The City of Pensacola recently conducted its 10th annual Resident Satisfaction Survey, providing valuable insights into citizens’ perceptions and priorities. Conducted by the University of West Florida’s Haas Center, the survey results were presented to the Pensacola City Council, highlighting areas of success and opportunities for improvement.
What Residents Love About Pensacola
The top three aspects residents appreciate about living in Pensacola remain consistent with previous years:
1. Access to waterfronts
2. Arts, culture, and festivals
3. Feeling safe in their community (a new addition to this year’s survey)
Economic Growth Potential
Interestingly, residents now view hospitality and tourism as having the most significant potential to grow Pensacola’s economy, surpassing aviation and aerospace, which topped the list last year. This shift may reflect changing perceptions about the city’s economic drivers.
City Initiatives and Satisfaction: The survey revealed high familiarity and favorability for initiatives like American Magic and the reimagination of Palafox Street. However, residents expressed less familiarity with the Hollice T. Williams Park redevelopment plan.
In terms of city performance, residents were most satisfied with efforts to promote Pensacola’s image and maintain a safe community. Areas for improvement included increasing city transparency and protecting the environment.
Infrastructure and Public Services: Residents showed strong support for the fire and police departments, consistent with previous years. However, traffic safety emerged as a concern, indicating an area where the city may need to focus its efforts.
- The survey also explored preferences for sanitation services, with a majority of residents favoring a single black garbage can and a recycling can for about $30 per month. This information will be valuable as the city considers changes to its waste management services.
- Social media remains the primary method through which residents currently receive and prefer to receive city information. The city’s website and online/print media also ranked highly, suggesting a multi-channel approach to communication is essential.
- Both the police and fire departments received high ratings for customer service among those who interacted with them. The airport, sanitation, and parking departments saw the most interaction with residents, with the airport receiving particularly high satisfaction ratings.
Looking Ahead
The survey provides city officials with crucial data to inform decision-making and prioritize initiatives. Some potential areas for future exploration include:
1. Comparing results with similar cities to benchmark performance
2. Expanding the survey to include visitors and seasonal residents
3. Increasing outreach in underrepresented districts to ensure a more balanced response
The survey results will assist city administration in balancing priorities and enhancing services. Mayor D.C. Reeves emphasized the importance of community input, stating, “The community’s voice is paramount as we continue to improve our city.”
Find the survey here.