PHILADELPHIA – Residents of Philadelphia have a new opportunity to help shape the course of City government by participating in a survey that measures their attitudes towards a wide range of City services.
The City this week is releasing its 2019 Philadelphia Residents Survey, conducted in partnership with the Temple University Institute for Survey Research (ISR) and BeHeardPhilly℠. The survey was previously conducted from 2016 to 2017, and those findings are available here. The purpose of the resident survey is to measure public opinion on the delivery of services (such as garbage collection and street repairs), on the condition of facilities (such as parks and recreation centers), and to identify priorities among residents.
“We want to know what matters most to residents, and how this government can improve the services it provides,” said Mayor Kenney. “I know those who take part won’t be at a loss to identify services that they feel most need improvement, and — like two years ago — I know they won’t be shy about voicing their opinions.”
The survey is available in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese at www.PHLSurvey.com. The survey takes an estimated ten minutes to complete. It is open to the public now and will run through November 3. The City plans to release survey results in December 2019.
“No government should operate in a vacuum, nor should it rely on the chatter of social media or website comments to gauge the views of its residents,” said Managing Director Brian Abernathy. “We want to hear from as many residents as possible — even those who don’t tweet — so we can make improvements and better meet their needs. This survey will accomplish that.”
A scientific and random sample of Philadelphia households is being invited by mail to take the survey, using a specific Participant ID. It is important for those residents who receive the survey in the mail to use the Participant ID that is provided, as it ensures a random sample of respondents. Households selected to participate in the sample will be contacted by mail starting this week.
In addition to the randomly-chosen participants, all Philadelphia residents, ages 18 and older, are invited to participate in the survey without a Participant ID by visiting www.PHLsurvey.com. While this is a different way of collecting the data, the citywide opt-in results will provide additional insights to the City.
“Temple University is pleased to partner again with the City of Philadelphia for this important survey,” said Heidi E. Grunwald, Director of Temple’s Institute for Survey Research. “We are committed to hearing from as many residents as possible through the opt-in portion. We intend to carefully compare and scientifically blend the results from all respondents such that everyone’s opinions are heard.”
Everyone who takes the survey will also be invited to join BeHeardPhilly℠, where they will be invited to take surveys like this in the future. BeHeardPhilly℠ is an innovative survey program developed by Temple ISR that gives all residents the chance to have their voices heard and continue to weigh in on important topics related to the City.
Participation in the 2019 Philadelphia Resident Survey began earlier this month with a soft launch at the Philly Free Streets event on North Broad Street. To ensure that survey respondents are representative of Philadelphia’s demographics, City departments are launching a citywide outreach campaign that encourages residents to take the survey online at www.PHLSurvey.com. The City will also have paper surveys available at targeted Free Library locations, Parks and Recreation facilities, and senior centers.