Almost half of Big Apple residents say they've considered leaving New York City because of mounting financial pressure, with a staggering 61% saying it's increasingly difficult to pay for basic needs, according to a new poll.
The People's Pulse Poll found New Yorkers are feeling bleak and helpless about the city's future. So why do they stay?
"The number one response was actually affordability. People said they couldn't afford to move," said Grace Rauh of the 5Boro Institute which spearheaded the joint survey conducted by several local foundations. "And the kicker is that they're really not all that confident in the city government's ability to address major challenges."
An overwhelming majority — 84% of residents surveyed — said NYC is in a mental health crisis. But despite resulting safety concerns and fear of riding the subways, more than half of New Yorkers chose empathy over anger and frustration when asked to select which of two written descriptions more closely describes how they feel.
Among those polled, 58% said they "mostly feel empathy for people who are struggling with these issues, even when they make me uncomfortable in public and I wish it wasn't happening. It makes me sad that people who clearly need the help aren't getting it."
Twenty-three percent said they "mostly feel anger and frustration at people who are struggling with these issues and acting out in public while making life harder for other New Yorkers." Another 17% chose to write in a different response.
"There is a safety concern, but the majority of people want people to get the services that they need. They are not looking for people to be policed or arrested. They really feel this empathy," Jocelynne Rainey, CEO of Brooklyn.org said.
"It's really heart-warming to see that that's what came to the surface," said Rainey, whose community group collaborated with the New York Community Trust, The Staten Island Foundation and the Altman Foundation on the survey.
When asked what actions the city should take to improve mental health access, increased funding for community clinics was the top response, followed by free or low cost therapy for youth and struggling families, supportive housing, mental health services for non-English speakers, and on-site supports in schools.
The survey found the highest support for mental health and housing support programs from Black and Hispanic respondents and those who live in Manhattan.
The poll did not seek public opinion on the candidates for mayor. The results are becoming public four months before the primaries, as candidates for mayor struggle to get traction and the incumbent mayor is engulfed in controversy over a Trump administration decision to set aside his criminal charges while suing Gov. Kathy Hochul over immigration policy.
The poll did ask for opinions on how the city should allocate public resources when it comes to the recent increase in migrants. The top answer was "focus resources on long-term residents before addressing the needs of new arrivals."
While more than seven in 10 surveyed said voting is important to the city's future, only half said they believe their vote makes a difference.
When asked where they get their news about local issues and elections, 39% said online, followed by 36% who said broadcast news and 29% who said social media platforms. Bias in reporting was the top concern about media coverage of local politics, with a lack of depth and detail being the second biggest concern.
The poll sample included 3,000 adults and was conducted in multiple languages by Slingshot Strategies between Jan 21 - Jan. 30 with a margin of error of +/- 2.5%.
