SAN ANTONIO – The company Kinetech won a competition through the city of San Antonio and Geekdom called Civtech SA, a contest wherein contestants proposed solutions for existing municipal challenges.
Kinetech created an app that is aimed at improve the city’s utilities assistance program.
“One of the problems they were experiencing at the Willie C. Velasquez learning Center, which is where the majority of the Department of Human Services case workers work, is that there is a paper base application for individuals that are having trouble paying their SAWS or CPS bill,” Bo McGuffey, sales director of Kinetech, said.
Human services director for the city of San Antonio Melody Woosley said Kinetech understands its vision and is compassionate about the population it serves.
“It’s really going to improve our communication and help us do a better job and improve for residents,” Woosley said.
About 8,000 families in San Antonio need help paying for utilities annually.
“It takes a week to two weeks right now. Thirty days is our outside limit maybe on a more complicated application. During that time period, the applicant doesn’t necessarily know what’s going on. Right now it's very paper,” Woosley said.
Kinetech is currently testing the application.
“There is going to be an online dashboard that you can access via your dashboard, desktop, your cellphone or any tablet of device. From there, you will indicate which application you want to apply for. Provide some biographical information and confirm your existing account with SAWS or CPS,” McGuffey said.
The application will be showed off during Demo Day before September. For more information, click here.