October 1, 2024
Department
DATE: October 1, 2024
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager – Community
Services
Patrick Seals, Administrative Chief
Subject:
2023 Richmond Community Survey Results
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The $31,525 expenditure was included in the approved fiscal year 2023-24 budget for the City Manager’s Office (01131013-400201). There is no fiscal impact to
receiving this report in FY 2024-25.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
December 12, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City of Richmond recently distributed its ninth
community survey through the Polco/National Research
Center's Citizen Survey program. City staff will present the 2023 survey results, as well as compare key findings to the City’s prior survey results.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE a report on the City of Richmond's 2023
Community Survey results – City Manager’s Office
(Patrick Seals 510- 307-8016/LaShonda White 510-620-
6828).
AGENDA
REPORT
October 1, 2024
DISCUSSION:
The City of Richmond has enrolled in the Polco/National Research Center’s (NRC) National Citizen Survey (NCS) biennially since 2007. The NCS is a collaborative effort between the NRC, a public research firm focused on public sector information needs, and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). NRC has a benchmark database that holds hundreds of thousands of resident opinions – making it the largest of its kind in the United States. A few years ago, NRC merged with Polco, an online community engagement polling platform, to give public sector organizations the data they need to make more informed decisions.
The methodology used by the NRC, which is described in detail starting on page 3 in the “Methods” section of the 2023 Richmond Community Survey Report of Results (Report) allows for the survey results to be scientifically valid and representative of the City of Richmond (Attachment 1). Per NRC, the most common measure of statistical validity is a margin of error, which is used to create confidence intervals. These are invoked when you survey with a random sample of residents, which was used for Phase I of Richmond’s Community Survey. There are two key parts to this: the margin of error and the level of confidence.
The margin of error is dependent on the number of responses you get to your survey; as the number of respondents increases, the margin of error goes down. The level of confidence indicates how confident you are that the true rating if the whole population were surveyed, would be within your margin of error.
Results from Richmond’s Community Surveys can:
Assess the quality of community life and services provided to residents; Track residents’ perceptions of service quality, community amenities, and public safety over time;
Help make informed decisions about how to allocate resources; Assess support for local policies;
Gather information on residents’ use of services; and Compare results from previous years to measure changes over time.
The results from surveys conducted between 2007 and 2023 can be found on the City’s website at https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1871/Community-Surveys.
This staff report highlights some of the information found in the Survey Report. The report is also provided online via Tableau and the link is included on the City’s survey website at https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/4718/2023-Community-Survey. 2023 Survey Instrument
The City of Richmond recently distributed its ninth community survey through the NRC Survey program. With survey results every two years, City staff hopes results will help identify resident priorities and concerns, while also providing comparisons to national
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benchmarks. Understanding this context is important as City staff review, analyze, and discuss the 2023 Richmond Community Survey results.
The 2023 Community Survey consisted of three types of questions: (1) questions that are standard across all NRC surveys (allows for comparisons between jurisdictions that use NRC’s survey tool), (2) demographic-related questions, and (3) unique policy questions developed by the City of Richmond. The survey instrument starts on page 158 the Report (Attachment 1). The 2023 survey instrument closely resembled the past surveys in format and content which enabled NRC to compare survey results from multiple years. In 2020, NRC refreshed the NCS survey template; however, overall, most of Richmond’s trends will be preserved as the vast majority of survey questions have remained. Some questions have been rearranged/restructured in the new survey instrument. NRC removed items that often did not produce helpful or actionable data which allowed room (both literally and figuratively) for new, more relevant questions on the survey. For example, NRC removed some of the participation-type questions (e.g., conserving water) to enable them to add more questions related to public trust, equity and inclusion, and community livability. They also increased the font size to make the survey more readable, especially for our aging population.
Random Sample Survey – Phase I (Scientifically Valid Survey) NRC mailed surveys to 4,500 randomly selected and geographically dispersed Richmond households. Each household received three mailings (1 initial postcard and 2 letters from the City Manager which included the survey with self-addressed and postage-paid envelopes). These methods provided a reminder for residents and gave them more than one chance to participate in the survey. Approximately 2 percent of the 4,500 mailed invitations or surveys were returned because the household address was vacant, or the postal service was unable to deliver the survey. Of the remaining 4,407 households that received the invitations to participate, 430 completed the survey, providing an overall response rate of 10 percent.
When reading the survey reports, it is important to understand the concept of “margin of error.” The margin of error is a measure of the precision of the results. A larger number of completed surveys yields a smaller (more precise) margin of error, while a smaller number of surveys yields a larger margin of error.
With previous surveys, certain demographic groups, such as renters, low-income residents, young people, people of color, and those who speak English as a second language, are less likely than their counterparts to respond to surveys. To address these issues and provide more opportunities for participation in these neighborhoods, City staff asked NRC to oversample households in mainly central and south Richmond.
While our attempt to increase response rates in some of our neighborhoods that have historically not responded well to the Community Survey was laudable, it was not as successful as staff would have hoped for. In addition, the lower-than-expected level of digital engagement from residents also resulted in a response rate this year that was lower than in previous years. While we still received enough returned surveys to achieve statistical validity, going forward, Polco/NRC will recommend that Richmond
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send out paper surveys to all households in future years to increase the response rate and help close the “digital divide” for less digitally connected households.
Survey results were weighted so that the demographic profile of respondents was representative of the demographic profile of adults in Richmond. The results for this portion of the Survey are included in the first 75 pages of the report (Attachment 1).
Open Participation Survey – Phase ll (Available to ALL Richmond Residents) In addition to the random, mail-in survey (random sample survey), the City also provided an opportunity for ALL Richmond residents to participate in an “open participation” survey via an identical, opt-in, online survey (web survey). The open participation survey was open to all city residents and became available on September 25, 2023. The open participation survey was identical to the probability sample survey with two small updates; it included a map at the beginning asking where the respondent lives and a question about where they heard about the survey. The survey remained open for fourteen weeks and there were 430 responses. Results from the open participation survey data begin on page 102 of the Survey report (Attachment 1).
The open participation survey data were not collected through a random sample and therefore, a level of confidence in the representativeness of the sample cannot be estimated. However, to reduce bias where possible, these data were statistically weighted to match the demographic characteristics of the 2010 Census and 2017 American Community Survey estimates for adults in the City of Richmond.
Survey Outreach
To receive the maximum amount of participation from those selected to complete the survey and those who self-selected to complete the survey, the survey was available in English and Spanish.
The City Manager’s Office led community outreach efforts to ensure that as many residents as possible received information about and completed the 2023 Community Survey. Staff ensured that a wide variety of avenues were exhausted and as many stakeholders were engaged to reach as many Richmond residents as possible.
Between July and October 2023, City staff engaged with various stakeholders to gain support in disseminating information about the community survey through the means listed below. Community outreach efforts include, but are not limited to the following:
Digital Outreach:
City of Richmond email distribution lists
Community-based Organizations
Neighborhood Council Listserv
Boards and Commissions
Business Association Leaders
City Manager’s Weekly Report
KCRT
October 1, 2024
City Website
City Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, Twitter/X) Hardcopy Distribution (Flyers/Notices):
City Hall Postings
Community Centers
Fire Stations
Non-Profit Partners
Local Events
In addition, City staff helped residents over the phone with verbal instructions and additional assistance in both accessing and filling out the survey. Upon the resident's request, staff also mailed out hard copies of the survey.
Understanding the Survey Results
There is an immense amount of information that is included in the survey reports. Any survey question can be analyzed alone but could also be disaggregated by a number of demographic markers or by neighborhood groupings. The results can be looked at just for 2023 or they can be compared to Richmond’s past survey results and/or to other jurisdictions that have participated in NRC’s survey. This agenda report provides a limited analysis of the vast results and highlights some of the findings that staff believes is noteworthy.
Polo/NRC 2023 Survey Results Key Findings
Safety is a focus area for Richmond.
The quality of life experienced in Richmond is likely linked to an overall sense of safety.
About three-quarters of respondents indicated that they plan to live in Richmond for the next five years, while roughly 6 in 10 reported that they would recommend living in Richmond to someone who asks. About 7 in 10 residents reported feeling safe in their neighborhood during the day. However, only 4 in 10 participants felt safe in Richmond’s downtown/commercial area during the day. The community overwhelmingly prioritized reducing crime and disorder as their top concern, with 94 percent considering it essential.
Ratings for public trust are on the rise.
Compared to 2021, several governance items received more favorable reviews in 2023.
About 4 in 10 respondents positively reviewed the City of Richmond treating residents with respect, up from 3 in 10 in the last survey iteration. Additionally, roughly 3 in 10 gave high marks to the Richmond government for treating all residents fairly, being open and transparent to the public, and welcoming resident involvement, which significantly increased since 2021.
Economy is also an area of opportunity for the City.
Residents offered high ratings of importance (89% essential or very important) and relatively low ratings of quality (16% excellent or good) to the overall economic health,
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suggesting that the economy is a priority and an opportunity for growth for the community. The City received more favorable marks this year for economic development (21% excellent or good) and Richmond as a place to work (34%).
Trends
NRC provides results from all surveys since 2007 and highlights differences (lower, similar, or higher) in survey results between 2021 and 2023. While it is important to see changes in results from the 2021 survey to the 2023 survey, we should also look at how the City of Richmond’s results have changed from when the 1st survey was conducted in 2007. The data contain the trends over time for the City of Richmond. The tables and charts below highlight a few of the survey results that exemplify the above-mentioned trends.
Increase in ratings between 2007 and 2023:
The percentage of residents who rated the community characteristics listed below in a positive way increased between 2007 to 2023, although we saw a decline in a few areas between 2019 (or earlier) and 2023.
Table: Community Characteristics Comparison (2007 – 2023) Community
Characteristics
(rating service as
either “good” or
“excellent”
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Overall quality of life 17% 18% 21% 30% 31% 3% 38% 32% 40% Overall image 4% 6% 6% 6% 8% 14% 13% 9% 9%
Place to live 20% 25% 32% 36% 41% 47% 47% 39% 47%
Neighborhood 50% 50% 59% 53% 57% 62% 65% 61% 65%
Place to raise
children 9% 12% 13% 14% 19% 24% 26% 26% 24%
Place to retire 15% 18% 17% 27% 28% 32% 31% 24% 29%
Overall appearance 8% 14% 18% 18% 17% 15% 17% 12% 14%
In 2007, 20 percent of residents gave a positive rating to “Richmond as a place to live,” which is in comparison to a 47 percent rating received in 2023 (table and chart below).
The rating for the “Remaining in Richmond for the Next 5 Years” increased between 2015 and 2023 from 66 percent to 76 percent respectively (chart below). These positive
October 1, 2024
changes can be attributable, in part, to the hard work and dedication of the Richmond City Council, staff, and the community in working together to improve and create programs, policies, and spaces that have a positive impact on how residents feel about where they live, work, and play.
Additional data points regarding safety reflect longitudinal growth across several other metrics. More specifically, the rating for “Your neighborhood as a place to live” has shown an upward trend of approximately 15 percentage points from 2007 at 50 percent to 2023 at 65 percent. Also, the feeling of safety rating in “Richmond’s downtown/commercial area during the day” has shown marked growth from 25 percent to 43 percent from 2007 to 2023, respectively.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Percent rate excellent or good
Survey Year
Richmond as a place to live
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Percentage rate excellent or good
Survey Year
Remaining in Richmond for the next
5 years
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Percent rate excellent or good
Survey Year
Your neighborhood as a place to
live
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Percent rate excellent or good
Suvey Year
Feel safe in Richmond's
downtown/commercial area during
the day
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Furthermore, the environmental ratings, such as “Availability of affordable health care” have shown upward trends from 2007 to the present. The ratings for those surveyed showed an improvement in “Availability of Health Care” which showed a 10 percent jump from 25 percent to 35 percent. Again, this growth identifies laudable metrics and indicates the impact that effective partnerships and efforts produce among Richmond residents.
Top Issues to Address in the Next Two Years
In a policy question created by City staff, residents were asked how important specific issues are for the City to address within the next two (2) years. The majority of the options provided in this question have remained constant since the 2011 survey.
However, staff does add new issues to the list based on topics being discussed by City Council, staff, and/or residents. The list below shows the top areas that residents stated were either “essential” or “very important” for the city to address.
Top Issues 2023
Improving the financial stability of the City 89
Reducing crime and disorder 88
Improving environmental quality 86
Improving street paving conditions 82
Addressing blighted properties 82
Providing quality affordable housing 80
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Percent rate excellent or good
Survey Year
Availability of affordable health
care
October 1, 2024
Reducing crime remains one of the top issues for Richmond residents, with improving the City’s financial stability receiving one additional percentage point. Crime reduction strategies are not solely the responsibility of the Richmond Police Department. City staff believes that the collective effort between several City departments - Police, Fire, Community Services (Library, Recreation and Employment and Training), and Office of Neighborhood Safety - play a role in reducing crime and improving public safety. The lowest priorities in 2023 were upgrading existing and developing more athletic fields (53%), expanding community wi-fi (51%), and preserving historic buildings (42%).
Additional Analysis
The 2023 survey results can be further analyzed by disaggregating the data based on demographic and geographic markers and comparing Richmond’s results to other jurisdictions.
Demographic and Geographic Comparisons: For responses based on demographic and geographic subgroups, the margin of error increases because the sample size for the subgroup is smaller. It is harder to extrapolate the survey responses from residents from any given neighborhood to the larger Richmond community due to the large and varying margin of errors for each neighborhood.
However, the staff believes that the findings are still interesting and informative and can provide a starting point for future discussions about resident perceptions.
Benchmark Comparisons: While City staff find the most value in analyzing changes in Richmond’s survey results from year to year, Polco/NRC provides results from other jurisdictions that have also participated in the National Citizen Survey. The City of Richmond’s ratings are noted as being “higher”, “lower” or “similar” to the benchmark, meaning that the average rating given by Richmond residents is statistically like or different than the benchmark. Analyzing national benchmark results might provide the City with opportunities to discuss promising practices, programs, and policies with other jurisdictions that have received higher and more favorable ratings from its residents in specific areas.
Concluding Thoughts and Next Steps
The 2023 community survey results contain an immense amount of information that should be explored. Additional analysis can and should be done with the results presented in these reports. To help maximize the use of the survey results, the following next steps can be taken:
Post survey results, reports, and presentations on the City’s website so that they are readily accessible
Include specific survey results in annual department performance measures and the City’s Strategic Goals and Objectives
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Make presentations to senior staff, city departments, neighborhood councils, and outside organizations to discuss results, ways to increase results in 2023, partnerships, etc.
Include relevant results in the City’s Health in all Policies reports, Racial Equity Action Plan, and Department of Children and Youth Community Needs Assessment reports.
Conduct further analysis based on geographic and demographic information to help gain a better understanding of how differing populations in Richmond rate City services or answered specific survey questions. This information might help target resources, programming, policies, and information so that the distribution of limited resources is done equitably.
Research the option to have staff from the National Research Center make a presentation to City Council and/or host a special meeting with City staff and other appropriate stakeholders to delve deeper into the 2023 survey results. This option would be at an added cost to the City but could provide elected officials and others with an opportunity to meet with an NRC representative to facilitate this interactive workshop, delve deeper into how the City of Richmond can use our survey data, and help develop strategy and offer recommendations.
Based on the NRC’s new relationship with Polco, the City has unlimited access to posting questions on the Polco platform as part of the new pricing structure so staff will be able to provide survey results on specific and relevant questions to Council.
Richmond has made many significant changes in policies and programs that have positively impacted the lives of Richmond residents. The City should celebrate its accomplishments, while at the same time continuing to work with residents, community- based organizations, and other agencies to change or create services and systems to better meet the needs of Richmond residents.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – 2023 Richmond Community Survey Report of Results