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What does a safe and thriving Downtown feel like? How does Downtown Long Beach measure up? For the past 3 years, DLBA has been conducting a Public Safety Perception Survey to garner the public’s perspective on these important questions. 

The mission of the Downtown Long Beach Alliance is to cultivate, preserve and promote a healthy, safe and prosperous Downtown. From economic development to enhancing public spaces, from maintaining cleanliness to homeless outreach services, the DLBA team dedicates itself each day to this mission. While the organization has its own internal measurements for ensuring success, community feedback is an important piece for understanding Downtown’s strengths and needed improvements. 

This year’s survey garnered responses from 1,020 community members and tourists who shared their perception of downtown cleanliness, improvements, public safety, available resources and other factors impacting downtown health. Below are some important takeaways that will help inform DLBA’s future areas of focus downtown.

Of the 1,020 responses collected from the Public Safety Perception Survey:

  • 90% of respondents would recommend Downtown as a destination
  • Over 62% of respondents viewed the appearance of Downtown Long Beach positively
  • Over 74% of respondents expressed awareness of DLBA’s services such as pressure washing, removing litter from sidewalks and street gutters and providing directions 
  • An average of 73% of respondents rated those and other services as “Good” or “Very Good”
  • Participants ranked loitering and street lighting as their most important issues to address in 2019 compared to bikes/skateboards on sidewalks and noise from bars and music venues, in 2018
  • There was also a growing awareness for DLBA’s Homeless Outreach Specialist, Safety Escort Service and Basic Roadside Assistance, three programs promoted by DLBA on social media and through its Safety Ambassadors. This is a direct response to last year’s results which revealed the need for more public education for these services. 

Now that the data is analyzed, there is an opportunity to engage in further conversation with Downtown stakeholders. This will support the DLBA in identifying the nuances of the responses and ways to support the continued improvement of perceptions. Results will also be shared with DLBA’s partners in the City and community to assist their own decision making.

To view a visual breakdown of the Public Perception Survey and responses, visit:  https://downtownlongbeach.org/2019-downtown-public-safety-perception-survey-results/