New UH poll shows where Houstonians agree and disagree about the city

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As Houston city leaders debate next year's budget, many are wondering: What do Houstonians really want?

A new poll from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs asks Houstonians to name the top three problems our city is facing.

At the top of the list, 49% of respondents said they were concerned about roads and streets in bad condition.

• 41% listed crime.
• 37% traffic.
• 31% listed the high cost of housing.

As for quality of life, 41% of Houstonians think it's gotten worse over the past year, 12% think it's gotten better, and 47% think it's the same.

When it comes to our top elected officials, 59% of Houstonians approve of Houston Mayor John Whitmire, but 41% disapprove.

There are no real gender differences in his approval rating, but white Houstonians are significantly more likely than Latinos or Black to approve of the mayor's job performance. Republicans and Houstonians aged 55 or older are more likely to approve of Whitmire than Democrats and younger people.

As for County Judge Lina Hidalgo, 55% of Houstonians approve of her, and 45% disapprove.

In this case, women are significantly more likely to support her than men, and Black Houstonians are more likely to approve of her job performance than both Latino and white Houstonians.

More than six times as many Democrats as Republicans approve of Hidalgo, but there was no real disparity in age.

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