The perception of public safety in New York City has seen a substantial shift in recent years, according to a survey released this Tuesday. Night-time subway rides, once seen as routine, were considered unsafe by a staggering 78% of residents by 2023, marking a notable increase in apprehension. The city’s living standards were also reviewed negatively by many, with only 30% expressing a positive outlook, showing a downward trend of 21% since 2017. The Citizens Budget Commission, a non-partisan group which conducted the survey of over 6,600 households, sounded a clear message from their findings: ‘There is much that needs to be done for New Yorkers to feel at home in the city.’
Interestingly, the unease around subway safety showed little distinction between day and night in the data collected. In 2017, the commission found that New Yorkers felt only marginally safer travelling on the subway during the day than they did at night. The level of comfort plummeted 32 points by 2023, with only 49% of the population feeling safe commuting via subway in day-time. A parallel can be drawn to 2017 figures where 46% of New Yorkers admitted feeling safe during night-time subway travels.
Despite these—somewhat alarming—safety concerns, it is important to note certain nuances in the data. The year 2017 was regarded as one of the safest in the modern history of the city, with the number of homicides reaching an all-time low of 292. The figure at the time was a significant reduction from the early 2000s, which witnessed over 600 annual homicides according to NYPD data. Hence, the comparison may not represent a typical trend.
To put things into perspective, though the number of homicides did hit 391 in the year under consideration (2023), it still represented a consecutive year of decrease. However, such numbers continue to add to the complexity of the tasks at the desk of Mayor Adams. The mayor had run his 2021 campaign with promises of enhancing public safety and city services. The data, though, underscores the difficulties he along with Governor Hochul may be facing to alleviate the anxiety related to the subway system’s safety concerns.
Remarkably, the study was brought to light prior to a sudden increase in instances of subway crimes this winter, culminating in a scuffle and shooting incident on a rush hour A train. This event, no doubt, deepened concerns around subway safety. Governor Hochul made an attempt to bolster security sentiments by deputing 750 soldiers from the National Guard to check bags in the subway. Critics, however, argued that the presence of military might inadvertently enhance the feelings of lawlessness.
Security is not the only issue, however. The study found that several other amenities provided by the city were falling short of New Yorkers’ expectations. Cleanliness ratings had dropped significantly, with satisfaction dipping by 13 percentage points to 34%. Garbage collection services satisfied only 57% of residents, down 9 points since 2017. An alarming 18 points fall was seen for rat control satisfaction which had dropped to 27%, adding to Mayor Adams’ list of challenges.
In their report alongside the poll findings, the Citizens Budget Commission asserted that the focus of Mayor Adam’s administration more or less aligns with what New Yorkers view as their priorities. However, they noted a notable gap with respect to how residents were rating the quality of life now versus their past ratings. ‘There’s a significant scope of improvement needed to get back to former contentment levels that the citizens once enjoyed,’ said the report.
Mayor Adams, a middle-of-the-road Democrat, prioritized public safety during his campaign, along with other issues like ramping up the fight against the rat menace and improving trash collection mechanisms. His promise had been clear and attractive: taxes paid by New Yorkers would return in the form of superior and value-driven services. ‘The government has a responsibility to provide goods and services in return for the taxes paid by our citizens,’ he had said during his election night speech.
Despite his commitment to system reforms, the sentiment today reflects disillusionment. The recent poll found only 11% residents believed that the city judiciously uses their tax dollars, down from 21% during the term of Mayor Bill de Blasio. When it comes to grading city-provided services in general, positive responses fell dramatically from 44% to 24% over a span of six years.
A similar trend was spotted for public safety statistics in New York City. In the recent survey, a 13-point drop was recorded in the share of participants who considered the state of public safety to be either good or excellent. The concerns with the subway system have been a significant contributor here.
On the other hand, the Mayor’s statements seem contrary to the feedback being garnered. Mayor Adams, since his tenure began at the start of 2022, has been asserting that NYC remains the safest big city in the nation. Despite growing statistics showing an increase in subway crimes, the overall violent crime rates appear to be on a downward trajectory in the city.
Mayor Adams brushed aside potential blame for the diminishing sentiment, downplaying its association with his two-year administration. He asserted that the community acknowledges his administration’s prioritization towards making New York a better and safer city. ‘I assure the people, their concerns are my concerns. We are combatting public safety issues, space concerns, and rat infestations. We are working in the right direction and will continue to do so,’ Adams said.
Clarifying this stance, President of the Citizens Budget Commission, Andrew Rein, confirmed that comparing the current safety levels with those from 2017 isn’t reasonable, given that it was a categorically different era, marking a significantly low crime rate. Nonetheless, he emphasized that the current data undeniably illustrates that a sizable population of New Yorkers are still feeling insecure about their city, especially now as COVID-19 pandemic becomes a part of our past.
Rein said, ‘It would be very cynical to examine these ratings and believe that New Yorkers are content. Many New Yorkers are expressing unease despite the receding pandemic, indicating a level of discomfort with the current state of their beloved city.’
To sum up, it’s evident that New Yorkers’ perspective towards the city’s public safety and quality of life is changing, necessitating a reassessment of the strategies in place not only for subway safety but also for overall governance and provision of municipal services. Focused efforts to bridge the gap between the administration’s targets and the residents’ expectations could be a feasible path forward.