A new survey by a nonprofit civic organization shows that Queens residents are less satisfied than their Manhattan or Staten Island counterparts with the quality of life and services in the city.
The Citizens Budget Commission, a group that seeks “constructive change in the finances and services” of the city and state, polled residents in all 14 Queens community districts to gauge their satisfaction on a number of services.
The survey included 45 indicators such as overall quality of NYC government services; feeling safe riding a subway at night; neighborhood parks; fire protection services; and public libraries. Queens residents said they were satisfied with 27 of 45 indicators. For the purposes of the study, more than 50 percent of residents saying the service was “good” or “excellent” meant they were satisfied.
All 14 community districts were satisfied with 10 indicators such as fire protection services; garbage and recycling pick-up; local public libraries; feeling safe in a local park and on the subway during the day and walking alone in the neighborhood at night.
They also agreed that several indicators were not up to par including city tax dollars spent wisely (only 11.1 percent are satisfied); traffic (9.6 percent); public housing (8.4 percent); services for homeless people (6.6 percent); and services protecting at-risk children (13.3 percent).
The least satisfied community districts were Community District 12, which includes Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, Springfield Gardens, Baisley Park, Rochdale Village and South Jamaica and Community District 14, which includes the Rockaways.
Community District 12 was only satisfied with 14 of 45 indicators while Community District 14 residents were only satisfied with 12 indicators.
Services for homeless people, public housing and maintenance of streets and roads were some of Community District 12’s biggest complaints. Residents in Community District 14 had similar complaints and were also most dissatisfied with services protecting at-risk children, public after-school programs and traffic.
Among the most satisfied residents are those who live in Community District 1, which includes Astoria and parts of Long Island City and Woodside, and Community District 2, which includes Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside and Maspeth.
Community District 1 residents were dissatisfied with seven of 45 indicators including services for homeless people, traffic and public housing, while Community District 2 residents were not satisfied with 10 indicators including services protecting at-risk children and maintenance of streets and roads.
The survey was distributed in January 2017 and sent to 72,000 households citywide of which 9,800 adults responded. Overall, Manhattan residents were the most satisfied — more than 50 percent of resident were satisfied with 31 of 45 indicators — and Bronx residents were the least satisfied with the city — residents were satisfied with only 15 of 45 indicators.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is working from Queens this week and has a number of events lined up to garner feedback from residents on these specific issues. On July 19, he will hold a town hall in Astoria at P.S. 70 at 7 p.m. To RSVP, email townhallrsvp@cityhall.nyc.gov or call 212-748-0281.
