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MVT CID Releases 2020 Neighborhood Perception Survey Results

Wednesday March 17, 2021

Thank you to the 1,214 respondents to our Neighborhood Perception Survey covering the 2020 calendar year. Your participation, which was 33% higher than the previous record-breaking mark set in 2019, provides MVT CID with valuable insights regarding stakeholder preferences as we champion Mount Vernon Triangle’s continued evolution as a dynamic, inclusive and attractive place to live, work and visit in the East End of downtown Washington, DC.

Perceptions of Cleanliness & Safety

By an overwhelming majority, respondents continue to tell us that Mount Vernon Triangle is a “clean and safe” community. Most notably, 87% of respondents think that MVT is “Clean” or “Very Clean” – a 3 percentage point increase from 2019 – and 65% of respondents think that Mount Vernon Triangle is “Safe” or “Very Safe.” When reviewing these safety metrics, please note that we did not ask respondents to specify if they were ranking safety based on crime or health/COVID-19 concerns, which we know to be of high importance to our community.

Perceptions of Civic Engagement & Community Pride

Despite the requirement to stay home and stay apart throughout 2020, respondent perceptions regarding civic engagement and community pride are higher than ever. Nearly 60% of respondents note that there is a strong sense of community throughout Mount Vernon Triangle. We believe that our #MVTogether campaign, which continues to run throughout the pandemic, and our #MaskUpMVT campaign, which encourages residents and visitors to wear a mask and follow social-distancing guidelines, are key contributors to this strong result. Our community stuck together, demonstrated constant acts of kindness, and went above and beyond to support and celebrate our amazing local businesses.

Perceptions of Green Space Availability

Perceptions regarding the quality, availability and supply of green, open and public-use spaces in Mount Vernon Triangle continue to remain low, with only 34% of respondents stating that they believe there to be sufficient access to this amenity and resource.

As many respondents are likely already aware, work is currently underway to address this feedback through the Phase One Reactivation of Cobb Park. Passive open space uses continue to rank highest in desirability, with relaxation, dining and aesthetics rising to the top of list of most-wanted attributes, and event space, pet recreation, playing fields and children’s recreation falling to the bottom of the list.

Impacts of COVID-19

MVT CID also polled survey respondents on the impacts of COVID-19 and how it affected their lives in Mount Vernon Triangle. 56% of respondents state that our neighborhood is either “More Safe” or “About the Same” during COVID-19 than before the pandemic. Daily and weekly visitors to Mount Vernon Triangle decreased by 40%, as most people now visit our community a few times a month. More than half of the residents polled – 53% – indicated they did not plan to move out within the next 12 months, with the remaining 47% indicating they either planned to move or were unsure. Among those who planned to move out of the neighborhood, more than half – 51% – said it was due primarily to COVID-19.

Click here for a summary of the Neighborhood Perception Survey results covering calendar year 2020.

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