NY1: Affordability, safety and mental health top concerns for NYC

As New York heads into a pivotal election year, a new survey released Thursday is offering insights into how some are feeling when it comes to some of the most pressing issues in their daily lives.

The poll, conducted from Jan. 21 to 30 by the 5BORO Institute and several other local foundations, surveyed 3,000 New Yorkers across the five boroughs. The findings are stark: More than 80% of respondents believe the city is in a mental health crisis; almost 50% have considered leaving the city because of affordability; and nearly 60% say they lack confidence in the city government’s ability to address major challenges.

What You Need To Know

• More than 80% of respondents believe the city is in a mental health crisis, while almost 50% have considered leaving the city because of affordability
• Housing costs remain the biggest financial burden for 42% of New Yorkers
• Three in four of those surveyed believe too many people struggling with mental illness are not receiving proper care
• The poll was conducted from Jan. 21 to 30 by the 5BORO Institute and several other local foundations and surveyed 3,000 New Yorkers across the five boroughs

“We wanted to make sure that the issues that were top of mind to New Yorkers, that they wanted to hear talked about in the political discourse were really centered in the conversation,” said Grace Rauh, executive director of the 5BORO Institute, in an interview with “Mornings On 1” following the survey’s release.

The survey—which has a results margin of error of plus or minus 2.51 percentage points—found that affordability remains a major concern for New Yorkers, with 61% saying it has become increasingly difficult to afford basic needs like housing, food and healthcare. Meanwhile, nearly half of those surveyed said they have considered leaving the city because of the high cost of living.

“Even though New York always has been an expensive place to live—right now, it’s much worse,” Jocelynne Rainey, president and CEO of Brooklyn Org, said during the “Morning on 1” interview.

“What we saw in the poll that I thought was really enlightening, is that so many New Yorkers who love their neighborhoods, they want to stay, but they feel like they can’t afford to. One-third of everyone who responded to the poll said that they know someone who’s had to leave their home and move in with family. I mean, that is a crisis,” she said.

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