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CDBG Resident Housing SurveyOctober 20, 2011 MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor De Weerd and City Council FROM: Lori Den Hartog CC: Pete Friedman Caleb Hood RE: CDBG Resident Housing and Community Survey Background and Purpose of Survey The City of Meridian is initiating two reports related to the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). Both reports are required in order for the City to continue to receive CDBG funding. The first is the Consolidated Plan which is a five year strategic plan that outlines the needs and priorities of the City and how the City will expend its CDBG funds to address those needs. The second is an Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing Choice. Each year with the City's CDBG Action Plan, the City certifies that it will affirmatively further fair housing. The AI identifies any existing barriers to fair housing and proposes action items for addressing those barriers or concerns. This plan is an important component of demonstrating to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that the City will affirmatively further fair housing. In addition, the City can learn how best to promote and ensure fair housing within the community. Public outreach and public input are critical to developing the two reports, and for that reason a Resident Housing and Community Survey has been developed in order to learn more about our community and the issues that are important to our residents. The City has contracted with BBC Research and Consulting for the preparation of the two reports identified above, as well as the survey. BBC has extensive experience preparing Consolidated Plans and AI's for HUD. Most recently BBC conducted the Statewide AI study for the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA). The questions in the attached survey related to fair housing are the same as those used in the statewide study so that the City can compare the local data with the statewide data. The questions in the survey related to housing will help with the preparation of two critical sections within the Consolidated Plan-the Housing Market Analysis and the Housing and Homeless Needs Assessment. The data provided by the survey will be cross tabulated and compared with data available from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2010 Census. In previous years the census provided much of the needed data for the housing components of a city's consolidated plan. However, because the content of the 2010 census was significantly scaled back, much of the data is no longer available to the extent that it was in 2000. The Census Bureau intends that the ACS will fill in that gap for communities; however, the data has been slow to be released and not complete in all circumstances. Unlike the Census data, which is an actual count, the ACS data is an estimate based on a statistically valid sample of the population. Therefore, by conducting our own community-specific survey we have Planning Department ®33 E. Broadway Avenue Meridian, ID 83642 Phone zo8-8845533 Fax zo8-888-6854 ®www.meridiancity.org Page 2 the opportunity to compare the information we do have from the ACS with the data derived from the local survey. In addition, the local survey serves as one of the tools to reach out to the public and seek input on the development of the City's CDBG plan. Lastly, the section in the survey related to Housing and Community Needs (Question 25) will help the City understand how its citizens rate and prioritize the needs within the community. The housing market analysis and the housing needs assessment when combined with the community ratings will establish the basis for assigning priorities for the CDBG five-year plan. Target Audience The target audience for the survey is all residents within the City. Extra outreach will be done to contact low to moderate income persons because they are a challenging segment of the population to reach; yet they are the primary customers for the HUD sponsored programs and are most susceptible to housing discrimination. While CDBG funds are to be expended predominately for the benefit of low to moderate income individuals and households, all residents of the city regardless of income level can and should be involved in the ratings of needs and the establishment of priorities for these fund expenditures. Based on census information, we know where there is a concentration of low to moderate income households, but that does not mean those areas of concentration are the only locations in which low to moderate income households reside within the community. Therefore, the outreach strategy, as identified below, uses multiple means to reach as many residents as possible. Outreach Strategy and Cost The survey portion of the contract with BBC is for $2,000. The survey can be taken either with a paper version or a web based version of the survey on Survey Monkey. The survey is intended to be advertised and distributed in the following ways: ® In a press release to local news outlets. ® On the City's website (main page and CDBG page) with the web link to the survey. ® In the December City News publication with the web link to the survey. ® In an announcement on the City's Facebook and Twitter accounts with the web link to the survey. ® With a tagline and survey web link on the second November and first December utility billings. ® In e-mail notifications to Homeowner's Associations with a web link to the survey and a request to distribute to members of their HOA. ® In locations within City Hall with paper copies and pre-paid business reply envelopes. o Planning Department o City Clerk's Office o Utility Billing Office ® In locations throughout the City with paper copies and pre-paid business reply envelopes. o Meridian Food Bank o Meridian Senior Center o Meridian Elementary School o Meridian Library o Meridian Community Center In addition to the Resident Survey, BBC also prepared astakeholder/advocate survey. That survey was intended for persons and/or organizations directly providing services to those in need within our community. The survey was distributed to approximately 30 stakeholders with a request to inform and distribute the Resident Survey to their clients who live in Meridian. Stakeholders included all of the City's past and current CDBG sub-recipients as well as, lenders, healthcare providers, housing coordinators, and fair housing advocates. The consultant has indicated that a response rate of between 50 and 100 surveys is acceptable. Timeline The survey is set to begin on November 14 and run for approximately one month. Page 3 Council Feedback Staff is seeking feedback from Council regarding the proposed survey. Is the Council in agreement or does the Council have any recommendations with regards to the following items as presented: 1. Survey Questions 2. Survey Outreach Strategy 3. Survey Timeline ~. The City of Meridian has partnered with BBC Research and Consulting for the preparation of two important reports-the Consolidated Plan and the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The information gathered will help to better understand the housing and community development needs in Meridian. Both reports need to be completed in order to receive federal funding for housing and community development. The City has used this federal funding over the past four years to assist many community partners including the Meridian Food Bank, the Meridian Senior Center, and the Meridian Boys and Girls Club. These funds have also been used for park improvements, sewer and water line improvements, and pathway improvements in Meridian's downtown. In addition, the housing funding has been used to assist qualifying low to moderate income households with the purchase of a home in Meridian. Your response to this survey will help shape the plan on how the City sets its priorities for the expenditure of these community funds over the next five years. The survey should take you between 5-7 minutes to complete, and your response will be confidential and only used with all other responses. These reports will be released in the summer of 2012. If you have questions about the survey or the study, please contact: Heidi Aggeler with BBC Research and Consulting at 1-800-748-3222, x256 or aggeler@bbcresearch.com; or Lori Den Hartog with the City of Meridian at 208-884-5533 or Idenhartog@meridiancity.org. ~~.I~~~ o~,~i'~~; ~ ~~. i.f:~~~ ~.,., 1. In general, how satisfied or dissatisfied would you say that you are with your home, on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates "Extremely dissatisfied" and 9 indicates "Extremely satisfied"? Extremely dissatisfied Dissatisfied Satisfied Extremely satisfied 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ® ® ^ ^ ® ^ ^ ^ 2. If you answered "0" to "3" in question 1, why are you dissatisfied with your home? (List up to 3 reasons below) 1. 2. 3. 3. Which of the following best describes the type of home that serves as your primary residence? ® Apartment ® Mobile or manufactured home ® Townhome/duplex ® Single family home ® RV home or camper ® Other (please specify): ® Condominium CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY PAGE 1 4. If you could change one thing about your current living situation, what would it be? ® I wouldn't change anything about my current living situation. ® I currently rent, but would like to buy. ® I would live in a different part of Meridian, which is ® I own a home, and would like to sell. ® I would like to live in a different community other than Meridian, which is ® Other (please specify): 5. Do you currently rent or own your home? ® Rent ® Own ® Other (please specify): __ _ _ _ . _ ~ik~~iilri~llFt~r~l c ^'illt i l,l;'I~, If you are a renter, skip to question 9. 6. When was your home built? ® Between 2000 and 2011 ® Between 1980 and 1999 ® Between 1960 and 1979 ® Between 1940 and 1959 ® 1939 or earlier ® I don't know 7. How concerned are you about your home going into foreclosure on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates "Not at all concerned" and 9 indicates "Extremely concerned"? Not at all concerned Somewhat concerned Concerned Extremely concerned 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® ® 8. How much are your household's monthly housing costs (including mortgage, principal, interest, mortgage insurance and HOA fees)? ® Less than $1,000 ® $3,000 to less than $3,500 ® $1,000 to less than $1,500 ® $3,500 to less than $4,000 ® $1,500 to less than $2,000 ® Greater than $4,000 ® $2,500 to less than $3,000 ® My household does not have a mortgage ~ _ _ _ __ I ~, .o,~d1 ~~~I°~~;i~l., If you are a horneowner, skip to question 15. 9. How long did it take you to find your current rental unit? ® Less than 1 month ® Between 4 months and less than 6 months ® Between 1 month and less than 2 months ® 6 months or more ® Between 2 months and less than 4 months PAGE 2 CITY Of MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY 10. How difficult or easy was it for you to find an affordable rental unit in Meridian on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates "Extremely difficult" and 9 indicates "Extremely easy"? Extremely Extremely difficult Difficult Easy easy ____ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ® ® ® ^ ^ ® ® ^ 11. If you answered "0" to "3" in question 10, which of the following reasons made it difficult for you to find an affordable rental unit in Meridian? Please select all that apply. ® Very few available rental units were ® Landlords were not interested in renting in my price range. their units to me. ® Available rental units that were ® Other (please specify): affordable were in poor condition. 12. How much does your household pay each month in rent? ® I don't know ® Cost per month (please specify): $ 13. How interested are you in buying a home in Meridian, on a scale from 0 to 9, where 0 indicates "Not at all interested" and 9 indicates "Extremely interested"? Not at all Somewhat Extremely interested interested Interested interested 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 14. If you have interest in buying a home, why haven't you purchased a home in Meridian? Please select all that apply. ® I do not have enough money fora ® I cannot find something I want to buy. downpayment. ® I plan to move to another city. ® I cannot afford a mortgage. ® Other (please specify): ® I cannot afford maintenance costs associated with home ownership. ® I have poor credit. __ 15. Are there necessary repairs that you (if homeowner) or your landlord ® Yes (if renter) have not made to your home? ® No 16. Are any of the necessary repairs so significant that they make your ® Yes home unlivable? ® No 17. Please use the space below to describe the needed repairs that make your home unlivable. CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY PAGE 3 18. About how much does your household pay each month for utilities (including water/sewer, electric and gas)? ® Less than $100 ® $600 to less than $750 ® $100 to less than $250 ® $750 to less than $1,000 ® $250 to less than $400 ® More than $1,000 ® $400 to less than $600 19. Do you or any members of your household have a mental or physical disability? ® Yes, mental disability ® Yes, both mental and physical disability ® Yes, physical disability ® No (Skip to question 21) 20. Does your current home meet the needs of the disabled members of your household? ® Yes ® No (please explain): 21. Suppose you or someone you knew thought they'd been discriminated against in trying to find a place to rent or a house to buy... 21 a. What would you do or recommend? ® Nothing ® I don't know ® File a complaint ® Call/see ACLU ® Call/see the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority ® Call/see the Better Business Bureau ® Call/see church/priest/pastor ® Call/see the District Attorney ® Call/see/get a lawyer ® Call/see Community Legal Services ® Other (specify): 21 b. If you ever felt you were discriminated against and wanted to report it, do you know who you would contact? ® No, I don't know ® Yes, I would contact: 22. Have you ever experienced housing discrimination? ® Yes ® No (skip to question 23) ® Don't know PAGE 4 CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY 22a. Why do you feel you were discriminated against? ® I'm African American/Hispanic/ Asian/ American Indian/not white ® I'm a student ® Because of gender ® I have children ® I'm gay/lesbian/bisexual/ transgendered ® I'm physically disabled ® I'm poor/I couldn't afford it ® I'm mentally/developmentally disabled ® I have bad credit/bankruptcy/debts ® I'm not a United States citizen/don't have a greencard/don't have a social security number ® My religion/I'm Christian/Jewish/ Muslim/Buddhist/Atheist ® I have HIV/AIDS ® I'm on Section 8/receive government assistance for housing ® Other (specify): ® My partner/girlfriend/boyfriend and I are not married 22b. What did you do about the discrimination? ® Don't know/can't remember ® Nothing ® Talked to a lawyer/ Community Legal Services ACLU ® Called a community organization ® Called the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authority ® Called local government official/ mayor's office/city council ® Tried to get information to complain and couldn'tfind any ® Called the local Fair Housing Council ® Filed a complaint 22c. What happened that made you feel discriminated against? 23. If you wanted to Know more about your fair housing rights, how would you get information? f~lease select all that apply. ® HUD website ® Internet search ® Housing Authority ® City of Meridian website ® Call City Council or Mayor ® Call a lawyer, ACLU, or Legal Aid ® TV ® Radio ® Library ® Real estate offices or realtors ® Don't know ® Other (please specify): CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY PAGE S ~~,ii!~tl.~. r.,~~, ,! rnridl~;j, ~ 'r7~ 24. Please consider the needs in your neighborhood and the City and how they can be improved. Rate the need level for eac h of the foll owing items using a s cale of 0 to 9; "0" indicates the lowest need, and "9 " indicates the h ighes t need. Lowest Highest Need Need Comrnunity Facilities 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Senior Centers © © ^ ® ^ a ® ^ ® ^ Youth Centers ® ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Child Care Centers ^ (,] ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Park & Recreational Facilities ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Health Care Facilities ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Community Centers ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ fire Stations St Equipment ® ® ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Libraries © ^ ^ ^ ® © © ^ ^ ^ Infrastructure 0 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 9 prainage Improvement. ^ ^ ^ ^ [~ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Water/Sewer Improvement ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Street/Alley Improvement ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Street Lighting ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ :Sidewalk Improvements ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ADA Improvements (e.g., curb cuts) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Centers/Services for Disabled ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Accessibility Improvements ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ® ^ ^ Domestic Violence Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Substance Abuse Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Homeless Shelter's/Services. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ HIV/AIDS Centers & Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Neglected/Abused Children Centecand Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Family Self-Sufficiency Service ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Comrnunity Services 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 SeniorActivities ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ © ® ^ ^ ^ Youth Activities ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Child Care Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Public Transportation Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ PAGE 6 CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY 24. Please consider the needs in your neighborhood and the City...(continued) Lowest Highest Need Need Community Services (con[~inued) O 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 8 9 Anti-Crime Programs ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ® ^ ^ ^ ^ Health Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Mental Health Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Legal Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Neighborhood Services 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Tree Planting ^ ® © ^ © ^ ^ ^ (,~ [~ Trash bt Debris Removal ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ .Graffiti Removal ^ ` ^ ` ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Code Enforcement ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Parking Facilities ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Cleanup of Abandoned Lots and Buildings ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Businesses Si Jobs 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 .Start-up Business Assistance ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Small Business Loans ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Job Creation/Retention ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Employment Training ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Fa4ade Improvements ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Business Mentoring ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Commercial/Mdustria! RehabilEtation ^ ® ® © ^ ^ ^ ® ^ ^ Housing 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Accessibility/ADA Improvements ^ ® ^ f j [] ^ ® ^ ^ ^ Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Rental Housing Rehabilitation ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ; ^ Homeownership Assistance ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 'Affordable Rental Housing ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ '^ ^ ^ `; ^ '. Housing for Disabled ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Senior Housing ^ ^ ® ^ ^ ' ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Housing for Large Families ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ fair Housing Services ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Lead-Based Paint Test/Abatement ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Energy Efficient Improvements ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ - ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Housing for Foster Youth ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY PAGE 7 i 25. Which of these areas best describes where you currently live in Meridian? ^ North Meridian -north of Fairview Avenue/Cherry Lane ^ South Meridian -south of the Interstate ^ Downtown/Central Meridian -between Locust Grove Road and Linder Road ^ Other (please specify): 26. Which of the following categories best represents your age? ^ Under 18 years old ^ Between 45 and 54 years old ^ Between 18 and 24 years old ^ Between 55 and 64 years old ^ Between 25 and 34 years old ^ Between 65 and 74 years old ^ Between 35 and 44 years old ^ 75 years old or older 27. What was your estimated total household income for 2010? ^ Less than $15,000 ^ $15,000 to less than $25,000 ^ $25,000 to less than $35,000 ^ $35,000 to less than $50,000 ^ $50,000 to less than $75,000 ^ $75,000 to less than $100,000 ^ $100,000 or more ^ I prefer not to respond 28. How many people are in your household? total people 29. Which race/ethnic group most closely describes you? Please select all that apply. ^ American Indian/Native American ^ Asian ^ Black or African American ^ Caucasian/White 30. What is the language most commonly spoken in your home? ^ Hispanic/Latino ^ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander ^ Other (please specify): ^ English ^ Spanish ^ Other (please specify): Thank you for participating in this survey! If you have any questions about the survey, please eontact Heidi Aggeler at aggeler@bbcresearch.com or 303-321-2547 (x 256). PAGE 8 CITY OF MERIDIAN RESIDENT HOUSING SURVEY ~~ i~~ Resident Survey Introduction OCT 2 5 2011 C I TY Q F C`.~s nrniv The City of Meridian has partnered with BBC Research and Consulting for thelTM CLERKS OFFICE preparation of two important reports-the Consolidated Plan and the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The information gathered will help to better understand the housing and community development needs in Meridian. Both reports need to be completed in order to receive federal funding for housing and commuty development. The City has used this federal funding over the past four years to assist many community partners including the Meridian Food Bank, the Meridian Senior Center, and the Meridian Boys and Girls Club. These funds have also been used for park improvements, sewer and water line replacement, and pathway projects in Meridian's downtown. In addition, funding has been available to increase home ownership in Meridian. Your response to this survey will help shape the plan on how the City sets its priorities for the expenditure of these community funds over the next five years. The survey should take you between 5-7 minutes to complete, and your response will be confidential and only used with all other responses. These reports will be released in the summer of 2012. If you have questions about the survey or the study, please contact Heidi Aggeler with BBC Research and Consulting at 1-800-748-3222, x256 or a~~eler(cr~,bbcresearch.com or Lori Den Hartog with the City of Meridian at 208-884-5533 or ldenharto~(a~meridianci , .org.