Signs of Urban Vitality and of Distress: Citizen Views on the Quality of Urban Life. (RE-ANNOUNCEMENT of PB85-126944-see notes field for explanation)

摘要

Americans view cities as places of culture, opportunity, and amenities but also as places containing high rates of crime, unemployment, and deteriorated housing. For black and low - income Americans, the negative aspects of urban life appear more prevalent. The majority of urban residents express satisfaction with life in their community and their immediate neighborhood. Although residents of nonurban locations -- the suburbs, small towns, and rural areas of the Nation -- are even more likely to be satisfied with their communities, over 70 percent of residents in central cities have mostly positive feelings about their locale. The remainder have either mixed or negative feelings; however, most citizens, regardless of present location, believe that the best place to live is outside of urban areas. More than anything else, city residents and others point to crime and concern about personal safety as the major urban problem. Most Americans believe that urban settings are the worst places to raise children. Blacks more frequently than whites rate urban problems as severe. This difference of perception by race is found in residents of cities, suburbs, and nonmetropolitan areas. The positive aspects of urban life are seen in shipping facilities, transportation services, and opportunities for advancement, as well as having more plays, museums, movie theaters, restaurants, and universities. In reaction to the more negative aspects of city life and in search of a better environment, many urban residents either contemplate leaving the city or experience the frustration of not being able to leave. For those who remain, future well - being will depend in large part on changes that are now and will continue affecting the city's character. Tabular data from the study are included.