Housing, clean, green and safe streets are CBD’s top requests to council

Housing affordability, homelessness services, a need for more green and open spaces, and better roads and transport options have topped a City of Melbourne survey as the CBD community’s top priorities.

The pulse check led by Participate Melbourne was conducted between February 21 and March 31 using in person events and online portals, returning nearly 4500 responses.

CBD locals cited housing affordability and a need for homelessness services as major priorities.

Many respondents said they felt the instance of crime had increased and public safety could be better addressed.

Others said public spaces needed to be cleaner to put the city’s best foot forward for visitors, while more green public spaces should be created.

Respondents called for better regulated movement across the Hoddle Grid, with safer road sharing, better coordination of road works and less public transport disruptions also front of mind.

A survey respondent from postcode 3000 said, “My top priority is assisting homelessness to help get people off the streets.”

Apart from the wellbeing of the homeless people themselves it currently makes a big difference to how the city feels and the experience coming here as a visitor.

When broken down by neighbourhood, the survey found affordable housing ranked as a major issue of concern across eight of the 10 areas surveyed.

A need for more green and open spaces was a priority for six.

East Melbourne and Southbank also said cleaner streets were a necessity.

“I hope we are doing something sector leading in this work of constantly checking in with the public,” Cr Dr Olivia Ball said, adding that the survey had reached “the biggest result in the history of Participate Melbourne.”

The survey prompted at least 290 responses per neighbourhood, with higher density urban areas the most likely to participate.

Some 61 per cent of respondents were women, 33 per cent were born overseas, 25 per cent were aged under 30, 16 per cent identified as LGBTQIA+, while nearly 12 per cent were local business owners.

The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation was consulted as part of the survey process.

Areas surveyed included Carlton, the CBD, Docklands, East Melbourne, Fishermans Bend, Kensington, North Melbourne, Parkville, Southbank, South Yarra and West Melbourne.

The City of Melbourne plans to conduct regular neighbourhood pulse checks as part of its Neighbourhood Planning Framework to inform future council budgets and the next four-year Council Plan.

Locals can sign up to receive updates when local council surveys are launched.