website for ordinary issues. Follow its telephone instructions for active infrastructure problems such as flooding or fallen trees; call 911 if someone faces immediate danger.
• Counties: search 211 Bay Area or the county provider by city or ZIP code. Telephone, text and online response hours may differ; state the language you need.
• Do not assume 311 works in every city. Find Report a problem or Public Works on the city website. If a three-digit number fails, use the official full number or website.

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Make the report easy to locate and follow up

Include the issue address, nearest intersection, side of the street, observation time and practical impact. From a safe position, photograph only the visible public facility or issue, avoiding faces, belongings inside vehicles and private documents. Keep identity documents, account details and medical information out of public descriptions; use designated official fields for contact details. Save the reference and add changes to that record rather than duplicating it. A referral to another team still needs follow-up.

The issue is at [city/address or intersection/side of street]. At [date and time], I observed [specific problem], affecting [walking/lighting/other]. The photo shows [public facility or issue]. Please confirm whether your department handles this; if a referral is needed, please provide the correct contact and follow-up method.

For 211, begin with your county or ZIP code, the most urgent need and your language. After a referral, confirm appointments, documents, costs and waiting times with the actual provider.