Stories are grouped internally by subject area, including civic response, property, economy, transit, Sports & Public Life, schools, parks, and culture. Those beats help the publication stay consistent; they are not fictional staff identities.
“Better 311” identifies the publication responsible for the story. It does not claim that a named individual witnessed an event, conducted an interview, or maintained a private source relationship.
Most stories begin with a primary public record, dataset, public document, or independently verifiable event. Secondary journalism may point to a question or provide context, but it is not substituted for the evidence behind our reporting.
Each story identifies its sources and check date. Data stories describe the query or calculation. Analysis and limitations are labeled, and corrections are posted when the record or our explanation changes.
For the full sourcing, independence, and corrections standards, read How this newsroom works and Ethics.
