Best questions for citizen survey about downtown revitalization

Here are some of the best questions for a citizen survey about downtown revitalization—plus expert tips to craft questions that spark meaningful feedback. We can help you generate a high-impact conversational survey in seconds with Specific.

The best open-ended questions for your downtown revitalization survey

Open-ended questions unlock rich, detailed feedback you wouldn’t get from multiple-choice alone. They’re especially useful when we’re aiming to understand local perspectives, discover unmet needs, or invite creative ideas about downtown revitalization. When you want people’s stories or nuanced opinions, these questions deliver.

With downtowns making up just 3% of citywide land but generating 31% of citywide tax revenue, the stakes are real: quality input guides decisions that shape our communities and economic impact. [1]

1. What do you value most about our downtown area today?

2. Can you describe a recent downtown experience that stood out to you (positive or negative)?

3. What changes or improvements would most encourage you to visit downtown more often?

4. What businesses or amenities do you wish downtown had?

5. How do you think downtown revitalization could impact your daily life or neighborhood?

6. What concerns, if any, come to mind about ongoing or proposed downtown changes?

7. How safe do you feel in the downtown area, and what would improve that?

8. What makes downtown a unique or special place compared to other parts of the city?

9. How accessible is downtown for you (transportation, walkability, etc.)? What would help?

10. If you could share one message with city leaders about revitalizing downtown, what would it be?

The best single-select multiple-choice questions for a citizen downtown survey

Single-select multiple-choice questions are perfect when we want to quantify opinions easily or break the ice—sometimes picking from a list is less intimidating than typing out a story. This structure also helps us spot trends quickly and kick off deeper conversations with follow-ups.

Question: How often do you visit downtown for leisure or non-work reasons?

• Weekly or more

• Once or twice a month

• Rarely

• Never

Question: Which aspect of downtown needs the most improvement in your view?

• Cleanliness and safety

• Parks and public spaces

• Dining and retail options

• Public transportation

• Other

Question: How satisfied are you with recent downtown revitalization projects?

• Very satisfied

• Somewhat satisfied

• Not satisfied

• Unsure

When to followup with "why?" If you want to dig deeper—for instance, someone selects “Not satisfied” about downtown projects—following up with “Why do you feel this way?” opens the door for details you can act on, not just surface-level numbers.

When and why to add the "Other" choice? Including “Other” encourages people to share experiences or ideas that don’t fit neat categories. Smart follow-up questions can then uncover unique insights your team may not have considered—and that’s often where you’ll find your next best idea.

Should you use NPS-style questions for citizen engagement?

Net Promoter Score (NPS) asks respondents how likely they are to recommend something—in this case, your downtown—to others. While typically used by businesses, NPS can reveal overall public sentiment about revitalization. In Seattle, 85% of citizens stated that downtown revitalization is crucial for city well-being, with 72% reporting positive experiences downtown—a signal that positive sentiment translates to support. [2]

When we include NPS in a citizen survey, we get an instantly comparable metric that tracks over time—are your revitalization initiatives working? You can create a ready-to-use NPS-style survey in moments with Specific.

The power of follow-up questions

Unlocking deeper, richer context is where follow-up questions shine. We built Specific to ask smart, automatic follow-ups just like an expert interviewer. This approach goes far beyond what traditional surveys offer, ensuring we collect detail and clarity—not just quick answers.

Automated followups save you time chasing clarifications by email or phone, and transform a survey into a dynamic, natural conversation—so respondents open up more. Let’s compare:

• Citizen: “I feel unsafe downtown in the evenings.”

• AI follow-up: “Can you describe what makes you feel unsafe? Are there specific areas or situations you’re concerned about?”

Without that follow-up, “I feel unsafe” could mean anything from lighting issues to noisy crowds. Followups close the loop and guide respondents to expand on their thoughts.

How many followups to ask? Usually, two or three follow-up questions are enough. With Specific, you can set when AI should stop (for instance, after the main information is captured) so surveys don’t drag on. Respondents can skip ahead when ready—efficient and respectful of their time.

This makes it a conversational survey: Instead of filling in cold forms, people feel like they’re chatting with someone who really listens. That connection means better quality insight for you.

Easy AI-powered analysis: Even with a lot of unstructured text, AI analysis makes it easy to turn responses into key insights—no manual sifting, just ask the AI what you want to know.

Seeing how powerful automated follow-ups can be, I always encourage people to try creating their own survey and experience the difference for themselves!

How to compose prompts for AI to generate better survey questions

Prompting AI tools like ChatGPT can make brainstorming survey questions far easier—but you’ll get far better results with the right input. Here’s how I do it:

Start with a basic prompt to get ideas:

Suggest 10 open-ended questions for Citizen survey about Downtown Revitalization.

But more context delivers better, more relevant results. For example, tell the AI a bit about your city, the goals of revitalization, and who your audience is:

Our city is launching a downtown revitalization effort focused on public spaces and small business growth. Please suggest 10 open-ended questions for a Citizen survey aimed at capturing residents’ aspirations, concerns, and ideas.

Once you have a list, prompt the AI to organize those questions by theme or category:

Look at the questions and categorize them. Output categories with the questions under them.

Then pick the areas you want to explore. Suppose one theme is “Transportation access”—ask:

Generate 10 questions for categories Transportation access, Community events, and Public safety.

This process helps narrow your focus and ensures you surface questions that get to the heart of what matters most to citizens.

What is a conversational survey—and why it’s a game-changer

A conversational survey feels like an interactive chat—not a cold, rigid form. This format is proven to drive better engagement (and honesty!) because people are used to messaging apps and real conversations. The true magic is in AI follow-ups: if someone’s answer is unclear or interesting, the survey asks for more, exactly as a human researcher would.

Let’s break down the differences:

Why use AI for citizen surveys? Old-fashioned surveys limit what you learn because they don’t adapt on the fly. With AI, like in Specific’s survey builder, question wording, follow-up depth, and analysis are all tailored for real humans. The end result: higher participation, deeper feedback, and less busywork for researchers or city managers.

Whether you want an AI survey example to test, or need a ready-to-use template, Specific offers the best-in-class experience for both creators and citizens. Engaging feedback processes are crucial when you’re asking people to help shape the future of downtown.

See more tips on how to create a citizen survey that's conversational and effective.

See this downtown revitalization survey example now

Get inspired by effective, ready-to-use downtown revitalization survey questions that citizens actually want to answer. Create a conversational survey that captures honest input, uncovers hidden insights, and helps your revitalization project succeed.