ABSTRACT
We document the level of trust that Flint, Michigan residents had in their local and state governments during the water crisis, a series of government failures that resulted in lead and other contaminants in the city’s water system. We then compare residents’ level of trust to that of nonresidents and use regression analyses to test whether a lack of trust in government predicts the extent to which Flint residents are considering leaving the city. Lastly, we use content analysis to explore measures to restore residents’ trust. We find that trust in government is very low, a lack of trust predicts considering leaving, and it will be difficult for policymakers to restore trust. Distrust in government matters because it could hinder future planning and recovery efforts and contribute to additional population losses.
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. Greg Rybarczyk for his contributions to the survey instrument used in this study. We also thank the student research assistants from the University of Michigan–Flint who called study participants and entered the mailed survey data.
Additional information
Funding
This study was partially funded by a water crisis research grant from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor’s Office of the Provost.
Notes on contributors
Victoria Morckel
Victoria Morckel is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning at the Flint campus of the University of Michigan. Her research interests and expertise include community development and planning for population loss, particularly in the area of vacant and abandoned housing. Her research broadly considers ways to improve the quality of life for people living in legacy/shrinking cities in the United States.Kathryn Terzano
Kathryn Terzano is a lecturer in the Leadership and Interdisciplinary Studies program at Arizona State University. She is an urbanist with research and teaching interests in sustainability, social justice, and leadership. In her work, she draws on the theoretical perspectives of advocacy planning and community-based planning.
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