LTC 172-2008 North Beach Focus Group Meeting Summary
208 J~~ 23 PM I~ 42
M I AM I BEAC H ~~rY c~.~~~<~s ~~= E~
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # i~2-zoos LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: June 20, 2008
SUBJECT: North Beach Focus Group Meeting Summary
The purpose of this LTC is to update you on the continued efforts to gain insight from our
residents as to the services we are providing throughout the community.
In 2007, the City implemented a second Community Satisfaction Survey (CSS) citywide to
learn whether the City was still on course to achieve its mission, vision and strategic plan and
determine how perceptions of the community changed based on actions the City had taken to
address the first CSS findings as well as other initiatives the City had implemented. The
results indicated a great deal of achievement through the City's focus on its mission, vision
and strategic plan. The City witnessed considerable improvement in community perceptions
and attitudes across a number of key strategic priority areas. However, several areas of focus
remained.
The most noteworthy area of focus from the 2006-2007 CSS concerned the consistently
lower ratings observed from North Beach residents to the survey questions, notably in
comparison to their South Beach and Middle Beach counterparts. North Beach residents
were often the least positive region within the City and the gap in survey ratings between
North Beach and the rest of the City was widening.
To assist the City in responding to the survey feedback received from the second CSS, Hay
Group Insight facilitated several focus group meetings and telephone interviews. The
objective of these follow-up activities was to delve deeper into some key topic areas identified
for improvement with those City residents who provided negative opinions from the North
Beach area. The City held the focus group meetings on May 20 and May 21, 2008 in the
evening time at North Shore Youth Center on 72 Street to obtain maximum participation from
North Beach residents with (4) sessions conducted, two of which were in Spanish. Taking
both focus group meetings and telephone interviews together, 87 residents participated.
Listed are the topic areas from the meetings and phone interviews:
• Condition of Streets and Sidewalks
• Safety
• Construction & Development
• Recreation Programs and Facilities
• Value of Services for Taxes Paid
• Communications from the City
All topics were discussed in each meeting, although not always in the order listed above.
The participants in each group consisted of a wide mix of residents from various income
levels and ages, as well as, length of time they have been living in the City and knowledge of
City government activities. This ensured that the opinions received were representative of the
wider North Beach community. Moreover, most of the North Beach interview participants are
a subset of respondents interviewed from the 2007 CSS, held to a rigorous stratified
sampling methodology. As part of this larger pool, the focus group and telephone participants
are representative of North Beach's diverse population.
In 2008, the sentiments of North Beach residents have noticeably improved from findings
noted in the 2005-06 CSS follow-up focus groups and telephone interviews. Resident
comments point to an increased focus and commitment by the City of Miami Beach in
addressing and resolving quality of life issues. Moreover, the consensus of the North Beach
residents reveals an overall improvement in resident satisfaction with quality of life living in
North Beach and increased positive attitudes regarding the specific CSS issues identified
within North Beach. Not surprisingly, there remain several concerns among residents
regarding quality of life issues identified from the 2006-2007 CSS. Still, the perception among
North Beach residents is that quality of life issues are moving in the right direction.
Below is a high-level summary of the findings for each topic area.
Condition of Streets and Sidewalks. North Beach residents feel that, generally, the North
Beach area is improving concerning cleanliness and City government has picked up efforts to
maintain and enforce cleanliness in the area. Residents attribute some cleanliness issues to
a lack of civic duty (personal pride) on the part of residents in keeping North Beach clean but
also feel the City can do more to clean streets, alleyways and beach areas of trash, refuse
and dumping. Storm drainage and waterways were occasionally raised as continued
problems across North Beach (and the City of Miami Beach generally), however many noted
that the lack of rain over the last several months has currently lessened this as a serious
issue (although they also point out that it will become more of a problem during hurricane
season). There were also mentions of street pavement issues that need to be corrected.
Safety: North Beach residents do indicate an increased police car presence in the area as
well as fast response from safety services (Police, Fire/Rescue, EMR, etc.). The majority of
North Beach residents say that the number of homeless in the area has declined over the
past year but the homeless that remain within North Beach are still atop-of-mind safety issue
for residents. Loitering youth on streets and in parks was mentioned as another safety
concern in North Beach. Several North Beach residents perceive an increase in cartheft and
house/apartment break-ins over the past year. Generally, residents would like to see more
and brighter lighting on streets and the Beachwalk. Discussion of safety issues also included
pedestrian safety, such as speeding cars, cars that run lights, etc. and pedestrian safety in
the context of building/sidewalk/street construction projects, which cause residents to walk
into roads and increase their chances of being struck by a moving vehicle.
Construction & Development: While North Beach residents do feel that construction and
development are important indicators of the City's growth and economic viability, there
remain strong feelings that over-development of buildings (condos especially) have caused
significant quality of life issues for current North Beach residents. There were comments that
the vertical high-rises have reduced the amount of sunlight across the North Beach area
during the day. Moreover, North Beach residents are increasingly anxious that the area will
not be able to support the influx of new residents that the condominium construction will bring
(reaching maximum population density). North Beach residents perceive that the City is not
enforcing its own regulations regarding construction sites, both in terms of regular inspections
by the City to sites and the City ensuring projects are completed in full and on schedule.
Other key challenges mentioned include the impact of construction/development projects on
traffic congestion and lack of available street parking. On a positive note, construction
projects that are seen as benefiting the area (e.g., new parks/recreation facilities, Beachwalk)
are viewed very positively.
2
Recreation Programs and Facilities: North Beach residents are overall quite satisfied with
the recreation programs and facilities available to them. Naturally, the beaches themselves
were cited as a source of great affection among residents, but as mentioned earlier, some
feel beaches can be cleaner. Some of the facilities and events like the Bass Museum are
highly regarded but are seen as expensive. Some would like to see parks remain open longer
so that youth can have a place to congregate, as opposed to doing so in the streets at night.
There were also comments to build a soccer field in the area, bring in a movie theater, as one
does not currently exist in North Beach and to develop/publicize activities for seniors.
Value of Services for Taxes Paid: Services such as the Police, Fire/Rescue, EMR and
Hurricane Preparedness are given high marks. The services and areas most often mentioned
for attention include improving cleanliness of streets/alleyways, increased enforcement of
codes (especially anything related to motor vehicles and construction), beautification of North
Beach (more trees/shrubbery), improving the school system (overcrowding, the curriculum),
and offering reliable public transportation.
Communications from the City: While mostly satisfied with MB magazine and other forms
of communications, North Beach residents would like more proactive contact and
communications from the City on matters that affect them, for example, regarding
construction projects, events and programs, etc. Most often mentioned forms of media to use
are email and in-person City meetings in North Beach.
Overall, findings suggest that the changes seen from 2006-2007 are attributable to the
increased attention by the City of Miami Beach to the areas of focus within the North Beach
region. This can be interpreted as an encouraging sign that the results for North Beach for
the next CSS (scheduled for 2009) will reflect this continued positive change in resident
perceptions.
For additional results from the 2008 North Beach focus group and telephone interviews,
please see the attached report provided by the Hay Group Insight.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact me.
JMG:KGB:LDR
3
Ha~(~o~ZP~
MIAMIBEACH
2006-7 Community Satisfaction Survey
Follow-Up Focus Groups & Interviews with North
Beach Residents
Report of Findings
June 2008
~~
1
ei 1' 1
.
~
Table of Contents
I. Background and Objectives 3
II. Methodology and Approach 5
III. Executive Summary g
IV. Survey Results 10
V. Detailed Comments 13
A. Condition of Streets and Sidewalks 13
B. Safety 17
C. Construction & Development 23
D. Recreation Programs and Facilities 27
E. Value of Services for Taxes Paid 2g
F. Communications from the City 34
VI. Conclusion and Recommendations 36
Appendices
Appendix A: Focus Group Interview Protocol for Residents 37
Appendix B: Focus Group Questionnaire 44
Appendix C: Telephone Interview Protocol for Residents 47
Appendix D: Email text for NoBe listserve 51
Appendix E: Additional Survey Results 53
ieptember 2007 Page 2 Of 56 www.haygroup.com
I. Background and Objectives
The City of Miami Beach's Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan
The City of Miami Beach is committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all
who live, work and play in its vibrant, tropical and historic community. Miami Beach's vision
and strategic plan have been articulated by City government in a clear and specific manner.
Miami Beach is committed to being a city that is:
• Cleaner and safer
• A beautiful, vibrant, mature, and stable residential community, as well as, an urban and
historic environment
• A cultural, entertainment and historic capital
• An international center for innovation in culture, recreation and business
• Maintaining awell-improved infrastructure
• Supporting outcomes that will sustain its vision
The Community Satisfaction Survey
In 2005, the City of Miami Beach conducted its first Community Satisfaction Survey (CSS)
with Hay Group Insight, a globally recognized survey research firm. The main objectives of
the CSS are aligned with Miami Beach's mission, vision and strategic plan and are
specifically outlined as follows:
• Understand the level of satisfaction among the City of Miami Beach community (residents and
businesses) with quality of life in the City, services received, City government, and recent
initiatives
• Determine areas of strength and opportunities for improvement relative to the City's mission,
vision and strategic plan
• Benchmark Miami Beach to similar cities/jurisdictions
• Utilize community input to support the budget process
• Provide actionable data to make decisions
To assist the City in responding to the survey feedback received from the first CSS, Hay
Group Insight facilitated several focus group meetings and telephone interviews with
residents and business owners during late March through early April 2006. The objective of
these follow-up activities was to delve deeper into several specific topics identified from the
CSS' results for which the City desired additional information prior to proceeding with action
planning efforts on those issues.
In 2007, a second CSS was implemented city-wide to learn whether the City was still on
course to achieve its mission, vision and strategic plan and determine how perceptions of the
community changed based on actions the City had taken to address the first CSS findings as
well as other initiatives the City had implemented. The results indicated that a great deal had
been achieved through the City's focus on its mission, vision and strategic plan. The City
page 3 of 56 www.haygmup.com
witnessed considerable improvement in community perceptions and attitudes across a
number of key strategic priority areas. However, several areas of focus remained.
The most noteworthy area of focus from the 2006-7 CSS concerned the consistently lower
ratings observed from North Beach residents to the survey questions, notably in comparison
to their South Beach and Middle Beach counterparts. North Beach residents were often the
feast positive region within the City and the gap in survey ratings between North Beach and
the rest of the City was widening.
The City of Miami Beach decided to investigate these findings further and partnered with Hay
Group Insight to conduct a series of focus groups and telephone interviews. Only in this
instance the focus groups and telephone interviews would be conducted with North Beach
residents only.
Objective of this Resort
This report is intended as a summary of the quantitative and qualitative feedback received in
the focus group sessions and telephone interviews with North Beach residents so that it may
assist City government in gaining an in-depth understanding of the reasons for North Beach
residents' perceptions from the 2006-7 CSS. More specifically, this report's main goal is to
help City government design and implement action plans to address areas of focus that will
further improve quality of life and services for residents in North Beach.
This report should not be used to suggest its findings beyond the study's research objectives
It should not be used to generalize findings for residents in regions outside of North Beach
(i.e., South Beach and Middle Beach residents). The findings in this report are unique to the
residents of the North Beach region of Miami Beach.
For the summary of the topic areas, we have taken into account those observations and
comments from North Beach residents that were similar both within and across the focus
group sessions and interviews. Comments made by focus group participants and phone
interviewees that were of a singular nature (that is, uniquely expressed compared to other
feedback received) are provided throughout the Detailed Comments section following the
Executive Summary.
* North Beach encompasses 64th Street to 87th Terrace from Collins Avenue to the City limits along the Bay.
page 4 Of 56 www.haygmup.com
~~
II. Methodology and Approach
Selection of Participants
In order to collect the information on the topics of interest, Hay Group Insight proposed a
combination of focus group (in-person) meetings and telephone interviews with North Beach
residents. The following methodological approaches were used to invite and/or interview
North Beach residents to the focus group meetings or telephone interviews, respectively:
1) 2007 Community Satisfaction Survey (Primary Source) -Hay Group Insight identified the 214
residents from North Beach who responded to the survey in 2007. Hay Group Insight contacted
these residents to invite them to attend a focus group meeting to discuss the topics in greater
detail. Hay Group Insight did not share the list of contact names with the City and managed this
process solely.
2) City outreach (Secondary Source) -The City of Miami Beach distributed an email to its listserve
contacts within North Beach. This email provided brief information on the focus groups that were
to be held in North Beach and solicited participants for the groups. An email address was provided
in the message for interested residents to contact Hay Group Insight to be scheduled for a group.
Over 30 North Beach residents contacted Hay Group Insight from this outreach effort.
Participation: Focus Group Meetings
The focus group meetings were held on May 20th and May 21St 2008. The focus groups were
scheduled for the evening time to obtain maximum participation from North Beach residents.
A total of four (4) sessions were conducted, two of which were in Spanish. Each focus group
session lasted two (2) hours. Refreshments and snacks were provided to all attendees. Gift
totes were distributed to each participant, as well as, the chance for one participant to leave
each evening's meetings with a valued prize (dinner for two at local restaurant). All focus
groups were conducted at the North Shore Youth Center on 72"d Street.
Summary of Focus Group Participants
. ..- ~.
North Beach residents Tues May 20th 15
(English) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
North Beach residents Tues May 20th 4
(Spanish) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
North Beach residents Wed May 21St 10
(English) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
North Beach residents Wed May 21St 4
(Spanish) 6:30 - 8:30 pm
TOTAL 33
page 5 of 56 www.haygmup.com
Participation: Phone Interviews
In addition to conducting the in-person focus group meetings, Hay Group Insight also
interviewed a number of residents who could not attend the meetings but were willing to
answer questions via telephone related to the topic areas of interest. 54 resident interviews
were completed in this manner. The information obtained in these interviews has been
incorporated into this summary report.
Participation: In Sum
Taking both focus group meetings and telephone interviews together, a total of 87 residents
were interviewed. t
Protocol for Focus Groups/Interviews
Hay Group Insight and the City designed a detailed interview guide (protocol) for the focus
groups and interviews. The protocol followed the following structure:
1) Introduction: Setting the stage (welcome, stating of objectives, expectations and ground rules)
2) Brief review of the 2007 CSS
3) Outlining the Agenda (run through of the topics that will be covered in the meeting)
4) Administration of Short Survey Questionnaire
5) Discussion: Probing and Learning (detailed discussion/probing of each topic area)
6) Other/Miscellaneous Topics (discussion of other topic areas not already covered, if needed)
7) Conclusion (thanks, providing gift tote/drawing)
Hay Group Insight consultants facilitated each of the focus group meetings. Hay Group
Insight's telephone survey partner managed all contact to residents by phone, including
invitations to focus groups and interviewing. Below is the listing of topic areas covered in the
meetings and phone interviews:
• Condition of Streets and Sidewalks
• Safety
• Construction & Development
• Recreation Programs and Facilities
• Value of Services for Taxes Paid
• Communications from the City
All topics were discussed in each meeting, although not always in the order listed above. The
interview guides for the focus group meetings and for the phone interviews are provided in
the Appendix.
t For the 2006 follow-up focus groups, 82 residents were interviewed in total across the 3 regions - 6 of which were from North
Beach.
page 6 Of 56 www.haygmup.com
Overall Observations
The focus group meetings and telephone interviews provided rich, detailed information
regarding the topics of interest within North. Similar to the focus groups conducted by Hay
Group Insight in 2006, as a consequence of conducting the focus group sessions and
telephone interviews with North Beach residents in 2008, Hay Group Insight offers the
following overall observations:
• Involvement of participants: In each of the focus group meetings and interviews, North Beach
residents were involved and passionate about expressing their thoughts and concerns to the City
regarding the topics of interest. Participants often mentioned that, despite some of the areas they
felt needed to be addressed, they feel that North Beach remains a great place to live, work, play
and visit.
• Caring about community input: We also observed that participants were appreciative of the City's
efforts to obtain their input via the focus groups, indicating that this demonstrated a commitment
by the City to listen and react to community opinions on how to improve services.
• Increasing survey recognition: Using the CSS as a springboard for the discussion further helps to
solidify the significance of the survey and increases its recognition-value among the community,
both in what the City has been doing and plans to do (based on what we were asking about in the
meetings and interviews). It also continues the process of helping the community link their input
(either from the survey ormeetings/interviews) with City initiatives and actions.
• Networking: Getting input from residents in a focus group setting not only continuously improves
communication from these residents with the City, but also among the residents themselves.
Residents listened, shared and learned from each other in each of the meetings, and several
walked away with new neighbors. This benefits the City as well since it increases the resources
available to residents when they need to turn to others in times of need, and it fosters a stronger
sense of community among its members.
Reliability of the Results
Hay Group Insight has a high level of confidence in the reliability of the focus group and
telephone interview feedback. The participants in each group consisted of a wide mix of
residents from various income levels and ages, as well as, length of time they have been
living in the City and knowledge of City government activities. This ensured that the opinions
received were representative of the wider North Beach community. Moreover, most of the
North Beach interview participants are a subset of respondents interviewed from the 2007
CSS, which was held to a rigorous stratified sampling methodology. As part of this larger
pool, the focus group and telephone participants are representative of North Beach's diverse
population.
page 7 of 56
www.haygroup.com
m
III. Executive Summary
In the summary findings from the 2005-6 CSS follow-up focus groups and telephone
interviews, Hay Group Insight provided the following commentary regarding North Beach
residents' feedback at that time:
"Interview participants from North Beach generally had a more negative attitude with regards
to most of the topic discussions, most notably around safety and construction/housing. Levels
of crime, homelessness and lack of affordable housing were key concerns among this group.
In their view, although the tax rate is the same, the City does not devote the same resources
or time to North Beach as it does in Mid/South Beach. There were several comments to this
effect (the `neglected child'). While North Beach participants did comment on seeing some
recent positive trends (increased police presence, development of the Youth Center), they
still feel much more needs to be done."$
In 2008, we can report that the sentiments of North Beach residents have noticeably
improved. They point to an increased focus and commitment by the City of Miami Beach in
addressing and resolving quality of life issues. Moreover, the general consensus of the North
Beach residents we spoke with reveals an overall improvement in resident satisfaction with
quality of life living in North Beach and increased positive attitudes regarding the specific CSS
issues identified within North Beach. Not surprisingly, there remain several concerns among
residents regarding quality of life issues identified from the 2006-7 CSS. Still, the perception
among North Beach residents is that quality of life issues are moving in the right direction.
Below is a high-level summary of the findings for each topic area.
Condition of Streets and Sidewalks. North Beach residents feel that, generally, the North
Beach area is improving with regards to cleanliness and City government has picked up
efforts to maintain and enforce cleanliness in the area. Residents attribute some cleanliness
issues to a lack of civic duty (personal pride) on the part of residents in keeping North Beach
clean but also feel the City can do more to clean streets, alleyways and beach areas of trash,
refuse and dumping. Storm drainage and waterways were occasionally raised as continued
problems across North Beach (and the City of Miami Beach generally), however many noted
that the lack of rain over the last several months has currently lessened this as a serious
issue (although they also point out that it will become more of a problem during hurricane
season). There were also mentions of street pavement issues that need to be corrected.
Safety: North Beach residents do indicate an increased police car presence in the area as
well as fast response from safety services (Police, Fire/Rescue, EMR, etc.). The majority of
North Beach residents say that the number of homeless in the area has declined over the
past year but the homeless that remain within North Beach are still atop-of-mind safety issue
for residents. Loitering youth on streets and in parks was mentioned as another safety
concern in North Beach. Several North Beach residents perceive an increase in car theft and
house/apartment break-ins over the past year. Generally, residents would like to see more
and brighter lighting on streets and the Beachwalk. Discussion of safety issues also included
$ From `Miami Beach Community Data Interview Summary", Apri12006, prepared by Hay Group Insight.
page 8 of 56
www.haygmup.com
pedestrian safety, such as speeding cars, cars that run lights, etc. and pedestrian safety in
the context of building/sidewalk/street construction projects, which cause residents to walk
into roads and increase their chances of getting struck by a moving vehicle.
Construction & Development: While North Beach residents do feel that construction and
development are important indicators of the City's growth and economic viability, there
remain strong feelings that over-development of buildings (condos especially) have caused
significant quality of life issues for current North Beach residents. There were comments that
the vertical high-rises have reduced the amount of sunlight across the North Beach area
during the day. Moreover, North Beach residents are increasingly anxious that the area will
not be able to support the influx of new residents that the condo construction will bring
(reaching maximum population density). North Beach residents perceive that the City is not
enforcing its own regulations regarding construction sites, both in terms of regular inspections
by the City to sites and the City ensuring projects are completed in full and on schedule.
Other key challenges mentioned include the impact of construction/development projects on
traffic congestion and lack of available street parking. On a positive note, construction
projects that are seen as benefiting the area (e.g., new parks/recreation facilities, Beachwalk)
are viewed very positively.
Recreation Programs and Facilities: North Beach residents are overall quite satisfied with
the recreation programs and facilities available to them. Naturally, the beaches themselves
were cited as a source of great affection among residents, but as mentioned earlier, some
feel beaches can be cleaner. Some of the facilities and events like the Bass Museum are
highly regarded but are seen as expensive. Some would like to see parks remain open longer
so that youth can have a place to congregate, as opposed to doing so in the streets at night.
There were also comments to build a soccer field in the area, bring in a movie theater as one
does not currently exist in North Beach and to develop/publicize activities for seniors.
Value of Services for Taxes Paid: Services such as the Police, Fire/Rescue, EMR and
Hurricane Preparedness are given high marks. The services and areas most often mentioned
for attention include improving cleanliness of streets/alleyways, increased enforcement of
codes (especially anything related to motor vehicles and construction), beautification of North
Beach (more trees/shrubbery), improving the school system (overcrowding, the curriculum),
and offering reliable public transportation.
Communications from the City: While mostly satisfied with MB magazine and other forms
of communications, North Beach residents would like more proactive contact and
communications from the City on matters that affect them, for example, regarding
construction projects, events and programs, etc. Most often mentioned forms of media to use
are email and in-person City meetings in North Beach.
page 9 of 56
www.haygroup.com
IV. Survey Results
For both the focus group meetings and telephone interviews that were conducted, asix-item
questionnaire was administered to participants and interviewees in order to obtain a
quantitative measure that would supplement the qualitative information (comments) received.
The content and format of the questionnaire can be found in Appendix B of this report.
A total of 81 questionnaires were collected from the focus groups and telephone interviews.
The number of questionnaires received allows for 95% level of confidence, +/- 10 margin of
error. Given this, the survey results should be interpreted with some caution as not to over-
generalize their results without further research. Moreover, not all of the responses received
are based on a random sample of North Beach residents. However, this is a sufficient
response to provide a general indication of the current attitudes of North Beach residents.
Table 1 -Overall Survey Results for North Beach (2008)
Favorable* % Excellent % Good % Fair % Poor
Quality of life in Miami
Q1 Beach 78 19 59 20 2
Services for tax dollars
Q2 paid 65 8 58 24 11
City government meeting
Q3 your needs 78 12 65 16
Miami Beach as a place
Q4 to live 89 42 47 10
Better % Same % Worse
Place to live compared to
Q5 one ear a o 42 42 47 11
No, % No,
Yes, % Yes, % Hard to Probably Definitely
Definitely Probably Say Not Not
Recommend to family/
Q6 friends as place to live 80 59 21 11
~' %Favorable = `Excellent" + "Good" for Q1- Q4, `Better" for Q5, and "Yes, Definitely" + "Yes Probably" for Q6
The survey results (as shown in Table 1 above) illustrate positive attitudes among the North
Beach residents who completed the survey regarding quality of life and a very favorable view
of how City government is meeting their needs (both 78% Excellent or Good responses for
each question). 89% of the North Beach participants we interviewed feel Miami Beach is an
Excellent or Good place to live. Moreover, almost two-thirds of North Beach participants feel
positively about the services they receive for the tax dollars they pay in North Beach.
80% of North Beach participants in the focus groups and telephone interviews would
recommend Miami Beach to others as a place to live and with respect to change over time,
page 10 of 56 www.haygroup.com
many (42%) feel Miami Beach is better now as a place to live than it was a year ago - 47%
feel it is the same. Only 11 % say it is worse now as a place to live than it was a year ago.
The above survey data was then compared to the comparable questions from the last CSS in
2006-7 (for North Beach residents only) to determine whether the current results represent a
change from what was observed in the 2006-7 CSS results. In fact, the recent surveys
collected from the 2008 focus group meetings and telephone interviews with North Beach
residents show a marked improvement from their respective 2006-7 CSS results -nearly all
items have higher ratings of favorability compared to the 2006-7 CSS results.
Table 2 -Overall Survey Results for North Beach (2008 vs. 2007) **
Favorable* % Excellent % Good % Fair % Poor
Q1 Quality of life in Miami Beach
North Beach 2008 78 19 59 20 2
North Beach 2006-7 63 14 49 27 11
Difference 15
Q2 Services for tax dollars paid
North Beach 2008 65 8 58 24 11
North Beach 2006-7 39 7 32 40 21
Difference 26
City government meeting
Q3 needs
North Beach 2008 78 12 65 16 6
North Beach 2006-7 57 13 44 33 10
Difference 21
Miami Beach as a place to
Q4 live
North Beach 2008 89 42 47 10 1
North Beach 2006-7 73 26 47 21 6
Difference 16
Place to live compared to one
Q5 year ago
°I° Better % Same % Worse
North Beach 2008 42 42 47 11
North Beach 2006-7 48 48 19 33
Difference -6
Recommend to family/friends
Q6 as place to live
No, % No,
°!o Yes, % Yes, % Hard to Probably Definitely
Definitely Probably Say Not Not
North Beach 2008 80 59 21 11 6 2
North Beach 2006-7 69 48 21 9 9 14
Difference 11
" % Favorable = `Excellent" + "Good" for Q1 - Q4, `Better" for Q5, and "Yes, Definitely" + "yes Probably" for Q6
"" North Beach 2008 cases = 81; North Beach 2007 cases = 214
page 11 of 56 www.haygroup.com
~~
The only item that did not show improvement in the level of favorability concerns residents'
perceptions of Miami Beach as a place to live compared with one year ago. While those
responding "Better" is lower than in 2006-7, the number of North Beach respondents who
answered "Worse" has dropped 22 percentage points, from 33% in 2006-7 to just 11 % in
2008, a major shift. Moreover, those responding "Same" have significantly increased (from
19% in 2007 to 47% in 2008). In this context, the results for this item can be interpreted as an
indicator of stabilization in residents' attitudes over time, despite the fact that the number of
respondents who indicated "Better" has slightly declined.
It should be noted that even though the number of completed survey respondents between
years varies (81 North Beach questionnaires in 2008 compared to 214 North Beach
questionnaires in 2007), the difference in % Favorable from 2006-7 to 2008 for questions 1 -
4and question 6 is in fact statistically significan .This is also true for the difference in
Same and % Worse from 2006-7.
This significant finding suggests that the changes seen from 2006-7 occurred for reasons
other than random chance and are likely attributable to the increased attention by the City of
Miami Beach to the areas of focus within the North Beach region (since, as noted in the
Executive Summary, the focus group comments do indicate that residents perceive more time
and energy being directed towards North Beach than in previous years).
Overall, this can be interpreted as an encouraging sign that the results for North Beach for
the next CSS (scheduled for 2009) will hopefully reflect this continued positive change in
resident perceptions.
For additional results from the survey questionnaire administered to North Beach focus group
and telephone participants in 2008, please see Appendix E of this report.
4 Significance deteiYnined at the p<.051eve1. There was no significant difference in ratings regarding methodology (that is,
whether surveys were administered to North Beach residents in focus group meetings or via telephone interviews).
page 12 of 56
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V. Detailed Comments
Condition of Streets and Sidewalks
Key Themes and Sample Resident Comments:
1) Overall, the condition of streets and sidewalks are viewed as improving across North
Beach:
^ "The cleanliness is good, the City maintains the streets better and I see them
around more often. They have someone that now comes to sweep the streets and
there is also a truck."
^ "Storm drainage has improved. There's less flooding."
^ "The roads have improved. Everything is cleaner and more organized."
^ "I always see the streets getting cleaned, the street cleanliness has improved."
^ "79tH and Byron Ave have im~roved a lot. Before it would fill up with water and what
they're doing is beautiful. 74t is good as well."
^ "Some areas are cleaner. There are more people cleaning North Beach."
^ "The sidewalk conditions have improved. They're working to put new things in like
drains to avoid flooding in my neighborhood. Construction is very good in
Normandy Isle."
^ "71St Street and Collins Ave is cleaner."
^ "Cleanliness and the sidewalks on Bay Drive have improved."
^ "I would say that the resurfacing has improved and it made a big improvement
when they fixed Indian Creek Drive."
^ "Sidewalks have gotten better like in Normandy Isle."
^ "Where I live on 81St and Abbott Ave, the sidewalks have been fixed."
^ "A little better because they're fixing Normandy Drive and 71St Street."
^ "More streets are clean more often, the conditions of sidewalks and pavement are
excellent and, as far as I'm concerned, the storm drainage is fine."
^ "All of it. It's all gotten much better, specifically on 71St, Bay Drive and Rue
Bordeaux."
^ "Everything is perfect on my side (73`d Street and Wayne Ave)."
^ "The streets are cleaner and the sewers seem to drain faster."
^ "I see they've cleaned up a lot, have planted trees, and added pretty things."
^ "Waterways seem to have been cleaned up considerably."
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2) The following are comments made by North Beach residents regarding streets and
beach areas that still require attention for cleanliness issues (trash, debris):
^ "Although trash cans are present, residents are not utilizing them as much as they
should. Along Abbott Ave, there is trash on the street and sidewalks."
^ "On 83rd Street, residents are literally throwing trash out their windows, which
attracts rodents."
^ "Alley ways are especially affected since cars don't travel through alleys (as in
regular streets) and the trash piles up."
^ "In my opinion, in the area around Palms Ave and 71St Street the beach looks dingy
and dirty."
^ "Cleanliness needs to be improved on Bay Drive and 1100."
^ "All the streets around 81St and Collins Ave need to be cleaned more regularly."
^ "I would say Normandy Drive needs more cleaning. Especially around Bay Drive.
I've seen debris, bottles, paper, and trash. People not cleaning up after their dogs.
Landlords don't keep their property clean."
^ "I've lived on Byron for 8 years and it's always needed more cleaning. By 8025
Byron Ave, close to Collins Ave."
^ "The cleanliness is excellent, except for behind 72"d & 75t", behind the garden is
not maintained but everything else is excellent.
^ "Bay Drive and the neighborhood around it need more cleanliness and some of the
dumpsters need to be changed more often because of overflowing garbage."
^ "Dog owners are not picking up after their dogs. This occurs mainly along 73~d
Street as well as Dickens Ave. Owners take their dogs through 73rd Street to reach
the green play area. There needs to be more effective advertising campaign from
the City (with fines listed, etc.) to make sure owners clean up after their dogs."
^ "The City should do more education of its residents around plastics and recycling,
as it seems some residents don't know what to do."
^ "The City needs to put more garbage cans, make them larger and empty them
more often around the beach areas of 70t" and 76t" Streets. There should also be
recyclable bins all around the beach as well, by the entrances."
^ "People throw their trash into dunes on the beaches as well -these need to be
cleaned more often."
^ "I have seen waterways with debris and trash, specifically rubber gloves from the
hospital. I've seen this along Indian Creek Island and Stillwater Island."
^ "I cannot say that there are many improvements on 81 St and Collins Ave by the
park which has still not been finished and they need supervised people to carry out
the cleaning."
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"Between 71St and 74t"Streets, it has improved a little but it still continues being a
zone for the homeless. I am talking about Collins Ave, but there has been
improvement."
3) The following are comments made by North Beach residents regarding dumping of
household items across North Beach:
^ "Dumping is a serious problem in the North Beach area. From here (the Youth
Center) to 80t" Street, people dump furniture on the streets. Especially mattresses.
Landlords should be penalized for furniture in front of homes."
^ "Although the City has a program in which one Saturday a month people can bring
their "Bulk Waste" to an area on 75t" Street, either some residents are not aware of
this program or simply ignore it."
^ "You can see mattresses and other large items simply dumped on streets. People
are coming in from other areas of the City or maybe even Miami to dump their large
waste items on the streets of North Beach."
^ "There should be strict fines and monitoring to deter dumping."
4) North Beach residents feel that the reasons for poor storm drainage are that there are
not enough drains to handle storm water and that drains are not cleaned to allow water to
flow easily into sewers and waterways. The following are comments regarding storm
drainage areas to address:
^ "Dickens Ave, between 75t" and 79t" Streets."
^ "Harding Ave, between 75t" and 80t" Streets."
^ "80t" Street and Crespi Blvd. When it storms here, it gets very flooded and there's a
foul odor in the air."
^ "Southeast corner of 79t" Street and Byron Ave, there is literally a small tree
growing inside the sewer."
^ "The storm drainage is very poor and the sidewalks are still the same on Bay
Drive."
^ "There's a storm drainage problem on Bay Drive on 1200 block. Also on Bay Drive
and Brest Esplanade Streets, and Marseille Drive."
^ "Here by the beach some places still floods like 79t" & Abbott Ave."
^ "Normandy Shore Drive gets flooded -please address that area."
^ "85t" and Hawthorne Ave gets pretty bad, even the sidewalks."
^ "Focus especially around 80t" Street and all the intersections there."
^ "1745 Biarritz Ct always would get flooded. With the new work being done and lack
of rain I don't know it has recently."
^ "The streets that get flooded are the east/west streets on Normandy Isle and also
69t" Street between Indian Creek and Harding Ave."
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5) The following are comments regarding condition of streets (pavement, etc.) to address:
^ "On Fairway Drive, they don't have handicap access at the end of the block and
some areas have no sidewalk."
^ "One that I drive by everyday and I break an axle is between Harding Ave going
east, south going east. The whole south point of the park is bad. Speed bumps
would be nicer."
^ "In Normandy Island, they've been constructing non-stop and the sidewalks are in
terrible condition."
^ "The streets along South Shore Drive, like 100 and 300 block, need to be fixed."
^ "On Bay and Normandy Drives (where they intersect), the sidewalks are uneven.
It's dangerous. The sidewalks are slanted. I'm a runner and it's hard for me to run
in this area. The City should fix this."
^ "On Tatum Waterway Drive and 77t" Street, the condo near the east bridge, there is
a demolished sidewalk. The handicapped have to maneuver around it and it's a
safety hazard."
6) Other cleanliness comments:
^ "Graffiti on walls and lifeguard stands are a problem in the area and it should be
removed immediately. Owners of properties/businesses should remove graffiti
immediately so as not to encourage `tagging' by loitering youth."
^ "On 74t" Street, between Collins and Carlyle Avenues, there is someone who feeds
stray animals (cats and pigeons). This brings in additional stray animals to the area
looking for food and causes some cleanliness issues (animal waste in
shrubbery/parks)."
^ "There's a sunken boat in Tatum Waterway. No one takes responsibility for it.
Who's responsible for removing it from there?"
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Safety
Key Themes and Sample Resident Comments:
1) Most North Beach residents feel safer in the City than they have the past few years,
with Police, Fire/Rescue and EMR receiving positive feedback:
^ "Since there's a Fire station on the corner, they keep us safe. There is good police
presence and that makes me feel safe."
^ "The Police are quicker to respond and move around. Also the medical response is
pretty fast too."
^ "Police are very responsive. They arrive within minutes when you call."
^ "The Police have a substation on 69t" and Indian Creek and it does make me feel
safer to know they are close."
^ "I'm not sure because I really don't leave my house. My friends say it's gotten
better."
^ "It's always been very safe. The Police are always active."
^ "It's very good to have Police on our streets, especially at night."
^ "I see a lot of Police in my neighborhood."
^ "Very good. The Police close the park at night and keep vigilant."
^ "I feel really safe because I can walk in the street at 4 in the morning. I feel safe
and there are no weird people."
^ "I see more Police and prevention."
^ "The crime rate in North Beach is under control."
^ "I know it has improved as a few years back there were a lot of gangs and
delinquents."
^ "Well the homeless situation has gotten better with an increase in Police."
^ "Nothing has gotten worse here on 75t" and Abbott Ave."
^ "My area is very safe around Indian Creek."
^ "Statistics will tell you it's actually safer here in North Beach than in South Beach."
[ln response to a resident who mentioned that they feel safer on Lincoln Rd at night
than in North Beach at night.]
2) Though safety has improved, concerns related to crime do remain, including theft,
lighting and loitering youth:
^ "The vehicles of my tenants have been broken into numerous times for the past few
years. There have been shootouts, fights, and a year ago I witnessed a death right
on my corner. I happen to live in the red zone of Miami Beach 7996 Crespi Blvd
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and it is very sad and extremely frustrating to find out that the households that have
the highest crime rates are homes supported by the government with plan 8."
^ "On Park View Island, there have been a lot of break-ins by boat."
^ "I live in a gated community and a car was stolen from it when someone jumped
over the fence. Security could have been better."
^ "Well I see certain people hanging in the streets drinking and that concerns me
greatly. This would be at 6941 Bay Drive."
^ "After 6pm, it's dark and I'm scared to even wait for the bus, we need more police
to keep us safe. This is at 76t" and Carlyle Ave."
^ "There is a lack of police along North Shore Drive. In the park on 79t" & Collins they
have destroyed all the trees that used to give us shade and all the animals have
disappeared. "
^ "I have been run out of Stillwater Park by gunfire. I hear they will be training dogs
and doing more dog patrols which are great."
^ "Any area in North Beach that has section 8 housing is a problem. Mainly
burglaries, graffiti and loitering in these areas."
^ "There's a neighborhood from 81St to 72"d around Abbott Ave that seems unsafe."
^ "The robberies along Bay Drive. The City needs to increase police presence there."
^ "Well, we've had 6 robberies in our neighborhood since January 1 St on Daytonia Rd
and Cleveland Rd."
^ "Crime in my neighborhood has gone up at North Biscayne Point Rd."
^ "Address the robberies and crimes on 79th and Crespi Blvd."
^ "I noticed an increase of criminal activity around Park View Island."
^ "There have been some burglaries in the neighborhoods in North Beach, around
84t" Street."
^ "There are a lot of young people hanging around North Beach doing graffiti."
^ "Two blocks east of the fountain near Bay Drive, there are markings and graffiti all
over the walls. These youth also ride their motorcycles down the sidewalks as
well."
^ "Kids on jet skis around Park View Island are a real pain. They make a lot of noise
and they make me nervous riding around close by."
^ "There are loitering youth around Stillwater Drive. There are shootings and graffiti
all over. It affects everyone who lives in this area."
3) Street lighting (insufficient or malfunctioning) also is an issue for some residents in
North Beach:
^ "At night there's no light in North Shore Park or on 73~d & Dickens Ave."
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^ "We have lights by our buildings but the city lights don't work. On Bay Drive, the
light by the garbage disposal does not work."
^ "North of 71St Street and Collins Ave, there is very little light."
^ "Street lighting is low especially on my block, 79 Tatum Waterway Drive."
^ "The entrance to all of the North Beach parks needs to be better lit, but it seems
like they've started to do some improvements. Hopefully it comes out nicer."
^ "In the alley by 74t" where the Walgreens is, there should be more lights. Also
further up 74tH until 80tH "
^ "Add more lights along Normandy Village."
^ "On Biarritz Drive, it's poor but they are fixing it."
^ "On my street on 1100 Bay Drive, we need more lighting."
^ "The areas by the park on 81st and the Beach as well need more light."
^ "On Dickens Ave and 73~d, there's a parking lot but there is no lighting."
^ "In the area of 71St Street and Normandy Drive, need more lighting."
^ "The street lights are out around Bay Drive and Brest Esplanade."
^ "Compared to South Beach, North Beach is darker in general." [note: not all agreed
with this statement.]
4) North Beach residents also report that the number of homeless has also improved but
they would still like to see more done to address this problem:
^ "The homeless are mostly harmless; they are more a nuisance with their urination."
[note: not an opinion shared by other focus group participants.]
^ "The homeless are still a problem though it has gotten better. It's better from 69tH
Street and above. Enforcement has been better there. 63~d to 69tH is really the
problem areas. There are probably about 20 homeless persons in North Beach and
at times they are aggressive. It's seasonal though."
^ "They hang out a lot around 67tH and Collins Ave where the Publix and Walgreens
are. There is a liquor store there that sells single cans of beer, so they go there to
buy that and get drunk.
^ "I have been chased by a homeless person one time -they have become more
aggressive and scary. They expose themselves and urinate on the street. This
happened on 72"d and Collins Ave so they are up here as well. There may be fewer
of them but the ones that are here are confrontational."
^ "I'm afraid to walk on the beach path from end to end because of the homeless.
Now that we have this path, we're going to have a problem with it being taken over
by the homeless. The homeless are getting territorial. They hang out in bushes so
sometimes you may not even know they are there."
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^ "One specific area near the library has been prone to a gathering of homeless
people and loitering. There is police presence, but they have not addressed this.
The lack of good lighting contributes to loitering in the area near the library."
^ "Collins Ave and 71St Street is a problem area. Since this area also has hotels and
tourists, homelessness and loitering bring a negative image to North Beach."
^ "There's a boarded up building at 78th and Dickens Ave. This contributes to lack of
safety and loitering from the homeless."
^ "Park View Island, on 73~d Street and Bandshell, with the homeless along the
beach.
^ "I would say the youth and people that go out drinking at night are a safety problem
-they are loud and graffiti the area."
^ "At North Shore Open Space Park (Collins Ave, between 79th and 87th Streets),
there is a section with a fence around it, but in the northern section of the park
there's an area with a lot of trees and groups gather in these sections. This
happens at all hours during the day. This park also has a lot of homelessness."
^ "Police don't bother the homeless at all. The Bandshell at night is like their camp
ground. It's like a cat and mouse game though. If they tell them they can't stay
there, they go to the beach. If the Police tell them they can't stay at the beach, they
go back to the Bandshell. It's like their hands are tied."
^ "Look at Surfside or Bal Harbor and how they do with the homeless. The citizens
do want a more aggressive position on the issue of the homeless. The City is
limited by Pottinger."
^ "A few years ago, a police officer was killed by a homeless person in Miami Beach.
That alone should give them the right to toughen their stance on the homeless."
5) For North Beach residents, safety concerns are not only crime-related but also include
traffic issues around the City:
^ "Laws that are being passed should be enforced. Kids with no helmets, stopping at
Stop signs. It would be nice to train police dogs in our park."
^ "Cars are driving too fast down the streets -there needs to be more enforcement
of this."
^ "The biggest problem is cars speeding through the island with kids in the area."
^ "The lack of traffic enforcement. Right or left turns are made without considering
pedestrians."
^ "Cars are running the red light on Indian Creek especially in the morning."
^ "There is a speeding problem on Biscayne Point, on 71St and Collins Ave, along
Harding Ave. Pretty much across the whole City of Miami Beach. Everyone is
always in a hurry. This needs to be enforced better."
^ "I don't know but in 81St & Abbott Ave there's a tree that's touching a transformer I
get worried whenever there's a hurricane."
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^ "Commercial vehicles are parked illegally and are disrupting the traffic flow."
^ "I crashed my car because there is no light on the corner where I five. It's very
dangerous for my kids and the elderly. It's on 1170 71St Street. There are always
accidents for many years and I don't like it."
^ "On Bay Drive, the light by the garbage disposal does not work."
^ "As soon as people drive into Miami Beach, they hit the accelerator. They hit the
gas and zoom on down. This is especially the case around Indian Creek, Marion
and 71St Street."
^ "There are no pedestrian cross lights from 71St to 73rd Streets. These are greatly
needed here as it's a safety hazard trying to cross these streets."
^ "From 63rd to 65t" Streets, it's like a race track as well with speeding cars."
^ "At the North Shore Open Space, 81St and Collins Ave, the light takes forever to
change. This is the `Walk/Don't Walk' light. Even if you press the button to make it
change, it takes 5-10 minutes."
^ "There are no lights back on Ocean Terrace."
^ "Too many traffic lights are not functioning. Where 63rd Street joins Collins Ave,
FDOT still has orange cones guiding traffic and the project was finished a very long
time ago."
^ "The traffic light at Indian Creek and 67t" Street, around Harding Ave. It's a one way
facing east -west. The way facing west regulates traffic. The light stays red for a
very long time and I have seen a few drivers just go through it."
^ "On 85t" Street east, west of Harding Ave, two traffic lights are not synchronized.
And they are long. People violate the second light most often. Least you can do is
have a sign up telling you the light takes a while to change. Everyone goes up to
the block to turn on the church instead."
^ "85t" Street and Harding Ave: There's a roundabout and a pedestrian can get hit
while crossing because there's a garden they have placed that is blocking view of
traffic."
^ "From 64t" to 69t" Streets, the new signage the City has erected. The poles for
these are in the middle of the sidewalk. They force people to walk into the road and
meander around them. This increases the chance of being struck by a car."
^ "69th Street and Abbott Ave: For beach access, suggest placing a light there."
6) Other safety concerns shared by North Beach residents:
^ "Lifeguards go home at 6:30pm. But people still go in the water to swim, fish or
hand glide. The City complains that they don't have money for lifeguards but they
leave a safety risk with this issue."
^ "We have a siren or warning system for hurricanes. We are currently at war and
Miami is a port city. Does the City have an emergency warning system for things
besides hurricanes?"
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7) The following are recommendations by North Beach residents for further improving
safety:
^ "More Police presence in all areas of North Beach, especially in parks and
alleyways to make their presence known."
^ "More bicycles and marine patrols by Police."
^ "Have dog patrols in parks and alleyways to find drugs and deter other crimes."
^ "I received an email from the Police about burglaries in the area and with so many
people on the computer it's a good way to send information. But don't forget about
communicating these things to seniors since they usually don't have computers or
log on as much."
^ "Create a law to deter stores from selling single beer cans to customers. This is
what is attracting the homeless. If there is a law, enforce it."
• "Greater enforcement of Police regarding speeding and traffic violations. Include
cameras at major lights to deter speeding or running lights."
^ "Be consistent in the amount of light across the City in all areas -street lighting
appears to be dim across the whole City."
^ "More signs informing drivers of lights and not to use side streets."
^ "More activities for youth at the Center to take them off the streets. Round up kids
and make them do something productive, like removing graffiti or cleaning the
streets."
^ "I work with kids and I don't know if we have a Big Brother/Big Sister program in
North Beach. If not, we should have it as it will help with the kids who are on the
streets, especially after school or at night. For example, some kind of youth
programs for having them work at stands during events or on beaches. Or a
baseball league for little kids."
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Construction & Development
Key Themes and Sample Resident Comments:
1) Overall, there are varying views from North Beach residents regarding construction and
development. The following are positive comments by North Beach residents on
construction and development in the City, mostly related to completion of recent projects:
^ "They finished the construction in front of my house (in front of overpass in 63rd and
Indian Creek). After the construction, traffic has gotten much better."
^ "The crosswalks made of brick are nice along 85t" Street."
^ "I love the walkway they created (Beachwalk). North Beach Community Garden
that opened is great. They should expand it, make it bigger."
^ "I guess construction has helped to improve the quality of the neighborhoods in the
City."
^ "I think everything has gotten better. Construction sites are patrolled and more
controlled." [note: an opinion which divided many residents]
^ "It looks like their winding up some of their projects on Collins Ave and Indian
Creek. The sidewalks are much better."
^ "The construction is getting better in my area. They are repairing Marseille Drive."
^ "Construction is moving along a little more but there is a lot of it. The overpass on
63rd and Alton road has gotten better."
^ "Development in North Beach has been positive. The area is growing, the condos
are beautiful and it all contributes to the progress of the city in all senses
(economic, property values, tourism, etc.).
^ "The bridge on 61St has finished and has improved the area."
^ "What has improved is the bridge on 73rd Street."
^ "It's gotten better, especially on Dickens Ave and 74t" all the way until 79t"."
^ "The streets are being repaired."
^ "Well we have a lot of new buildings, a lot of new sidewalks and I guess Miami
Beach High is getting remodeled."
2) The following are mixed to negative comments by North Beach residents concerning
construction and development in the City, mostly concerning the amount of and pace of
completion regarding construction and development:
^ "The City allows for so much construction across the entire area. There's no more
sun after 2pm. New construction is getting out of control. It feels like the builders
have priority to the City over its citizens."
^ "It's a lot more popular to initiate a project than it is to complete it."
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^ "The construction just takes too long. The standard time it takes to complete it and
any excess time the project goes over must be better enforced. Penalize the
contractors for not sticking to the timeline."
^ "Bad follow-through. On 76t" Street and Collins Ave, Allison park has degraded
worse now than when they started the project. Walking in the park, you can break
an ankle due to the pavement issues. Where were the City inspectors to ensure
this didn't happen?"
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^ "North on Bay Drive (950 Bay Drive) by Kingfall. There is a building that has been
gutted and started to be rehabbed. But then, they stopped. There is not lighting
around it. There is no chain link fence. There should be motion lighting as the back
of the building is very dark now. It seems a lot of construction along Collins Ave
and Indian Creek has stopped."
^ "Part of the problem is the contractors and developers that the City hires. Just drive
across 77t" Street. The projects that the County has done, with expensive lighting,
etc. There are some major issues with those projects. The contractor has also been
hired to do City projects but it's the same company that refuses to take
responsibility for what happened along 77t" Street. Why would the City hire them
when they have failed other projects?"
^ "Normandy shores looks like Beirut. The road is a disaster. I needed to get my
shocks replaced twice."
^ "We are too preoccupied with building upwards, which blocks out the sun on the
beaches."
^ "There seems to always be some type of construction over the last 5 years or so
around 65t" Street and Indian Creek. It seems they can't get it right the first time."
^ "The City needs to be better prepared for the development and progress with more
police presence, parking, traffic flow, etc."
^ "It's just too much of it. It's just all over the place. Too many people living here."
^ "Construction is where it was at when it started. Things are progressing too slowly."
^ "There are delays in construction where infrastructure and storm drainage are
being replaced on Normandy Isle."
^ "Sometimes you have to walk around buildings because access to the beach area
is blocked by a new construction."
^ "The construction noise and dust around all the projects is crazy. Please enforce
this better."
^ "In the past three years, there have been quite a number of condo conversions.
Rules should be followed and condo associations should be developed for a condo.
Smaller condos, however, do not have condo associations with rules and owners
may not know the responsibilities of owning a condo."
^ "Developers may be developing buildings and not properly screening the type of
people that have been moving into the area."
R'WW
^ "The standards that the City is using to hold any development projects to code are
inconsistent. This goes for the construction itself and other things like painting of
the house. North of 74t" and 75t" Streets near Biscayne Beach, there are a lot of
buildings there that are not up to the North Beach standard in terms of construction
and painting."
^ "People seem to forget that citizens voted for heightening the regulations around
buildings size so we asked for this." [note: there was considerable confusion in the
group regarding the existence of this vote and the outcome.]
3) One of the biggest concerns expressed by North Beach residents is traffic congestion,
which they feel is caused by several factors including the on-going construction across the
City and the increase in the number of residents/visitors such development causes:
^ "Fix that last lane on the 63~d Street flyover project. The City is going along with the
developers. They don't want people to complain about the 2nd light there. The
planning wasn't right."
^ "The traffic itself has gotten worse. It isn't properly monitored."
^ "When they do construction, they block streets without Police directing the traffic.
It's a mess. "
^ "Too much traffic by the construction on 71St Street."
^ "There are too many cars and not enough roads."
^ "The population density is very alarming. And the City hasn't really grown enough
to match it. Because of all the traffic, it now takes me 1 '/2 hours to get to downtown
Miami when it used to be 30 minutes like a year or two ago."
^ "Well sometimes there is a lot of congestion in the streets in the mornings. Indian
Creek has a lot of traffic and 75t"Street."
• "At 64t" and Collins Ave, they are building some kind of atrium there. One lane is
blocked causing back ups and delays. The other problem is that cars are driving
too fast in that area as well, north on Collins Ave."
^ "Byron Avenue that runs into the park. It's a 3 way stop and they put up a traffic
light. It's 75t" Street and runs on north end of park. It's a waste of fuel because you
have to sit in the red light to cross the street."
^ "It's impossible to take Collins Ave. There's too much congestion."
^ "People are not respecting the Stop Sign located at 77t" and Byron Ave, especially
drivers on Byron Ave. This is a constant occurrence."
4) Another concern expressed by North Beach residents is lack of available parking,
which they also feel is caused by construction projects and the increase in the number of
residents/visitors to the City:
"How will the City maintain and have room for all the additional cars (usually 2 cars
per condo)."
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^ "On weekends, everyone comes to the beach and there's no resident parking."
^ "A lot of commercial trucks park in empty spaces. Clearly they need to park
somewhere but spots on the street should be reserved for residents."
^ "The loss of parking has a lot to do with the development. Take for example the
condo on 64th Street and Indian Creek. We lost close to 60 parking spaces when
that condo was built."
^ "Next to 6545 Indian Creek Drive, there is an empty lot behind the building. They
have three times the amount of cars in the lot than they should. I have complained
to the City but nothing happens. The noise level is so loud. I think it is managed by
VIP Parking Specialists."
5) The following are recommendations by North Beach residents regarding construction
and development across the City:
^ "A City representative should be present at all jobs. Contractors should not get paid
until quality and safety standards, as well as, keeping to the schedule are reviewed
and approved."
^ "Less tall condos, more development that benefits us and gives us more options for
recreation and parking."
^ "Connect the Beachwalk on 81St Street to North Shore Open Space Park, in other
words, continue the pathway further."
^ "At Julia Tuttle, build a pedestrian path connecting Miami to Miami Beach."
^ "More walkways and bicycle paths for pedestrians."
^ "Ensure that all projects include an impact fee. This is an additional fee that
developers pay which helps offset the impact that the project has to the quality of
life of the people who live in North Beach."
^ "We need a paid night-time parking building to help resolve the parking issue."
^ "There's a lot at 77th and Carlyle Ave that can be used for parking (parking
garage)."
^ "There's a lot at 73~d and Dickens Ave that can also be used for parking (parking
garage)."
^ "I miss the cards that you could buy for parking on the streets. The pay meter
machines. Will those be revived? I think the City is losing money also because of
broken meters."
^ "A resident decal would allow someone X number of months to park at meter for
example."
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Recreation Programs and Facilities
Key Themes and Sample Resident Comments:
1) North Beach residents have very positive comments regarding the current recreation
programs and facilities in the area:
^ "The beaches are great and they generally tend to be well maintained."
^ "The recreation programs and facilities offered are excellent."
^ "The swimming pool and lessons provided at the Youth Center are great."
^ "The new playground at 71st by the Normandy pool is a nice addition to the North
Beach area."
^ "Movies and Arts in the park events are great."
^ "MB Magazine is a great place to find information on recreation programs in Miami
Beach."
^ "I'm excited that Canyon Ranch (resort and spa club) is coming soon to Miami
Beach."
^ "Shows every Sunday at the Bandshell are nice."
^ "The flower garden with the water tower they put by Parkview Park in is a nice
idea."
^ "Jazz shows at Normandy Park are good. I also like the Brazilian events and the
Art Fair."
^ "Normandy is like a little known secret. It's a nice strip. The Farmer's Market is a
nice event every weekend."
^ "Other great treasures are the nursery and Log Cabin on Collins. The Oasis is also
very nice."
2) The following are some recommendations regarding recreation programs and facilities
North Beach residents would like to see made available in the area:
"There is no movie theater in North Beach. The theater on 71st (Byron Carlyle
Theater) is used for plays and not movies. We would like to see a regular movie
theater in their area."
^ "I would like to see more activity at the Byron Carlyle Theater. Right now, it seems
to be just dance shows. What about adding more plays, art movies and foreign
films?"
^ "North Shore Park sometimes has programs, but they are focused mainly on
children's recreational programs. Would be nice if they could have more activities
for adults, like a Senior Center with activities for seniors. For example, yoga or Tai
Chi classes."
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^ "There are no soccer fields in North Beach. Young people are playing soccer on
the streets, and with so many Latinos, a soccer field makes sense. There are
tennis courts and baseball fields, but it would be nice to see soccer fields in some
areas of North Beach."
^ "Put in a volleyball court at the 64t" Street Park (Allison Park)."
^ "The Bass Museum is expensive for an entire family. What about having at least
one day a week where the museum could be free for families or for kids?"
^ "Some cities have cultural passes that visitors can buy at discount. Why not have
these for residents as well?"
^ "They close down the basketball courts and parks at Crespi and Tatum at 8pm.
The teenagers don't have anywhere to go so they get together in the streets. Leave
the parks open longer with adult supervision."
^ "Look at Hollywood Beach. Their programs are more geared towards families. I
would like to see Miami Beach follow more like what they do."
^ "I work with kids and I don't know if we have a Big Brother/Big Sister program in
North Beach. If not, we should have it as it will help with the kids who are on the
streets, especially after school or at night. For example, some kind of youth
programs for having them work at stands during events or on beaches. Or a
baseball league for little kids."
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Value of Services for Taxes Paid
Key Themes and Sample Resident Comments:
1) Not surprisingly, comments from North Beach residents regarding the value of services
received for taxes paid were mixed overall. The following are comments which are more
op sitive in nature:
^ "I've lived on Byron for the last decade, from 76th-77th, in 3 different places.
Housing seems to be doing better."
^ "They try to keep the neighborhood decorated for holidays, like for 4th of July and
Christmas such as decorations, plants."
^ "They have more sidewalks, parks, and pools."
^ "The free Wi-Fi, if it is true."
^ "Yes, the parks, they have done a lot of improvements to them."
^ "We get great service from Police, Fire/Rescue and EMR."
^ "The non-emergency police number handles issues well."
^ "I don't know, maybe the emergency services like the Fire/Rescue."
^ "Services like Police and Fire/Rescue are terrific. And we even get $300 back a
year though that looks like it will change."
^ "So far I haven't even seen new things going on except the new park built on 72nd
and 73rd."
^ "I guess the work done in the parks is a good thing."
2) The following are comments which relate to concerns regarding services received for
taxes paid:
^ "There are just people in the streets when they are drunk and we need more
security in my area."
^ "Taxes are too high and the rent has also risen."
^ "The taxes have gone too high."
^ "The only ones who benefit are those who don't pay taxes. Those who work hard
have to pay way too much for services that those who don't pay also receive."
^ "The garbage disposal problem needs to be addressed (for bulk waste)."
^ "The knowledge that there is not enough oversight of corruption in the city
departments."
^ "Too much traffic and in my opinion, having less police around."
^ "North Beach is still neglected for cleanliness issues compared to South and Middle
Beach areas. It's improved but still is behind where it should be."
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^ "The Mayor has promised to cut taxes and I'm still waiting for it. I am watching her
next move on this issue."
^ "There is a lot of waste in government. They could really be saving us much more
than they cost us now. They spend money uselessly. I don't blame the department
heads only, they are doing what they can."
^ "Spend more on the beautification of North Beach, like in making our beaches
spotless, planting new trees and vegetation, new parks, just more greenery. I like
what they did with the little islands with new tress on Indian Creek."
^ "We need more trees to have the chance of resting in the shade. The hurricanes
have taken all the small trees left."
^ "It seems Miami Beach subsidizes the County more than any other City. I think we
are paying too much because we make a lot of money from the tourism. This
should be reviewed and make sure there is a better balance."
^ "Compare what we pay in taxes to what they pay in Surfside and Bal Harbor. We
pay more and yet don't get the same level of service overall than what they do.
Why is that?" [note: opinion split among group as to relevance of comparison to
these locations]
3) The following are comments which relate to taxes paid and the school system in Miami
Beach:
^ "The schools are great. Biscayne Elementary always has security but people never
follow the speed limit."
^ "I don't know much about the school because I don't have children. The only thing I
know is that the buses are really crowded with children."
^ "There is a lack of teachers in all of Florida, for children or adults. I would like to
take a class for English but I don't go out at night."
^ "Beach high is a really good school."
^ "Very excellent, the schools of Fisher Island are great."
^ "The teachers complain about having too many students in each class."
^ "Biscayne Elementary is a very good school."
^ "They are great, especially North Beach Elementary."
^ "They are better than the average schools in other cities."
^ "My views are that the children are being underserved."
^ "Biscayne Elementary is a Grade A school but overcrowded."
^ "Treasure Island elementary school is very good."
^ "Public education here in Florida is inferior." [note: opinion not shared by most in
the group.]
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^ "Some of the problem is that a lot of kids in Miami Beach schools are not residents,
they have parents who work here and so the kids go to school here. But I know this
is not an issue the City can fix but since you asked about taxes, it happens in every
city I guess."
^ "We need more funding for schools in Miami Beach -the City should look at getting
more money from the County on this."
^ "While not a City issue, schools are crowded. Schools should have a program
where children are taught civic duties and responsibilities."
^ "Learning starts in the home. Parents need to take responsibility for their children.
Schools can help with this. It's an important step to reducing behaviors such as
throwing garbage on the streets, etc."
4) The following are comments which relate to taxes paid and public transportation/
getting around the City:
^ "It would be nice if the City included a public bus that takes you to key shopping
places like Publix. Something like the local for $.25."
^ "County buses come by too fast. And they don't come by with enough frequency.
We need a local bus just for us that takes us around the City."
^ "For the Boat Show, they had a certain bus that took residents down there from up
here. People seem to love to ride trains and trolleys. Something like that would be
great to have more often, not just during the events. Look at Key West or San
Francisco for examples."
^ "If they had this, it would be used for everything and would reduce traffic and get
people physically moving around more often."
^ "There should be more investigation on projects that will help the City in terms of
growth, like so we need another driving lane on the streets, do we need to have a
trolley or train system, do we need more water taxis, that kind of thing."
^ "Gas is $4.00. There is a lot of density. How much more can we fit? Why are cars
the only methods of getting around? We should be a city of vision. Have more bike
paths and cycling lanes."
^ "Can the City make more bicycle lanes or promote the use of scooters which are
1 /3 the size of cars?"
5) The following are additional comments on what the City of Miami Beach can do
regarding services received for tax dollars paid:
^ "Ensure Miami Beach is paying its share fair share of taxes but not subsidizing the
County by paying too much or making up for why other cities in County don't pay
as much."
"I hope they could eliminate people on the streets who are drunk and intoxicated
who bother and harass people."
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^ "Parking, it's a problem. Everyone from these buildings that used to come without a
car now has a car and there's no place to park. They could make more parking
spaces in North Shore Recreation Center across Harding Ave."
^ "To improve the public housing and help the elderly."
^ "More Police. There are lots of people who come to the park who don't even live
around here."
^ "To offer free or discounted visits to the museum or theater like Collins or Byron
Carlyle."
^ "To lower taxes. I am a widow and the taxes are a burden. The last year, I usually
send a gift to my family overseas but not this year. Those that live in condominiums
have the hard life."
^ "I would like to see North Beach doing even better because it is not as nice as the
rest of the City and there's a problem with people because of the housing and we
need more police patrolling in the evening. More incentives for businesses to open
here as well."
^ "I think a little police presence would be nice. A little enforcement of basic laws."
^ "I think they need to reduce the taxes, one barely has enough money to eat with all
the taxes."
^ "Cut down some of the branches of the coconut tree on 79th because it cuts
visibility."
^ "I think that the poor should be given more affordable housing."
^ "They should continue fixing the roads, parks, and provide more parking."
^ "I think that what residents pay for services has gone too high. Even restaurants
charge outrageous prices because of tourists."
^ "Put more lights in the main streets."
^ "On 71st, there are buildings that are abandoned and they should do some
construction."
^ "Better responsiveness from Public Works."
^ "It's doing what it can to improve the parking. Landscaping could be a little bit
better."
^ "More areas for the children to play. To make sure that buildings stay clean."
^ "They can have a greater police presence."
^ "They shouldn't charge for parking meters or if they do, they should build free
parking lots."
^ "Build more garages and parking in North Beach."
^ "They should require construction companies to put sound muzzling on their
machines."
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^ "I guess they can clean more, like they've come a long way but they can do a better
job."
^ "Focus on keeping the City workforce busy. I have walked along the beach and
have seen the garbage men in the morning dozing off in the trucks when they
should be working. Then the garbage trucks pick up trash during rush hours
(between 7:30 and 9am). Is this what we pay for?"
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Communications from the City
Key Themes and Sample Resident Comments:
~~
1) Communications from the City are mostly characterized in a favorable manner:
^ "MB Magazine is a great source for staying current on what is happening in Miami
Beach."
^ "The City does a good job communicating with residents. Access to information,
like MB Magazine, is also useful."
^ "MB Magazine is a great place to find information on recreation programs in Miami
Beach."
^ "MB77 is another great tool to get information on the City and what is happening."
^ "I'm signed up to the email list and get information that way on what's happening
and meetings like this one. I think it's great."
^ "The City is responsive when you send messages on-line or by email. I sent them a
message about a pool that needed to be drained and they addressed it. Even
contacting by phone has been OK, like going through the switchboard. Someone
will help you. They are consistent in their response."
^ "We have a wonderful Mayor Bower who cares about the City and lets us know
what is happening."
^ "I'm pleased with the meetings that the City has monthly on foreclosures and
mortgage fraud. They bring in people from the State on what to do and look for. It's
an excellent public service."
2) North Beach residents do have recommendations for further improving communications
from the City:
^ "I would like to have the phone numbers and emails of all of the Commissioners
and Department Heads so I know who I need to go to when I have a problem. It
seems that you only get things resolved when you speak to the higher-ups."
^ "There should be better communications from the City on construction projects, the
impact they will have on the neighborhood and when the work will be done. And if
things go beyond the schedule, let us know so we can plan for it."
^ "Where does the City publish information on the quality of the beach water, for
example, contamination levels? Is it daily or monthly? They should publicize this or
make it easy to find."
^ "There is no publicity on what is going on at the Byron Carlyle Theater. There
should be more advertisement in North Beach on the types of plays that are
happening at the Theater."
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^ "Use bus depots or other types of signage around the City to inform us of what is
happening across the City. This will help spread the word on events that are going
on in the City. Don't just rely on MB Magazine or newspapers."
^ "I would like to see a `welcome wagon' kit for new residents that let's us have the
information we need about the City and where to find what we need. The website is
a good place to start but something specifically for new residents would be good."
^ "I received an email from the Police about burglaries in the area and with so many
people on the computer it's a good way to send information. But don't forget about
communicating these things to seniors since they usually don't have computers or
log on as much."
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~6'~~
V. Conclusion and Recommendations
At the conclusion of each of the focus group meetings conducted by Hay Group Insight, we
inquired North Beach residents if they still recommend the City to others as a place to live.
The consensus among participants was a resounding "yes"! As we have seen in the previous
survey activities, residents have a high level of pride living in the City of Miami Beach and
despite their concerns, remain positive regarding the City as a great place to live.
In addition to the recommendations included in the "Detailed Comments" section, Hay Group
offers the following overall recommendations as well:
^ Acknowledge that you have heard the community's feedback and continue
communications (in MB Magazine, website, City speeches/state of the City, etc.)
regarding actions taken based on the survey and subsequent feedback received
(make the connection between the survey & actions clearly and consistently)
^ Continue to broaden the view of safety to not only address concerns over crime,
loitering and homelessness (which remain), but also sanitation, street lighting and
traffic (including pedestrian safety around construction areas) - in the minds of
residents, these are all safety issues. Please note that the report has identified
specific locations in North Beach for action
^ Devote additional resources to street cleanliness and storm drainage in the North
Beach area. The City should also consider a communications campaign to re-
educate residents with regards to littering and dumping in the North Beach area
and existing programs that exist that address cleanliness issues across the City
^ North Beach residents would like to see police patrol the parks, beaches and
waterways more on foot, bicycle and boat to deter theft and break-ins
^ Reassess planning and communication to residents with regards to construction
activities and review scheduling/timing of projects to address resident concerns
regarding the impact on their quality of life, such as on North Beach not being able
to support the influx of new residents (additional traffic congestions, lack of street
parking, cleanliness, etc.)
^ Provide for cultural activities and events that include North Beach residents. They
would like to participate in more family-friendly events, and some suggested an
agreement with Bass Museum for one family day a week when children have free
or reduced price access. To help keep youth busy (and not loitering), residents
suggest keeping parks open longer (under adult supervision). Broaden
communication of events that are occurring in the North Beach area
^ Expand beautification of the City through the Beachwalk and parks (more
playgrounds, plant more trees/greenery)
^ Address public transportation needs (offering more buses in/out of the City, more
options to get around like Baylink or trolleys, etc.)
By incorporating the above recommendations into its strategic plan, the City will continue to make
progress on improving quality of life and services to North Beach residents.
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Appendix A:
Focus Group Protocol for Residents
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OBJECTIVE
P
As part of the City of Miami Beach Community Satisfaction Survey process, Hay Group
Insight, the survey research firm selected by the City, will conduct four focus groups with
selected North Beach residents. We will hold two parallel sessions on each date. The
objective of these focus groups is to collect specific information regarding several of the key
opportunities for improvement identified in the 2007 survey results pertaining to the North
Beach region (33141). A final report of the interviews will be provided, highlighting key
findings.
LOCATION & SCHEDULE
~ Focus Groups will be held at:
North Shore Park and Youth Center
501 72nd Street
Miami Beach, FL 33141
Phone: 305-861-3616
Room location: Auditorium (1stfloor lobby)
~ May 20-21, 2008: Two sessions conducted simultaneously each day from 6:30 - 8:30pm
(at least two will be in Spanish)
CONDUCTING FOCUS GROUPS
The following is applicable to the focus groups that will be conducted with North Beach
residents.
~ The goal of the interviews is to delve deeper into specific issues identified from the 2007 survey
results, specifically for North Beach area residents. It is critical that the facilitator keep the group
focused on discussing the issues that the City wants to know more about. However, as it is to be
expected that some residents may wish to express opinions/attitudes regarding other topics, only
after exhausting each of the survey issues thoroughly, the facilitator can spend some time probing
other/miscellaneous topics towards the end of the meeting (time permitting).
~ Residents are investing time in the process -show appreciation for their participation.
-~ Set a tone of openness and trust -residents must feel comfortable if they are to discuss frankly
without fear of retaliation or retribution.
FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL
Six stages:
1. Introduction: Setting the Stage
2. Administer Questionnaire
3. Outlining the Agenda
4. Discussion: Probing and Learning
5. Other/Miscellaneous Topics (time permitting)
6. Conclusion
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1. INTRODUCTION: SETTING THE STAGE
• Introduce Yourself and Objective
- "Good evening and thanks for coming. My name is from the Hay Group Insight, a
global consulting firm that conducts survey research with federal and local government
organizations. In 2007, the City of Miami Beach conducted the second set of community
surveys to gather opinions and attitudes regarding services provided throughout the
community. The results of this community satisfaction survey have been widely reported
citywide and the City continues to address the issues identified as key concerns. Recent
issues of MB Magazine and City Page are good sources of information to get news on what
the City is doing to address survey issues.
- Now, to help the City further respond to some of the survey issues, we are holding focus group
sessions like this one with North Beach residents to further explore several of the key topic
areas identified for improvement, including views regarding safety, construction, condition of
streets, and cultural and special events, among other topics. Your input today will help the City
better understand and address these concerns.
- I want to assure you that your feedback and comments will only be reported back to the City
on a group-wide level. Your individual comments will not be identified. The City decided to use
an outside party (us) to conduct these focus groups and surveys to protect your confidentiality.
- Let me explain to you briefly the format for this session. This discussion will be focused
specifically on several key issues that the City has identified as requiring more information
before actions can be taken to address these issues. Our first task is to go through each item
on this list in detail so that I can hear from you what you see as the main cause behind each
issue. It is important for this exercise that you are as specific as possible in your feedback -
this will greatly help the City to focus its action efforts more constructively and with a greater
likelihood of success.
- Before we begin, let's lay down some quick ground rules:
- There are absolutely no right or wrong answers to any of our questions. We want to hear what you
have to say and value all opinions.
- Please do not interrupt others while they are speaking. We will do our best to get everyone's input.
- Feel free to disagree with one another but do it with courtesy. We don't expect everyone to have the
same opinions about the topics and issues we will discuss.
- We may redirect the conversation to keep us focused on our objectives and keep the discussion on
track.
- Please do not discuss what anybody here says after this session with your friends, neighbors, etc.
(although it's OK to mention that you were part of a focus group)!
- To thank you for your time this evening, we'll be providing a free gift bag for everyone here
and your name will also be entered into a drawing for a free dinner for two at a local Miami
Beach restaurant. Please also help yourself to the refreshments and snacks.
- Thanks for your attention and before we begin, is everyone clear about why they are here and
what we plan to do? (Facilitator: Wait for questions, respond, then proceed)"
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2. ADMINISTER QUESTIONNAIRE
• "Before we get into the discussion, I would like you to complete a brief questionnaire, which will
ask you for your current views on several important areas. It should take you no more than 5
minutes to complete it. If you need a pen or pencil, please let me know. Once you are done,
please turn the survey over so I will know that I can collect it from you." (Facilitator: Distribute
questionnaire and proceed with next stage of the focus group when all participants are done)
3. OUTLINING THE AGENDA
• "Now, for the purposes of this session, we will be focusing our discussion on the following topics:
(note to facilitator: prior to the start of the meeting, create a flip chart with the following topics listed
and refer to them now -place them on a wall or board for all to see throughout the meeting)
- Condition of streets and sidewalks (cleanliness, storm drainage)
- Safety
- Construction/Development
- Recreation programs and facilities
- Value of services for tax dollars paid
• Once we have gone through each topic in detail and if time permits, we can discuss other topics
not listed on this page. However, our primary focus tonight is to review each of these and get your
specific thoughts and opinions."
4. DISCUSSION: PROBING AND LEARNING
"OK! Let's take each topic one at a time. [Facilitator: Probe fully on all of the below]
Condition of streets and sidewalks
~ What's your current opinion of the overall cleanliness of streets in North Beach?
~ Are there any streets that need to be addressed for cleanliness? If so, where specifically and what
is the cleanliness issue on these streets?
~ Are there specific areas in North Beach where you have observed high levels of flood waters
during rain? Where are they? What is the reason for this issue in these areas?
~ Are there any specific areas where the condition of sidewalks or pavement in general is poor?
Please name the streets and the issue.
~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to cleanliness and
conditions of streets and sidewalks in the City of Miami Beach and North Beach specifically? What
if anything has gotten worse? Probe for specifics.]
Safety
~ We heard feedback from some residents that they felt unsafe around the City. In which areas
specifically do you feel most unsafe?
~ What do you feel is the main cause of the safety issues in these streets/areas?
~ Do you feel that homelessness may also be contributing to you feeling unsafe in certain North
Beach areas, and if so how?
~ How would you describe the police presence in these areas?
~ Are there any areas across the City where you feel there is not enough street lighting? Which
areas do not have enough lighting and what is the exact problem (for example, no street lights at
all, too little light, broken lights, etc.)?
~ What additional specific actions do you think the City can take to address safety in these streets
and areas?
~ In commercial areas, what do you think businesses can do to improve the safety of their patrons
and residents/visitors?
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~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to safety in the City of
Miami Beach and North Beach specifically? What if anything has gotten worse? (Probe for
specifics.]
Construction/Development
~ What is your current view of construction and development across the City and specifically in
North Beach?
~ What are the most challenging issues facing you as a resident with regards to construction in your
neighborhood? [Facilitator: Create list on flip chart - by show of hands, mark with a check
each answer chosen by participants]
a. Parking disruptions (by construction workers, etc.)
b. Noise level around construction areas
c. Litter around construction areas
d. Lack of pedestrian trails
e. Traffic flow /traffic congestion
f. Other
~ What do you think the City should do to address each of these issues?
~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to construction and
development in the City of Miami Beach and North Beach specifically? What if anything has gotten
worse? (Probe for specifics.]
Recreation programs and facilities
~ What is your current view of the recreation programs and facilities offered by the City for
residents? [Facilitator: you may need to first ask residents to define, in their mind, what they
think recreation programs and facilities include]
~ How do you feel these programs and facilities are being maintained by the City?
~ How would you feel about the current quality of beaches across the City and in North Beach in
particular?
~ How do you feel beaches are being maintained by the City? [Facilitator: probe around
cleanliness, maintenance of beach facilities, etc.]
~ Are there any recreation programs and facilities you would like to see added across the City? If so,
what are they?
~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to recreation programs
and facilities in the City of Miami Beach and North Beach specifically? What if anything has gotten
worse? (Probe for specifics.]
Cultural activities/events
~ What would you describe as a "cultural" activity or event in the City of Miami Beach? In other
words, what falls into this category?
~ How often do you attend such activities?
~ Why do you go to these activities? If you don't go, why not?
~ Do you feel safe at these events? If no, why not?
~ What cultural activities and events would you go to if they were made available? Where in the City
would you most like to see/go to an activity or event (either geographic area or specific location)?
Please tell me exactly where in the City.
~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to cultural
activities/events in the City of Miami Beach and North Beach specifically? What if anything has
gotten worse? (Probe for specifics.]
Special events /family events -museums
~ What would you describe as a "special" event in the City of Miami Beach? In other words, what
falls into this category?
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~ How often do you attend such events?
~ Why do you go to these events? If you don't go, why not?
~ Do you feel safe at these events? If no, why not?
~ What special events would you go to if they were made available? Where in the City would you
most like to see/go to an event (either geographic area or specific location)?
~ Many NB residents expressed there are too few museums/theaters in the City. What's your
opinion on this?
~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to special events/family
events -museums in the City of Miami Beach and North Beach specifically? What if anything has
gotten worse? Probe for specifics.]
Value of tax dollars
The City of Miami Beach receives one-third of the taxes you pay through your property tax bill, with
the remaining going towards the County, School Board, Water Management District and other entities.
Focusing just on the one-third paid of taxes that go to the City:
~ What is your current view of the value of tax dollars paid for the services you receive?
~ What are your views of the schools in North Beach or across the City?
~ What could the City do, if anything, to improve the overall value of services for tax dollars paid?
~ MUST ASK: What has gotten better over the past year or so with regards to the value of tax
dollars You pay for the services you receive in the City of Miami Beach and North Beach
specifically? What if anything has gotten worse? Probe for specifics.]
Summary
~ What do you feel about your current OVERALL quality of life in North Beach?
~ MUST ASK: Is the overall quality of life in the City getting better, worse or staying the same
compared to about a year ago? Why?
~ Would you recommend Miami Beach as a place to live - why or why not?
~ Do you feel City government is meeting your needs as a resident -why or why not?
5. OTHER/MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS
• "In the time we have remaining, are there any other topics or issues you would like to discuss
which we haven't covered? (Wait and take further notes, if applicable. If not, proceed.)
6. CONCLUSION
• "Your input has been very helpful. I want to remind you that your feedback will remain confidential
and to please respect the confidentiality of others in this room. On behalf of the City, I wish to
express our gratitude for taking the time out of your schedule to be here and to contribute to
making the City a better place for everyone to live, work, play and visit. Have a great night!"
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SUMMARY GUIDELINES FOR GROUP INTERVIEWS
DO
DO restate the purpose of interview at the outset
DO establish and maintain a permissive, confidential and friendly atmosphere. Assure
anonymity.
DO maintain two-way communications. When appropriate, answer questions and clarify
points that may be unclear to the participants.
DO listen attentively and thoroughly.
DO determine the importance of what is not said, but implied, and encourage further
comment when warranted.
DO be objective. Deal with the facts. Consider statements in their proper context.
DO obtain clarification of ambiguous statements.
DO lead the interview smoothly from one topic to another.
DO conclude the interview by expressing appreciation for their cooperation.
DON'T
DON'T assume that the participant knows the purpose of the interview.
DON'T lose participant confidence and trust, or cause them to "tighten up."
DON'T make abrupt, dogmatic statements or refrain from giving factual information as
appropriate.
DON'T interrupt the participant's statement or train of thought.
DON'T overlook important underlying meaning behind what is being said. However, don't
play psychologist.
DON'T inject personal biases and opinions in listening and evaluating what is stated.
DON'T "pass over" points that are not clear.
DON'T conduct a "choppy," unconnected interview.
DON'T end the interview abruptly.
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Appendix B:
Focus Group Questionnaire
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Questionnaire
English
1. Overall, how would you rate the quality of life within the City of Miami Beach?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
2. How would you rate the overall value of City services for the tax dollars that you pay?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
3. In general, how good a job do you feel Miami Beach City government is doing in meeting your needs and/or
the needs of your family?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
4. Overall, how would you rate the City of Miami Beach as a place to live?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
5. Would you say that as a place to live, the City of Miami Beach is...?
1. Better now than it was a year ago
2. About the same as it was a year ago
3. Worse now than it was a year ago
6. Would you recommend the City of Miami Beach to family and friends as a place to live?
1. Yes, definitely
2. Yes, probably
3. Hard to say
4. No, probably not
5. No, definitely not
Please turn over when done or signal the facilitator to collect the questionnaire.
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Questionnaire
Spanish
1. En general, que opinion le merece la calidad de vida que hay dentro de la Ciudad de Miami Beach, diria
usted...?
1. Excelente
2. Buena
3. Mas o menos
4. Mala
2. ~Que opinion le merece el valor en general de los servicios que ofrece la Ciudad a cambio de los
impuestos que usted gaga? Diria usted...?
1. Excelente
2. Buena
3. Mas o menos
4. Mala
3. Hablando en terminos generales, que tan buen trabajo realiza el gobierno de Ia Ciudad de Miami Beach en
cuanto a cumplir con sus necesidades y las necesidades de su familial ~Diria usted que es...?
1. Excelente
2. Buena
3. Mas o menos
4. Mala
4. Hablando en terminos generales, que opinion le merece la Ciudad de Miami Beach Como lugar pars vivir?
~Diria usted que...?
1. Excelente
2. Buena
3. Mas o menos
4. Mala
5. ~Diria usted que Como lugar pars vivir, la Ciudad de Miami Beach es...?
1. Mejor ahora de to que estaba hace un ano
2. Mas o menos igual a Como estaba hace un ano
3. Peor ahora de to que estaba hace un ano
6. ~Usted recomendaria a la Ciudad de Miami Beach pars vivir a familiares y amigos? ~Diria usted...?
1. Si, indudablemente
2. Si, probablemente
3. Dificil de decir/no sabe
4. No, probablemente no
5. No, indudablemente no
Cuando listo, por favor senate Para que el representante de Hay Group Insight pueda recoger
este cuestionario.
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Appendix C:
Telephone Interview Protocol for Residents
page 47 of 56 www.haygroup.com
Phone script for Residents
Hello, my name is and I'm calling on behalf of the City of Miami Beach. May I please speak with
Mr./Ms. ?
~ {Yes, speaking} In 2007, your household participated in the Miami Beach Community Satisfaction Survey.
The City has already taken a number of steps to address some of the issues identified from the survey.
However, to help the City further respond to some of the feedback received, we would like to invite you to a
focus group session to further explore several of the key topic areas identified for improvement.
If you would be interested in discussing these topics in a comfortable surrounding with other residents, we would
very much like to have you there! Are you available to attend a focus group meeting on either Tuesday, May 20
or Wednesday May 21 from 6:30 - 8:30pm at the North Shore Park and Youth Center.
To thank you for your participation at this meeting, you will receive a gift from the City of Miami Beach for being
part of the focus group meeting AND your name will be placed into a drawing for a dinner for two at a local
Miami Beach restaurant. Snacks and refreshments will also be served at the focus group meeting. Will you be
able to attend?
^ {YES} Great! Which day would you be available to attend? {Chooses a date} Excellent, please be
sure to write down the location for the meeting and the day & time now so you don't forget. North
Shore Park and Youth Center which is at 501 72"d Street on {Repeat date chosen} from 6:30 -
8:30pm. We'll call you the day before to confirm your attendance. We look forward to seeing you
there. Thank you very much for your time and support! Have a great day!
^ {NO} OK. We're sorry to hear that you can't make it. But you can still help us now! I'd like to ask you
just a few questions about some of the topic areas, so we can at least add your feedback to the
recommendations that will go to the City on what they should be doing to improve these areas. It'll
only take a few minutes of your time -can we begin? {YES - go to "Interview questions for
phone call"; NO -thank and terminate}
~ {Not available} When is a good call back time to speak to him/her?
~ {No such person} OK. Am I speaking to a resident of Miami Beach? Are you over the age of 18? {If no to
all, ask for someone who fits those criferia and proceed. If still no, thank and terminate} Great - I can
speak to you as well. The City of Miami Beach plans to conduct focus groups in the week of May 19th to get
feedback and information from residents about several topics areas of interest. Would you be interested in
attending a focus group meeting at {Mention location, days and scheduled time from above} to talk
about these topics? We'd appreciate your attendance at this group meeting - it will greatly assist the City in
allocating the proper resources to address these concerns. You will receive a free gift from the City and
chance to win a free dinner at a local restaurant. {If yes, go to YES above under "Will you be able to
attend?"; if no, thank and terminate}
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Interview questions for phone call
1. Overall, how would you rate the quality of life within the City of Miami Beach? Would you say...?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
2. How would you rate the overall value of City services for the tax dollars that you pay? Would you say...?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
3. In general, how good a job do you feel Miami Beach City government is doing in meeting your needs and/or
the needs of your family? Would you say...?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
4. Overall, how would you rate the City of Miami Beach as a place to live? Would you say...?
1. Excellent
2. Good
3. Fair
4. Poor
5. Would you say that as a place to live, the City of Miami Beach is...? Would you say...?
1. Better now than it was a year ago
2. About the same as it was a year ago
3. Worse now than it was a year ago
6. Would you recommend the City of Miami Beach to family and friends as a place to live? Would you say...?
1. Yes, definitely
2. Yes, probably
3. Hard to say
4. No, probably not
5. No, definitely not
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Free-form questions
~ What has gotten better regarding the streets in Miami Beach, specifically, cleanliness, conditions of
sidewalks and pavement, and storm drainage? Has anything gotten worse? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: For
both questions, probe for specifics, e.g., street names, reason/cause, etc.)
~ Are there any streets that need to be addressed for cleanliness? If so, what streets and what is the
cleanliness issue?
~ Are there specific areas in North Beach where you have observed high levels of flood waters during rain?
What streets and areas? What is the reason for this issue in these areas?
~ Are there any specific streets where the condition of sidewalks or pavement is poor? Please name the
streets and the concern you have.
~ What has gotten better regarding safety in Miami Beach? What if anything has gotten worse? (NOTE TO
INTERVIEWER: For both questions, probe for specifics, e.g., street names, reason/cause, etc.)
~ What do you feel is the main cause of safety concerns, if any, around North Beach? Where are these
focused? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: get names of streets and locations)
~ Are there any areas where you feel there is not enough street lighting? Where specifically and what is the
reason?
~ What has gotten better regarding construction or traffic in Miami Beach? What has gotten worse? (NOTE
TO INTERVIEWER: For both questions, probe for specifics, e.g., street names, reason/cause, etc.)
~ What has gotten better regarding the value of tax dollars paid for the services you receive in Miami Beach?
What has gotten worse? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: For both questions, probe for specifics, e.g., street
names, reason/cause, etc.)
~ What are your current views of the schools in North Beach or across the City? (NOTE TO INTERVIEWER:
probe for specifics, e.g., names of schools)
~ What could the City do, if anything, to improve the overall value of services for tax dollars paid? (NOTE TO
INTERVIEWER: probe for specifics)
Thank you for your time and for helping make a difference in the City of Miami Beach. Have a
great day!
page 50 of 56
Appendix D:
Email Text for NoBe listserve
page 51 of 56
Ha~(~a~IP
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!
~ Is safety a major concern for you?
~ Is the pace of new construction and traffic flow an issue in your neighborhood?
~ Would you like to see more cultural events or special events in your area?
The City of Miami Beach will be conducting follow-up activities to the Community Satisfaction
Surveys conducted in 2007 with Miami Beach residents during the evening of Tuesday and
Wednesday May 20th and 21St to answer the questions above and many others.
If you would be interested in participating in this follow-up, please send an email to the Hay
Group Insight, our survey partner, at Kalily_Campos-Diana@haygroup.com.
Use the following subject line for your email -Miami Beach Focus Groups. Please include the
following information in the email:
Name:
Phone Number:
Zip Code of Where You Live:
Best Time to Reach You:
Thanks for your support and contribution to improving the quality of life for everyone in the
City of Miami Beach!
I HAGAN OI R SU VOZ!
~ zEs la seguridad una gran preocupacion para usted?
~ ~Es el ritmo de nuevas construcciones y to circulation del trafico un problems en su
vecindario?
~ zTe gustaria ver mss eventos culturales o eventos especiales en su area?
Como sigue la Encuesta de Satisfaction de la Comunidad de la Ciudad de Miami Beach, en
2007, la Ciudad va a organizar sesions de preguntas y respuestas con tos residentes, el dia,
20 y 21 de mayo por la tardes.
Si tiene interes en participar, por favor enviar un a-mail a Hay Group Insight, nuestro socio
encuestador, a Kalily_Campos-Diana@haygroup.com.
Usar el siguiente Asunto para su a-mail: Grupos Focales de Miami Beach. Por favor incluyen
en su a-mail:
Nombre:
Numero de Telefono:
Codigo postal de donde usted vive:
Horario en que se to puede Ilamar:
iGracias por su apoyo y contribution en mejorar la calidad de vida de todos los que vivimos
en la Ciudad de Miami Beach!
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Appendix E:
Additional Survey Results
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Table 3 -Results for North Beach residents who answered in English (2008 vs. 2006-7) *~`
Favorable* % Excellent % Good % Fair % Poor
Q1 Quality of life in Miami Beach
North Beach 2008 89 19 70 6 4
North Beach 2006-7 59 13 46 28 13
Difference
Q2 Services for tax dollars paid
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Q3 Government meeting needs
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Q4 Miami Beach as a place to live
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Place to live compared to one
Q5 year ago
30
77
47
30
81
48
33
87
69
18
North Beach 2008 36
North Beach 2006-7 39
Difference -3
Recommend to family/friends
Q6 as place to live
11 66 17 6
7 40 38 15
15 66 15 4
8 40 39 13
38 49 11 2
20 49 25 6
Better % Same % Worse
36 57 6
39 19 42
No, % No,
Yes, % Yes, % Hard to Probably Definitely
Definitely Probably Say Not Not
North Beach 2008 75 47 28 17 6 2
North Beach 2006-7 59 34 25 8 16 16
Difference 16
* % Favorable = `Excellent" + "Good" for Q1 - Q4, `Better" for Q5, and "Yes, Definitely" + "Yes Probably" for Q6
** North Beach 2008 English cases = 47; North Beach 2006-7 English cases = 111
Differences in % Favorable for questions 1- 4 and question 6, as well as, % Same and % Worse for question 5 are
significant
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Table 4 -Results for North Beach residents who answered in Spanish (2008 vs. 2006-7) ""`
Q1 Quality of life in Miami Beach
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Q2 Services for tax dollars paid
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Q3 Government meeting needs
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Q4 Miami Beach as a place to live
North Beach 2008
North Beach 2006-7
Difference
Place to live compared to one
Q5 year ago
Favorable" % Excellent % Good % Fair % Poor
62 18 44 38 0
66 15 51 25 9
-4
49
31
18
74
66
8
91
79
12
North Beach 2008 50
North Beach 2006-7 59
Difference -9
Recommend to family/friends
Q6 as place to live
3 46 33 18
8 23 42 27
9 65 18 9
17 49 28 6
47 44 9 0
33 46 16 6
Better % Same % Worse
50 32 18
59 18 23
No, % No,
Yes, % Yes, % Hard to Probably Definitely
Definitely Probably Say Not Not
North Beach 2008 89 77 12 3 6 3
North Beach 2006-7 78 62 16 10 1 11
Difference 11
" % Favorable = `Excellent" + "Good" for Q1- Q4, `Better" for Q5, and "Yes, Definitely" + "Yes Probably" for Q6
"" North Beach 2008 Spanish cases = 34; North Beach 2006-7 Spanish cases = 103
None of the differences noted in Table 4 are significant
page 55 Of 56 www.haygroup.com
Table 5 -Results for North Beach residents (Focus Groups vs. Telephone) **
Favorable* °1° Excellent % Good % Fair % Poor
Q1 Quality of life in Miami Beach
2008 Focus Groups 87 21 66 10 3
2008 Telephone Interviews 73 17 56 25 2
Difference 14
Q2 Services for tax dollars paid
2008 Focus Groups 68 4 64 21 11
2008 Telephone Interviews 64 10 54 25 12
Difference 4
Q3 Government meeting needs
2008 Focus Groups 76 14 62 17 7
2008 Telephone Interviews 79 12 67 15 6
Difference -3
Q4 Miami Beach as a place to live
2008 Focus Groups 93 45 48 7 0
2008 Telephone Interviews 86 40 46 12 2
Difference 7
Place to live compared to one
Q5 year ago
Better % Same % Worse
2008 Focus Groups 52 52 41 7
2008 Telephone Interviews 37 37 50 14
Difference 15
Recommend to family/friends
Q6 as place to live
No, % No,
Yes, % Yes, % Hard to Probably Definitely
Definitely Probably Say Not Not
2008 Focus Groups 87 52 35 10 3 0
2008 Telephone Interviews 78 64 14 12 8 4
Difference 9
" % Favorable = `Excellent" + "Good" for Q1- Q4, `Better" for Q5, and "Yes, Definitely" + "Yes Probably" for Q6
"" North Beach 2008 Focus Group cases = 29; North Beach 2008 Telephone cases = 52
None of the differences noted in Table 5 are significant
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