Chiamaka Eleje

A04278356
Carolyn Long
A04073230
Megan Leihgeber
A04371803
Kayce Laviolette
A00640594
MC3360 SECTION 011
Research Project
Topic: Housing

Table of Contents

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.

VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
XI.

Introduction and Background.....3

Research Topic.......4
Research Questions5
Literature Review..5
Research Objectives..7
Research Design8
a. Type of Research.....8
b. Method of Research.....9
i. Qualitative Research Method..9
1. Textual Analysis..9
ii. Quantitative Research Method11
1. Survey Questionnaire......11
2. Social Media/ Digital: Facebook page....13
Limitation..15
Managerial Implications...15
Analysis and Results.....16
Bibliography.18
Appendix..19

I.

Introduction and Background

A housing crisis is affecting hundreds of thousands of Americans today. The ideal home
has been described not only as the dwelling in which the household resides, but also
includes the neighborhood and its surrounding areas (Motley & Perry, 2013). A lack of
proper shelter neglects many individuals from safety, deprives younger children from a
quality education, and intervenes with proper community support systems that are
essential to the development of happy and stable homes. Motley and Perry (2013) state
that residents of public housing developments are generally perceived as poor and
undeserving people, looking for handouts with a sense of entitlement. Children in a
majority of these affordable housing developments under the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development are being denied safety and equal opportunity
educational systems.
The question then arises: what factors are contributing to the housing crises? Is it
a matter of availability? Or is it a subject of price? Although welfare rates are declining
nationally, statistics have shown that they remain high for those in assisted housing.
Newman, Holupka and Harkness (2009) studied the effects of social welfare programs on
productivity and sufficiency of those who receive public aid. The studys results
concluded that there is no direct correlation between receiving public aid and dependency
on that aid. That is, the housing crises and the lack of ideal homes are not directly
related to ones ability, or lack thereof, to be sufficient and productive in the workforce.
An analysis of the different types of housing available, their costs, and a large variety of
implications combined are what makes the study so complex. This study has been
narrowed to focus on the city of San Marcos, and in what ways local and state
governments can improve living conditions in the area.
The study selected is focused primarily on what factors are preventing students
and homeowners in the city of San Marcos from having their ideal home. Analysis of
these factors will help pinpoint the areas that are of main concern to San Marcos
residents. Home Matters is a movement aimed at uniting America around the central
theme of home a place where lives and families thrive as the bedrock for a stronger
nation (Home Matters). The National NeighborWorks Association is aimed at uniting
housing and community development practitioners to advocate for housing and economic
opportunities for individuals, families, and communities and neighborhoods across the

country (What is the National NeighborWorks Association?). The NNAs vision includes
playing a central role in creating a united housing and community development field that
produces desirable, healthy, and thriving communities. Through the efforts of Home
Matters and the National NeighborWorks Association, the study aims to explore how to
help create thriving and stable housing and economic opportunities for all individuals,
families, and communities in the city of San Marcos.
II.

Research Topic
The focus of the study lies on exploring how the ideal home can be created for
residents of the City of San Marcos. The research attempts to find the factors that are
preventing neighborhoods and communities from being as close to ideal as possible.
Supporting available research on crime rates in the city of San
Marcos, as well as educational successes and failures are pertinent in
discovering how these areas can be improved. From these findings, a
plan to provide homes and communities as close to the ideal home
could further be developed.
There is a direct relationship between communities and how one
feels about the community they belong too. A better relationship with
a community, the better one feels about the home they belong to.
Although creating the ideal home is a slow and steady process, the
sooner researchers can pinpoint the areas that need improvement,
the sooner the ideal home can be created. A large variety of factors
influence what one would deem a good or bad community, and
an even larger variety of factors need to be analyzed in order to
effectively create thriving homes and neighborhoods. Demographical
data, income, and psychographic elements all contribute to the
various homes and neighborhoods that are growing across the
country.
Amongst all the analyzable factors contributing to what makes
the ideal home, opportunities for quality education and community
safety are two of the most important. A proper educational system is
pertinent to the growth and development of children and young

adults, and a neighborhood with low crime rates helps prevent the
growth and spread of criminal activity.
III.

Research Questions
The problem the researcher desires to focus on is what factors are applicable in creating
the ideal home because it is important in generating home environments that are
suitable for all people of all ages. Friendly communities, equal opportunities in
education, and safety are at the core of our concern. The proposed research questions
are:
RQ1: What trends lie between income and housing?
RQ2: How do these trends relate to community safety?
RQ3: How do they relate to the quality of education?
These questions are central to the researchers study. Undoubtedly, there is an extensive
list of questions that could further the research, and those will be addressed as the
research progresses.

IV.

Literature Review
What type of research has been done in the area you are exploring?
Our study focused largely on what factors are preventing students and homeowners in
the city of San Marcos from having an ideal home. In our area of research of Housing
and the Economy we used several Public Relation Articles to further extend our
research. The three Articles were: The Long-Term Effects of Housing Assistance on
Work and Welfare; Pathways to Ready School: Child & Adolescent Social Work
Journal, Disparities: How Poor Housing leads to Poor Health. What this research
varied between quantitative and qualitative with extensive research on schools,
interviews and testings.
What has been found in previous studies?
From the studies we analyzed we have a broader view of the correlation between
housing and the economy in many different areas and not just in San Marcos, TX. With
this information we begin to see a trend in how lower income communitys suffer
without extra out reach programs versus communities with extracurricular goal
programs.
What suggestions do other researchers suggest for further study?

In the Article Dwelling Disparities: How Poor Housing Leads to Poor Health laid out a
great fundamental direction and outline to help build further research. Their mission is
first to define the communitys ideas of the physical and social characteristics of a
healthy neighborhood, and then to construct a plan to incorporate those elements as
distinct goals of the rezoning process.. [For more information, see Community
Environmental Health Resource Center, p. A303 this issue]. With the efforts of Home
Matters and the National NeighborWorks Association, and Dwelling Disparities
fundamentals our study aims to help form thriving and steady housing and economic
opportunities for all individuals, families, and communities in the city of San Marcos.
What angle has yet been investigated yet? Is this an area of opportunity? If so say
what.
An angle that we touched upon, but didnt go into depth was what racial and ethnic
groups in our area and how they participate in extracurricular activities and if there
were any significant results. In the article Pathways to Ready School: Child &
Adolescent Social Work Journal, researched further asking the question:
RQ) What racial and ethnic groups live there? Are minority groups identified and
encouraged to participate as key stakeholders in the schools?
---When the racial groups were identified and were encouraged to participate families
began to connect culturally and linguistically with families contributes to a
welcoming atmosphere, which may encourage parental involvement in the schools,
resulting in an increase in social capital.
If we further expanded on this topic we may be able to narrow or topic area down.
How can the proposed study add to out body of knowledge on this topic?
The trends that lie between income and housing are the more money that is stimulated
into the economy, the more upkeep their home will have, creating a healthier lifestyle
for the residents who live there. Taking care of the places people live in and the
community surrounding it is vital to a lifestyle that is not problematic in the future.
With our proposed study we have begun to build a foundation of awareness and
knowledge to present the residents in San Marcos with proof of results to help save
build their ideal community.
What Research methods were used in the previous studies that you analyzed?

Our study focused primarily on what factors are preventing students and homeowners
in the city of San Marcos from having their version an ideal home. Which linked
perfectly with Pathways to Ready School: Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal
Because they used similar qualitative methods as our own and developed a developed a
20 question interview based on the preliminary ready schools with was not as
extensive, but similar to our process of research. Our method was qualitative, an online
survey and was pushed out through Facebook with fifty participants.
V.

Research Objectives
The researcher wants to discover the elements that are most important in creating the
ideal home. The factors that are preventing the creation of the ideal home need to be
identified so that local groups and governments can begin planning on ways to fix those
factors. A clear outline of what matters to residents within a community will allow the
plans imposed by local groups and governments to come to fruition.
Without knowledge of the elements that are preventing residents of obtaining their ideal
home, there will be no way to pave a way for change. Although there are a wide variety
of factors that can affect a community or neighborhood, the main topics of research are
the wider-scaled factors, such as education opportunities and safety of neighborhoods.
These are two of the factors that play a major role in the decision making process of
where one chooses to live. Of course, other factors such as income are directly related
to the previously stated factors. It is assumed that the more money that is invested into a
property, the better its location and neighborhood. Although that may not stand true for
everyone, everywhere, it is true that residents do not want to live in a crime-ridden
neighborhood, nor do they want to live in neighborhoods that deprive children and
young adults from a proper education.

VI.

Research Design
a) Type of research
The type of research used for the design was both basic and descriptive. The research
design had a combination of the two because the researchers wanted to keep
everything simple and easy so participants would not have a lot of questions down the
road. Researchers used descriptive research because the survey needed to come across

as unbiased to participants with direct questions only. This type of research created
feedback and answers that were easy to measure.
The research design used two methods for the earlier research questions
proposed, both qualitative and quantitative. The qualitative method was used for
further exploration of the topic through textual and online analysis. This method gave
researchers a better understanding of the San Marcos demographics, the crime rates,
the current housing prices, and the annual median salary from residents in the city.
With this information, researchers then developed a survey to measure participants
feelings and opinions towards housing and its affect on the community.
The researchers main research technique was through textual analysis, such as
from the literature reviews talked about earlier. The main content found was through
the textual analysis of the City of San Marcoss website at www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us.
Researchers dissected the online content page-by-page where needed. A survey was
also taken after the qualitative research was done to back up or figure out
observations formed through the analysis through the participants.
The data collected from the research design was both primary and secondary.
Secondary research was done through textual analysis where the researchers could
have background information on the city of San Marcos, Texas and have data and
statistics on crime rates, education levels, median annual salary, and average cost of
housing properties. Primary research was also done through a survey. The researchers
collected all of this data personally and put out survey questions with the purpose of
them being answered by respondents online. All of this primary data is original and is
used for this research project solely.
b) Method of Research
i. Qualitative Research Method: Textual Analysis
The textual analysis for local residential, educational, and economical life was
measured on the City of San Marcoss website. Under the Our Community
tab up at the top, there were several different pages to go to, including
Community Calendar, Go Green San Marcos, Shopping, and Chamber of
Commerce. Under that tab the researchers selected and observed the
Economic Development page, which then redirected the study to a link on

the Greater San Marcos website (http://www.greatersanmarcostx.com) which

was more solely focused on the economy of San Marcos, Texas.
The community data showed that the cost of living in San Marcos, Texas had
a cost living index at 88.3, ranking the city at the sixth lowest in the state of
Texas. The overall state of Texas had a cost living index of 91.8. The U.S.
Census Bureau calculated the demographics and population in 2013, finding a
total population of the city reaching right at 50,000. Most of the demographics
on race and income werent updated to 2013 or 2014, so the data still stands at
the 2007-2011 records. In 2010 the population for races were as follows,
Caucasians at 78.5%, African Americans at 5.5%, and persons of Hispanic or
Latino origin at 37.8%. No religion data was found. When researched about
education levels, a whopping 84.1% of the community had a high school
graduate or higher level of education. In 2010, the number of housing units in
the city of San Marcos stood at 18,179, with the median value of owneroccupied housing units to be at $121,300. The demographics also stated that
the city has a 35.6% poverty line that people fall under, with the median
household income only being $27,597 a year. The city has a number of
elementary schools for children to attend, but only one high school stands in
the community for students, proving that San Marcos truly is a small town.
Education levels remain high though for the college level, with three major
colleges within a 50-mile radius of the city, Texas State University, University
of Texas-Austin, and University of Texas-San Antonio. The unemployment
rate is at 4.7% in San Marcos, Texas, standing fairly low against the United
States unemployment rate, standing at 7.3%. This data states back to 2011, no
current (2014) data was found.
Our research group learned a fair amount of data about the city of San
Marcos just by looking at this website under certain tabs. Moving on from the
data, researchers then researched the quality of life for San Marcos. In 2013,
the U.S. Census Bureau ranked San Marcos as the fastest growing city in the
nation. The city holds the fifth largest university in the state of Texas, Texas
State University, boasting Division 1 athletic sporting events along with

varieties of fine art shows and community-held concerts. San Marcos has a
famous river flowing right through the city and the university, attracting
hundreds of people during the warmer weather season. The river is known to
hold one of the most endangered species of grasses in the world. The city also
has the most parkland per capita in the state of Texas, with 25 parks stretching
across 193 acres. At the river and several parks, the community can do a
number of activities including, canoeing, snorkeling, tubing, and kayaking.
The city also has a historic square downtown that was ranked by Travel +
Leisure Magazine as one of the Top 10 Downtown Squares in the United
States. San Marcos also holds premiere outlet malls with hundreds of retail
stores, drawing over 10 million visitors per year.
Going back to the main website at the City of San Marcos, the research
continued for Housing and Economy under the Residents tab. Researchers
then observed Crime Statistics, where they were directed to
MyNeighborhoodUpdate. The top three crimes in the city were from Disorder
(involving suspicious persons or circumstances), Traffic (car collisions or
accidents), and Other (including welfare checks and public assists). The top
three crime locations were on Aquarena Springs, at the square downtown, and
by the Wal-Mart Superstore off of Highway 80. The city police also provide a
Community Services Division that provides home security surveys free of
charge.
Another main factor to the city that researchers discovered through the
website that does affect the economy and the housing developments, is
construction. Anyone looking at this data can conclude that the city is
undergoing major changes in the roadways. San Marcos is adding larger roads
and lanes, new under-road water and sewer systems, more student-living
buildings for Texas State University, and new bridge plans to avoid hightraffic areas and the multiple trains that pass through the city daily. All of
these construction sites happening now block several roadways, creating
detours that result in travel-times for the community to their jobs to 21.5
minutes long. This creates talk of residents wanting to move towards the outer

city region of San Marcos to get away from the traffic, the temporary student
residents, and the construction.
The research give had researchers concluding that although the City of
San Marcos website provided great insight and statistics for our Housing and
Economy research project, it didnt quite reach or answer the research
questions that had been proposed earlier on. Researchers did discover
however, many economical and demographic data and statistics through the
U.S. Census Bureau. The research data concluded that the city of San Marcos
provides a lot of Go Green and environmental friendly links and
organizations, but there was little to none programs or organizations
designated to helping and providing better ideal homes for the community.
This website provides enough information for prospective residents or
businesses when choosing what cities to locate to. Overall the researchers
concluded that the city of San Marcos, Texas is fairly a lower income city, but
with a large opportunity of growth due to Texas State University.
ii.

Quantitative Research
The sample used to conduct this research consisted of 58 participants online
from all different backgrounds and ages. Only 50 participants completed the
full survey out of 58, so researchers measured the data for only those 50
participants. The sample was not completely random because researchers had
to conduct this survey through Facebook, generating only the researchers
friends or friends of friends to participate in this survey. Questions generated
by the researchers were aimed towards the adult demographic age (18+) since
the topic dealt with housing and the economy, a topic most children dont
understand, worry about, or know about.
The sample size the researchers aimed for was 100 participants, but only
58 people participated, having only 50 people actual complete the survey
questions.
The survey was put out onto Facebook through researchers on November
4th, where researchers then shared the survey on personal pages for a higher

audience reach. The survey ended on November 21st, where researchers no

longer allowed any more survey entries to be done.
1. Questionnaire Design
Survey Objectives- The quantitative research was designed to get feedback
and opinions on participants feelings towards housing and the economy.
The goal was to see if participants felt that education levels, crime rates,
demographics, and annual salary all had an affect on the community and

housing prices. Researchers needed primary data for this.

Determine data collection- Researchers used a self-administered method
through Facebook only to observe participant feedback on the topic. This

method was chosen because the researchers supervisor said so.

Determine the questions response format- All of the administered
questions were closed-end questions to keep the data concise and easy to
measure. Researchers used a combination of multiple choice questions,
ranking order questions, and dichotomous questions to versify the survey
and make the participants feel more interaction on what they were being
surveyed about. The Likert scale was used immensely in our quantitative

research so attitude towards housing and the economy could be measured.

Decide on the question wording- All of the research questions were
unbiased and put into a format where participants would have no questions

and be able to answer them precisely and easily.

Establish questionnaire flow and layout- The research survey entailed 16
questions, starting with warm-up questions, then moving into transition
questions, and then going onto the more harder and personal questions of
the research. The survey then ended with demographic questions that
could allow the researchers a insight into whom exactly was answering
these questions, how much annual income they brought in, and what their

ethnicity and education levels were.

Evaluate the questionnaire- The researcher used ordinal levels of
measurement because it was most suited for participants. Overall, the
survey was extremely helpful in the research of housing and the economy.
Researchers decided to use multiple options for participants to answer so
measurement of individuals feelings were made and observed.

Researchers also got an insight into what participants viewed or felt like

on the levels of agreement or disagreement (Likert scale).

Obtain approval- The researchers supervisor approved of these research
questions and the quantitative research began right away on November 4th

through Facebook.
Pre-test and revise- An original format for the survey questions were
created, but when the supervisor pre-tested them, errors came up, resulting

in the new format of research questions the researchers administrated.

Prepare final copy of the questionnaire- The final copy and the questions
that were placed in the quantitative survey are above in number 5. The
same layout was put on the survey for participants to take. The

information in parenthesis was taken out, that is for researcher use only.
Implement and administer the survey- The survey was implemented and
administered on November 4th through Facebook and completed on

November 21st. Results are located in the appendix (Fig. 1)

Throughout the researching period, researchers monitored the activity use
of the Americas Housing and Economy Facebook page to record activity.
A chart measuring the outputs, outtakes, and outcomes of the Facebook
page activity are located in the appendix (Table 1).

2. The ability to afford housing is a problem for many citizens in America. Home
Matters is a movement focused on raising awareness and funds to make
Home a reality for everyone. Home Matters is a movement that unites
America around Home as the place where lives and families thrive, and as the
bedrock for a stronger nation. Home Matters main goal is improving housing,
community and economic development and education and learning by raising
awareness and asking for donations to help support the investments to sustain
the work that makes Home a reality for more Americans.
Home Matters has different pillars beyond housing that impact an
individual in their life. Health, education, individual success, public safety and
a strong economy are all of the aspects that come along with having a stable
home. The organization spreads the word about the benefits of Home. Their
target audience is the population of America who can afford housing. They

also collaborate with other organizations to increase access to the power of

Home. Home Matters reaches the audience by rallying local leaders and
mobilizing the public, raising funds and increasing investments to sustain
work and celebrate by promoting and honoring the impact Home has on
transforming America.
On each page of the website, they reach the audience by having
access to clicking on a link that will allow a person to donate. The website is
also synced with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as YouTube and
Google+. Home Matters wants the community to raise awareness of this
problem by sharing their personal story over Twitter and having them posted
on the home page of the organizations website. There is also an opportunity
to sign up to be a member and to receive the newsletter. Home Matters helps
the community by collaborating with other organizations and raising
awareness and funds. The organization and its supporters will affect the
change of decreasing homelessness, increasing affordable rent, increasing
homeownership and increasing quality of homes and communities.
Resources are only available to those who are members of Home Matters.
There is no Home Matters contact in San Marcos. In less than a year, over
1,000 people and 225 national, local and regional organizations have joined
the movement. Home Matters is supported by organizations such as Habitat
for Humanity, Beyond Housing, Home Headquarters, Inc. and
NeighborWorks.
The organization is recognized in the media through YouTube and
press releases. The website has a section for everything involving Home
Matters within the media at the bottom of the home page, before the contact
section. The movement also has a fact sheet that is downloadable in their Get
Involved page for users to print off and spread the awareness of housing.
VII.

Limitations
Over the research process, a few limitations that impacted the study transpired. First,
data was collected primarily from an area of mostly unemployed college students. This

denied access to an in-depth analysis of the trends between income and housing.
Secondly, the Facebook page, from which the analytics were derived, was created on
October 9, which resulted in a few discrepancies:
The short amount of time generated a small sample size for qualitative

research.
The small sample size resulted in an even smaller sample of participants

for the survey.

The sample size was composed of a demographic of people aged 18-24,
producing results that are not applicable to the total population.

Although minor, the limitations on the research could have had detrimental effects on
the overall outcome of our research. A larger sample size and wider demographics
could possibly produce different results that are more readily applicable to the total
population.
VIII.

Managerial Implications
Change in a community is a slow process that requires the attention of all residents
within that community. Hood (2005) studied the effects of poor housing in regards to
poor health, citing a study that involved a Latino community in San Diego. A survey
showed high levels of respiratory problems, as well as high rates of residents with
asthma, due to diesel exhaust truck traffic through the neighborhood. The community
solved this problem by contacting the California Air Resources Board to monitor the air
quality in that community, resulting in a reroute of traffic from through the
neighborhood to around it. Improving the air quality in that community was a step
towards creating the ideal home for residents in that area.
Analysis of survey data revealed that the roughly 56% of participants believe the
city where they reside could improve housing and communities where they live. This is
an insight into the governmental aspect of this study. To create the ideal home, local
governments will have to research what specifically can be done to improve their
individual communities.
Creation of the ideal home, therefore, requires the efforts of both the
government and the residents. Active engagement within a community from residents
and government programs, and a true desire to change (and maintain changes) that

occur, are the definitive factors in creating not just the ideal home, but the ideal
community. A lack in either can only foster success to a certain extent.
IX.

Analysis and Results

Throughout the process of researching, we designed a qualitative online survey and
pushed it out on to our Facebook website. With 58 participants, we received data on
how residents feel in their housing situations and the economy.
The Facebook page has accumulated 118 likes and the highest reach rate of all of
the posts was 668 people. 81% of the people who liked the page are women. 42% of the
women are between the ages of 18 and 24. 39% of the female population of likes are 24
and up. 116 people are from the US, and 2 are from Canada. The majority of people
who like the Facebook page are from San Marcos, TX and the surrounding cities
(Austin, Round Rock, San Antonio).
According to the results of the online survey, 44.83% of the participants strongly
like the house they currently live in, as 5.17% participants strongly do not, and 24.14%
are content. The majority (58.6%) feel as if their house does not have everything they
need/want. 37.93% of the participants love the community they live in, while 24.14%
agree they are strongly satisfied with the safety in their community. When asked how
satisfied the participant is about their childrens education in their community, the
majority of participants (42.1%) do not have children. From those who do, 21.05%
agree they are strongly satisfied with the schooling in their community.
The survey asks to rank what is most important to the participants when living in
a community. Participants think a safe community is the most important quality of their
living situation. Great schooling follows that along with entertainment, close-by retail
& restaurant stores, presentation of the community, upkeeps on lawn and scenery,
affordable housing and city and government involvement, respectively. In their
community, 34.62% feel they somewhat agree that they are getting their moneys
worth. 32% of the participants feel that their city could improve with housing and
communities where they live, and only 38% are somewhat affected by safety rates in
their community. 100% of the participants see that the economy today affects housing
and communities, and 76% think home prices will go up during the next year.
The trends that lie between income and housing are that the more money one puts
into the home, the more upkeep their home will have, creating a healthier lifestyle for

the residents who live there. Taking care of the places people live in and the community
surrounding it is vital to a lifestyle that is not problematic in the future. These same
trends occur with education raising a family in a healthy home has a beneficial effect
on those who live there. People of all ages are constantly learning. They learn in the
classroom, in the workplace and at home with their loved ones about life. Without
housing and a community that are taken care of, people wouldnt be able to learn how
to maintain a healthy lifestyle in their home. Communities should be more involved in
order to keep themselves safe, physically and mentally. Changes, such as less pollution
or monitoring crime rate, can be made only through the communitys involvement.
In conclusion, housing and the economy are directly related and the community,
education and income are all dependent variables of one another. Involvement from the
community, up-keep with homes and public housing and creating a safe place to call
home is vital for residents to be satisfied in Americas housing and economy.

X.

Bibliography
Census.gov. (n.d.). Census.gov. Retrieved September 17, 2014, from
http://www.census.gov/"http://www.census.gov
Curtis, P., & Simons, K. (2008). Pathways to ready schools. Child & Adolescent Social
Work, 25(3), 171-183.
HUD/U.S.. (n.d.). HUD/U.S.. Retrieved September 17, 2014, from
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD
Home Matters | Home is where it all starts. (n.d.). Home Matters. Retrieved September
17, 2014, from http://www.homemattersamerica.com/
Hood, E. (2005). Dwelling disparities: how poor housing leads to poor health.
Environment Health Perspect, 113(5), 310-317.
Motley, C., & Perry, V. (2013). Living on the other side of the tracks: an investigation
of public housing stereotypes. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 32, 48-58.
Newman, S., Holupka, C., & Harkness, J. (2009). The long-term effects of housing
assistance on work and welfare. Journal of Policy Analysis & Management, 28(1),

81-101.
Smith, T. (1987). The polls -- a report: the state in cross-national perspective. Public
Opinion Quarterly, 51, 404-421.
What is the National NeighborWorks Association?. (n.d.). Neighborhood & Housing
Advocate Association || National NeighborWorks Association. Retrieved
September 17, 2014, from http://www.nnwa.us/

XI.

Appendix
Fig. 1

44.83% of the participants strongly like the house they currently live in, as 5.17% participants
strongly do not, and 24.14% are content.
58.6% of the participants feel as if their house does not have everything they need/want.
37.93% of the participants love the community they live in.
24.14% of the participants agree they are strongly satisfied with the safety in their community.
34.62% of the participants feel they somewhat agree that they are getting their moneys worth in
their community.
When asked how satisfied the participant is about their childrens education in their community,
42.1% of participants do not have children. From those who do, 21.05% agree they are strongly
satisfied with the schooling in their community.
32% of the participants feel that their city could improve with housing and communities where
they live.
38% of the participants are somewhat affected by safety rates in their community.
100% of the participants see that the economy today affects housing and communities.
76% of the participants think home prices will go up during the next year.
The participants were asked what their median annual salary is
22 (44.0%): less than $25,000
5 (10.0%): $25,000-$50,000
12 (24.0%): $50,000-$100,000
8 (16.0%): $100,000-$200,000
3 (6.0%): $200,000+
The participants were asked their current marital status
24 (48.0%): Married or have an unmarried partner
20 (40.0%): Single
5 (10.0%): Divorced
1 (2.0%): Widowed
0 (0.0%): Other
The participants were asked their education level
0 (0.0%): Less than high school

4 (8.0%): High school graduate

28 (56.0%): Some college
16 (32.0%): College graduate
2 (4.0%): Grad School+
The participants were asked their ethnicity
31 (62.0%): White/Caucasian
1 (2.0%): African American
12 (24.0%): Mexican American or Hispanic
0 (0.0%): Native American
0 (0.0%): Asian
0 (0.0%): Pacific Islander
3 (6.0%): Biracial
3 (6.0%): Other

Table 1
Date

Communicatio
n Objective:

Content
Schedule

Outpu
t

Output Outtakes
Metrics

To raise
awareness of
housing and
the economy in
America.

Outtake
s
Metrics

Oct. 09

Housing
Economic
Impact

link to
article

reach:
5
people

0%

Oct. 09

Climate and
Household

link to
article

reach:
7
people

0%

Oct. 09

Home
Foreclosures

link to
article

reach:
14
people

0%

Outcome
Not
Available.

Oct. 09

Healthy
Households

status

reach:
19
people

0%

Oct. 09

Children in
Different Living
Conditions

photo

reach:
22

2 post
clicks

9%

Oct. 10-20

No activity
during these
days.

Oct. 21

Differences in
Neighborhood
s

status

reach:
26
people

3 post
clicks/ 1
comment

15%

Oct. 21

Top 10 Best
link to
Cities to Live in article

reach:
21
people

2
comment
s

10%

Oct. 21

Top 10 Most
Dangerous
Cities

link to
article

reach:
25
people

2
comment
s

8%

Oct. 22-27

No activity
during these
days.

Oct. 28

San Marcos
Arts Initiative

link to
article

reach:
42
people

1 post
click/ 2
comment
s

5%

Oct. 29

Americas
Housing and
Economy
Photo

photo

reach:
35
people

2 post
clicks

6%

status

reach:
38
people

1
comment

3%

Oct. 30Nov. 2
Nov. 3

No activity
during these
days.

Low Gas
Prices

Nov. 4

Nov. 5-9

Survey

link to
survey

reach:
668
people

38 post
clicks/ 2
comment
s

9%

No activity
during these
days.

Nov. 10

2015 Real
Estate Trends

link to
article

reach:
31
people

1
comment

10%

Nov. 10

Hempcrete
used for
Insulation in
Homes

link to
article/
video/
photo

reach:
25
people

6 post
clicks/ 2
comment
s

8%

link to
article

reach:
31
people

1 post
click/ 1
comment

10%

link to
article/
video

reach:
18

0%

Nov. 11
Nov. 12

No activity
during this day.

Nov. 13
Nov. 14

Top 10 Warm
Weather
Destinations
No activity
during this day

Tiny House
Movement

Resident Attitudes Towards Home and Community

1. How do you feel about the house you currently live in? *
Number of participants: 50

Strongly Dislike

I ____ the house I currently

Strongly Like

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

2x

4.00

3x 6.00 13x 26.00 7x

14.00 25x

50.00 4.00 1.18

2.

Does your house have everything you need/want? *

Number of participants: 50
22 (44.0%): yes
28 (56.0%): no

yes: 44.00%

no: 56.00%

3. How do you feel about the neighborhood/community that you live in? *
Number of participants: 50

Hate

I ______ the community I live

2x

Love

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

4.00 3x

6.00 13x

26.00 10x

20.00 22x

44.00 3.94 1.15

4. How do you feel about the safety in your neighborhood/community? *

Number of participants: 50

Strongly
Dissatisfied

I am _______ with the saf

Strongly
Satisfied

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

4x

8.00

4x 8.00 10x 20.00 19x 38.00 13x

26.00 3.66 1.19

5. If you have children, how satisfied are you with your child's schooling/education? *
Number of participants: 50

Strongly
Dissatisfied

I am __________ with my

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

%
-

Strongly I do not
Satisfied
have

2x 4.00 10x 20.00 5x

children.
%

10.00 11x 22.00

(0)

22x

3.89 1.03

6. Rank the things in your community you find to be the most important. *
Number of participants: 50

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Great Schooling

14x 28.00 16x 32.00 7x 14.00 4x 8.00

Safe Community

23x 46.00 20x 40.00 4x 8.00 1x 2.00

Entertainment

2x 4.00 2x 4.00 9x 18.00 3x 6.00 10x 20.00 9x 18.00 10x 20.00 5x 10.00 5.18 1.92

Close-by Retail & Restaur

3x 6.00 4x 8.00 6x 12.00 15x 30.00 4x 8.00 9x 18.00 5x 10.00 4x 8.00 4.60 1.92

Presentation of the Com

2x 4.00 2x 4.00 1x

1x 2.00 1x

2.00 4x 8.00 2.88 2.11

2.00

1.84 1.20

3x 6.00 9x 18.00 7x 14.00 14x 28.00 9x 18.00 7x 14.00 1x 2.00 4.84 1.53

Upkeep on Lawns and Sce

2x 4.00 2x 4.00 7x 14.00 10x 20.00 8x 16.00 12x 24.00 3x

Affordable Housing

6x 12.00 3x 6.00 5x 10.00 5x 10.00 8x 16.00 5x 10.00 11x 22.00 7x 14.00 5.00 2.30

City and Government Inv

6.00 6x 12.00 4.96 1.84

3x 6.00 5x 10.00 4x 8.00 3x 6.00 12x 24.00 23x 46.00 6.70 1.63

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

7. Do you feel that for the neighborhood/community that you live in, you are getting your money's worth? *
Number of participants: 50

Strongly Disagree

I _______ that I am gettin

Strongly Agree

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

3x

6.00

7x 14.00 10x 20.00 17x 34.00 13x

26.00 3.60 1.20

8. Do you think the city could improve housing and communities where you live? *
Number of participants: 50

Strongly Disagree

I _____ that the city could

Strongly Agree

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

2x

4.00

4x 8.00 13x 26.00 15x 30.00 16x

32.00 3.78 1.11

9. How have safety rates affected your neighborhood/community? *

Number of participants: 50

Strongly
Unaffected

I am ______ by safety rate

Strongly
Affected

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1x

2.00

7x 14.00 19x 38.00 14x 28.00

9x

18.00 3.46 1.01

10. How have education rates affected your neighborhood/community? *

Number of participants: 50

Strongly
Unaffected

Education rates have ___

Strongly
Affected

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

2x

4.00

3x 6.00 13x 26.00 15x 30.00 17x

34.00 3.84 1.09

11. Do you think the economy today affects housing and communities? *
Number of participants: 50
50 (100.0%): yes
- (0.0%): no

yes: 100.00%

12. During the next year, do you think home prices will generally go up or down? *
Number of participants: 50
I don't know: 10.00%

38 (76.0%): Prices will go up

3 (6.0%): Prices will go down

Prices will remain about the same: 8.00%

4 (8.0%): Prices will remain about the

same

Prices will go down: 6.00%

5 (10.0%): I don't know

Prices will go up: 76.00%

13. What is your median

annual

salary?

Number

*
of

$200,000+: 6.00%

participants: 50
$100,000-$200,000: 16.00%

22 (44.0%): less than

$25,000
less than $25,000: 44.00%

5 (10.0%): $25,000$50,000
12 (24.0%): $50,000$100,000

$50,000-$100,000: 24.00%

8 (16.0%): $100,000$200,000
$25,000$50,000:
10.00%

3 (6.0%): $200,000+
14. What

is

2.0%):

your

Widowe

current

marital

(0.0%):

status? *

Other

Number
of
participa
nts: 50
24

(48.0%):

Married

or

have

an

unmarried
partner
20 (40.0%):
Single
5
(10.0%):
Divorced
1

Married or have an unmarried partner: 48

Wido
wed:
2.00%
Divorced: 10.00%

Single: 40.00%

15. What

is

your

education level?
*

Number

Hi
g
h
sc
h
o
ol
gr
a
d
u
at
e:
8.
0
0
%

of

participants: 50
-

(0.0%):

Less

than high school

4 (8.0%): High
school graduate
28

Grad School+: 4.00%

(56.0%):

Some college
College graduate: 32.00%

16
(32.0%):
College graduate
2 (4.0%): Grad
School+

Some college: 56.00%

16. What is your race/ethnicity? * Number of participants: 50 31

(62.0%): White/Caucasian 1 (2.0%): African American
12 (24.0%): Mexican American or Hispanic
-

(0.0%): Native American

(0.0%): Asian

(0.0%): Pacific Islander

3 (6.0%): Biracial
3 (6.0%): Other

Other: 6.00%
Biracial: 6.00%

Mexican American or Hispanic: 24.00%

White/Caucasian: 62.00%

African American: 2.00%