• Overall satisfaction with the availability of living-wage jobs remains low at 22%

• However, younger residents (47%) and lower-income residents (44%) report substantially higher satisfaction, suggesting recent economic progress may be felt more strongly among these groups

• Among residents dissatisfied with economic development in El Paso, growth is most visible through business and commercial activity rather than improvements in everyday job opportunities

1. Activating workforce pathways toward livable wages
Focus areas: employer-aligned skills training, small to medium-business growth, business-driven career mobility, and reducing workforce participation barriers (i.e., childcare)

2. Supporting individuals, local businesses, and key industries
Focus areas: collaboration, incentive policies, cross-sector economic partnerships, expanded business support resources, local innovation and startup growth, attracting tourism (key industry)

3. Defining how the City will support the expansion of housing options and affordability
Focus areas: infill, efficient land use development, housing aligned with community cost of living, and community housing stability

4. Streamlining permitting and licensing processes to support efficient, timely building construction
Focus areas: fast-track permitting and licensing system, clear development process guidance, improved interdepartmental coordination, predictable project review timelines

• El Paso resident respondents report a higher sense of overall safety (63%) than both the cohort (55%) and national averages (62%)

• While most residents in El Paso are satisfied with the overall sense of safety, perceptions of safety vary across demographic groups

• Older residents are more likely to rate safety positively (68%) as compared to younger respondents (58%)

1. Recruiting and retaining first responders
Focus areas: Support responder wellbeing, maintain reliable emergency response, and reduce staff turnover

2. Investing in community safety programs, training, and equipments
Focus areas: Keep responders prepared and ready, use data to guide safety efforts

3. Focusing on key transportation planning and traffic management
Focus areas: Improve lighting for safer streets, increase traffic safety awareness, work with community safety partners

• Residents care most about the infrastructure that improves everyday access—safe and clean streets + spaces to gather

• Satisfaction with the condition of streets (31%) emerged as a key opportunity

• Respondents said they wanted to see El Paso invest in more community spaces such as parks (29% of labeled responses) and better mobility and transportation (19% of labeled responses)

• People want easier ways to move and interact across the city

1. Expanding street maintenance and roadway improvements
Focus areas: Fix the streets that need it most, maintain streets and infrastructure regularly, funding alternatives, capacity to implement

2. Enhancing community pride through cleanliness, maintenance, and beautification of public spacess
Focus areas: Maintain what we have first (i.e., facilities, standard of care), work with neighborhoods to improve spaces and keep areas clean, share information on how residents can help (provide visual access/tools)

3. Facilitating easier and safer movement for people of all ages and abilities
Focus areas: Improve safe travel options/convenience for everyone, partner with schools and communities on safety

• Quality of life acts as an integrating pillar that ties together opportunity, safety, infrastructure, and sense of belonging

• The majority of residents are satisfied with their quality of life, with 60% being positive (above the cohort average of 59%), and only 11% showing negative sentiment

• Sense of community (53%) and acceptance of residents from all backgrounds (65% vs. 60% cohort average) emerged as key strategic strengths

1. Spotlighting current community offerings and amenities that invite discovery, enjoyment, and connection
Focus areas: Promote awareness of local amenities, maintain welcoming public spaces, improve community program communication and wayfinding, complete the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, climate and sustainability

2. Making essential human services easier to access and navigate
Focus areas: Strengthen service delivery partnerships, meet residents where they are (underserved), expand education and prevention resources (public health navigation and outreach)

3. Encouraging gathering, recreation, and cultural expression across neighborhoods by continuing to build experiences
Focus areas: Support neighborhood-based activities, encourage youth involvement (i.e. UNICEF USA Child Friendly City Initiative), use feedback to improve experiences

• Residents expect responsive leadership that listens and communicates clearly

• Community pride and resilience are strong themes

• Engagement is valued not as a one-time input, but as an ongoing relationship

• Timely responses to resident concerns and service requests

• See themselves as stewards of El Paso's identity—don't just work for the City; they are personally invested

• Streets, infrastructure, and basics matter and are interpreted as a signal of care

1. Creating clear, accessible communication pathways for community input and engagement
Focus areas: Make it easier to share input, follow up with residents, use clear and simple language, broaden collaboration with Council District Offices, engage youth in social media approach

2. Sharing a visible sense of progress and meaningful wins that convey the value and overall quality of services provided
Focus areas: Clearly show community progress, be transparent about services, communicate service expectations

3. Identify and implement sustainable fiscal opportunities to support community priorities
Focus areas: Work together (internal and external channels) to improve efficiency and long-term financial stability