We Asked, You Said

Community input is important to us. It not only helps us understand the challenges we face as a community, but our areas of strength as well. Below you'll find input we've received and where it has spurred action in our community. You can also see the questions we asked.

See more survey data

Assets

A community asset is anything that can be used to improve the quality of life in a community. We asked, "In your neighborhood, what makes it easier to stay healthy?" Key themes included:

Walking Paths

In the areas that had them, residents appreciated sidewalks for walking, open space, and green views

Community Spaces

Where available, residents applauded the community and senior centers that made them feel connected and engaged.

Healthy Food & Farmers Markets

For some respondents, proximity to healthy foods at grocery stores and farmers markets made it easy to be healthy.

Friendly Neighbors

Respondents noted friendly people, great neighbors and proximity to friends enriched their quality of life.

“I have the ability to walk to work along the walking path that's parallel to the train tracks, which has made a tremendous impact on my mental health each day. I wish this for everyone."

Challenges

Challenges are aspects of our community that we can work to improve. We asked, "In your neighborhood, what makes it harder to stay healthy?" Key themes included:

Lack of providers

Residents noted struggles to access primary, mental health and dental care, with lengthy wait times even if they could find an opening.

Dark, high-speed roads and inconsistent sidewalks

Residents noted concerns around safety on streets that didn't feel built for pedestrians.

High housing costs

Respondents reported long-standing difficulties with affordable housing, with pervasive stress around the issue even if they were currently housed.

Isolation

Residents noted the need for community spaces and regular meetups and activities for all age groups.

“Many streets are very dark in the evening or nighttime, limiting outdoor activity to daylight hours. This makes it very hard to get outside because I work full time and leave at dawn, come home at dusk for most of the year."

What Changed

This input drives the priorities in SLO County's Community Health Improvement Plan — a strategic plan around health in our community. This plan acts as a roadmap for how the Public Health Department and community partners will work together to improve community health in the coming years.

See the new plan here and the success stories that have come out of it.

We asked, You Said

Assets​

Challenges​

Assets

Challenges