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Survey: Manhattan Beach residents report high satisfaction with city services; e‑bike safety and parking top concerns
Summary
A statistically valid survey of 588 residents found 87% overall satisfaction with city performance and 94% saying Manhattan Beach is a safe place to live; top resident priorities included fixing potholes and park upkeep, while e‑bike enforcement and parking concerns surfaced as notable problem areas.
A city‑commissioned community opinion survey released Dec. 2 shows Manhattan Beach residents remain strongly positive about local government performance and quality of life while identifying a handful of high‑priority operational concerns.
True North Research interviewed 588 adult residents (margin of error ±4%) between late September and early October. The headline results: 87% of respondents said they were satisfied with the city's overall performance; 96% rated the city's overall quality of life as 'excellent' or 'good'; and 94% described Manhattan Beach as very or somewhat safe.
The survey asked residents to rate satisfaction in 23 specific service areas. Highest satisfaction was reported for graffiti removal (98% satisfied), fire protection and emergency medical services, and special events like concerts and fireworks. Areas with lower satisfaction included bicycle safety and enforcement — particularly e‑bike concerns — and some senior programs. Open‑ended responses identified parking problems, e‑bike/traffic enforcement, and growth/development as the most frequently mentioned issues residents would change about the city.
On specific priorities for additional spending, residents rated fixing potholes and repairing streets and sidewalks as the top priority, followed by park and amenity maintenance and sewer/wastewater upgrades. Items with narrower appeal, such as converting the pay‑and‑play area at Marine Avenue Park to open space or a particular athletic court, scored lower.
On new services, about one‑third of respondents said they would be 'very interested' in a low‑cost, on‑demand microtransit service for short trips in the city; interest skewed higher among younger residents, renters and more recent arrivals. Regarding short‑term vacation rentals, 58% backed temporarily allowing short‑term rentals during major events (for a few days before and after an event), and 66% supported the change when staff described that taxes generated could defray additional public safety costs associated with large events.
Council members discussed how the survey will inform budget priorities and asked staff to incorporate findings into the FY 2026–27 budget cycle and to consider targeted follow‑up surveys on specific topics such as short‑term rentals and downtown project 'pulse' issues.
Representative quote: 'When you get the kind of scores that we have here in this survey, it's really a reflection of good leadership and solid execution by staff,' Tim McClarney of True North Research told the council.
What happens next: staff said survey results will be used together with the city's annual budget survey and will feed into budget and work‑plan discussions; targeted flash surveys on ROD/short‑term rentals and downtown project pulse are already planned.
