The Results from the 2019 Housing Pulse Survey Are In. How is Everyone Feeling?
In 2017, we launched our first “Housing Pulse Survey” that measured practitioners’ feelings about the affordable housing landscape across Virginia. Things have changed dramatically over the past two years, so it was time to check your pulse again. Here are some of the major takeaways from the 2019 Housing Pulse Survey:
- Over 4 in 5 respondents think affordable housing has become more difficult to find in their community over the past two years.
- Respondents are evenly split about changes in housing resources: 43% say they’re about the same, while another 23% each think they’ve slightly increased, or slightly decreased.
- Nearly 70% are somewhat or very pessimistic about the future of housing affordability in their community.
- When it comes to specific issues, homeownership costs, rental costs, senior housing, and housing quality all ranked roughly equally in terms of perceived challenges.
- Despite the pessimism, over 50 respondents identified one or more specific new housing programs or policies established by their localities in the past two years.
- Over half said that community opposition “significantly” affects the production of affordable housing in their community.
Stay tuned for a full write-up and analysis of the survey responses. Thank you to all who participated!
Note: The sample size for this survey was 166; therefore, it should not be viewed as a statistically valid survey. Rather, HousingForward Virginia aims to use it as a conversation-starter and educational tool to expand discussions about affordable housing across the commonwealth.
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