The New York City Social Indicators Survey examines New York City's social climate, surveying a representative sample of families regarding their perceptions of life in the city and indicators of their quality of life and experiences of hardship. The 1999 survey examined the period between 1997-1999, a time of strong economic performance and substantial change in welfare, health care, and other public policies. During this period, life improved on many dimensions. More families had some financial assets and at least moderate affluence, more considered their neighborhoods good and safe, fewer were crime victims, and more were satisfied with life in the city and city services. The diversity of the residents of New York City continued to increase, with the foreign-born population growing by 12 percent. There was little improvement on indicators of distress and disadvantage. Disparities between the "haves" and "have nots" remained wide. Families who were poor, headed by an immigrant, or with children continued to lag their more advantaged counterparts. The gap between rich and poor narrowed on certain dimensions (e.g., crime and neighborhood satisfaction) but grew on indicators of wealth, financial hardship, and satisfaction with the city. The economic situation of the poorest New Yorkers did not greatly improve between 1997 and 1999. The proportion of families at or below 150 percent of the poverty line remained the same, and more families reported hunger and difficulty in paying their utilities. The gap between immigrants and non-immigrants and between families with and without children grew on most social indicators. Data tables and methodology are appended. (SM)