Advanced letters & introductory materials

APPENDIX B:

ADVANCE LETTERS AND

INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS

Letter from Assistant Secretary Bostic

Outreach/Pre-Survey Materials

• For sample selected for Tribe/TDHE Survey only     

  • To tribal leader

  • To tribal housing official/TDHE

• For tribes selected for HH Survey reserve sample    

  • To tribal leader

• For tribes selected for HH Survey                  

  • To tribal leader and tribal housing official/TDHE

• For tribes selected for site visits                      

  • To tribal leader and tribal housing official/TDHE (same letter, different addressee)

  • Telephone script for calls to identify other in-person interview respondents

• Letter for Lender Study

• Letters for Urban Study

  • Telephone Interviews

  • Site Visits

• Letter for Hawaii Study

General Introductory Letter from Assistant Secretary Bostic

HUD LETTERHEAD

DATE

Dear XXX:

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research, has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

This congressionally mandated needs assessment will produce national estimates of housing needs in tribal areas in the United States. The goal of the study is to understand the determinants of these needs, emphasizing trends in demographic, social and economic conditions; housing conditions; and housing policies and programs, focusing on the role of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996. 

As part of this study, the Urban Institute and its partners, NORC at the University of Chicago, Support Services International, and Econometrica, Inc. will conduct a variety of primary data collection activities: a telephone survey of tribal housing officials and tribally-designated housing entities (TDHEs), a nationally representative household survey, case studies of selected tribes and native villages, a lender survey, case studies of Native Americans living in urban areas, and a study addressing Native Hawaiian housing needs and conditions.

The [name of tribe] was selected at random from among all federally-recognized tribes to participate in data collection activities for this study. While your participation in this study is voluntary, I encourage you to participate; through your participation, you will help HUD improve housing for native families and community development in Indian Country.

I personally am very excited about the Urban Institute’s selection to lead this study, as it updates the study conducted in the mid-1990s which led to the implementation of NAHASDA. The Urban Institute has a longstanding and excellent reputation. NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent, non-partisan research organization and leader in social science research, will administer the telephone survey of the tribes and TDHEs and will lead the household survey to be conducted with 40 tribes and 1,200 households. Notably, NORC will recruit, hire, and train tribal members to conduct the interviews to ensure cultural competency and to build tribal capacity for data collection. Support Services International, a Native American professional services firm well-regarded throughout Indian Country, will support the case studies on reservations, native villages, and urban areas. Econometrica, Inc., a research and management consulting firm known for providing high-quality evaluations, will support these field efforts and conduct the data collection on Native Hawaiian housing and homelands.

I am confident that you will enjoy working with them as much as we at HUD do.

The attached letter from the Urban Institute provides detailed information on the study. Should you have any concerns about participating, please do not hesitate to call G. Thomas Kingsley, the Principal Investigator at the Urban Institute, at (202) 261-5585 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Raphael Bostic, Ph.D.

Assistant Secretary

Office of Policy Development and Research

Department of Housing and Urban Development

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

Tribe/TDHE Survey Only

DATE

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear Tribal Housing Official/TDHE:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),

HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis. This is a three and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data collected through nationally representative surveys and in-person interviews, and selected case studies. The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in this important study.

As part of the study, the Urban Institute has subcontracted with NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent, non-partisan research organization, to conduct a telephone survey of Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE) that administer the Indian Housing Grant Block (IHBG) program under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996. We will survey a national sample of Tribes/TDHEs in 104 tribal areas. The survey and in-person interviews will emphasize experience with programs and policies but also cover views on changing problems and needs.

The [name of tribe] was selected to be surveyed at random from among all such tribal entities. The survey will be conducted by telephone and will take approximately 45 minutes. As the Tribal Housing Official/ TDHE, you will be contacted by NORC to participate in the telephone survey, establish a convenient date and time, and receive a list of questions in advance. Your participation is voluntary, but very important and much appreciated. Your participation will contribute to a better understanding of programs and policies but also changing problems and needs.

The Tribe/TDHE survey includes questions on the Tribe/TDHE organization and institutional relationships; staff, training, and procedures for the Tribe/TDHE; perceptions of social/economic conditions, trends and issues in the area; perceptions of resident housing satisfaction and preferences; housing problems and needs; challenges in housing development and operation; IHBG planning and implementation approaches; assessment of rules and procedures under NAHASDA; and assessment of mortgage lending programs (Section 184 and others). The survey is neither an audit nor a compliance review. Rather, the survey is an important source of information that will assist in better understanding actual conditions on the ground as seen through the eyes of program administrators.

If you do not believe you are the best person to respond to the questions, please inform Dr. Carol Hafford at NORC at the University of Chicago at (301) 634-9491 or (888) [xxx-NORC] or [email protected].  

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect your confidentiality. The information you provide will be combined with information we receive from all others who are surveyed, and neither your name or [tribe/TDHE] name, nor any other identifying information will be passed along to HUD or others, or cited or reported in any way. HUD will not know who is participating in this survey.

This survey has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

The attached letter from Dr. Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD, provides additional information about this study.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley Principal Investigator Urban Institute

Carol Hafford, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist   Economics, Labor and Population Studies

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

DATE

Tribe/TDHE Survey Only

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear Tribal Leader:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),

HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis. This is a three and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data collected through nationally representative surveys and in-person interviews, and selected case studies. The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in this important study.

As part of the study, the Urban Institute has subcontracted with NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent, non-partisan research organization, to conduct a telephone survey of Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE) that administer the Indian Housing Grant Block (IHBG) program under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996. We will survey a national sample of Tribes/TDHEs in 104 tribal areas, surveying 80 by telephone and an additional 24 through in-person interviews. The survey and in-person interviews will emphasize experience with programs and policies but also cover views on changing problems and needs.

The [name of tribe] was selected to be surveyed at random from among all such tribal entities. The survey will be conducted by telephone and will take approximately 45 minutes. The Tribal Housing Official/ TDHE will be contacted by NORC to participate in the telephone survey, establish a convenient date and time, and receive a list of questions in advance. Your participation is voluntary, but very important and much appreciated. Your participation will contribute to a better understanding of programs and policies but also changing problems and needs.

The Tribe/TDHE survey includes questions on the Tribe/TDHE organization and institutional relationships; staff, training, and procedures for the Tribe/TDHE; perceptions of social/economic conditions, trends and issues in the area; perceptions of resident housing satisfaction and preferences; housing problems and needs; challenges in housing development and operation; IHBG planning and implementation approaches; assessment of rules and procedures under NAHASDA; and assessment of mortgage lending programs (Section 184 and others). The survey is neither an audit nor a compliance review. Rather, the survey is an important source of information that will assist in better understanding actual conditions on the ground as seen through the eyes of program administrators.

If you do not believe you are the best person to respond to the questions, please inform Dr. Carol Hafford at NORC at the University of Chicago at (301) 634-9491 or (888) [xxx-NORC] or [email protected].  

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect your confidentiality. The information you provide will be combined with information we receive from all others who are surveyed, and neither your name or [tribe/TDHE] name, nor any other identifying information will be passed along to HUD or others, or cited or reported in any way. HUD will not know who is participating in this survey.

This survey has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

The attached letter from Dr. Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD, provides additional information about this study.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley Principal Investigator Urban Institute

Carol Hafford, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist   Economics, Labor and Population Studies

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

For Reserve Sample

DATE

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear Tribal Leader/Tribal Housing Official/TDHE:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis. This is a three and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data collected through nationally representative surveys and in-person interviews, and selected case studies. The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in this important study.

As part of the study, the Urban Institute has subcontracted with NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent, non-partisan research organization, to conduct a major in-person survey of approximately 1,280 households. Forty tribes have been randomly selected across the country to participate and will represent the overall American Indian Alaska Native population. The [name of tribe] has been selected as an alternate site for the household survey in the event that one of the 40 tribes is not able to participate for any reason. Should your participation be needed, you will be contacted by the Urban Institute and NORC to seek your cooperation.

The household survey will be conducted in-person and will take approximately 45 minutes. The surveys will include observations of housing conditions, and interviews with the households focused on how they view their own housing conditions and their views on assisted housing programs. Heads of household will be contacted in advance by the NORC interviewer to participate in the interview, establish a convenient date and time, and answer any questions. Participation is voluntary, but very important and much appreciated, as it will contribute to a better understanding of housing needs and conditions of native families. Participants will be given a $20 incentive payment (cash or gift card) for their participation.

The household survey includes questions on household composition; housing unit characteristics and conditions; satisfaction with housing, culturally-responsive housing; needed services and amenities; preferences for homeownership; living on Indian land; attitudes towards tribally-assisted housing; household income and housing costs; and observations of housing conditions. The interview is an important source of information that will assist in better understanding actual conditions on the ground as seen through the eyes of residents.

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect respondent confidentiality. The information provided will be combined with information we receive from all others who are surveyed, and neither names nor any other individual household identifying information will be passed along to HUD or others, or cited or reported in any way. HUD will not know who is participating in the survey.

We feel that it is important to hire interviewers from within the tribal community to perform the data collection for the Household survey, both to ensure that it is conducted in a culturally competent manner and to build tribal capacity. Should we need to call upon the [name of tribe] to participate in the study, and obtain permission to conduct the study according to your research regulation protocols, we would also seek your guidance on recruiting potential interviewers. Once hired, the tribal interviewers will be trained and report to a NORC Field Manager who is experienced in working with Native American communities on previous NORC projects.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Carol Hafford at NORC at the University of Chicago at (301) 634-9491 or (888) [xxx-NORC] or [email protected].  

This survey has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

The attached letter from Dr. Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD, provides additional information about this study.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley Principal Investigator Urban Institute

Carol Hafford, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist   Economics, Labor and Population Studies

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

For Tribes Selected for HH Survey

DATE

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear Tribal Leader/Tribal Housing Official/TDHE:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),

HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis. This is a three and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data collected through nationally representative surveys and in-person interviews, and selected case studies. The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in this important study.

As part of the study, the Urban Institute has subcontracted with NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent, non-partisan research organization, to conduct a major in-person survey of approximately 1,280 households. The [name of tribe] is one of only 40 reservations randomly selected across the country to participate. The participation of [name of tribe] is essential in representing the overall American Indian Alaska Native population. The interviews will be conducted by tribal members who have been recruited and trained for this purpose by NORC. They will include observations of housing conditions, and interviews with the households focused on how they view their own housing conditions and their views on assisted housing programs.

The Household survey will be conducted in-person and will take approximately 45 minutes. Heads of household will be contacted in advance by the NORC interviewer to participate in the interview, establish a convenient date and time, and answer any questions. Participation is voluntary, but very important and much appreciated, as it will contribute to a better understanding of housing needs and conditions of native families. There are no questions that should make the respondent uncomfortable. Participants will be given a $20 incentive payment (cash or gift card) for their participation.

The Household survey includes questions on household composition; housing unit characteristics and conditions; satisfaction with housing, culturally-responsive housing; needed services and amenities; preferences for homeownership; living on Indian land; attitudes towards tribally-assisted housing; household income and housing costs; and observations of housing conditions. The interview is an important source of information that will assist in better understanding actual conditions on the ground as seen through the eyes of residents.

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect respondent confidentiality. The information provided will be combined with information we receive from all others who are surveyed, and neither names nor any other identifying information will be passed along to HUD or others, or cited or reported in any way. HUD will not know who is participating in the survey.

We feel that it is important to hire interviewers from within the tribal community to perform the data collection for the Household survey, both to ensure that it is conducted in a culturally competent manner and to build tribal capacity. As we work with the [name of tribe] to obtain permission to conduct the study according to your research regulation protocols, we would also seek your guidance on recruiting potential interviewers. Once hired, the tribal interviewers will be trained and report to a NORC Field Manager who is experienced in working with Native American communities on previous NORC projects.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Carol Hafford at NORC at the University of Chicago at (301) 634-9491 or (888) [xxx-NORC] or [email protected].  

This survey has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

The attached letter from Dr. Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD, provides additional information about this study.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley Principal Investigator Urban Institute

Carol Hafford, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist   Economics, Labor and Population Studies

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

DATE

For HH Survey Respondents

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear Sir/Madam,

Your household has been randomly selected to take part in a very important national survey of housing in Indian Country. It is called the Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs. The [name of reservation/tribal area/village] is one of only 40 selected from across the country.

The household survey is funded by the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is being conducted by Urban Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago. Please see the enclosed brochure for more information. The goal of the project is to provide information from over 1,200 household that can help tribes more effectively use resources to improve housing conditions.

The survey will take about 45 minutes to complete. Some of the topics covered include how many people live in your household and whether it is overcrowded, features of the housing unit (such as electricity, number of rooms, and heat), and observations of the conditions. You will also be asked about your preferences for an ideal housing unit and your thoughts on homeownership and services needed in your community. The interview is an important source of information that will assist in better understanding actual conditions on the ground as seen through the eyes of residents like you.

We have been given approval by your [name of tribal/village] leader to conduct this survey on [name of reservation/village]. Even though we have this permission they do not know the names or addresses of the individuals that will be contacted.

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect your confidentiality. All of your responses are kept completely confidential. Your name will be separated from your answers and the answers are reported together with everyone else’s as a group.

To express our appreciation for your time you will be given a gratuity of [$20.00/XXXX gift card] for your participation.

Over the next few weeks an interviewer from NORC will be contacting you about participation in the survey. The interviewer is prepared to answer any questions you may have. In the meantime please feel free to call our toll free number with any questions you may have. That number is 888-XXX-NORC.

This survey has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley Principal Investigator Urban Institute

Carol Hafford, Ph.D. Senior Research Scientist   Economics, Labor and Population Studies

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

Tribes Selected for Site Visits

DATE

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear Tribal Leader:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis. This is a three and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data collected through nationally representative surveys and in-person interviews, and selected case studies. The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in this important study.

As part of the study, the Urban Institute and its partners (NORC at the University of Chicago, Econometrica, Inc., and Support Services International) will conduct in-depth in-person interviews with Tribal Housing Offices and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE), tribal leaders, and program staff. Twenty-four sites were selected from the 40 tribes that are participating in the household survey and TDHE survey. They will be visited by a small team to conduct these in-person interviews. Interviews will cover the way the tribal staff is organized and its relationship to the TDHE; tribal staff views on the performance of the TDHE; perceptions of social/economic conditions; housing preferences; housing conditions; and key challenges. Tribal staff will be asked about their own role in the Indian Housing Block Grant process, their overall assessment of the benefits and costs of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996, and the contributions of other related programs including those that promote mortgage lending. These interviews will provide more extensive qualitative information on local institutional arrangements, particularly as they relate to housing, housing problems and the implementation of housing programs.

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect respondent confidentiality. The information provided will be combined with information we receive from all others who are surveyed, and neither names nor any other identifying information will be passed along to HUD or others, or cited or reported in any way. HUD will not know who is participating in the survey.

If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Pindus ([email protected] or 202-261-5523) at the Urban Institute.

This data collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

The attached letter from Dr. Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD, provides additional information about this study.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley

Principal Investigator

Urban Institute

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

For Site Visit Respondents

DATE

Tribe address

ADDRESS

Dear [Respondent]:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis. This is a three and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data collected through nationally representative surveys and in-person interviews, and selected case studies. The purpose of this letter is to request your participation in this important study.

As part of the study, the Urban Institute and its partners (NORC at the University of Chicago, Econometrica, Inc., and Support Services International) will conduct in-depth in-person interviews with Tribal Housing Offices and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE), tribal leaders, and program staff. Twenty-four sites were selected from the 40 tribes that are participating in the household survey and TDHE survey. The [name of tribe] will be visited by a small team to conduct these in-person interviews. Interviews will cover the way the tribal staff is organized and its relationship to the TDHE; tribal staff views on the performance of the TDHE; perceptions of social/economic conditions; housing preferences; housing conditions; and key challenges. Tribal staff will be asked about their own role in the Indian Housing Block Grant process, their overall assessment of the benefits and costs of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996, and the contributions of other related programs including those that promote mortgage lending. These interviews will provide more extensive qualitative information on local institutional arrangements, particularly as they relate to housing, housing problems and the implementation of housing programs.

Please be assured that we will follow strict rules to protect respondent confidentiality. The information provided will be combined with information we receive from all others who are surveyed, and neither names nor any other identifying information will be passed along to HUD or others, or cited or reported in any way. HUD will not know who is participating in the survey.

If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Pindus ([email protected] or 202-261-5523) at the Urban Institute.

This data collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, under control number xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/20xx.

The attached letter from Dr. Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at HUD, provides additional information about this study.

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley

Principal Investigator

Urban Institute

Script for making arrangements for the in-depth in-person interviews with Tribal Leaders, Tribal Housing Office, Tribally Designated Housing Entities, and program staff:

CONTACT TRIBAL LEADER:

Hello, I am <name, organization> calling <name of tribal leader> to speak with him/her about a letter he/she received recently from Thomas Kingsley with Urban Institute about another phase of the Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

If speaking with the correct person, continue.

If speaking with an assistant ask a good time to call back.

If the person you are speaking with has been told by the Tribal Leader to work with the project on all matters, continue.

Do you remember the letter?

Offer to email a letter at this time and continue with the explanation of the project.

First I would like to thank you for giving permission for the household survey phase of the study.

(If known, give a little update on the progress. A couple sentences will be adequate.)

I am now calling to speak about another phase of the study as described in the letter. Only 24 reservations/villages have been selected for in-depth interviewers with several people from each reservation. This would be an in-person effort completely at the convenience of everyone involved.

Those we would like to interview include:

• Tribal Leader (s)

• Tribal Housing Office/TDHE Director

• Tribal Housing Official or Other Housing Official

• Community Leader(s)

A small team, usually two, project members will come in person to conduct the interviews. We will allow two days for the complete process to accommodate everyone’s schedule. Topics to be covered include:

• The way the tribal staff is organized and its relationship to the TDHE

• Tribal staff views on the performance of the TDHE

• Perceptions of social/economic conditions

• Housing preferences

• Housing conditions

• Key challenges

• Tribal role in the Indian Housing Block Grant process

• Overall assessment of the benefits and costs of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996

• Contributions of other related programs including those that provide mortgage lending

These interviews will provide more extensive qualitative information on local institutional arrangements, particularly as they are related to housing, housing problems, and the implementation of housing programs.

Do you have any questions I could answer at this time?

At this point the conversation could go in a variety of directions. Please listen carefully to the person you are speaking with and decide what the next step is.

Is there anyone else you would like to know about this phase of the project? We are prepared to give an overview presentation by telephone.

Some of our sites have found naming a point person to assist with naming the persons to be interviewed and other details. Would that work for <name of reservation/village>? (If yes, you may at this point want to continue with the named person.)

The schedule would include interviewing:

• Tribal Leader – to obtain the leader’s perspective on tribal housing programs, needs and conditions.

• Tribal Housing Office/TDHE Director – Even though we have interviewed the TDHE Director we would like to have an individual or a group meeting with some or all of the staff to probe further on the issues covered in the survey.

• Tribal Housing Office or Other Housing Official - This would include those who work in tribal housing offices or other offices within the tribal government that includes housing among their responsibilities.

• Community Leaders – We would like to identify community leaders who are familiar with the tribe’s housing needs and conditions. Examples of the person(s) for this interview could include housing officials that are now retired, Board members of housing entities, operators of homeless shelters, social service providers, and the like.

The person visiting your site will make follow-up calls to answer any questions, help in the selection of persons to interview if necessary, and work out a schedule with everyone to include a convenient time to visit.

The study team will keep you posted on the progress and would be so grateful to call you as necessary with any questions.

In the event of a refusal:

We are always interested in the reason for not wanting to participate.

Are there any additional questions I could answer for you?

Thank the person you are talking to leaving the door open for possible conversion after discussion with others on the project.

Script for re-contacting to set up the in-person in-depth interviews with the housing office

CONTACT TRIBAL HOUSING AUTHORITY

Hello, I am <name, organization> calling <name of housing entity> to speak with him/her about a letter he/she received recently from Thomas Kingsley with Urban Institute about a data collection activity for the Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

If speaking with the correct person, continue.

First of all I want to thank you for participating in an earlier interview. This data collection phase is a little different.

Do you remember receiving the letter?

Offer to email a copy of the letter at this time and continue with the explanation of the project.

I am now calling to speak about another data collection phase of the project as described in the letter. Only 24 reservations/villages have been selected for in-depth interviewers to include several people from each reservation/village. I have spoken with <name of Tribal Leader> and he/she has given the go-ahead to re-contact you.

This phase has us interviewing several tribal personnel as I will explain a bit later. A small team, usually two, project members will come in person to conduct the interviews. We will allow two days for the complete process to accommodate everyone’s schedule. Topics to be covered include:

• Perceptions of social/economic conditions

• Housing preferences

• Housing conditions

• Key challenges

• Tribal role in the Indian Housing Block Grant process

• Overall assessment of the benefits and costs of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996

• Contributions of other related programs including those that provide mortgage lending

These interviews will provide a more extensive qualitative information on local institutional arrangements, particularly as they are related to housing, housing problems, and the implementation of housing programs.

Our request would include interviewing you and some of your staff members. This could be done individually or as a group.

Do you have any questions I could answer at this time?

At this point the conversation could go in a variety of directions. Please listen carefully to the person you are speaking with and decide what the next step is.

Is there anything else you would like to know about this phase of the project? We are prepared to give an overview presentation by phone as necessary.

Just so you know, the schedule would include interviewing:

• Tribal Leader – To obtain the leader’s perspective on tribal housing programs, needs and conditions.

• Tribal Housing Office/TDHE Director – Even though we have interviewed the TDHE Director (you) we would now like to have an individual or a group meeting with some or all of the staff to probe further on the issues covered in the survey.

• Tribal Housing Office or Other Housing Official - This would include those who work in tribal housing offices or other offices within the tribal government that include housing among their responsibilities.

• Community Leaders – We would like to identify community leaders who are familiar with the tribe’s housing needs and conditions. Examples of the person(s) for this interview could include housing officials that are now retired, Board members of housing entities, operators of homeless shelters, and the like.

The project staff member visiting your site will make follow-up calls to answer any questions, help in the selection of persons to interview, if necessary, and work out a schedule with everyone to include a convenient time to visit. You will be kept abreast of progress as it is made.

In the event of a refusal:

We are always interested in the reason for not wanting to participate.

Are there any additional questions I could answer for you?

Thank the person you are talking to leaving the door open for possible conversion after discussion with others on the project.

Letter to Lender Survey Respondents

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

NAME

ADDRESS

Dear Lender:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

One component of the study will identify challenges and opportunities associated with making mortgage loans to Native Americans on Indian land. We have selected your organization for participating in this component based on data regarding Section 184 Program lending volume [or, if applicable] your organization’s presence in the Native American mortgage lending market as identified by stakeholders.

Your voluntary participation is very important to the success of this study. These interviews will provide important information on homeownership and lending in Indian county and on challenges to homeownership and lending in Indian country. We will use what we learn from these interviews to contribute to a report on housing conditions and needs among Native Americans. This report will be submitted to HUD to inform the federal government of housing challenges. The interview will take about 45 minutes

This interview is not part of an audit or a compliance review. Rather, we are interested in learning about your ideas, experiences, and opinions. We will follow strict rules to protect respondent confidentiality. The information provided will be combined with information we receive from all others who are interviewed and information you provide to us is never repeated with the name of the respondent in any reports or in any discussions outside of our research team.

We would very much appreciate your participation in this study. If you are not responsible for taking mortgage loan applications or otherwise feel you not the appropriate respondent, please provide me the with contact information for the appropriate person in your organization.

A member of our research team will be following up by telephone or e-mail soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the study, please feel free to contact me at 202-262-5585 or [email protected].

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley

Principal Investigator

Outreach letter to ICC Executive Directors in the 25 sites in which only telephone interviews will be conducted.

[date]

[name]

[title]

[address]

Dear [name]:

The Urban Institute, an independent, nonprofit research organization located in Washington, D.C, has been contracted by HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD &R) to conduct an assessment of Native American housing needs. This is the first major comprehensive study of its kind since 1996. It will provide HUD with information on how current housing programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends in Indian country and in urban communities in which sizable Native American populations live. The study also will answer questions about home ownership and the impact of the recent financial crisis. This is a two and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data. ONAP enthusiastically supports this project.

Project Description

Research for the project will combine quantitative and qualitative methods. Through analysis of existing quantitative data from the Census, American Housing Survey and other sources, researchers will explore changes in population, economic well-being, and housing conditions since the early 1990s.

This study also involves collecting new primary data through semi-structured interviews with housing and social service providers, local housing authority staff and community leaders. Through analysis of the qualitative data researchers will explore issues related to housing quality and affordability, availability of housing-related services, and factors that influence families’ decisions about where to live. Researchers will document what we learn in our final report, while carefully ensuring the anonymity of study participants.

Next Steps

Your community is one of 25 that have been selected for telephone interviews. If we have not already done so, a member of the research team will contact you soon to discuss a mutually agreeable date to conduct an interview over the telephone with you or your designated staff and

to ask for your recommendations for other service providers and leaders in the local Native American community with whom we might speak.

Project Team

Project staff include: Ms. Diane Levy, Dr. Hillabrant, Ms. Judy Earp, and Dr. Corey. Both Ms. Levy and Ms. Earp have experience conducting research of interest to American Indians. Dr. Walter Hillabrant (Citizen Potawatomi) is a research partner who will be participating in the site visits as well as collaborating in the research design, analysis, and writing. Dr. Kristen Corey also has extensive experience conducting qualitative research among a diversity of groups.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this study. We look forward to working with you and learning more about the housing needs among Native Americans in your community.

Sincerely,

Outreach letter to ICC Executive Directors in the 5 Urban case study sites.

[date]

[name]

[title]

[address]

Dear [name]:

The Urban Institute, an independent, nonprofit research organization located in Washington, D.C, has been contracted by HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD &R) to conduct an assessment of Native American housing needs. This is the first major comprehensive study of its kind since 1996. It will provide HUD with information on how current housing programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends in Indian country and in urban communities in which sizable Native American populations live. The study also will answer questions about home ownership and the impact of the recent financial crisis. This is a two and a half year effort that includes analysis of secondary data as well as collection and analysis of new primary data. ONAP enthusiastically supports this project.

Project Description

Research for the project will combine quantitative and qualitative methods. Through analysis of existing quantitative data from the Census, American Housing Survey and other sources, researchers will explore changes in population, economic well-being, and housing conditions since the early 1990s.

This study also involves collecting new primary data through semi-structured interviews with housing and social service providers, local housing authority staff and community leaders, and through discussion groups with American Indian community members. Through analysis of the qualitative data researchers will explore people’s experiences with housing quality and affordability, availability of housing-related services, and factors that influence families’ decisions about where to live. Researchers will document what we learn in our final report, while carefully ensuring the anonymity of study participants.

Next Steps

Your community is one of five that have been selected for site visits. During a three-day visit, two researchers hope to meet with you or your designated staff, other leaders in the local Native American community, and Native American community residents.

If we have not already done so, a member of the research team will call you soon to discuss mutually agreeable dates for a site visit and to ask for your recommendations for other people to interview. We would also like to talk about how best to organize a group discussion with community residents.

Project Team

Project staff include: Ms. Diane Levy, Dr. Hillabrant, Ms. Judy Earp, and Dr. Corey. Both Ms. Levy and Ms. Earp have experience conducting research of interest to American Indians. Dr. Walter Hillabrant (Citizen Potawatomi) is a research partner who will be participating in the site visits as well as collaborating in the research design, analysis, and writing. Dr. Kristen Corey also has extensive experience conducting qualitative research among a diversity of groups.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this study. We look forward to working with you and learning more about the housing needs among Native Americans in your community.

Sincerely,

THE URBAN INSTITUTE 2100 M STREET, N.W. / WASHINGTON D.C. 20037

Letter to Native Hawaiian Study Respondents

DATE

NAME

ADDRESS

Dear XXX:

As stated in the enclosed letter from Dr. Raphael Bostic, Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD has contracted with the Urban Institute, a non-profit policy research organization based in Washington, DC, to conduct the congressionally mandated Assessment of Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

The study will describe housing needs and socioeconomic conditions in Indian Country. It will provide HUD with information on how current programs are operating, the extent to which housing needs are being addressed, and demographic and economic trends. It will also answer questions about home ownership in Indian Country and the impacts of the recent financial crisis.

One component of the study specifically addresses the housing conditions and needs of Native Hawaiians. For that component, we are conducting telephone interviews with Presidents/Executive Directors of Native Hawaiian homestead associations, managers and administrators with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), and representatives of other stakeholder organizations.

Your voluntary participation is very important to the success of this study. Interviews will cover access to and the condition of affordable housing for Native Hawaiians. We will use what we learn today and from other interviews to contribute to a report on housing conditions and needs among Native Hawaiians. This report will be submitted to HUD to inform the federal government of housing needs and challenges. The interview will take about 45 minutes

This interview is not part of an audit or a compliance review. Rather, we are interested in learning about your ideas, experiences, and opinions. We will follow strict rules to protect respondent confidentiality. The information provided will be combined with information we receive from all others who are interviewed and information you provide to us is never repeated with the name of the respondent in any reports or in any discussions outside of our research team.

We would very much appreciate your participation in this study. A researcher from Econometrica, Inc., our partner in this study, will be following up by telephone or e-mail soon. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the study, please feel free to contact me at 202-262-5585 or [email protected].

Thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

G. Thomas Kingsley

Principal Investigator

APPENDIX B: ADVANCE AND INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS