City’s 2008 Community Survey completed

In 2007, the City of San Antonio contracted with the Cultural Policy Institute (CPI) of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to conduct a city-wide community survey in January/February of 2008. The survey was conducted in both English and Spanish by telephone.

“The overall purpose of the survey was to identify residents’ satisfaction with City services,” said City Manager, Sheryl Sculley. “The information will be used to identify areas for improvement.”

The major findings of the City’s Community survey indicate; of those respondents that provided an opinion, high marks for fire (96 percent satisfied or very satisfied) and emergency medical services (93 percent satisfied or very satisfied), library services (92 percent satisfied or very satisfied) and police protection (84 percent satisfied or very satisfied).

The City was also rated highly for its dissemination of bilingual information; of those respondents that provided an opinion, 78 percent rated the City as either good or excellent at providing information in both English and Spanish.

The results also indicated residents’ overall opinions of San Antonio are favorable. Of those surveyed that provided an opinion, approximately 87 percent rated San Antonio as either an excellent or good place to live, 78 percent surveyed rated the quality of life in San Antonio as excellent or good, and 79 percent rated it as an excellent or good place to raise a family.

The survey results also indicated the City has work to do in some areas. Residents surveyed that provided an opinion, were negative with street repairs (37 percent satisfied and 3 percent very satisfied), code enforcement (46 percent satisfied, 6 percent very satisfied), and sidewalk maintenance (54 percent satisfied, 4 percent very satisfied).

City departments are in the process of reviewing and analyzing the results to determine what steps should be taken to address needed improvements of City services.

“This survey was the first to be conducted by the City at a community-wide level and will serve as a benchmark,” said Sculley. “I would like to continue conducting a community survey on a bi-annual basis, in order to measure the progress made in all areas identified for improvement.”

The Community survey results are available for review at all City libraries, as well as online at www.sanantonio.gov  in both English and Spanish. Please contact the Department of Communications and Public Affairs at 207-7234 for additional information.