By City Manager Ken Striplin
Listening to residents is important—but acting on what we hear is what truly makes a difference. In Santa Clarita, community feedback doesn’t sit on a shelf. It helps shape the City’s priorities, guides our investments and influences the decisions that impact residents every day.
Every two years, the City conducts a comprehensive Public Opinion Poll to better understand what matters most to the people who call Santa Clarita home. This year’s survey of 1,194 registered voters provides more than statistics—it provides direction. It helps ensure that the decisions we make, the projects we prioritize and the dollars we invest reflect the needs and expectations of our community.
The results are encouraging. Residents continue to rate Santa Clarita as one of the best places to live, raise a family and enjoy a high quality of life. That doesn’t happen by accident. Under the leadership of our City Council, it is the result of decades of thoughtful planning, sound financial management and a commitment to investing in the things that matter most.
The survey also confirmed that our top priorities are your top priorities: traffic, growth and public safety.
Those priorities are reflected throughout the City’s work. We continue investing in major roadway improvements, including the Dockweiler Drive Extension, Via Princessa Extension and intersection enhancements that improve traffic flow and prepare our community for the future. At the same time, we remain committed to maintaining Santa Clarita’s reputation as one of the safest cities in the nation through strong partnerships with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Listening to residents also means continuing to invest in the quality of life that makes Santa Clarita unique. From the opening of The Rink Sports Pavilion and improvements at David March Park to the Haskell Canyon Bike Park, future Via Princessa Park and enhancements to Newhall Park, we are creating amenities that families will enjoy for generations.
The survey also reinforces something we value deeply—trust. Residents continue to place greater trust in the City than in federal, state or county government, and those who interacted with City staff overwhelmingly described them as professional, accessible and helpful. That trust is earned every day through transparency, fiscal responsibility and exceptional customer service.
While the Public Opinion Poll is an important tool, it is just one way we listen. Whether it’s through community meetings, social media, neighborhood conversations or everyday interactions with staff, resident feedback continues to shape the future of Santa Clarita.
Our goal has never been to simply hear what residents have to say. It’s to act on it. When your priorities become our priorities, we build a stronger and safer community together.
To view the complete 2026 Public Opinion Poll results, visit SantaClarita.gov/PublicOpinionPoll.
Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.gov.
