Five-Year Survey Results

OVERALL RATING

Nine hundred residents shared their views through telephone and online opinion surveys conducted in the first half of 2019. Key findings are summarized, including ratings for different aspects of life in Flint. Ratings are based on a scale of one to five, in which five means “very positive” and one means “very negative.” For more information about how the ratings were calculated, see Methodology.

THINGS TO CELEBRATE/
THINGS TO IMPROVE

This section highlights survey results regarding what’s working and what needs improvement. If a section of Focus on Flint does not include information about Things to Celebrate or Things to Improve, it’s because the survey didn’t yield responses to fit the categories.

ALSO HEARD

In addition to results of the opinion survey, Focus on Flint shares information that local nonprofit organizations and agencies have reported hearing from the residents they serve.

SUPPORT FROM MOTT

Support for the organizations and programs presented in bold text includes funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which produced this report. To learn more, visit the Foundation’s website, Mott.org.

FACTS & FIGURES

Each section includes data and statistics that illuminate strengths of the Flint community and highlight challenges. These facts were collected through opinion surveys of Flint residents; from city, state and federal agencies; and from local nonprofit organizations. The Flint surveys were conducted in the first half of 2019. Unless otherwise noted, all remaining data are from 2018.

DID YOU KNOW?

This section highlights organizations and programs working to address issues in the Flint community and provides information about how to connect with them.

THE ISSUE AND THE RESPONSE

Focus on Flint explores nine important issues facing the local community: Arts and Culture, Economy, Education, Health, Housing, Public Safety, Quality of Life, Standard of Living and Water. This section describes why each issue is critical to the community and summarizes work underway.

KEY ISSUES AND OVERALL RATINGS: 2019-2023

When the Mott Foundation launched the Focus on Flint initiative in 2019, we promised to continue to ask about and report on residents’ perspectives on life in the city. For the past five years, we have commissioned a survey of Flint residents about nine key issues that affect quality of life, as well as the top concerns and priorities they want to see addressed. Along with community conversations, survey results help to inform the Foundation’s local grantmaking.

On a scale from one to five, with one meaning “very negative” and five meaning “very positive,” below are residents’ average ratings recorded from 2019 through 2023.

TOP CONCERNS

FOR FLINT RESIDENTS

Survey participants were asked, “What do you think is the most serious issue facing the residents of Flint that you would like to see community leaders do something about?” Among those who responded in 2023,
crime and water quality continue to top the list of key concerns. Below are the top three concerns from the 2023 survey:

  • 30% CRIME/SAFETY
  • 17% CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE WATER
  • 10% JOBS/ECONOMY

A FEW THINGS WORTH NOTING

PHOTO: ADAM STOLTMAN
  • Residents’ feelings toward arts and culture programming and opportunities in Flint have remained majority-positive over the last few years and have continued to rank the highest among the nine key issues.
  • Attitudes toward water supply and affordability are slowly improving.
  • The majority of residents who took the survey say they pay more for water than residents of surrounding communities and describe their rates as unfair, but the intensity of this sentiment has decreased over time.
  • Flint residents continue to have negative feelings about the direction of the country and the city. The negative perception about the direction of the United States is shared throughout the nation, according to numerous public polls commissioned by major media outlets.
  • Two-thirds of residents provide a negative rating when it comes to housing in Flint, but the 2.1 rating in 2023 is the lowest yet.
  • Crime has been the biggest concern for Flint residents since 2020.
  • Local, traditional media outlets still play a significant role in where residents get their information about the community.

2023 SURVEY RESULTS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

In addition to gathering feedback on nine key issue areas, we wanted to take a closer look at other important community issues. So this update also features residents’ thoughts and concerns regarding opportunities for young people in the city.

Residents rated these opportunities for Flint’s young people as very important or somewhat important:

  • 80% Mentoring from a caring adult
  • 78% Academic support and tutoring
  • 78% Recreation and sports leagues
  • 77% Safe places to hang out and have fun
  • 77% Summer jobs and part-time jobs

However, residents were a bit more divided on the affordability of opportunities for young people in Flint.

PHOTO: JENIFER VELOSO

34% said academic support and tutoring were very or somewhat affordable where 26% said they were very or somewhat unaffordable.

31% said recreation and sports leagues were very or somewhat affordable where 30% said they were very or somewhat unaffordable.

30% said having safe places to hang out and have fun was very or somewhat affordable, while 34% said it was very or somewhat unaffordable.

TOP PRIORITIES

When asked which expanded opportunities for young people should be priorities, residents focused on education. The top three choices were:

  • 34%EDUCATION/ SCHOOLS
  • 23%ACTIVITIES/ RECREATION
  • 21%JOBS/ CAREER

What’s Missing? Let Us Know!