New People’s Pulse Survey Elevates New Yorkers’ Voices and Top Issues in Citywide Elections

As New York City heads into a pivotal election year, a new, issues-based survey finds that New Yorkers are deeply concerned about and directly affected by the city’s affordability and public safety, while also believing the city faces a mental health crisis. Despite concerns about the overall health of the city, a majority of New Yorkers have strong connections to their neighborhoods, rating them as excellent or good.

In question after question, the cost of living and the pressure it exerts on New Yorkers every day rises above other challenges New Yorkers believe they face. More than 60% say it is increasingly difficult to meet their basic needs. Mounting financial pressure is pushing New Yorkers to doubt the future of the city and their own future here. Fifty-eight percent are not confident in the city government’s ability to address major challenges facing the city.

The People’s Pulse survey is an initiative commissioned by Brooklyn Org, The New York Community Trust, The Staten Island Foundation, and the Altman Foundation, and spearheaded by the 5BORO Institute. This first-of-its-kind collaboration builds upon the many years that the organizations involved have devoted to listening to and investing in New York City’s communities. The survey aims to amplify the voices of everyday New Yorkers in civic conversation.

The survey, which reached 3,000 New York City adults across all five boroughs, offers insights into the most pressing issues facing residents. Its findings reveal that large majorities of city residents are grappling with an affordability crisis, harbor deep concerns about public safety, and are increasingly disconnected from the electoral process.

Housing remains the most significant financial burden, with 42% of New Yorkers citing it as their top economic challenge. The crisis is accelerating, with 78% saying that housing costs have worsened in recent years. For many, this isn’t just a statistic—it’s an everyday struggle that impacts their ability to plan for the future, save money, or even stay in the city at all.

This financial strain is leading to a reshuffling of living arrangements, with 28% of New Yorkers reporting that they or someone they know has had a family member move in to save money, while 32% say they’ve personally had to move in with family to stay afloat. These numbers highlight the extent to which affordability concerns are reshaping not just individual lives, but also household dynamics and community stability.

A wide majority of city residents (84%) believe that the city is facing a serious mental health crisis. Most New Yorkers prefer an approach that would help their neighbors, with 58% saying they feel mostly empathy for those on the streets or subways struggling with mental health, substance abuse, and other issues. Nearly one-third of respondents (29%) say that the city should prioritize expanding mental health and housing support to those experiencing mental health issues and homelessness. New Yorkers surveyed strongly support city-funded programs that combine mental health support with public safety initiatives to reduce crime and violence.

Public safety is a concern for a majority of those surveyed. Forty-nine percent said safety concerns have affected their willingness to spend time outside and in public spaces. Nearly 40% of New Yorkers have witnessed or experienced a crime on the subway, or personally know someone who has.

Key Findings:

Affordability is a top concern for New Yorkers

• 48% of respondents say they have considered leaving NYC, with affordability concerns being the number of reason
• 61% of New Yorkers say it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet basic needs such as housing, food, healthcare, and education
• Housing costs are the biggest financial burden for 42% of respondents
• 78% say the cost of housing has gotten worse in recent years
• Nearly one in three New Yorkers said they or someone they know had to move in with a family member to save money in the past few years
• 31% of New Yorkers said they or a family member have struggled with food insecurity in the last few years

Mental health crisis worsening

• 84% believe New York is experiencing a serious mental health crisis
• 77% say too many individuals suffering from mental illness are left without adequate care
• When asked which approach NYC should prioritize to address mental illness and homelessness on the subway system, respondents said:
  • Expand mental health and housing support programs (29%)
  • More police and security on subway platforms and subway cars (20%)
  • Increase the presence of outreach teams and social services (19%)
  • Involuntary commitment for people unable to care for themselves (17%)

Public safety concerns persist

• 50% of New Yorkers feel less safe than they did five years ago
• 68% say they avoid the subway at certain times due to safety concerns
• 39% say they or someone they know have witnessed or experienced a safety-related incident on the subway
• 36% say they or someone they know have witnessed a crime in public

Migrants in NYC

• Nearly half of New Yorkers (49%) would support legislation to provide faster pathways to work authorization for immigrants as a way to address labor shortages and boost the city’s economy

Voter engagement challenges

• While only 50% of respondents believe their vote makes a difference in city elections, a strong share of New Yorkers (71%) say they think voting is important to New York’s social and economic future
• 40% say more information about candidates and ballot measures would increase their likelihood of voting

Nonprofit Sector

• 75% of respondents say it is important for NYC government to support small, local organizations that are focused on addressing social, economic and housing issues in communities across the five boroughs
• 59% say they favor more city funding for grassroots, community-based organizations to hire staff, improve their work and reach more people in need

“This poll makes clear that the affordability crisis is reshaping our city and forcing families to make tough decisions. New Yorkers want meaningful action on affordability, public safety, and mental health,” said Grace Rauh, Executive Director of the 5BORO Institute. “The People’s Pulse was created to ensure that the voices of New Yorkers drive the conversation in this critical election year.”

Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO of Brooklyn Org: “The People’s Pulse is an opportunity for all of us, and especially those who are seeking to lead our city as elected officials, to truly listen to the voices of New Yorkers. This is our opportunity to hear about the issues that are driving the daily conversation in our communities and, most importantly, to understand how New Yorkers want us to solve our challenges. In this important election year, The People’s Pulse is a powerful platform for the people to be heard.”

Amy Freitag, President of the New York Community Trust: “The People’s Pulse highlights the heart of our city: New Yorkers from all walks of life care deeply about their neighbors and want solutions that center the safety and well-being of those most in need. This is an invitation for civic leaders, philanthropic partners, and community organizations to work together to ensure New York’s vibrant communities can thrive in the city they call home–and that our city remains a diverse, welcoming hub of opportunity.”

Laura Jean Watters, Executive Director of the Staten Island Foundation: “In order to truly empower all communities in New York City, we need to recognize that far too many New Yorkers have felt unheard and disconnected from conversations about the future of our city. The People’s Pulse represents a new approach to engaging with our communities—one that truly puts the voices of New Yorkers front and center. We believe that our approach will shed light on the nuanced realities of life in New York City and give New Yorkers, who love this city dearly and want to see it succeed, a chance to have more input in our city’s evolving future.”

Deborah Velazquez, President of the Altman Foundation: “New Yorkers are sending a clear message that they want leadership that listens and acts on their most pressing concerns. Our goal is to ensure that the upcoming city election is guided by the authentic voices of the people who know New York best – its residents.”

About the People’s Pulse

The People’s Pulse was conducted by the polling firm Slingshot Strategies. It is a multimodal survey of 3,000 adults in New York City in English, Spanish, and Mandarin from January 21st to January 30th, 2025. The sample is weighted to education, age, gender, race, county, and 2024 election results, with a margin of error of ±2.51.

The findings from the People’s Pulse will be shared with residents, the media, and candidates running for office to ensure that the real concerns of New Yorkers shape the citywide elections. 5BORO Institute and its partners will continue working to elevate these voices in public debates, media coverage, and candidate forums. The People’s Pulse partners thank the New Yorkers who participated in this randomized survey.

For more information on the People’s Pulse, visit fiveboro.nyc