2014 NYCHVS Supporting Statement Part B

B. Statistical Methodology

1. Description of the Universe

The vast majority of the units selected for the 2014 New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey came from the 2011 NYCHVS sample, which originated from the 2010 Decennial Census address file for New York City. The 2011 sample was also supplemented with newly constructed units and In Rem (city-owned) units. Additional units for 2014 will be selected from New York City Certificates of Occupancy for new units and units converted to residential use, and lists of In Rem units.

The response rate for the 1993, 1996, 2002, 2008 and 2011 surveys was 98.0 percent. The response rate for the 1999 survey was 95.0 percent. For 2005 it was 96 percent. We expect that the response rate for the 2014 survey will fall within the 90 to 98 percent range.

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

In 2014, we will retain most of the 2011 sample, and we will select some additional sample from the sources as described in Section B.1 above. Each source is considered a sampling frame. Within these frames, we will select clusters of (generally) four housing units. Each housing unit will have an approximate 0.6 percent chance of selection, or about 1 in 167. The sample is designed to produce a standard error of the estimate of the "vacant available for rent" rate for the entire city of no more than one-quarter of 1 percent, if the actual vacancy rate is 3 percent or less.

The procedure employed to estimate housing unit and population characteristics will consist of three parts: (a) inflating the sample results by the reciprocal of the probability of selection, (b) adjusting the sample results to account for noninterviews, and (c) using independent estimates of housing units and population in order to control the estimates in a manner that increases precision.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

Survey enumerators will conduct interviews at all selected sample units. Since the first survey in 1962, personal interviewing has been found to be the best means of obtaining the information. A letter and NYCHVS fact sheet, Form H-100L(A), will be sent to each selected housing unit prior to the interview.

There will also be steps undertaken to assure the accuracy of the information we obtain. Any unit classified as vacant will be reinterviewed using Form H-108. Additionally, 5 percent of the occupied units will be re-checked using the H-108. This will be done to ensure the accuracy of the original report. Different enumerators trained specifically for reinterview will conduct this phase of the operation.

4. Testing of Procedures

There will not be any pretesting for this survey. The questionnaire items and procedures are similar to those from previous NYCHVS surveys and other household surveys such as the American Housing Survey (AHS) and the Current Population Survey (CPS). The new questions added to the 2014 NYCHVS were taken directly from the AHS at the request of the sponsor.

5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection

The sample selection and weighting specifications for the survey will be devised by staff of the Longitudinal Surveys Branch, Demographic Statistical Methods Division, Bureau of the Census. The Lead Scientist, Aref N. Dajani can be reached on (301)763-1797.

All the information in the survey will be collected by a staff of enumerators under the auspices of the Field Division, Bureau of the Census. Medell Ford III, Chief of the Housing and Health Surveys Team, will coordinate this project, and can be reached on (301)763-2185.

Overall coordination for the survey will be provided by the Financial and Market Characteristics Branch, Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division. The Branch Chief, Robert R. Callis can be reached on (301)763-5694.

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