National Citizen Survey of Honolulu Residents (2014)

From Honolulu City Auditor, March, 2015

This is the sixth National Citizen Survey of Honolulu residents conducted for the City and the fifth administered in conjunction with the Service Efforts and Accomplishments Report. The National Citizen Survey (NCS) is a collaborative effort between the National Research Center and the International City/County Management Association. The survey and its administration are standardized to assure high quality research methods and directly comparable results across over 500 NCS communities.

Great communities are partnerships of the government, private sector, community-based organizations and residents, all geographically connected. The NCS captures residents’ opinions within the three pillars of a community--Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation, and across eight facets of community--Safety, Mobility, Natural Environment, Built Environment, Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment, and Community Engagement.

The citizen survey is comprised four reports: Community Livability, Dashboard Summary of Findings, Trends Over Time, and Technical Appendices. The results from this year’s NCS indicate:

● Honolulu residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life

● Over the past year, ratings increased for ease of walking, new development and cultural/arts/music opportunities

● Ratings also increased for overall direction the City is taking, emergency preparedness, storm drainage, street cleaning and recreation programs

● The Economy is important to residents

● This year, residents rated expediting road repaving, reducing property crime and drug activity in neighborhoods, followed closely by addressing homelessness and affordable housing as priorities for the City to address.

The NCS is issued under a separate cover, rather than an appendix to the Service Efforts and Accomplishments Report (SEA). The SEA report provides data about the costs, quality, quantity and timeliness of city services. By reviewing both reports, readers have an independent, impartial assessment of performance trends that can be used to strengthen governmental accountability and transparency, improve governmental efficiency and effectiveness, and improve the delivery of public services.

We solicit inputs and any suggestions for improving this report. The 2014 National Citizen Survey and the Service Efforts and Accomplishments (FY 2014) reports are posted on our website at http://www1.honolulu.gov/council/auditor. Copies of these reports are also available by contacting the Office of the City Auditor at: Office of the City Auditor City and County of Honolulu 1001 Kamokila Boulevard, Suite 216 Kapolei, HI 96707 Phone: (808) 768-3134 Email: oca@honolulu.gov

Respectfully submitted,

Edwin S. W. Young

City Auditor

LINK: 2014 Service Efforts and Accomplishments Report and The National Citizen Survey for the City and County of Honolulu