Napa Survey Results: Residents Rate Police, Fire, Overall Safety

Press release from the City of Napa:

NAPA, CA — The City of Napa published results this week from its 2024 Community Climate Survey, highlighting both the successes and challenges identified by residents. Conducted in December 2024 by Probolsky Research, the survey engaged a random sample of 300 City of Napa voters through phone and online interviews in both English and Spanish, offering a comprehensive snapshot of public opinion.

“The feedback from our community helps guide the decisions we make every day,” said Mayor Scott Sedgley. “The confidence in our public safety teams and positive feedback about our parks and recreation facilities help reassure us that our investments in core services are making a difference in our residents’ daily lives. We’re committed to addressing concerns raised by residents with the same focus and care.”

The survey revealed exceptional confidence in public safety, with 92% of residents feeling safe walking in their neighborhoods during the day and 86% feeling safe downtown. The Napa Fire Department received a 90% approval rating, with over two-thirds expressing strong approval. The Police Department also received solid community support, with 76% approval.

Napa parks and recreation facilities were another area of positive feedback, with 61% of residents satisfied with the quality and condition of facilities. Two-thirds of respondents expressed support for adding new amenities to existing parks, reinforcing the community’s enthusiasm for continued investment in recreational spaces.

The survey also highlighted effective City communication. Sixty-one percent of respondents reported satisfaction with the City’s outreach efforts, including newsletters, website updates and other channels. Additionally, more than half of residents prefer receiving City updates through email, and 60% have visited the City’s website in the past year.

In addition to this positive feedback, the survey identified key areas for improvement. Infrastructure maintenance stood out as a key concern, with nearly 69% dissatisfied with the quality of local streets and 63% reporting concerns about sidewalk conditions. Housing affordability and addressing homeless encampments were also identified as top priorities for the Mayor and City Council to address.

“These responses provide valuable insights that help us continue to enhance our services and also confirm those areas that we know need additional attention,” said City Manager Steve Potter. “While we’re pleased to see strong satisfaction in many areas, we know there is more work to do, particularly in areas like infrastructure maintenance and housing. With the additional funding provided by Measure G, we are prepared to take decisive action to improve our roads, upgrade sidewalks and tackle the challenges our residents have identified as priorities.”

Measure G, approved by voters in November 2024, introduces a one-cent sales tax that will generate approximately $30 million annually for essential city services. A large portion of Measure G dollars will fund critical street repairs, sidewalk upgrades and other priority projects identified by residents.

Tourism also remains a vital part of Napa’s economy, with 80% of residents viewing downtown tourism as positive for the City. This sentiment is consistent with the reality that tourism generates one-third of the City’s General Fund revenue, which supports core services and amenities that benefit residents.

The survey, which has a margin of error of +/-5.8%, was designed to ensure broad community representation. Residents participated through a combination of phone (33%) and online (67%) interviews.

The full survey results are available at www.CityOfNapa.org/DocumentCenter/View/13800/City-of-Napa---Community-Climate-Survey-2024-PDF.

This press release was produced by the City of Napa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.