Citizens Service Bureau

Is there a street light out on your block? Is the grass at that vacant property across the street ridiculously tall? Never fear, there is an easy way to tackle the problem: Report it to the Citizens’ Service Bureau (CSB). Any violation of maintenance request in the City of St. Louis is usually best remedied by contacting them. They will then forward the issue to the appropriate City Division if the issue needs additional attention.

I have used this service many times, but I was particularly happy with a recent issue I had. This Sunday I noticed that the street light in front of my office on Gravois was out and that the long-existing crack in light poll itself was spreading. I reported the issue to the CSB via their website that night. Tuesday morning a street crew pulled up and got to work. Not only did they fix the bulb, they actually tore out the entire poll and replaced it. Only 48 hours after reporting the issue, it was fixed. What service!

Not everything is taken care of so quickly, but it is a great first step to tackle problems. If you are having a major problem, it might also help to encourage some of your neighbors to report the issue in question as well. The squeaky wheel does get the grease after all.

To contact the CSB, you can call them at 314-622-4800 or report the issue electronically through their website. It just takes a few minutes and its well worth your time.