Housing Needs Community Survey 2023

Welcome!

Thank you for participating in this public survey – your feedback is extremely valuable. This survey is being conducted by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission and the City of Charlottesville in an effort to better understand the needs of the community as they relate to access to affordable housing, Fair Housing practices, and public improvements and services within the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle, Louisa, Fluvanna, Greene, and Nelson counties.

Your responses are voluntary and will remain anonymous. Responses will not be identified by individual, and the data will be compiled and analyzed as a group.

We know that your time is valuable. This survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Your participation is much appreciated.

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* 1. I live in

Charlottesville

Albemarle

Greene

Fluvanna

Louisa

Nelson

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Please select the option that best represents you.

I am a resident speaking for myself

I am a service provider responding on behalf of clients that I serve

Other (please specify)

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* 3. How old are you?

Under 21

21 to 30

31 to 45

46 to 55

56 to 65

Over 65

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* 4. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

Yes

Prefer not to say

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* 5. How would you describe yourself? Please check all that apply.

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

White

Prefer not to say

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Including yourself, how many people live in your home?

6 or more

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* 7. What is your approximate average annual household income (include all members of your household)?

Less than $25,000

$25,000 to $49,000

$50,000 to $74,000

$75,000 to $99,000

$100,000 to $124,000

$125,000 to $149,000

$150,000 to $174,000

$175,000 to $200,000

$201,000 or more

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* 8. Of the following, which best describes your current living situation?

Adult with children (under the age of 18) living in my home

Adult with no children

Adult with children not living in my home

Senior adult, age 65 or older

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Please rate the level of importance of the following issues to you and your community.

	Very Unimportant	Unimportant	Neutral	Important	Very Important
Affordable Housing	Affordable Housing Very Unimportant	Affordable Housing Unimportant	Affordable Housing Neutral	Affordable Housing Important	Affordable Housing Very Important
Public Infrastructure Improvements: Street repair, Safety features	Public Infrastructure Improvements: Street repair, Safety features Very Unimportant	Public Infrastructure Improvements: Street repair, Safety features Unimportant	Public Infrastructure Improvements: Street repair, Safety features Neutral	Public Infrastructure Improvements: Street repair, Safety features Important	Public Infrastructure Improvements: Street repair, Safety features Very Important
Economic Development, Business Development, & Job Creation	Economic Development, Business Development, & Job Creation Very Unimportant	Economic Development, Business Development, & Job Creation Unimportant	Economic Development, Business Development, & Job Creation Neutral	Economic Development, Business Development, & Job Creation Important	Economic Development, Business Development, & Job Creation Very Important
Social Services & Support Services	Social Services & Support Services Very Unimportant	Social Services & Support Services Unimportant	Social Services & Support Services Neutral	Social Services & Support Services Important	Social Services & Support Services Very Important

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* 10. Please choose the five (5) services that would benefit you and your community most.

Childcare services

Programs for youth

Job training and employment preparation

Services and programs for people with disabilities/special needs

Financial education and counseling

Homeless shelters

Senior services

Food services (food pantries, Meals-on-Wheels, etc.)

Physical health services (medical and dental services)

HIV & AIDS prevention and support programs

Gang prevention and intervention

Transportation

Housing assistance

Mental health and substance abuse services

Other (please specify)

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* 11. In your opinion, what is the most needed by you and your community? Please select five (5).

Streetscape improvements (lighting, bike & pedestrian improvements, street repair)

Accessibility/safety (curb-cuts and ramps)

Sewer/drainage improvements

Enforcement of building and safety codes

Nuisance abatement (reduction of vacant or abandoned property)

Parks and open space

Recreational facilities

Public transportation

Childcare centers

Community centers (senior centers/youth centers)

Community services (banks, pharmacies, grocery stores)

Community facilities (libraries, police stations, schools, hospitals, clinics)

Housing

Beautification/enhanced public space

Other (please specify)

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* 12. Please choose the three (3) greatest ECONOMIC needs in your community.

Job training and employment preparation

Job development/creation (new jobs)

Training and technical assistance for small businesses

Business loans and access to capital

Improvement of commercial and industrial property facades

Public infrastructure improvements

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Consider the people you know who have experienced homelessness, including yourself. What is the need for each of the following, for a person or family that is homeless?

	Low Need	Moderate Need	High Need	Critical Need
Job Training	Job Training Low Need	Job Training Moderate Need	Job Training High Need	Job Training Critical Need
Case Management	Case Management Low Need	Case Management Moderate Need	Case Management High Need	Case Management Critical Need
Life Skills	Life Skills Low Need	Life Skills Moderate Need	Life Skills High Need	Life Skills Critical Need
Substance Abuse Treatment	Substance Abuse Treatment Low Need	Substance Abuse Treatment Moderate Need	Substance Abuse Treatment High Need	Substance Abuse Treatment Critical Need
Mental Health Care	Mental Health Care Low Need	Mental Health Care Moderate Need	Mental Health Care High Need	Mental Health Care Critical Need
Physical Health Care	Physical Health Care Low Need	Physical Health Care Moderate Need	Physical Health Care High Need	Physical Health Care Critical Need
Housing Placement	Housing Placement Low Need	Housing Placement Moderate Need	Housing Placement High Need	Housing Placement Critical Need
Education Opportunities	Education Opportunities Low Need	Education Opportunities Moderate Need	Education Opportunities High Need	Education Opportunities Critical Need
Conflict Resolution	Conflict Resolution Low Need	Conflict Resolution Moderate Need	Conflict Resolution High Need	Conflict Resolution Critical Need
Legal Support	Legal Support Low Need	Legal Support Moderate Need	Legal Support High Need	Legal Support Critical Need

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* 14. Have you or has someone you know faced any of the following housing-related challenges? Please check all that apply.

Housing is too expensive

I am afraid of being evicted

Have a felony/criminal record and find it hard to find housing

I don’t have adequate access to public transportation from my home

I can’t pay my rent or mortgage on time

I worry about my rent going up

I can’t find a landlord that will accept Section 8 housing vouchers

I want to buy a home, but can’t afford the down payment

I am homeless and can’t find a place to live

I have poor credit and can’t find a place to live

I have a disability and can’t find housing that meets my needs

I do not understand this question.

Other (please specify)

Housing Discrimination

Examples of Discrimination:

Refusing to sell or rent a home to someone because of their identity (based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and/or disability).
Printing or publishing information that states a preference for or against people of certain identities.
Telling a person that a home is not available, specifically because of their identity.
Written sections of a deed or lease that prevents people of certain identities from accessing that housing.
Providing different terms or privileges to different tenants or buyers based on their identity.

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* 15. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Of those, which do you think is the most common type of housing discrimination in our region?

Race

Color

National Origin

Religion

Sex

Familial status

Disability

Other (please specify)

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* 16. Where would you refer someone if they experienced discrimination while trying to find housing?

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* 17. Have you, or has someone you know experienced housing discrimination in any of the following areas?

	I have	I know someone who has
Renting an apartment or home	Renting an apartment or home I have	Renting an apartment or home I know someone who has
Finding a home to buy	Finding a home to buy I have	Finding a home to buy I know someone who has
Obtaining a mortgage	Obtaining a mortgage I have	Obtaining a mortgage I know someone who has
Getting reasonable accommodations for a disability	Getting reasonable accommodations for a disability I have	Getting reasonable accommodations for a disability I know someone who has
Obtaining insurance	Obtaining insurance I have	Obtaining insurance I know someone who has

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* 18. Did you or the person you know report the discrimination?

Yes

No, because I didn’t know who or where to report it

No, because it is too time consuming to report it

No, because I was afraid of retaliation

No, because I don’t believe it would make a difference

Other (please specify)

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* 19. How well informed do you feel personally about housing discrimination laws?

Very well informed

Somewhat informed

Somewhat uninformed

Not informed at all

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* 20. Are you aware of the Fair Housing Act and Virginia Fair Housing Law (which legally prevents discrimination based on the identities / protected classes described above when selling or renting housing)?

Yes

Not sure

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* 21. If “Yes”, where did you learn about these laws?

“Fair housing” means preventing discrimination in selling or renting housing.

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* 22. Have you ever received fair housing training?

Yes

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* 23. If “Yes”, who provided the training?

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* 24. From the list below, are there any localities in our region that you believe have housing discrimination problems? Please check all that apply.

City of Charlottesville

Albemarle County

Fluvanna County

Greene County

Louisa County

Nelson County

Other (please specify)

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* 25. Are you aware of any questionable practices or barriers to fair housing in any of the following areas?

	I am aware of concerns	I am not aware of any concerns
Land use policies	Land use policies I am aware of concerns	Land use policies I am not aware of any concerns
Zoning laws	Zoning laws I am aware of concerns	Zoning laws I am not aware of any concerns
Occupancy standards or health and safety codes	Occupancy standards or health and safety codes I am aware of concerns	Occupancy standards or health and safety codes I am not aware of any concerns
Mortgage lending or first month of rent and security deposits	Mortgage lending or first month of rent and security deposits I am aware of concerns	Mortgage lending or first month of rent and security deposits I am not aware of any concerns

Definitions:

Land use policies – rules that state how a piece of land can be used by its owner

Zoning laws – rules about what type of buildings can be built on a particular piece of land. If these rules are unfair, that might be discrimination. Questionable or discriminatory practices can exclude specific types of development based on arbitrary or discriminatory reasoning.

Occupancy standards/health and safety codes – rules that keep certain types of families from being able to find safe housing. For example, rules that don’t let families with children live in a certain apartment building are illegal. Health and safety codes that discriminate against individuals with certain health conditions also are considered a barrier to fair housing. If someone won’t let you rent from them because of your health or mental health challenges, that may be illegal.

Mortgage lending/Deposits – Lending practices that discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin, elderliness, familial status, disability, source of funds, sexual orientation, or military status are illegal. If a lender or bank charges you more money because of your race, class, age, disability, where you were born, or your type of family, that is illegal.

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* 26. Please choose the five (5) housing issues most in need of attention in your community.

Temporary housing (emergency shelters, transitional housing to help someone while they find a home)

Rental assistance (money that helps you pay your rent in a crisis)

Foreclosure prevention (if you can’t pay your mortgage, help so you don’t lose your home)

Access to fair housing services and information

Affordable rental housing for families

Affordable rental housing for seniors

Affordable housing for people with disabilities

Affordable housing with support services for the homeless

Development of new affordable housing

First-time home buyer assistance

Homeowner rehabilitation services (money to help repair your home)

Maintenance of rental housing (fixing problems in the home you are renting)

Handicapped accessibility

Other (please specify)

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* 27. Please pick the three (3) most critical needs for RENTAL housing in your community.

Rental assistance vouchers

Construction of NEW affordable housing

Energy efficiency improvements

Rehab and preservation of existing affordable housing

Lead-based paint screening/abatement

Modifications for the disabled

Other (please specify)

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* 28. Pick the three (3) most critical needs for HOMEOWNERSHIP housing in your community.

Foreclosure assistance and counseling

Down payment assistance for first-time buyers

Home repair and rehab

Development of new homes

Energy efficiency improvements

Modifications for the disabled

Lead-based paint screening/abatement

Other (please specify)

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* 29. Please identify the level of need for housing for each of the special populations listed below. The income table below can be used to help answer this question.

	Low Need	Moderate Need	High Need	Critical Need
Seniors	Seniors Low Need	Seniors Moderate Need	Seniors High Need	Seniors Critical Need
Chronically Homeless	Chronically Homeless Low Need	Chronically Homeless Moderate Need	Chronically Homeless High Need	Chronically Homeless Critical Need
People with drug or alcohol dependence	People with drug or alcohol dependence Low Need	People with drug or alcohol dependence Moderate Need	People with drug or alcohol dependence High Need	People with drug or alcohol dependence Critical Need
People with mental illness	People with mental illness Low Need	People with mental illness Moderate Need	People with mental illness High Need	People with mental illness Critical Need
Domestic violence survivors	Domestic violence survivors Low Need	Domestic violence survivors Moderate Need	Domestic violence survivors High Need	Domestic violence survivors Critical Need
Abused children	Abused children Low Need	Abused children Moderate Need	Abused children High Need	Abused children Critical Need
Persons with HIV/AIDS	Persons with HIV/AIDS Low Need	Persons with HIV/AIDS Moderate Need	Persons with HIV/AIDS High Need	Persons with HIV/AIDS Critical Need
Very low income (see below)	Very low income (see below) Low Need	Very low income (see below) Moderate Need	Very low income (see below) High Need	Very low income (see below) Critical Need
Low to moderate income (see below)	Low to moderate income (see below) Low Need	Low to moderate income (see below) Moderate Need	Low to moderate income (see below) High Need	Low to moderate income (see below) Critical Need

Other (please specify)

Housing Needs Community Survey 2023

Question Title

* 1. I live in

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* 2. Please select the option that best represents you.

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* 3. How old are you?

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* 4. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

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* 5. How would you describe yourself? Please check all that apply.

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* 6. Including yourself, how many people live in your home?

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* 7. What is your approximate average annual household income (include all members of your household)?

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* 8. Of the following, which best describes your current living situation?

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* 9. Please rate the level of importance of the following issues to you and your community.

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* 10. Please choose the five (5) services that would benefit you and your community most.

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* 11. In your opinion, what is the most needed by you and your community? Please select five (5).

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* 12. Please choose the three (3) greatest ECONOMIC needs in your community.

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* 13. Consider the people you know who have experienced homelessness, including yourself. What is the need for each of the following, for a person or family that is homeless?

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* 14. Have you or has someone you know faced any of the following housing-related challenges? Please check all that apply.

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* 15. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Of those, which do you think is the most common type of housing discrimination in our region?

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* 16. Where would you refer someone if they experienced discrimination while trying to find housing?

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* 17. Have you, or has someone you know experienced housing discrimination in any of the following areas?

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* 18. Did you or the person you know report the discrimination?

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* 19. How well informed do you feel personally about housing discrimination laws?

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* 20. Are you aware of the Fair Housing Act and Virginia Fair Housing Law (which legally prevents discrimination based on the identities / protected classes described above when selling or renting housing)?

Question Title

* 21. If “Yes”, where did you learn about these laws?

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* 22. Have you ever received fair housing training?

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* 23. If “Yes”, who provided the training?

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* 24. From the list below, are there any localities in our region that you believe have housing discrimination problems? Please check all that apply.

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* 25. Are you aware of any questionable practices or barriers to fair housing in any of the following areas?

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* 26. Please choose the five (5) housing issues most in need of attention in your community.

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* 27. Please pick the three (3) most critical needs for RENTAL housing in your community.

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* 28. Pick the three (3) most critical needs for HOMEOWNERSHIP housing in your community.

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* 29. Please identify the level of need for housing for each of the special populations listed below. The income table below can be used to help answer this question.

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* 30. Please provide any additional comments.