The results are in: The cost of housing, the future of jobs and growth in the city of Durango top a list of community concerns recorded publicly in response to the online Community Satisfaction Survey posted on the city’s website.
More than one third of respondents who agreed to have their results posted publicly answered that they were “dissatisfied” with affordability and housing options in the city of Durango. More than half of respondents whose results were made public answered “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied” when asked about housing prices.
Of the 270 respondents, just 81 agreed to have their results posted publicly. More than 60% of public responses identified affordable housing as one of three of the most important issues the city will face in the next five years.
Almost 40% of respondents who agreed to have their answers made public said homelessness is one of the three most important issues in the next five years – infrastructure and local job growth each garnered more than 30% of public responses.
The city recorded similar responses to a question about the most pressing issues in the city in 2018, when 184 of more than 600 respondents agreed to have their answers posted publicly. This year’s survey is the second administered by the city – officials plan to ask for feedback every two years.
Almost all respondents answered they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the availability of parks and recreation opportunities. Respondents split on a question about street conditions and maintenance, 34 said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” and 34 answered “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied.”
The city of Durango posted the survey in an attempt to better inform spending priorities, interim City Manager Amber Blake said in a previous interview. While some of the issues identified are out of the control of municipal government, responses may prompt city collaboration with local agencies to address complicated problems, she said.
bhauff@durangoherald.com
