City of Richmond's 2009 Community Survey

After receiving the 2007 survey results, City Council focused resources on some of the key issues raised in the survey. For example, in order to address community concerns, the FY 2008/09 budget continued to fund crime prevention and community policing, expanded library and recreation opportunities, and increased street paving.  The City also funds several after-school programs and is also actively working with the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) to prevent the closure of schools in Richmond. 
 
Please view the National Research Center's presentation and the City Manager's staff report for additional information and analysis.

2009 Survey and Process

In order to be able to compare the 2007 survey results to the 2009 results, NRC utilized the same survey distribution process as in 2007. The 2009 survey, resembling the 2007 survey in format and content, was mailed out to 3,000 randomly selected and geographically dispersed Richmond households. A total of 567 residents completed the survey for a 20% response rate (164 surveys were undeliverable) with a +/- 5% margin of error.

The survey results are contained in three separate reports:

  1. Report of Results 2009 - A Comprehensive report of local results that includes the survey background, methods, and analysis of local responses presented in tables and graphs;
  2. Report of Demographic Subgroup Comparisons 2009 - A report analyzing responses based on demographic questions relating to number of years living in Richmond, ethnicity, race  and age; 
  3.  Report of Geographic Subgroup Comparisons 2009 - A report analyzing survey responses based on geographic areas.

The 2009 survey results are broken out into 8 focus areas.

Many of the focus areas align with the City’s General Plan elements and 5-year Strategic Business Plan areas:

  • Community Quality
  • Community Design 
  • Public Safety 
  • Environmental Sustainability 
  • Recreation and Wellness 
  • Community Inclusiveness 
  • Civic Engagement 
  • Public Trust 

Although City of Richmond still ranks low when compared to other jurisdictions of similar sizes and jurisdictions nationally, when comparing the 2009 results to the 2007 results, residents improved their opinions of community characteristics in almost all areas of interest. The following areas show statistically significant trends upwards (those ratings in which people who viewed these characteristics as either good or excellent increased by at least 6%) from 2007 to 2009:

  • Ease of car travel  
  • Ease of bicycle travel  
  • Street cleaning  
  • Sidewalk maintenance  
  • Availability of affordable housing 
  • Overall quality of new development 
  • Overall appearance of Richmond 
  • Land use, planning and zoning
  • Shopping opportunities 
  • Police services 
  • Fire services 
  • Ambulance services 
  • Crime prevention 
  • Storm drainage 
  • City parks 
  • Recreation programs and facilities 
  • Library services 
  • Services to seniors, youth, and low-income people 
  • Public information