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Survey Hopes To Reveal Why People Leave Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- There's a new survey that will hopefully determine why people remain in the city or move. 

Suzanne Collins reports the mayor wants that information and two PR firms are doing the work for free.

The owner of Soft and Cozy Baby in Hampden lives in Northwest Baltimore with her husband and child and never expects to leave the city.

"We walk to synagogue Saturday and we have to be within walking distance.  My brother and sister-in-law live next door and my parents are about a mile away," said Bayla Berkowitz.

The Orthodox Jewish community in Baltimore is a close community that remains stable.  But what are the reasons people stay or go from other Baltimore neighborhoods?

"I need to live in the city because I'm a designer.  I like the vitality of the city.  Plus, I'm a huge music fan," said Mick Ricereto.

The mayor is currently looking for participants for focus groups, especially college graduates, people who recently moved, singles that married, had a child and left, and real estate agents.  One thing the mayor's office would like to know about is the perception that young couples living in hot neighborhoods like Federal Hill or Canton move when they have children and, if that is true, has it changed since Baltimore City schools have improved.

The mayor also wonders if improved crime rates are changing attitudes.

The survey results are due in April.

The focus groups are being conducted for free by the Planit Agency and another marketing firm called GKU.  You can learn more here.

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