Helotes, Texas, is a charming, family-oriented city of approximately 10,000 residents located just northwest of San Antonio. Despite being minutes away from a bustling metro area, Helotes offers a distinct small-town feel with deep community roots and a reputation as the "Gateway to the Hill Country." The city blends rural charm, historic architecture, and local traditions like the annual rodeo at Cornyval Grounds, creating a unique identity that continues to attract both long-time families and younger newcomers.

About Helotes, TX

Helotes has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, resulting in infrastructure updates and an evolving population. Its downtown area, Old Town Helotes, is a preserved and repurposed collection of historic buildings now home to locally owned boutiques, shops, and restaurants.

The city is known for its frequent family-focused events, strong community spirit, and local pride. But as the city has grown and its demographics have expanded, staying connected with residents, especially older adults who are not active on social media, has become a challenge.

What was the challenge that led Helotes to GOGov?

As Helotes experienced increased road construction and growth in its surrounding areas, city leaders recognized a need for better communication, especially with residents impacted by last-minute road closures and event changes.

Vanessa Vazquez, Marketing & Events Coordinator for the City of Helotes, shared, "We had a lot of longtime residents who didn't use Facebook or check our website, and many of them felt out of the loop. Even though we were sharing information online, it wasn't reaching everyone."

With a high percentage of non-tech-savvy and senior residents, the city needed a solution that was easy to access and didn't require complicated logins or personal information.

How is Helotes using GOGov Citizen Notifications today?

Today, the City of Helotes uses its branded mobile app, MyHelotes, to push citizen notifications related to road closures, local events, brush and bulk pickup schedules, and other important updates. The app is integrated seamlessly into the city's communication strategy alongside Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor—but it uniquely reaches residents who may not use social media at all.

Vanessa noted that one of the most appreciated features is that residents can receive notifications without having to create an account. "Especially for our older residents, that's huge," she said. "They don't want to give out their email or register for anything—they just want to know what's going on in their city."

What real-world impact has MyHelotes made for the City of Helotes?

The app has been especially valuable for last-minute communication. From urgent road closures to last-minute event changes, the city can now quickly and easily notify residents.

Vanessa shared, "Even if we don't always see the feedback directly, the peace of mind it gives us internally is so important. We know we're getting the word out in the fastest way possible."

Residents have also started helping spread the word. "Sometimes I'll overhear people at events saying, 'Oh, I saw it on the app.' It's great to know people are not only using it but sharing it with others—it's like the residents are marketing the app for us."

Measuring success and future plans

While Helotes isn't currently tracking detailed analytics, Vanessa regularly checks app downloads and hears consistent positive feedback from users. For now, the city measures success by how useful residents find the app and how often it's referenced in casual conversation.

Looking ahead, the city plans to continue using the app as a central communication tool for events, public notices, and resident services, especially as new initiatives and last-minute collaborations come up.

Advice to other municipalities considering GOGov

Vanessa's advice to other cities is simple: "If you're looking for another way to reach people, especially those who don't use social media, GOGov is absolutely worth it. It gives you another place to share updates and makes residents feel more connected to their community."

For Helotes, MyHelotes has become more than just an app—it's a modern extension of the city's commitment to transparency, accessibility, and community connection.

Your Municipality Powered by GOGov

GOGov is committed to helping municipalities and local governments enhance community engagement, streamline operations, and foster transparent communication. Our partnership with Helotes demonstrates the potential of our solutions to make a meaningful impact on local governments and districts of all sizes, and our continued efforts to improve and innovate further.  

GOGov specializes in providing CRM, Code Enforcement, Citizen Notifications, Online Permitting and mobile software to local governments of all sizes. We built our software from the ground up working with the departments and staff that now use our products every single day.

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