Why is this important

Parks and public open space have important health benefits. The amount and type of park space is a key element of urban design and impacts people’s perceptions of ‘neighborliness’ and safety. Quality parks that are used by residents can have positive impacts on physical activity, stress reduction, community building, and injury prevention.[i] Satisfaction with and use of parks and recreation facilities, hinges upon perceptions of the quality, maintenance, and accessibility of amenities. Challenges in accessing parks can arise from factors including proximity, public safety, the level and type of services provided, social exclusion, and the management and design of the space.

How are we doing?

In 2015, Controller’s Office made significant changes to the City Survey methodology to ensure the survey reached a representative sample of San Francisco residents. In previous years the City Survey had been administered primarily by mail, while the 2015 survey was administered primarily by phone. Due to these changes, differences in survey results between 2015 and previous years should be interpreted with caution.

The level of satisfaction with San Francisco’s Parks and Recreation system has been relatively similar for residents of 94102 and the city overall. While it is hard to tell conclusively, due to the significant change in survey methodology, it appears that over the past seven years, levels of satisfaction have risen from a little over half of residents rating the system as “good” or “excellent,” to over 75% feeling satisfied.

Dataset Source

Office of the Controller, San Francisco City Survey, 2011-2019, available here: http://sfcitysurvey.weebly.com/.

Citations

[i] National Center for Environmental Health. “Parks and Trails Health Impact Assessment Toolkit.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention, June 2, 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/parks_trails/#health.