Commons is a mobile app for urban communities that enables people to report problems and suggest improvements in their neighborhood, vote on fellow citizens’ ideas they think deserve attention and resources, and form community action groups in response. Commons is the first in a new genre of civic gaming; it’s a new approach to make citizen reporting social. Commons helps citizens get connected to one another about the places and issues they share in common, and develop a sense of belonging and pride in their communities. Our approach merges methods from traditional citizen reporting systems with gaming mechanics, social commenting, and real-time voting. Commons provides a fun and constructive outlet for what is usually a frustrating experience of complaining about how broken your city is. The platform enables individuals to explore what others are reporting and to track results on a daily basis. At the same time, government can reduce duplicate reports, fix problems faster, and demonstrate accountability and commitment to citizens.