A Declining City: NYC Voters Weigh In on Homelessness and Quality of Life

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Trash via Jason Kuffer on Flickr

The latest Quinnipiac University poll paints a worsening picture of life in the city.

A survey of 1,143 New York City voters shows that city-dwellers see crime and homelessness as key concerns, and a majority disapprove of how Mayor de Blasio has handled poverty and homelessness.

When asked their general level of satisfaction with how things are going citywide, 51% were somewhat or very dissatisfied, with 48% somewhat or very satisfied. While still difficult numbers for the de Blasio administration, it's actually an improvement over previous survey results, which show a high of 58% dissatisfaction in October 2015.

More damning numbers come when New Yorkers rate the general quality of life. Ratings of "poor" and "very poor" quality of life are down to 19%, but only after hitting an all-time high of 22% in October 2015. When asked specifically if quality of life in the city has gotten worse, better, or stayed the same, 46% of those surveyed said things had gotten worse in the last few years.

Homelessness is a top concern, and 58% of New Yorkers report seeing more homeless in the streets, in parks, and on the subway. How to solve the issue? Seventy-three percent suggest requiring homeless people to go to a shelter when the temperature drops, and 60% support having homeless people work for the city in exchange for shelter stays.

Although homeless is top-of-mind, survey respondents put crime as the most important problem facing NYC, with poverty and homelessness second. Housing, the economy, and issues with police conduct round out the top five concerns.

Read the full survey results at the Quinnipiac University site. How would you respond to the questions asked in the Quinnipiac poll?

Survey conducted January 11-17. surveying 1,143 New York City voters, with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.


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