Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Interactive Map Reveals New Yorkers' Weird Existential 311 Complaints
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Mar 12, 2014
Modified Mar 12, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Mar 12, 2014
Modified Mar 12, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
If there are any two things New Yorkers hold dear to their hearts, they are maps (preferably interactive ones, especially if they are about rats) and the untempered ability to complain about absolutely everything under the sun. Which is too hot, by the way. Naturally, the marriage of these two passions is the Internet's holy grail, and a group of brave Microsoft developers have created a series of neighborhood maps documenting all the angry/happy/sad feelings residents have been bemoaning of late. And though this isn't exactly a new concept, these maps have pictures!
The Microsoft-backed site, HereHere.co, takes the city's many, many 311 complaints, rolls them into maps broken down by neighborhood and adds animation and editorial so you can feel just how upsetting it was to find that dead squirrel on West End Ave. The blurbs themselves seem to follow a stream-of-consciousness rather than linear narrative. Today, for instance, budding Pynchon Williamsburg feels "uncomfortable,: ::Squirms:: It's been a while since this has come up, a few air quality complaints and a few concerns about smoke. More than I've seen of this in a while, a few animal abuse complaints."
Southeast Bronx is straight chilling: "Cool! Haven't seen this in a while, a few concerns about weeds and a few reports of oil spill. More than I've seen of this in a while, 4 reports of traffic signal out." Kings Bridge/Riverdale's soaked up its fair share of Vitamin D: "I'm happy! All smiles!" Flushing, meanwhile, needs a hug, lest it delve into deep, deep depression: "I feel on edge. ::Bites nails:: Haven't seen this recently, a few illegal pet complaints and a few reports of a fire alarm. At least this is better than it has been—a few garbage concerns." Hang in there, friend.
The maps also offer insight into what neighborhoods were complaining about a year ago, noting, for instance, that in March 2013, Stapleton was suffering from a pothole problem ("infrastructure FTW!"). They also award dubious titles for the biggest complaints; LIC and Astoria have been knighted "Greatest Animal Defender," Morningside Heights is the "Youngest At Heart" and Greenwich Village gets "Wildest Party Animal."
These maps are exactly what Spike Jonze has been telling us to fear.
Tagged
311
interactive map
map
maps
neighborhood
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .