hope 6 neighborhood

Zaheeda Darvesh

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, MUP-1

Community Needs Assessment for Hope VI Neighborhood in Rockford, IL

Hope VI Neighborhood, Rockford, IL

UP 508- Survey Design and Analysis

Zaheeda Darvesh


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Zaheeda Darvesh

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, MUP-1 3

ContentHistory of the Hope VI Neighborhood Area..................................................................................Pg 4Purpose and Information related to the of the Community Needs Assessment for Hope VI Neighborhood........................................................................................................................Pg 5Demographic and Socioeconomic Data..........................................................................................Pg 7

Racial/Ethnic composition and Population......................................................................................Pg 7•Age Pyramid...................................................................................................................................................Pg 9•Household and Housing characteristics ...........................................................................................Pg 11•Property Values............................................................................................................................................Pg 12•Employment by Age and Education.....................................................................................................Pg 13•Crime Data......................................................................................................................................................Pg 14•

Data Collection Methodology -Surveys and Focus groups.......................................................Pg 16Project Timeline....................................................................................................................................Pg 19Research Expense Budget..................................................................................................................Pg 21Data Analysis..........................................................................................................................................Pg 22Ethical, Confidentiality, Design, and Validity Issues .................................................................Pg 23Materials and Tools..............................................................................................................................Pg 24

Press and Radio Release...........................................................................................................................Pg 24•Community Needs Assessment Survey...............................................................................................Pg 25•Focus Group Questionnaire and Invitation Letter.........................................................................Pg 32•

References...............................................................................................................................................Pg 35



Zaheeda Darvesh


1- (City of Rockford, Illinois. 2013)

History of the Hope VI Neighborhood Area The Hope VI neighborhood falls under the “West End” section of Rockford, IL. It is bounded by the W. State Street to its North,S.SpringfieldStreetandS.PierpontAvenuetoitWestandEast respectively and Liberty Street to its South. Till the mid-1950s, the City of Rockford displayed a concentric pattern of development in which the downtown area formed the primary source of development. The West End was located beyond this concentric pattern and hence was associated with scattered and irregular development. It wasn’t until 2005, that all the land within the Hope VI neighborhood was incorporated within city limits. West State St. which forms the northern edge of the Hope VI neighborhood, acts as a major spatial bifurcation point here, as development on either of the State Street represents two differentstories.EastStateStreetisassociatedwithburgeoningcommercial and residential development while West State Street is a sight of rising crime rates and abandoned and deteriorated developments.

The 1970s saw the development of two subsidized public housing projects- Champion Park built by the Winnebago County Housing Authority in 1967 and the Concord Common apartments built by the Rockford Housing Development Corporation. These developments comprised of minority and low income households segregated by surrounding single family homes by their character and physical barriers such as fencing, surrounding vacant land and dense foliage.1 Use of funds from the Community Development Block Grant funds to increase commercialactivityalongWestStateStreethashadnosignificantimpact. Lack of nearby services provide few options to the local residents of the Hope VI neighborhood to access basic household needs. More recently in 2005, The Champion Park apartments was demolished to make way for the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded Hope VI Development. Additionally, other developments that impact the future of the neighborhood include the redevelopment of Concord Common Apartments, the SpringfieldCorridorStudy-whichaimsatupgradingtheexistingroadwaytoamajorarterialroadwithsignificantdevelopments

W. State Street

Liberty Street

Hope VI Neighborhood

S. S

prin

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ld R

oad

Washington Park

Efforts are being made to increase coomercial activity on W. State Street.

Initiatives to make Spring�ield Street to a major thoroughfare are being proposed.

S. P

ierp

oint

Ave

nue

Figure 1: Detail plan of the Hope VI Neighborhood, Rockford, IL. Source: Information derived from City-data.com/neighborhood/HOPE-VI-Rockford-ILto bolster commercial, housing and industrial land uses, and the W. State Corridor Plan-whic plans to improve transportation along State St. for which the City plans to remove a vast majority of structures on the N. and S. side of W. State Street in order to provide open space/ public spaces to improve the quality of life along the corridor.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Purpose of the Community Needs Assessment for Hope VI NeighborhoodWith a wave of new developments likely to happen, this is the optimal time for weighing the public input, especially the perspective of Hope VI Neighborhood residents in order to understand their needs and requirements. These projects - the redevelopment of the Concord Commons,theCorridorplanforWestStateandSouthSpringfieldStreet-willleadtodemolitionofstructures,implementationofnewand varied use, and hence movement of people. The residents have to understand the impact of these proposed developments and how it shapes their neighborhood with respect to opportunities that will be made available or lost. A community needs assessment (CNA) will be one step in enabling promotion and development of activities within the Hope VI neighborhood which will be in line with the community vision. This analysis will be representative of the voices of the Hope VI neighborhood residents and not just the City or the County. It willrelaythehopeandvisionofthecommunityandproposeanactionplanwhichbetterfitstheirneedsandrequirements.Also,theinformation derived from the Community Needs Assessment will enable the planners to identify and outline critical issues associated with the area which will be pivotal in formulating future goals to improve the area.

The Urban and Regional Analysis of Winnebago County and the region at large laid the groundwork to understand the macroscopic nuances of the region. The information from the region was then translated into smaller microscopic areas such as the Hope VI Neighborhood where the secondary data related to racial composition, population change, crime data, employment, housing characteristics, income, educational attainment and others were used to initially understand the background of the region which helped identify the issues pertaining to the neighborhood such as vacant properties, foreclosed homes, high denomination of minorities, lack of connectivity through mass transit, accessibility to food stations, deteriorating houses, increased crime and others. Thiswasfurtherexacerbatedbythehistoricaldevelopmentof Rockford city which has created pockets of undeveloped, unconnected areas on the West end of the city, and is, to someextentresponsibleforthedistressednatureofthisneighborhood. This was supplemented by the fact that recent developments within the area will directly impact its residents and the community at large. The timing is perfect as a CNA facilitated at this time, prior to the enactment of the changes, will give the residents an opportunity to be involved in projects that will be in line with their preferences

andexpectations.Thedataderivedfromthesecondarysourceswill be used to derive more substantial information from the stakeholders for which a primary data collection strategy needs to be implemented.

Information that will help shape the Community Needs Assessment (CNA) for the Hope VI neighborhood

HOPE VI Neighborhood

East section of State Street associaed with flourishing commercial and residential development

The West Side of State Street associated with deteriorated developments

Figure 2: Distribution of development on either side of State Street.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Stakeholders of the Hope VI NeighborhoodCurrent Residents of Hope VI neighborhood1.

Public Agencies include: 2.

Winnebago County Housing Authority•

Rockford Housing Authority•

Rockford Park District•

Rockford Public Schools•

Rockford Mass District•

CityofficialsfromtheCityofRockfordandtheCountyBoard•

Illinois Department of Transportation•

Washington Park Community Recreation Center•

Bridging the gap with a CNAThe Community Needs Assessment will incorporate Quantitative information which is derived from secondary sources such as the U. S. Census Bureau, City-data and others to understand the background and demographics of the place. This information will then be clubbed with Qualitative information derived from the feedback from community residents and stakeholders in the form of surveys and focus groups that will enable the decision makers to garner information pertaining to issues and concerns of the people.

Important information needed for the CNA for Hope VI neighborhood

Quantitative information

Demographic and socioeconomic data derived for the •Census (See pages 5-13).

Qualitative information

Urgent needs of the residents of the neighborhood.•

Problems and issues associated with the neighborhood.•

Assetsofthecommunitysuchasexistingparks,•recreation center, churches etc.

Accessibility through public modes of transportation.•

Concerns about housing-vacant/foreclosed houses and •condition of the houses.

Accessibility to employment, education, food and •recreational.

Safety and Urban fabric of the neighborhood. •

Resources available within the community.•

How recent developments associated with the corridor •redevelopmentprojectofStateStreetandSpringfieldStreet facilitate a change-positive or negative- in the community?

Target populationCurrent residents of Hope VI neighborhood

The majority of the residents of Hope VI neighborhood are low income African American residents and the lack of educational as well as employment opportunities is segregating this part of the neighborhood. Henceeffortsmustbemadeintheformofthecommunityneedsandassessment to incorporate this marginalized area and its people.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Population decreases in the Hope VI Neighborhood by 6%The population of Hope VI neighborhood decreased by 6% according to the Census Data derived for the years 2000 and 2010. This could be accounted to the demolition of the Champion Park apartments in 2005, which might have resulted in the displacement of people in this neighborhood. This trend was dissimilar to the 2% population increase in the City of Rockford for the same time frame.

2000 2010 % Change Hope VI

NeighborhoodCity of

RockfordHope VI

NeighborhoodCity of

RockfordHope VI

NeighborhoodCity of

Rockford

Total population 2,141 150,115 2,009 152,871 -6.17% 1.84%

Hispanic or Latino 136 15,278 281 24,085 106.62% 57.64%

Not Hispanic or Latino 2,005 134,837 1,728 128,786 -13.82% -4.49%

White 480 109,303 478 99,517 -0.42% -8.95%

Black / African American 1,497 26,072 1,302 31,359 -13.03% 20.28%

Asian alone 0 3,301 2 4,443 200.00% 34.60%

Other races 110 7,741 132 12,068 20.00% 55.90%

Two or more races 54 3,698 95 5,484 75.93% 48.30%Source: Hispanic or Latino and Non-Hispanic or Latino by Race 18 years and older, 2000 Census Summary File 1 - P006, 2010 Census Summary File 1 - P11

Table 1: Racial/ Ethnic Composition of Hope VI Neighborhood- Block Group 1 and 3 for Census Tract 24 and Rockford City for 2000 and 2010

1,900

1,950

2,000

2,050

2,100

2,150

2,200

Total population

2000 Hope VI neighborhood

2010 Hope VI neighborhood Figure 3: Population change of Hope VI Neighborhood

148,500149,000149,500150,000150,500151,000151,500152,000152,500153,000153,500

Total population

2000 City of Rockford

2010 City of Rockford Figure 4: Population change of the City of Rockford

Demographic and Socioeconomic Data



Zaheeda Darvesh


0200400600800

1,0001,2001,4001,600

White Black /African

American

Asian alone Other races Two or moreraces

Racial/Ethnic Composition of Hope VI Neighborhood

2000 Hope VI Neighborhood 2010 Hope VI Neighborhood

Figure 5: Racial/ Ethnic Composition of Hope VI NeighorboodSource: Race, Combinations of Two Races, and Not Hispanic or Latino, Census 2000 and 2010 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, QT-P4

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

White Black /African

American

Asian alone Other races Two or moreraces

Racial/Ethnic Composition of the City of Rockford

2000 City of Rockford 2010 City of Rockford

Figure 6: Racial/ Ethnic Composition of the City of RockfordSource: Race, Combinations of Two Races, and Not Hispanic or Latino, Census 2000 and 2010 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, QT-P4

Racial Demographics of Hope VI NeighborhoodUnlike the City of Rockford which is predominantly White, the Hope VI neighborhood is predominantly Black at 64%. The area has seen a decline in the African American population by 14% unlike the city of Rockford whose black population for the same time frame has increased. This could be due to development projects being carried out in the Hope VI neighborhood resulting in the movement ofpeople.ExceptfortheHispanicpopulationwhichhasincreased by almost 100% at 281 residents now, the rest of theracialmakeuphasexperienceddeclinefrom2000-2010.




Zaheeda Darvesh


150 100 50 0 50 100 150

Under 5 years 5 to 9 years

10 to 14 years 15 to 19 years 20 to 24 years 25 to 29 years 30 to 34 years 35 to 39 years 40 to 44 years 45 to 49 years 50 to 54 years 55 to 59 years 60 to 64 years 65 to 69 years 70 to 74 years 75 to 79 years 80 to 84 years

85 and over

Population Pyramid of Hope VI Neighborhood in 2010

Male Female

200 150 100 50 0 50 100 150



85 and over

Population Pyramid of Hope VI Neighborhood in 2000

Male Female

Figure 7: Population Pyramid of Hope VI Neighborhood 2000Source: SEX BY AGE Universe: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

Figure 8: Population Pyramid of Hope VI Neighborhood 2010Source: SEX BY AGE Universe: Census 2010 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

The net population % change from 2000-2010 for the Hope VI neighborhood shows an overall increase in the “Middle” age and “Baby Boomers” age group collectively designated as the “45-64” age group by almost 20% (See Figure 9). The “15-29” cohort, on the other hand, has decreased by 26% which indicates that the younger population might be moving out of the neighborhood due to high incidence of crime, foreclosed homes, lack of housing, and

connectivity. Even then the median age of the Hope VI neighborhood has decreased from 28.22 in 2000 to 25.93 in 2010, which indicates that the neighborhood primarily comprises of younger adults. The City of Rockford, on the other hand, displays the opposite trend, in which the median age has increased from 34.44 to 35.85 from 2000 to 2010 indicating a shift in the distribution of the population towards older ages.

Hope VI Neighborhood shows a decline in the younger population percentage from 2000 to 2010




Zaheeda Darvesh


-60.00% -40.00% -20.00% 0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00%



85 years and over

Decrease in the younger population 15 to 29 age group

Increase in the “Middle” age and “Baby Boomers” cohort, the 45 to 64 age group

Figure 9: Net Population Percentage Change by Age group for Hope VI Neighborhood from 2000 to 2010Source:Census 2000, 2010 Summary File 1 (SF 1)

2- MedianAgebySexfromCensus2000SummaryFile1(SF 1)3- MedianAgebySexfromCensus2010SummaryFileP134- AgeGroupsandSex:2000Census2000SummaryFile1(SF1)100-PercentData5- AgeGroupsandSex:2010CensusSummaryFile1QT-P1




Zaheeda Darvesh


Household and Housing characteristics of the Hope VI NeighborhoodMore than half of the housing units in the Hope VI neighborhood are renter occupied as against owner occupied.Thistranslatesaslowpropertytaxesthatare generated that could be used to improve facilities in the city. The Hope VI neighborhood is mostly residential. There has been some decline in the number of vacant properties from 2000 to 2010. But,eventhenit’ssignificantlyhighat14%ofthetotal housing units which could be due to unemployment and job losses forcing the home owners to vacate their properties due to foreclosure. This has also added to the seclusion and blight of thearea,whichisfurtherexacerbatedwiththehighcrime rate associated with the area. On one hand, vacant properties are a haven for vandalism, prostitution and illegal activities. But at the same time, they provide an opportunity for redevelopment and reshaping of the neighborhood. Average household size of renter occupied properties has increased suggesting that people might be moving with friends and family due to increased costs of living and lack of jobs.

Household and Housing characteristics for

Hope VI NeighborhoodYear 2000 2010

Total Households 725 693

Total Housing Units 853 799

Occupied housing units• 725 693

Vacant• 128 106

Owner-occupied(O-O) housing units 319 321

O-O Family households • 218 207

O-O Nonfamily households• 101 114

Renter-occupied(R-O) housing units 406 372

R-O Family households • 318 303

R-O Nonfamily households • 88 69

Average household size of owner-occupied units 2.65 2.63

Table 2: Household and Housing characteristics for Hope VI Neighborhood for 2000 and 2010

Source: Household Population and Household Type by Tenure: 2010 Census Summary File 1 QT-H3General Housing Characteristics: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data QT-H1HO13-Household Size Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-PercentQT-P11 Households and Families: 2010 Census Summary File




Zaheeda Darvesh


0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00%

upto $49,999

$50,000 to $99,999

$100,000 to $149,999

$1,000,000 or more

% City of Rockford Hope VI Neighborhood

Figure 10: Value of Owner-occupied housing units in % for Hope VI Neighborhood and the City of Rockford 2000-2012Source: American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates B25075

Value for all Owner Occupied(O-O) Housing UnitsAbsolute number % of Owner Occupied units

Hope VI Neighborhood City of Hope VI

Neighborhood% City of Rockford

Total Owner Occupied (O-O) housing units

340 36,304 100.00% 100.00%

Up to $49,999 226 5,345 66.47% 14.72%$50,000 to $99,999 100 21,037 29.41% 57.95%$100,000 to $149,999 9 6,660 2.65% 18.35%$1,000,000 or more 5 3,262 1.47% 8.99%

Table 3: Value for all Owner Occupied(O-O) Housing Units in Hope VI Neighborhood and the City of Rockford

Source: American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates B25075

Property ValuesThereisasubstantialdifferenceinmedianvalueforhomesinRockford City which are priced at $101,700 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2012 American Community Survey) and owner occupied homes in Hope VI Neighborhood which are valued at $39,250(Census 2000 Summary File SF3 -H085). These numbers might vary as new homes have been built in the area since 2000 with HUD acquired funds. Table 3 indicates that majority of homes in the Hope VI neighborhood are under $50,000. There are very few moderately priced homes. On the contrary, most houses in Rockford City which are under $100,000. In 2000, the Hope VI neighborhood comprised oftwopublichousingcomplexes-theChampionParkapartments(which was demolished in 2005) and the Concord Commons. The latter consists of 216 units and shows an occupancy rate of 78%. In addition to this, Hope VI neighborhood is associated a number of housing challenges such as a high concentration of low priced homes, high rates of renter occupied housing, and high vacancy rates.


Employment by Age and EducationThe unemployment rate for Winnebago County for 2008-2012 (data derived from the ACS) is 12%. In contrast to this, Table 4 shows that the Census Tract 24 Data for Hope VI neighborhoodreflectsahighunemploymentrateat19%.The unemployment rate is the highest for the 16-19 years age clohort at 71% as is for Hope VI residents possessing a collegeoranassociatedegreeat42%-whichisunexplainedat this time (See Table 5). It could be factored to lack of job opportunities as well as lack of connectivity associated with the area. On the other hand, residents possessing a bachelor or a higher degree stand a better chance of being employed. Likewise residents of the neighborhood who are high school graduates are mostly employed too. The current makeup comprises of very few residents with a bachelor’s or a higher degree. Considering Census Tract 24’s total population is calculated at 2307 residents (DP05 ACS 5 Year Estimates 2008-2012) which implies that people with a bachelor or higher degree make up only 3.4% of the total population.



Zaheeda Darvesh



Census Tract 24, Winnebago County, IllinoisTotal

Estimate

In labor force

Estimate

Employed Estimate

Unemployment Rate Estimate

Population 16 years and over 1511 49.70% 40.20% 19.00%

AGE16 to 19 years 74 81.10% 23.00% 71.70%

20 to 24 years 190 63.70% 63.70% 0.00%

25 to 44 years 541 55.80% 45.30% 18.90%

45 to 54 years 220 56.80% 50.90% 10.40%

55 to 64 years 244 36.10% 23.80% 34.10%

65 to 74 years 95 17.90% 17.90% 0.00%

75 years and over 147 25.90% 25.90% 0.00%Source: S2301 Employment Status, 2008-2012 ACS 5-Year Estimates

Table 4: Employment by Age for Census Tract 24

Figure 11: Employment by Age for Census Tract 24Source: S2301 Employment Status, 2008-2012 ACS 5-Year Estimates

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0%

16 to 19 years

20 to 24 years

25 to 44 years

45 to 54 years

55 to 64 years

65 to 74 years

75 years and over

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

Population 25to 64 years

Less thanhigh school

graduate

High schoolgraduate(includes

equivalency)

Some collegeor associate's

degree

Bachelor'sdegree or

higher

Figure 12: Employment by Education for Census Tract 24Source: S2301 Employment Status, 2008-2012 ACS 5-Year Estimates

Census Tract 24, Winnebago County, IllinoisTotal

Estimate

In labor force

Estimate

Employed Estimate

Unemployment Rate Estimate

Population 25 to 64 years 1,005 51.20% 41.30% 19.40%

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTLess than high school graduate 380 26.10% 26.10% 0.00%

High school graduate (includes equivalency) 302 65.90% 55.30% 16.10%

Some college or Associate's degree 244 60.70% 34.80% 42.60%

Bachelor's degree or higher 79 87.30% 81.00% 7.20%Source: S2301 Employment Status, 2008-2012 ACS 5-Year Estimates

Table 5: Employment by Education for Census Tract 24



Zaheeda Darvesh


Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Rockford Average Crime rate/1000,000

654.9 663.4 744.5 739.8 647.1 647.1 688.6 634.9 682.3 615.7 734.5 671.1 624.2

U.S. Average Crime rate/ 100,000

328 331 328 322 315 313 312 305 297 280 266 250 257

Table 6: Crime Rate in Rockford, IL and the United States from 2000-2012

Source: City-Data.com


Crime DataThe Forbes magazine October 2011 edition rated Rockford, IL as the 3rd worst city to live in the United States.Rockfordsuffersfromhighpovertyandunemployment rates. Additionally, its crime rate is extremelyhighthanthestateandthenationallevel.Property crimes form a huge percentage of the total crimes in Rockford. Hope VI neighborhood is also synonomous with this aspect of the city. The area is associated with high property crime rates, vandalism, larceny and other crimes. This could also be attributed to a large number of vacant properties in the area that serve as a perfect spot for breeding illegal activites.

0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,00012,00014,000

Violent crimeMurder and nonnegligent…

Forcible rapeRobbery

Aggravated assaultProperty crime

BurglaryLarceny-theft

Motor vehicle theft

Rate per 100,000 inhabitants Estimated total crimes for Rockford Figure 13: Crime Rate for Rockford for 2010Source: http://www.fbi.gov, Table 6, Crime in the United States by Metropolitan Statistical Area, 2010



Zaheeda Darvesh


Census Tract 24, Winnebago County, Illinois Estimate M.O.E Larger

estimateLower

estimate

Total households 852.00 102.00 954.00 750.00

Less than $10,000 199.00 73.00 272.00 126.00

$10,000 to $14,999 88.00 56.00 144.00 32.00

$15,000 to $24,999 191.00 69.00 260.00 122.00

$25,000 to $34,999 145.00 76.00 221.00 69.00

$35,000 to $49,999 100.00 48.00 148.00 52.00

$50,000 to $74,999 111.00 73.00 184.00 38.00

$75,000 to $99,999 18.00 16.00 34.00 2.00

$100,000 to $149,999 0.00 11.00 11.00 -11.00

$150,000 to $199,999 0.00 11.00 11.00 -11.00

$200,000 or more 0.00 11.00 11.00 -11.00Median household income (dollars) 22,636.00 4,458.00 27,094.00 18,178.00

Table 7: Economic characteristics of Census Tract 24, Winnebago County, IL

Source: Economic Characteristics, 2008-2012 ACS 5-Year Estimates ,

Demographic SummaryWith the demolition of the Champion park apartments, the population of Hope VI neighborhood has decreased which might be due to dislocation of people.

Unlike the City of Rockford which is predominantly White, the Hope VI neighborhood is predominantly Black at 64%.

Younger population might be moving out of the neighborhood due to high incidence of crime, foreclosed homes, lack of housing, and connectivity. Even then the median age of the Hope VI neighborhood has decreased from 28.2 in 2000 to 25.9 in 2010, which indicates that the neighborhood primarily comprises of younger adults.

More than half of the housing units in the Hope VI neighborhood are renter occupied as against owner occupied. This translates into low generation of property taxesthatcouldbeusedtoimprovefacilitiesinthecity.Also,vacantpropertiesaresignificantlyhighat14%ofthe total housing units.

Majority of homes in the Hope VI neighborhood are under $50,000. There are very few moderately priced homes.

The Census Tract 24 Data for Hope VI neighborhood reflectsahighunemploymentrateat19%whichcouldbe factored to lack of job opportunities as well as lack of connectivity associated with the area.

The area is associated with high property crime rates, vandalism, larceny and other crimes which can be attributed to a large number of vacant properties in the area that serve as a perfect spot for breeding illegal activites.

Around 56% of the total households in the area earn less than$25,000annually.Thisisreflectiveoftheextremepoverty rate associated with the area.


0 50 100 150 200 250

Less than $10,000

$10,000 to $14,999

$15,000 to $24,999

$25,000 to $34,999

$35,000 to $49,999

$50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,000 to $149,999

$150,000 to $199,999

Figure 14: Economic Characteristics by income rangeSource: Selected Economic Characteristics, 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates , DP03

Income The median household income for Census Tract 24(consisting of Hope VI neighborhood) in Winnebago County, IL is from $27,000 to $18,000. Majority of the households in the area earn less than $10,000 annually.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Final DeliverableThe Final Community Needs Assessment of the Hope VI Neighborhood will comprise of suggestions for future action that will be based on the analysis of the responses received from the community residents and stakeholders through the survey and the focus group. The survey willconcentrateonthecommunity’sresponsetoexistingconditionsaswellasproposednewcommercialdevelopmentsalongWestStateStreet which is intended to provide diversity as well as structure to an otherwise dead and isolated stretch. The analysis will contain a report that will highlight the community’s perspective on these proposed changes along with recommendations to focus on areas that provide new avenuesformixeduseorotherfeasibleopportunitiesinthecurrentscenariowhereexistinglowincomepublichousingapartmentsarebeingdemolished or redeveloped.

The survey along with the focus group which is targeted to derive community input will be the heart and soul of this analysis. The survey will provide key information about the resident’s viewpoints on the recent redevelopment projects that the area is prone to undergo. This willbeaccompaniedwiththecurrentdemographicandsocio-economicdata,projectschedule,dataanalysissummariesandfindingsofthecommunity needs and requirements which will form the deliverable.

ExpectedtimetoformulatetheCommunityNeedsAssessmentwillbesevenmonthsfromApril1,2014toOctober31,2014.

Data Collection Methodology -Surveys and Focus groups

Surveys: Community residents + StakeholdersCommunity Residents of Hope VI neighborhood Household and Housing characteristics for Hope VI Neighborhood

Year 2000 2010

Total Households 725 693

Total Housing Units 853 799

Occupied housing units• 725 693

Vacant• 128 106Source: Household Pop. and Household Type :2010 Census Summary File 1 QT-H3General Housing Characteristics: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) QT-H1HO13-Household Size Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) QT-P11 Households and Families: 2010 Census Summary File(For the complete table refer to Table 2, Pg. 11)

Used as a sampling method

For this analysis, I’ll be sampling the population based on the total housing units rather than the households. My methodology incorporates mailing the surveys rather than using “door to door surveys” for distribution of questionnaires. As a result of which there won’t be a direct tool that will enable me to identify multiple households within a housing unit.Forthefeasibilityandefficiencyoftheproject,Iwould assume that the housing units will capture the information related to the households.



Zaheeda Darvesh


TheaddresseswillbederivedfromWinnebagoCountyGeographicInformationSystems(www.ims.wingis.org/PropertySearch.aspx?pin=1120278016&county=winn).The2010CensusDatareflects853totalhousingunitsintheareaofwhichthereare128totalvacantproperties.TheRockfordTownshipAssessor’sOfficecansubstantiatetheexistingvacantpropertiesbyaerialimagesoftheproperty.Also, a couple of other measures can be employed where the information about vacant properties in the neighborhood can be accessed through “Craigslist” or “Driving for Vacant Properties” or “Bird Dogs”- a procedure where individuals can provide information about vacant/foreclosed properties for monetary compensation. Of these 725 houses, 319 are owner occupied and 406 are renter occupied. On the basis of the addresses and zip code this could be narrowed down to the category of the housing unit.

Probability samplingisusedhereasthegeographicareaisconfinedtotheextentoftheneighborhoodanditwillbeanefficientmethod of randomly sampling the general yet representative population. A “Stratified Random Probability Sampling” method is employed to derive a sample from these two groups “owner occupied and renter occupied housing units.” The results are as follows:

OwnerOccupied(O-O)319housingunitsyieldasamplesizeof175at5%Confidencelevel,whichtranslatesto1. 700 surveys being sent out for a 25% response rate. Hence surveys will be sent out to all 319 O-O housing units

Renter(R-O)Occupied406housingunits,asamplesizeof198wasderivedat5%confidencelevel,whichtranslatesas2. 792 surveys being sent out for a 25% response rate. Hence surveys will be sent out to all 406 R-O housing units.

A total of 725 surveys will be mailed to community residents. Instructions on the survey will include the option of answering the questionnaire electronically through the website or a kiosk that will be provided at the Washington Park Community Recreation Centerat3617DelawareSt,Rockford,IL61102.Intheeventthatarecipientfillsoutapaperaswellasanelectronicquestionnaire,during data analysis, the results of only one will be considered in order to avoid duplication. The data system that will be used to store information from both paper and electronic surveys will cross reference for multiple entries based on the primary information as well as the address of the recipient.

A Radio and Press release will be made available through the local newspapers as well as radio stations which will disseminate information to the community residents. Additionally, pamphlets will be distributed that will convey the information as well.

To survey the residents, Probability Sampling will be used in which a sample of the total housing units in Hope VI Neighborhood (Data derived from 2010 Census, see page 11 and 16) will be surveyed. A random sample of the recipients of the survey will be selected.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Stakeholders

Stakeholders of the community such as employees of IDOT, Winnebago County Housing Authority, Rockford Housing Authority, Rockford Park District, Washington Park Community Recreation Center, the City Council, Winnebago County Board and others who are directly involved in the decision making process that will dictate the activities within this area will be surveyed as well.

Non-Probability Purposive samplingwillbeusedhereasamethodtosurveythecityofficialsandstakeholders,mostlybecausethepopulation though known is not measurable and the people who’re being targeted to be surveyed will be limited to their involvement in the redevelopment projects in and around Hope VI neighborhood.

After identifying the stakeholders, a sample will be randomly selected and the selected recipients will then be surveyed through email as well as mail. A reminder email will be sent half way through the open time period.

Thepurposeofsurveyingtwodifferentgroups-communityresidentsaswellasstakeholdersistoachievevariationinidentifyingtheneedsandissuespertainingtothecommunityandthenusingtheresultstovalidatethepredominantconcernsandexpectations.Twodifferentmethodsofsamplingareusedtosurveytwodifferentgroupsofpeoplewhichwillallowtoviewthecurrentconditionthroughadifferentlens,bothofwhichwillcomplementeachanotherandaddalotofvaluetothedataprocuringandanalysismethod.

Focus GroupsThe focus groups will be composed of cross-functional stakeholders as well as community residents. The meetings will convene at the

Winnebago County Housing Authority/ Washington Park Community Recreation Center at 3617 Delaware St, Rockford, IL 61102 •Two focus group meetings will be held once a week on Thursday at 6:00pm (See project time frame) and will consist of 15 group members each including a moderator. Since the community members will be invited and there will be no method to determine the number of attendees, two focus groups will be held at the same time (2X15). Focus groups will be formatted to facilitate open-ended, relatively broad, and qualitative discussions. A total of four focus group meetings will be held; the dates for which are May 9, June 5, June 12 and June 29, 2014. The Recreation Center will be an optimum venue in its current use in which it provides a podium for families to have fun and congregate. The Recreation Center will allow the stakeholders and decision makers to interact with the community members on a personal level. The residents will be invited to the focus group meetings through pamphlet distribution and trifold displays at the Washington Park Christian Church at 801 Concord Avenue, Rockford, IL 61102 on Sundays, when there is a higher chance tointeractwithlocalsaftertheSundaysermon.Efforts(moderator)willbemadetomakethediscussions as equitable and unbiased as possible in order to prevent a particular section or group of people dominating the interaction process.

Additionally, a Kiosk will also be provided at the Washington Park Community Recreation Center at 3617 Delaware St, Rockford, IL 61102, from the May 12 to July 11, 2014,which will allow community members to electronically take the survey, Monday through Friday between 9:00am to 5:00pm, rather than mailing it back to the Department.



Zaheeda Darvesh


1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Background Research/Framework DesigningCommunity assessmentOrganize a team(volunteers{4}+ paid{1})Identifying key stakeholdersCompilation of resident address list Phase 2Survey Designing/ Meeting/Disseminating info. upto 4Designing Survey 1Mail Surveys(Residents) 4Mail & email Surveys(Stake holders) 2Focus groups 4Disseminating information(Church) 4Reminder emails/calls to stake holders 4Phase 3Data Analysis/ Findings/ Report upto 4Data Analysis 2Key Findings 2Rough report 2Gather Feedback from stakeholders 4Produce Final Report 2

2014 Hope VI Neighborhood Community Needs Assessment Schedule

September October

Progress 2014Number of

workersMay June July AugustActivities April

Weeks of the Month

Project time from from April 1, 2014 - October 31, 2014

Phase 1

2

Table 8: Project Timeline for the Community Needs Assessment for Hope VI Neighborhood

(Interns



Zaheeda Darvesh


Project TimelineThe total time period required for completion of the project is estimated at 7 months-April 1, 2014 to October 31, 2014.

The project will be completed in 3 phases: Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3.

Phase 1-April 1, 2014 to May 6, 2014

Phase 1 will be completed in 6 weeks. It will include community assessment prior to designing of the survey in Phase 2. Also, during this time frame, a team will be organized which will comprise of one paid employee and four interns. The major task carried out during this phase includes compiling a list of addresses of the community residents of Hope VI neighborhood as well as the stakeholders.

Phase 2-April 15, 2014 to June 24, 2014

Phase 2 will span over a time of 10 weeks. Major tasks accomplished during this phase include designing the survey based on the initial community assessment. Once the survey has been finalized,thenthiswillbefollowedbyuploading them on SurveyMonkey to be tested. Also, paper surveys will be printed. Based on the address list generated in Phase 1, the surveys will be mailed/ emailed to the sample pool of recipients. Also, information will be provided on the focus groups as well as submitting the survey questionnaire electronically through the website, or accessing a kiosk located at the Recreation Center to do the same. Information about focus groups that will be held from May 27, 2014 to June 19, 2014 will be provided through pamphlets and trifold displays at the Washington Park Christian Church at 801 Concord Avenue, Rockford, IL 61102 every Sunday after the sermon. The community residents will be encouraged to attend these focus groups which will be held every Thursday at 6:00pm for the allotted time frame. Reminder calls will also be sent out to the stakeholders.

Phase 3-April 15, 2014 to June 24, 2014

Phase 3 mostly will consist of collecting the information and storing it centrally to be analyzed. The recipients will be affordedasubstantialtimeof7weeksto return their questionnaire through mail/email. Once the results have been received, then Data Analysis and key findingswillbecarriedwithinthetimeframe of 4 weeks. A draft preliminary report will be formulated which will then shared with a group of 5 (2 community residents and 3 stakeholders). The input form this group will be incorporated inthefinalreportthatwillbethensubmitted on October 31, 2014.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Research Expense BudgetHope VI Neighborhood Community Needs Assessment, April 2014

Personnel Budget Time Estimates Compensation/hour Units Needed NotesConsultant/ Data Analysis/Clerk $19,040 28 weeks/

1120 hours$17/hr. Entrylevelexperience 1 personnel The consulatant will be employed

full time

Grant Writer/Administrative $44,800 28 weeks/ 1120 hours

$40/hr. 4yearexperience 1 personnel The grant writer will be employed

full time

4 paid interns $1,632 34 hours $12/hr. 4 interns Payment is hourly

Travel Budget Esimates Compensation Units Needed Notes

Food $600 4 weeks of focus group $5/person 30 members Only for focus groups with 30

members/week

Commute $5,600 5600 miles 0.5 /mile 2 personnel Average 20 miles/day/person

Operating Budget Time estimates Compensation Units Needed Notes

SurveyMonkey subscription $200 12 months $200/year 1 NA

SPSS Subscription $196 12 months $98/person 2 personnel IBM® SPSS® Statistics Standard GradPack-12 month

Officesupplies $700 7 months $50/month 2 personnel* 7 months

Based on historical usage, $50/person/month

Postage and Shipping $795 2 weeks 49*2=$1.06/person NA Envelopes + postage for 750 housing units

Equipment/ Computers/ Supplies $1,121 NA $80/month/person 2 personnel* 7

months 2 laptops+ printer+ink+paper

Rental Space $0 NA NA NASpace will be provided by the Washington Recreation Center(WRC)

Cost of printing surveys $3,080 NA 10 cents/page+ 2 trifolds($40 each)

to print 750 surveys+pamphlets+Trifolds

Telephone/ Utilities/Others $1,400 7 months $100 Plan/month 2 personnel* 7 months

Cell phone costs,the internet connection will be provided by WRC

Total Expenses $79,164

Table 9: Research Expense Budget for the CNA for Hope VI Neighborhood



Zaheeda Darvesh


Research Expense BudgetFor the CNA for the Hope VI neighborhood, along with the primary grant writer, a contracted data analyst will also be required. The pay scale for the grant writer is allocated at $40/hr. based on four yearsofgrantwritingexperience(http://thegrantplant.blogspot.com/2007/07/pricing-grant-writers-what-should-we.html) while thatofthedataanalystwithentrylevelexperienceisallocatedat$17/hr. (www.payscale.com). Four paid interns are hired at $12/hr.(StandardUniversityRate)foraspecifictimeframe.Thissurveywill be facilitated in joint collaboration with the Rockford Housing Authority.Hence,officespacewillbeprovided(freeofcostwithelectricity and internet included) by the Washington Recreation Center. Surveys will be electronically administered by SurveyMonkey and Data Analysis will be carried out using the SPSS software, for

which subscription needs to be aquired for a 12 month period. Also, expensesrelatedtofoodwillberestrictedforfocusgroupswhenthe residents will meet with the stakeholders. According to the Federal Regulations, mileage is reimbursed at 0.5cents/mile and the correspondingcostsarereflectedonthebudgetsheet.Thebudgetsheetsalsoreflectstheallocationoffundsforprintingsurveys,pamphlets and other means of inviting/educating the community residents.Overall,efforthasbeenmadetokeepthebudgetasminimal as possible.

The budget sheet reflects a final expense of $79,164.00 for the Community Needs Assessment.

Data AnalysisThe Data acquired though surveys –mail and electronic along with the focus groups will becleanedfirstsothatifthereareanyrepeatedresults,thenthesecanbededuplicated.Descriptive Statistics will be employed here as the qualitative data derived from the surveyquestionnairewillbequantifiedandindoingsotheattitudeandperceptionofthepopulation would be captured. For instance using the demographic and socioeconomic data, itwasidentifiedthatunemploymentandcrimeareprevalentinHopeVIneighborhood.Byposingquestionsthataddresstheseissues,foronevaliditywouldbeexercisedherewhichwillreinstateandconfirmtheresident’sperspectiveofviewingthisasaproblem,andifitis, what measures/ actions do they want implemented to curb this issue? They might see commercial development as an option of employing the residents and curbing crime as well. Thesurveywhenquantifiedwillallowustopontificatetherequirementsoftheresidentsand deliver those to the stakeholders so that future developments in the neighborhood will be in sync with these demands. Additionally, descriptive statistics will allow us, in this case, to cross tabulate other variables such as household demographics and perceptions ofthepopulation.Thiscanbefurtherexplainedbyposingaquestiononchangeandthenquantifying and cross tabulating the attitude of the people towards change to housing characteristics. So a series of cross tabulations will allow us to capture the prominent issues and probable solutions which is the sole purpose of conducting the CNA.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Ethical, Confidentiality, Design, and Validity Issues Ethical Issues

Asplannersandresearcherscautionhastobeexercisedinascertainingthatthe survey has been administered in an ethical manner. Care has to be taken to ensure that there has been no infringement of the respondent’s privacy andconfidentiality.Theobjectiveshouldbetomaketheprocessasinclusiveand transparent as possible. The method adopted to get the response of the residents as well as the stakeholders must not be taken as pressurizing and leading. The individual who is being surveyed must not be pressurized to participate, which in all instances, must be voluntary.

Confidentiality

The surveys returned through mail must be stored in a safe place to prevent breachofconfidentialitythatcanimpacttheresultsofthesurveyorcanrender in invalid. The idea is to provide a survey that is unbiased and untarnished. Hence, utmost care has to be taken to avoid creating situations that can adversely impact the process of gaining information and data collection to deciphering the results.

Design Issues

The survey must be designed such that there are no biases as this may render the results of the survey obsolete. While designing the questionnaire, one must be aware that this survey is not just catering a particular sect of society/community, but a diverse range of people. Hence, the design and language of the survey must be simple and uncomplicated. Also, the location of focus groups should be in an inviting place, a place that resonates with the majority of the community residents. This would avoid harboring an environment in which the residents might feel out of place or unwanted.

Validity

The Hope VI neighborhood CNA is designed to receive responses from the community residents as well as the stakeholders. This is to assure that the perceptions of the residents and the stakeholders are validated by each other. Also, this prevents the survey from being unidirectional and one sided.

Know-Hows of a Survey Questionnaire6

Know the objectives•

Pay attention to wording style, type, and question •sequence

Pay attention to survey length and make the •survey interesting

Collect the data in a reliable and valid way to •ensure accuracy

Use relevant questions•

Avoid technical jargon•Avoid negatives or double negatives •

6- Information derived from SurveyMonkey.com.

Link to access the electronic Needs Assessment Survey for

Hope VI Neighborhood https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8V696D3



Zaheeda Darvesh


Materials and Tools Press and Radio Release

Community Needs Assessment Survey for the Hope VI Neighborhood for Rockford, IL

Residents of Hope VI Neighborhood, Rockford, IL will soon have an opportunity to tell what they think is right or wrong with the community through a “Community Needs Assessment Survey” which will include a questionnaire covering nearly every phase of

the community including planning, human relations and cultural enrichment, economic development, physical environment and community services. Focus groups will also be scheduled where community members will get a chance to interact with the stakeholders andcityofficialsonMay9,June5,June12andJune29,2014attheWashingtonParkCommunity Recreation Center at 3617 Delaware St, Rockford, IL 61102 at 6:00pm. Community Needs Assessment Specialists from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign will assist with the survey.

TheprimarypurposeforconductingthesurveyandthefocusgroupistofindoutwhereeffortsneedtobeconcentratedinordertomaketheHopeVINeighborhoodalivable

place. Information collected through the survey and the focus group will enable us to identify problem areas and develop action programs. We want to know how the Hope VI neighborhood measures up as a (community) place to live and the only way that we can be sure that we are getting a complete picture is by asking people who really know –the people who live here. We would appreciate your cooperation by responding to the surveys that will be mailed to you shortly and by participating in the focus groups. Surveys can be electronically submitted through the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8V696D3 or by accessing a kiosk located at Washington Park Community Recreation Center at 3617 Delaware St., Rockford, IL 61102, from May 12 to July 11, 2014,MondaythroughFridaybetween9:00amto5:00pm.WeappreciateyourcooperationasthiswillbeextremelyhelpfultousindefiningthefutureofHopeVINeighborhoodandthecommunityatlarge.Forquestions,pleasefeelfreetocontactJaneDoeat123-456-7890 or email us at [email protected].

Thank you.



Zaheeda Darvesh


Demographics

Do you live in the Hope VI neighborhood? (Please select one)1.

Yes

No (If no, please mail the survey back to the return address)

(Rerouted to the last page in case of electronic surveys)

How long have you been a resident of Hope VI neighborhood?2.

____________Days/Months/Years

Please select your Gender 3.

Male

Female

Not applicable

Please select your Age4.

Under 20 years

20-29 years

30-44 years

45-64 years

65-74 years

75+ years

Number of adults living in the household 5. ____________

Number of children living in the household 6. ____________

How would you describe yourself? (Please select all that apply) 7.

White (non-Hispanic)

Black/African-American (non-Hispanic)

Asian (non-Hispanic)

NativeHawaiianorOtherPacificIslander(non-Hispanic)

American Indian (non-Hispanic)

Hispanic or Latino

Other

Educational qualification8.

Less than High School

High school or GED

Some College, no Degree

Associate Degree

Bachelor’s Degree or higher

Graduate or Professional Degree

Others

Please take a a few minutes to answer this brief Community Needs Assessment Survey for Hope VI Neighborhood of Rockford, IL. Theresultsofthissurveywillbeusedtoevaluateandmakeimprovementstowardscommunitydevelopment.Allinformationwillbeconfidential.

Materials and Tools Community Needs Assessment Survey

Surveys can be electronically submitted through the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8V696D3 or by accessing a kiosk located at Washington Park Community Recreation Center at 3617 Delaware St, Rockford, IL 61102, from May 12 to July 11, 2014, Monday through Friday between 9:00am to 5:00pm



Zaheeda Darvesh


Are you married? (Please select one)9.

Yes

No

Other (please specify) _____________

Are you a single parent? (Please select one)10.

Yes

No

Not applicable

Employment

Please identify your employment status11.

Employed Full time

Employed Part-time

Unemployed

Self-employed

Business owner

Student

Retired

Other (please specify)

What industry are you currently working in?12.

Technology

Professional or business services

Healthcare

Question 12 continued

Retail or food service

Education

Construction

Public sector

Manufacturing and semiconductors

Automotive

NA

Other (please specify) __________________________

How far is your place of employment from the Hope VI neighborhood?13.

1 mile or less

1 to 5 miles

5 to 10 miles

More than 10 miles

How do you get to work?14.

Private Transportation

Public transit

Carpool

Bicycle

Park and ride

Walk

Work at home

Other (please specify) __________________________



Zaheeda Darvesh


Opportunities for employment in the region are 15.

Getting better

Getting worse

Staying the same

NA

What are your barriers to employment?16.

No barriers

Lack of education

Nojobsformyfield

No transportation

Lackoftrainingorexperience

Others (Please specify)

For each statement, check whether “Yes” or “No” describes 17.your situation with your current primary job. Do not answer if you are unemployed

Commuting too much, need a closer job •

I need further education or training to •improve my job skills

My pay does not support my family•

OverallI’msatisfiedwithmyjob•

Yes No NA

Housing

Are your housing conditions adequate?18.

Yes

No

Do you own your home?19.

Yes

No

What type of residence do you live in? 20.

Single-family home

Apartment

Town Home

Others (Please specify) __________________________

What are your major housing concerns? (Check all that apply)21.

Rent too high

House needs major repairs

Utilities too high

Can’taffordhousepayments

Can’tfindhouseinpricerange

No Concerns



Zaheeda Darvesh


1 2 3 4

For the development of empty/ vacant lots, rank these in the 25.order of preference using the following scale:

1= most preferred,

2= preferred

3= less preferred

4= least preferred

Single family homes•

Multi-family dwellings•

Recreation Centers•

Business stores •

Educational facilities•

Parks•

Given the opportunity would you move out of this 26.neighborhood? (Please select one)

Yes

No

Not applicable

Community

The following are concerns that exist in many communities. 27.Please select up to five issues which you feel need greater attention in your community to improve the quality of life for families.

Affordablehousing

Business stores

Job availability

Job training

Please rank on a scale of 1 to 4 as to how satisfied you are 22.with current conditions in Hope VI neighborhood

1=verysatisfied

2=satisfied

3=lesssatisfied

4=unsatisfied

The overall property conditions•

Conditions of vacant lots or lots with •high vacancy rates

Conditions of rental property •

Conditions of occupied private property•

What types of housing does the Hope VI Neighborhood need 23.the most? (Check all that apply)

Single-family homes

Apartments

Senior Housing

Duplex

Town Homes

Others (Please specify) __________________________

Given the opportunity, would you prefer to move out of 24.multi-family dwellings to single-family homes? (Please select one)

Yes

No

Not applicable

1 2 3 4



Zaheeda Darvesh


Question 27 continued

Crime prevention

Illiteracy

Lack of accessibility to stores

Public Transportation

Parks, Recreation

Others (Please specify) __________________

Please rank on a scale of 1 to 4 as to how important are the 28.following services to you in your community?

1= very important , 2=important , 3= unimportant , 4=completely unimportant

Availability of good grocery stores•

Well lit streets•

Response time of police to emergency calls•

Availability of employment opportunities•

Accesstoaffordablehousing•

Access to quality housing•

Neighbors taking care of the appearance •of their homes

Availability of small businesses in the •community

Opportunities available to open small •businesses in the community

Availability of agencies providing services •to adults/youths

How satisfied you are with the following services in your 29.community? Please circle the appropriate score using the following scale:

1=verysatisfied

2=satisfied

3=unsatisfied

4=completelyunsatisfied

Availability of good grocery stores•

Well lit streets•

Response time of police to emergency calls•

Availability of employment opportunities•

Accesstoaffordablehousing•

Access to quality housing•

Neighbors taking care of the appearance •of their homes

Availability of small businesses in the •community

Opportunities available to open small •businesses in the community

Availability of agencies providing services •to adults/youths

How do redevelopment projects impact the Hope VI 30.neighborhood?

1 2 3 4

1 2 3 4



Zaheeda Darvesh


Transportation

Do you have reliable transportation? (Please select one)31.

Yes

No

What are your barriers to reliable transportation? (Check All 32.That Apply)

No Barriers

NoCar/Can’tAffordCar

No Public Transportation

Price of Gas

No Private Transportation

No Routes near Home

No Routes near Work

Others (Please specify) _______________________________

If you need transportation assistance, for what purpose(s) do 33.you need a ride? (Check All That Apply)

Getting to work

Medical appointments

Social or recreational activities

School/college

Socialagency,governmentoffice

Groceries and/or drug store

Others (Please specify) ___________________________________

Safety

Please rate how serious you feel the level of crime is in your 34.community.

Not at all serious

Somewhat Serious

Serious

Very serious

How safe do you feel in your community?35.

Very safe

Safe

Unsafe

Very unsafe

How safe do you feel going out at night in your community?36.

Very safe

Safe

Unsafe

Very unsafe

In the past three years would you say the level of crime in your 37.community has increased, stayed about the same, or decreased?

Increased

Stayed about the same

Decreased



Zaheeda Darvesh


Please rank what you feel are the most important causes of 38.crime using the following scale:

1 =least likely to cause crime

2=less likely to cause crime

3=likely to cause crime

4=most likely to cause crime

Unemployment

Poverty

Drugs

Lack of supervision of minors

Lenient sentencing of criminals

What, if anything, do you feel could be done to decrease 39.crime in your community?

Thank you for your time and willingness to provide information that will be vital to the future of Hope VI Neighborhood.

1 2 3 4



Zaheeda Darvesh


The Community Needs Assessment Focus Group Questionnairefor Hope VI Neighborhood, Rockford, IL

ThankyouforagreeingtobeapartofthisFocusGroup.Iexpectthismeetingwilltakenolongerthan45minutes.Iwillbefacilitationthediscussiontobetterunderstandtheneedsofthisneighborhood.Confidentialityispartoftheprocess.Beassuredthatresponseswillonlybe reported as an aggregate and no individual responses or quotes will be presented. Any questions about the process today?

Focus Group Questions Recorded Responses

In your opinion, what are factors related to employment in 1.this community (accessibility, opportunities, barriers)

How do these factors impact the residents in your 2.neighborhood?

How does it impact you?3.

In your opinion, are housing conditions adequate in your 4.neighborhood?

What are some of your major housing concerns?5.

What are some of the major housing concerns of the 6.residents in the neighborhood?

What are some of the major issues that need greater 7.attention in your community in order to improve the quality of life ?

Howsatisfiedareyouwiththeavailabilityandaccessibility8.of services in your community?

How will redevelopment projects in the neighborhood 9.impact the Hope VI residents and neighborhood?

Additional concerns or comments10.

Materials and Tools Focus Group Questionnaire and Invitation Letter



Zaheeda Darvesh


Thank you for taking the time to participate in this focus group meeting. I will make sure that all of the participants receive aggregated analysis of this meeting and all other meetings.

For facilitator observation only (aggregated numbers)

Total number of participants=

Males=

Females=

Age groups=

Ethnicity=

Race=

COME AND SHARE WITH US!You are cordially invited to a

FOCUS GROUP to assess the communty needs of Hope VI Neighborhood in Rockford, IL.

Date: May 9, June 5, June 12 and June 29, 2014Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Washington Park Community Recreation Center 3617 Delaware St, Rockford, IL 61102.RSVP: Jane Doe at 123-456-7890 or email us at [email protected].

Refreshments will be served

Washington Park Community Recreation Center 3617 Delaware St, Rockford, IL 61102

W. State Street

S.SpringfieldStreet

S. P

ierp

oint

Ave

nue

This focus group will allow the members of the community to interact with stakeholders involved in redevelopment projects in and around the Hope VI Neighborhood. It will provide both parties the opportunity to discuss possible projectsthatcanbenefittheHopeVIneighborhoodandthecommunityatlarge.

Residents will also get a chance to participate in a “Community Needs Assessment Survey” which will include a questionnaire covering nearly every phase of the community including planning, human relations and cultural

enrichment, economic development, physical environment and community services that will be mailed to them. Alternatively this survey questionnaire can be accessed at :

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8V696D3.

Information collected through the survey and the fo-cus group will enable us to identify problem areas and develop action programs.

Your co-operation will enable us to build a better future.

FOCUS GROUP INVITATION

LETTER



Zaheeda Darvesh


This Page is intentionally left blank



Zaheeda Darvesh


References1-2013. City of Rockford, Illinois. May 2006. Accessed on May 05, 2014. http://www.rockfordil.gov/uploadedFiles/government/CommunityDevelopment/PlansStudies/HOPEVIPlan.pdf

2-Median Age for Hope VI Neighborhood in 2000 is 28.2, Median Age by Sex (3) Universe: Total Population Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

3-Median Age for Hope VI Neighborhood in 2010 is 25.9, Median Age by Sex (P13) Universe: Total Population Census 2010 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

4- Median Age for Rockford in 2000 is 34.4, Age Groups and Sex: 2000, Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data

5- Median Age for Rockford in 2010 is 35.8, Age Groups and Sex: 2010, Census 2010 Summary File 1 QT-P1

6- Information derived from SurveyMonkey.com.

hope 6 neighborhood

Documents