Citizen participation rates (NCS)

Goal 5: A Well-Managed and Responsive Organization
Percent rating positively (yes, more than once a month, always/sometimes)
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ChartCreated with Highcharts 5.0.12Contacted Charlottesville elected officialsAttended a local public meetingWatched a local public meetingVoted in local electionsChart context menu201220142016
Description

The City of Charlottesville is one of many jurisdictions in the U.S. to participate in the National Citizen Survey (NCS) bi-annually. In 2016, questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 1,800 Charlottesville households, asking for feedback on the quality and usefulness of city services. There were 368 completed surveys returned, and the full results are posted here.

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) across eight central facets of community (Safety, Mobility, Natural Environment, Built Environment, Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement).

2012 Data is limited to the displayed information and answers the two questions:

  • Attended a meeting of local elected officials or other local public meeting
  • Watched a meeting of local elected officials or other City-sponsored public meeting on cable television, the Internet or other media
Analysis

An engaged community harnesses its most valuable resource, its residents. The connections and trust among residents, government, businesses and other organizations help to create a sense of community, a shared sense of membership, belonging and history. A majority of respondents (62%) rated sense of community positively, which was similar to the national benchmark. More than 8 in 10 respondents indicated that they would recommend living in Charlottesville to someone who asks, and about half reported that they had contacted the City of Charlottesville for help or information the in the past 12 months. Only about two-thirds of respondents reported that they plan to remain in Charlottesville for the next five years, which is lower than rates reported in other communities nationwide.


The survey included over 30 activities and behaviors for which respondents indicated how often they participated in or performed each, if at all. Rates of participation in the facet of Community Engagement varied. About 4 in 10 residents reported that they had participated in a club, and almost 6 in 10 had volunteered; these rates are higher than the national benchmarks. However, about two-thirds of respondents reported that they had read or watched the local news; this rate declined over time and is lower than the benchmark.