Understanding the Riots Part 4 : Seeing Ourselves : How We Feel About Ourselves Now. . .

How have the riots changed the way Angelenos view themselves and their city? Who was hurt the most--and the least--by the disturbances, and how will residents change their lives? In an effort to answer these questions, the Los Angeles Times Poll questioned 1,409 people across the city of Los Angeles.

The answers provide a very personal look at the immediate toll of the violence and a glimpse at how people feel the riots will change them and the lives of their families in the future.

The results of the poll are presented in the charts on these two pages. An overview story can be found in Section A. All things considered, would you say you are satisfied or dissatisfied these days with the community in which you live?

Answer Percentage Satisfied 59% Neutral 3% Dissatisfied 37% Don’t know 2%

Groups most satisfied with their communities include:

Answer Percentage Westsiders 75% Those from mostly 67% Anglo neighborhoods Latinos 62% Anglos 60% Those without children 66%

Groups less satisfied with their communities:

Answer Percentage Blacks 51% Those with children 45% Those in minority 53% neighborhoods

What’s the one thing about the city of Los Angeles that you like most? (Two answers allowed.)

Reason Percentage Climate 35% Cultural diversity 27% Economic opportunities 14% Convenience / services 12% Natural beauty 8% Casual lifestyle 7% Outdoor life 6% Good location 5% Family / friends 4% People 4% Community spirit 2% On the cutting edge 1% Glamorous 1% Education 1% Don’t like anything 4% Other 9% Don’t know 7%

Among ethnic groups:

Like Anglos Blacks Latinos Climate 45% 39% 21% Cultural diversity 36 22 18 Economic opportunities 10 15 18

What’s the one thing about Los Angeles that you like least? (Two answers allowed.)

Answer Percentage Crime / gangs 30% Congestion / traffic 27% Air and water pollution 21% Violence / riots 11% Racism 8% Politicians / local govt. 7% Police 6% Growth 6% Homeless 4% Poor quality of schools 3% Too many immigrants 3% High prices 3% Miss feeling of community 3% No jobs 2% Urban decay 2% Police Chief Gates 1% Like everything 3% Other 10% Don’t know 3%

Among ethnic groups: Anglos: 38% cited traffic congestion, 24% crime and 21% air and water pollution. Blacks: 28% cited crime, 18% air and water pollution and 15% traffic congestion. Latinos: 36% cited crime, 20% traffic congestion and 19% air and water pollution. Families: People with children: 34% dislike crime People without children: 32% dislike traffic congestion Residents of Central and South Los Angeles, 32% of each group mention crime most often. Westsiders and San Fernando Valley residents, 42% and 35%, respectively, dislike traffic congestion. When it comes to the threat of crime, how safe do you feel in your community?

Answer Percentage Very safe 10% Fairly safe 50% Fairly unsafe 25% Very unsafe 14% Don’t know 1%

Among ethnic and racial groups:

Answer Anglos Blacks Latinos Fairly safe 66% 61% 55% Very unsafe 8 18 22

Other Poll Results Looking ahead five years, blacks and seniors are most optimistic about improvement in L.A.’s quality of life. Forty-four percent of blacks say it will be better in five years; 50 % of those aged 65 and over see improvement. Fifteen percent of blacks and 16% of seniors see things getting worse. The least optimistic groups are 18-to 24-year-olds (32% worse) and Valley residents (42% worse). We Fear More Violence In your opinion, what are the chances that in the next few years there will be another outbreak of violence similar to the one that occurred after the King beating trail verdict? Don’t know: 4% Not at all likely: 9% Not too likely: 20% Somewhat likely: 37% Very likely: 30% We Feel Things Are Going Badly How do you feel things are going in Los Angeles these days? Very well: 2% Don’t know: 2% Pretty well: 11% Pretty badly: 44% Very badly: 41% We Haven’t Felt Good About Los Angeles Since the Summer Olympics of 1984 I feel pretty well about the way things are going in Los Angeles these days. 3 /85: 62% 7/91: 34% Now: 11% We Know We Face Some Tough Issues. . . What do you think is the most important problem facing the city of Los Angeles today? (Top mentions) Crime / gangs: 17% Unemployment: 16% Racism: 15% Economy: 8% Homeless: 4% Gov’t leaders: 4% Rebuilding: 4% Other: 8% . . .And Racism Is a Growing Concern I think racism is the most important problem facing the city of Los Angeles today. 3/91: 2% 7/91: 2% Now: 15% City Economy Would you describe the state of the Los Angeles city economy these days as very robust, fairly robust, fairly shaky or very shaky? Very robust: 1% Fairly robust: 10% Don’t know: 2% Fairly shaky: 45% Very shaky: 42% Near Future Three months from now, do you expect the Los Angeles city economy will be better than now, worse than now or about the same as now? Don’t know: 3% Better:28% Worse: 24% Same: 45% Real Estate In the next three months, do you expect real estate values to increase in your neighborhood, or to decrease, or do you think real estate values in your neighborhood will remain about the same? Don’t know: 3% Increase: 18% Decrease: 20% Same: 59% . . .And How Our Lives Have Changed How much did the violence that occurred in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating trial verdict disrupt your life and the lives of your immediate family?

Answer Percentage A great deal 26% A good amount 32% Not much 27% Not at all 14% Don’t know 1%

Citywide, 58% said their lives had been disrupted a great deal or a good amount. Groups whose member’s lives were most disrupted:

Group Percentage Blacks 69% Renters 63% Households with children 65%

Groups whose member’s lives were least disrupted:

Group Percentage Those aged 65 and over 34% Those from Anglo neighborhoods 52%

Has your life and the lives of your immediate family pretty much gotten back to normal now or is the recent violence having a longer-term impact on the way you and your family live?

Answer Percentage Back to normal 67% Long-term impact 31% Don’t know 25

Among ethnic and racial groups: Twenty-eight percent of Anglos, 32% of blacks and 315 of Latinos said the recent violence would have a long-term impact on their lives. In different parts of the city: Thirty-six percent of Westsiders, 27% of residents in the San Fernando Valley, 30% of residents in Central L.A. and 34% of residents in South L.A. said the recent violence would have a long-term impact on their lives. Are the public places in your own community, such as theaters, stores, parks or beaches, that you will now avoid? Many or a few?

Answer Percentage Avoid many 8% Avoid few 22% Don’t avoid 69% Don’t know 1%

Among different ethnic groups: Seventy-eight percent of Anglos, 75% of blacks and 57% of Latinos say they will not avoid going to public places because of the violence. In different neighborhoods: A majority of Westsiders and Valley residents (77% and 72%, respectively) said they would not avoid going to public places because of the violence; 66% of residents in Central L.A. and 64% of South L.A. residents said they won’t avoid public places. Are there certain roads or freeways that you used but now will avoid specifically because of the recent violence? Many or just a few?

Answer Percentage Avoid many 4% Avoid few 21% Don’t avoid 74% Don’t know 1%

Because of the recent violence, have you put or are you seriously considering putting a house or condominium up for sale in Los Angeles?

Answer Percentage Don’t own 11% Yes 8% No 80% Don’t know 1%

Among different neighborhoods: Three percent of Westsiders, 10% of residents who live in the Valley, 6% of residents in Central L.A. and 11% of residents in South L.A. said they will put a house or condo up for sale now. How has the recent violence in Los Angeles affected the feelings of most people in your neighborhood toward those of other races and ethnic groups? Would you say it has made them more sympathetic and open, or has it made them more closed and resentful or are they mostly reacting with indifference?

Answer Percentage Sympathetic 36% Resentful 23% Indifferent 28% Don’t know 13%

Among ethnic groups:

Anglos Blacks Latinos Sympathetic 32% 48% 34% Resentful 27 9 22

Other Poll Results More Anglos (73%) than blacks (65%) or Latinos (59%) believe that more rioting is at least somewhat likely in a next few years. Groups reporting fewest members facing long-term hardships:

Group Percentage Anglos 13% Those from Anglo neighborhoods 11% Those aged 65 and over 13% San Fernando Valley residents 14% Households without children 16%

Quality of Life How would you compare the quality of life in Los Angeles with that in other parts of the United States? Best: 10% Don’t know: 6% Worst: 3% Above average: 235 Average: 41% Below average: 17% Raising Children How would you rate Los Angeles as a place to raise children? Would you call it excellent, good, not so good or poor? Excellent: 2% Don’t know: 3% Good: 20% Not so good: 41% Poor: 34% Advising a Friend Say an out-of-town friend had a chance to take a good job in Los Angeles. Would you advise that person to move to Los Angeles , or would you advise him or her to stay away? Don’t know: 12% Move here: 54% Stay away: 34% L.A. vs. New York Which city do you think is more dangerous to live in: New York City or Los Angeles, or are they equally dangerous? Don’t know: 6% New York City: 37% Los Angeles: 5% Both: 52% Some of Us Are Feeling Hardship How much hardship will you and your immediate family suffer in the weeks and months to come because of afteraffects of the recent violence: Will you suffer a great deal of hardship, a good amount, not much or no hardship at all? Great deal: 6% Don’t know: 2% Good amount: 14% Not much: 41% Not at all: 37% Who Is Hurt Most? Some groups are hit harder than others. Thirty-one percent of both households with incomes below $20,000 and those with children say they face hardship, as do 26% of blacks, 24% of Latinos and 25% in the 45-64 age group. Citywide, 20% of residents say they face hardship. Many of Us Have Lost A Job Have you or anyone in your immediate family lost a job, a business, an account or income because of the recent violence in Los Angeles, or not? Don’t know: 1% Lost: 15% Not lost: 84% Across the Board Virtually the same number of Anglos (13%), blacks (14%) and Latinos (16%) report that someone in their household has lost a job or income because of the rioting. More than two persons in 10-23%-of those with children report having lost some income, compared with 10% of those without children. We Are Being More Careful Because of the violence, in what ways will you change the way you live? More careful: 16% Plan to move out of area: 8% Bought / carry gun for defense: 5% Rebuild community; 5% Move to different community: 5% Installed home alarm system: 4% Don’t go out socially in evening: 3% Sensitive to feelings of others: 3% How the Poll Was Conducted The Times Poll interviewed 1,409 Los Angeles city adult by telephone, May 9 through 12. Telephone numbers were chosen from a list of all exchanges in the city., Random-digit dialing techniques were used to ensure that both listed and non-listed numbers had an opportunity to be contacted. Interviewing was conducted in English and Spanish. Results were weighted slightly to conform with census figures for sex, race, age and household size. The margin of sampling error for percentages based on the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For certain subgroups, the error margin is somewhat higher. Poll results can also be affected by other factors such as question wording and the order of question presentation. Source: Los Angeles Times Poll