Oakland residents optimistic about city's direction, according to survey

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland voters said they are optimistic about the direction of the city and city's economy, a chamber of commerce survey released Friday said.

More than 65 percent of voters said the city is heading in the right direction, up sharply from last year, the survey said.

Voters feel safer in the city than they did last year and the city's economy is better than last year, according to the survey results.

Crime is still the biggest challenge in Oakland, the survey results show. But voters said city officials have made progress in addressing crime, according to the survey results.

Voters also approve of the work Mayor Libby Schaaf is doing. More than two-thirds of voters said she is doing a good job and a majority would vote for her again, according to the survey.

The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 4.8 percentage points and was conducted by EMC Research.