Public Advocate

The Public Advocate is the city's elected watchdog and ombudsman, empowered to investigate citizen complaints about city agencies, introduce legislation in the City Council, and serve as first in the mayoral line of succession. The office amplifies constituent voices and pressures agencies to fix systemic problems. When a city agency ignores you, the Public Advocate's office can intervene on your behalf. It is also the only citywide elected office whose explicit job is to hold the mayor and agencies accountable -- think of it as the city's official gadfly.