Report Open Data Portal Bug - The Bronx City IT

Technology and Data New York 3 Minutes Read · published February 06, 2026 Flag of New York
If you encounter a malfunction, data error, or API outage affecting datasets used in The Bronx, New York, this guide explains where and how to report the issue, whom to contact, and what information to collect. Start by documenting the dataset name, dataset ID or API endpoint, timestamps, request examples, and any error messages. For portal-specific issues, submit details through the NYC Open Data portal support page: NYC Open Data portal[1]. Collect reproducible examples and logs before contacting city IT to speed resolution.
Collect request timestamps, sample queries, and screenshots before you report.

Penalties & Enforcement

Reporting or discovering a technical fault in an open data portal or API is a technical/operational matter and not subject to bylaw fines in the materials provided on the city pages. Specific monetary fines or enforcement penalties for data portal outages are not specified on the cited pages.

  • Fines: not specified on the cited pages.
  • Escalation: first response and incident escalation procedures are managed by city IT teams; exact timeframes are not specified on the cited pages.
  • Enforcer: operational responsibility sits with the NYC Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications (DOITT) and the Mayor’s open data teams; use official contact routes for incidents.[2]
  • Non-monetary actions: incident tickets, service advisories, incident reports, and restoration work; no sanctions such as suspensions or seizures are described for reporters.
No fines or civil penalties for reporting portal bugs are listed on the cited city pages.

Applications & Forms

No public penalty appeal form or specialized form for reporting API outages is published on the cited pages; technical incident reporting uses support/contact channels maintained by the city open data team and DOITT, or general 311 channels where appropriate.

How to report a bug or outage

  1. Document the problem: dataset name/ID, endpoint URL, exact request and response, timestamp, and screenshots.
  2. Check portal status and dataset metadata on the portal before reporting.
  3. Submit a detailed report through the NYC Open Data support/contact channels on the portal page.[1]
  4. If the issue appears to affect city infrastructure broadly, contact DOITT or use official city IT incident contacts for escalations.[2]
  5. Include any business impact (e.g., production outage affecting Bronx services) and preferred contact information for follow-up.
  6. Follow up if no response within a reasonable period; request incident number or ticket reference for tracking.

Common issues and quick fixes

  • Authentication errors or API key problems: verify keys and rate limits.
  • Missing or changed dataset fields: confirm schema updates in dataset metadata.
  • Performance or timeout issues: provide timestamps and sample queries for diagnostics.

FAQ

Who handles open data portal incidents for city datasets used in The Bronx?
The Mayor’s open data team and DOITT handle portal and API incidents; local Bronx offices do not operate the citywide portal.
Should I file a 311 complaint for an API outage?
311 can be used for city service impacts; for technical portal issues, report via the open data support channels first and use 311 if the outage causes a service failure for residents.
What information speeds resolution?
Dataset ID, endpoint URL, exact requests/responses, timestamps, screenshots, and business impact help engineers reproduce and prioritize the issue.

How-To

  1. Gather dataset ID, endpoint URL, sample requests/responses, timestamps, and screenshots.
  2. Search the portal for the dataset metadata and any existing incident notes.
  3. Use the NYC Open Data portal support/contact form or page to submit the incident.[1]
  4. If the issue is widespread, notify DOITT for escalation.[2]
  5. Record the ticket or incident number and track progress until resolved.

Key Takeaways

  • Document errors precisely before reporting to speed fixes.
  • Use the NYC Open Data support channels for portal bugs and DOITT for city IT escalations.
  • 311 can be used when a portal outage causes direct resident service failures.

Help and Support / Resources

  1. [1] NYC Open Data - About the Open Data Portal
  2. [2] NYC Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications (DOITT)

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