CDBG Income Survey Requirements

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• CDBG Income Survey Requirements
• For Grant Administrators

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(No Transcript)
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Purpose of Surveys

• Determine if a CDBG National Objective can be met
  by proposed project activity
• Obtain demographic information from survey area
  residents

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Meeting a CDBGNational Objective (Area Benefit)

• At least 51 of the residents benefiting from the
  CDBG program live in households earning 80 or
  less than the area's Median Family Income as
  Determined by HUD
• The Median Family Income Thresholds change every
  year

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State Program Service Area

• HUD will generally accept the state and local
  determination of the service area unless the
  nature of the activity or its location raises
  serious doubt about the area claimed by the state
  and its grant recipients.

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State Program Service Area

• Keys to meet LMI area national objective.
• Service area decided based on the activity
  beneficiaries
• Critical that the service area be the entire area
  served by the activity (see 24 CFR
  570.483(b)(1)(i)).
• Need not be coterminous with census tracts or
  other officially recognized boundaries
• At least 51 residents service area LMI persons.

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State Program Service Area

• Service area boundarieswhy need for survey
• may or may not coincide with census or other
  geographic boundaries,
• one census tract covers an entire city or there
  may be only two or three census tracts in an
  entire county.
• smaller communities and rural areas where block
  groups or census tracts with low population
  densities cover large areas.

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State Program Service Area

• Service area boundariesexamples
• Street paving project serves residents in part of
  community
• Fire station project serves community and rural
  unincorporated area of 2 or more counties
• Rural water district serves community and portion
  of the rural area

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State Program Service Area

• True or False? The service area
• Is always the legal boundaries of the community
  or county applicant?
• Needs to meet Census tract boundaries?
• Is based on the area the benefiting residents
  live in the community?
• At least ?? residents must be LMI persons.

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State Program Service Area

• True or False? The service area
• Is always the legal boundaries of the community
  or county applicant? False
• Needs to meet Census tract boundaries?
• Is based on the area the benefiting residents
  live in the community?
• At least ?? residents must be LMI persons.

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State Program Service Area

• True or False? The service area
• Is always the legal boundaries of the community
  or county applicant? False
• Needs to meet Census tract boundaries? False
• Is based on the area the benefiting residents
  live in the community?
• At least ?? residents must be LMI persons.

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State Program Service Area

• True or False? The service area
• Is always the legal boundaries of the community
  or county applicant? False
• Needs to meet Census tract boundaries? False
• Is based on the area the benefiting residents
  live in the community? True
• At least ?? residents must be LMI persons.

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State Program Service Area

• True or False? The service area
• Is always the legal boundaries of the community
  or county applicant? False
• Needs to meet Census tract boundaries? False
• Is based on the area the benefiting residents
  live in the community? True
• At least 51 residents of the service area
• must be LMI persons.

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State Program Service Area

• Service area boundariesexamples
• Street paving project serves residents in part of
  community
• Fire station project serves community and rural
  unincorporated area of 2 or more counties
• Rural water district serves community and portion
  of the rural area

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Survey Methodology

• Two Methods of Surveys
• Census (100 survey of service area)
• Sampling (random sample of survey area
• Which Method to Use?
• Ask State for guidance

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Census Method

• Census method for survey of population for small
  communities and rural areas okay if
• Local unit of government illustrates how
  calculated
• LMI persons calculated from entire population
  local unit of government
• Service area population not calculated based on
  the respondents to the survey

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Census Method

• Census method for survey of population for small
  communities and rural areas
• Census survey conducted entire population.
• 640 residents with return rate 80, which
• 512 residents respond to family income based on
  distribution to households,
• Thus, 51 respondents must be LMI?
• or 261 respondents of the community?

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Census Method

• Census method for survey of population for small
  communities and rural areas
• Thus, 51 respondents must be LMI?
• or 261 respondents of the community? Incorrect.

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Census Method

• Census method for survey of population for small
  communities and rural areas
• Thus, 51 respondents must be LMI?
• or 261 respondents of the community? Incorrect.
• 51 of the population surveyed (640) must be LMI
  residents, which means 326 respondents of the
  community census survey must be LMI.
• Correct.

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Sampling Surveys

• Selecting the Sample
• Need to define survey population (service area)
• Determine how many households need to be
  interviewed
• Make allowances for unreachables and
  non-respondents
• Actual sample selection

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Sample Size

• Use Table B to determine how many household need
  to be interviewed
• Do not try to interview everyone unless the small
  sample size dictates it!
• All households in survey area must have an equal
  chance of selection
• Use random numbers table or on-line randomizer
  like www.randomizer.org or www.random.org.

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Defining the Population

• Need an accurate method to identify all
  households in survey area
• City indexes and telephone books and 911 maps are
  helpful
• Not everyone has a telephone
• Tax rolls can mislead
• www.reversephonedirectory.com

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Unreachables and Non-Respondents

• Make follow-up contacts
• Goal of 80 is good target
• Go back to random sampling to complete survey
• Must not exceed on Table B

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Survey Steps

• Select the Survey Type
• Developing a Questionnaire
• Conducting the Survey
• Determine the Results
• Documenting Your Results

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Step 1 Select the Survey Type

• Mail
• Door to Door (In Person)
• Telephone

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Mail Surveys

• Basic method for collecting data
• Survey form should be mailed with self- addressed
  stamped envelope
• Usually has lowest response rate

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Door to Door Surveys

• Interviewer visits households directly
• Survey form completed on-site
• Interviewers need maximum training
• Follow-up visits usually needed
• Highest response rate

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Telephone Surveys

• Questions asked via telephone
• Need to assure proper responder answers questions
• Need to develop method to contact those without
  phone or with unlisted number
• Moderate to high response rate

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Step 2 Developing a Questionnaire

• Determine content, wording, format and placement
  of questions
• For CDBG, must contain income and demographic
  information
• All respondents must be asked the same questions
• Exact responses must be recorded as they are
  presented

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Step 3 Conducting the Survey

• Give advance notice of survey
• Do not bias the results
• Interviewer must follow process
• Survey etiquette must be followed
• Turn surveys over to tabulator
• Each survey needs to be reviewed and edited for
  completeness and accuracy

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Conducting the Survey

• Remember-- People are leery of surveys,
  especially regarding income information!
• Keep documentation regarding income simple
• Good PR is key
• Interviewers must be tactful

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Confidentiality

• You should do your best to maintain
  confidentiality. Emphasize to respondents that
  their answers will be kept confidential.
• The respondents name, address, and telephone
  number should appear only on the cover sheet of
  the questionnaire.

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Confidentiality

• After the survey is completed, the cover sheet
  may be numbered and separated from the actual
  interview sheet. If the cover sheets and the
  questionnaires are both numbered, they can be
  matched if necessary.

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Step 4 Determining the Results

• For Sampling Surveys??
• Add numbers for all data
• Tabulate the responses and calculate estimated
  LMI
• Compare family sizes and percentages of LMI and
  Non-LMI responder families
• Compare to existing Census data
• Analyze non-respondents

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Step 4 Determining the Results

• For LMI Area Benefit Activities not using HUD
  Census data
•  PART I. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR SURVEY
• 1. Total number of families (including single
  person families).1.________
• in the activity service area.
  
• 2. Total number of families in the service area
  that were..2.________
• contacted (include not reachable, refused to
  answer,
• incomplete interview/questionnaire)
• 3. Total number of completed interviews
  ..3.________
• 4. Percent of families responding
  (3/2)..4. ________
• 5. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed.5.________
• 6. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed ..6.________
• who are LMI persons.
  
• 7. Divide Line 6 by Line 5 and multiply by
  100.7.________
• 8. Total number of persons in the service area
  ..8.________
• (if community wide, use 2000 Census).
  
• 9. Total number of LMI persons benefiting (7 x
  8).9.________
•      
•  

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Step 4 Determining the Results

• For LMI Area Benefit Activities not using HUD
  Census data
•  PART I. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR SURVEY
• 1. Total number of families (including single
  person families).1._450____
• in the activity service area.
  
• 2. Total number of families in the service area
  that were..2._257____
• contacted (include not reachable, refused to
  answer,
• incomplete interview/questionnaire)
• 3. Total number of completed interviews
  ..3._228____
• 4. Percent of families responding
  (3/2)..4. _88.7___
• 5. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed.5.________
• 6. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed ..6.________
• who are LMI persons.
  
• 7. Divide Line 6 by Line 5 and multiply by
  100.7._______
• 8. Total number of persons in the service area
  ..8._______
• (if community wide, use 2000 Census).
  
• 9. Total number of LMI persons benefiting (7 x
  8).9._______
•      
•  

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Step 4 Determining the Results

• For LMI Area Benefit Activities not using HUD
  Census data
•  PART I. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR SURVEY
• 1. Total number of families (including single
  person families).1._450____
• in the activity service area.
  
• 2. Total number of families in the service area
  that were..2._257____
• contacted (include not reachable, refused to
  answer,
• incomplete interview/questionnaire)
• 3. Total number of completed interviews
  ..3._228____
• 4. Percent of families responding
  (3/2)..4. _88.7___
• 5. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed.5._796__
• 6. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed ..6._412__
• who are LMI persons.
  
• 7. Divide Line 6 by Line 5 and multiply by
  100.7._51.76__
• 8. Total number of persons in the service area
  ..8._1,395__
• (if community wide, use 2000 Census).
  
• 9. Total number of LMI persons benefiting (7 x
  8).9.__722__
•      
•  

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Step 4 Determining the Results

• For LMI Area Benefit Activities not using HUD
  Census data
•  PART I. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR SURVEY
• 1. Total number of families (including single
  person families).1._450____
• in the activity service area.
  
• 2. Total number of families in the service area
  that were..2._257____
• contacted (include not reachable, refused to
  answer,
• incomplete interview/questionnaire)
• 3. Total number of completed interviews
  ..3._228____
• 4. Percent of families responding
  (3/2)..4. _88.7___
• 5. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed.5._796__
• 6. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed ..6._412__
• who are LMI persons.
  
• 7. Divide Line 6 by Line 5 and multiply by
  100.7._51.76__
• 8. Total number of persons in the service area
  ..8._1,395__
• (if community wide, use 2000 Census).
  
• 9. Total number of LMI persons benefiting (7 x
  8).9.__722__
•      
•  

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Step 4 Determining the Results

• For LMI Area Benefit Activities not using HUD
  Census data
•  PART I. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR SURVEY
• 1. Total number of families (including single
  person families).1._450____
• in the activity service area.
  
• 2. Total number of families in the service area
  that were..2._257____
• contacted (include not reachable, refused to
  answer,
• incomplete interview/questionnaire)
• 3. Total number of completed interviews
  ..3._228____
• 4. Percent of families responding
  (3/2)..4. _88.7___
• 5. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed.5._796__
• 6. Total number of persons in the families
  interviewed ..6._412__
• who are LMI persons.
  
• 7. Divide Line 6 by Line 5 and multiply by
  100.7._51.76__
• 8. Total number of persons in the service area
  ..8._1,395__
• (if community wide, use 2000 Census).
  
• 9. Total number of LMI persons benefiting (7 x
  8).9.__722__
•      
•  

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Step 5 Documenting Your Results

• Keep all completed surveys
• Maintain a list of households sampled
• Documentation of selection process
• Keep all records per your state requirements

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Analysis of Sampling Surveys

• What to do if everything was done correctly,
  including random selection of the required number
  of families, and your estimate shows that less
  than 51 percent of the residents of the service
  area have low- and moderate-incomes?
• LMI area benefit activities cannot be undertaken
  in that area.

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Lifespan of a Survey

• How long is an income survey good for?
• What if there are significant changes?
• Surveys may be used more than once only for the
  same exact service area

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Resources and References

• HUD Notice CPD-05-06
• STATE SPECIFIC REFERENCES