Interviews – Federal, state, and local government

OMB Clearance Package

Study of Post-Disaster Outcomes of Renter Households and Rental Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Community Development Block Grants - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)

Appendix J: Interview informed consent form

DRAFT FOR HUD REVIEW

August 4, 2023

Submitted to:

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

451 Seventh Street, SW

Washington, DC 20401

GTR: Jagruti Rekhi

Office of Policy Development and Research

Affordable Housing Research and Technology Division

Department of Housing and Urban Development

P: 202-402-4512 E: [email protected]

Cooperative Agreement: H-21741CA

Appendix J. Interview informed consent form

[Participants will obtain one signed copy and Urban Institute research staff will obtain one signed copy prior to interviews]

Study Title: Disaster Impacts and Recovery for Renters and Rental Housing  

Principal Investigators: Daniel Teles, Phd, and Sara McTarnaghan, MS, MA 

Sponsor’s Name: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development     

Introduction/Purpose 

Urban Institute is a non-profit, nonpartisan research institution in Washington, DC. The Urban Institute received a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct a study of post-disaster recovery outcomes for rental housing, renter households, and affordable housing residents.  

 

As part of this study, we are visiting communities across the United States that have been affected by disasters to interview stakeholders about disaster impacts to housing and rental markets and renter populations, as well as about views on  the impacts and benefits of recovery investment programs such as HUD’s Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. 

 

This interview is completely voluntary. You may terminate it at any point for any reason and you may decline to answer any question. Your responses will be used to inform our understanding of disaster recovery outcomes for rental housing, renter households, and affordable housing residents. 

 

We will be taking notes during this interview and, with your permission, would like to audio record the interview to ensure we are accurately capturing the information you provide. If you would prefer to not record the interview, we can proceed with written notes only. The notes and recordings will only be accessed by our research team at the Urban Institute and will be stored on a secure, password-protected server at the Urban Institute. The audio recording is not a requirement of participation.

HUD will not have access to any of your direct responses, and all information shared will be in aggregate after de-identification. All members of the research team have signed confidentiality pledges. We will protect your identity and will not release your name or any other identifying information beyond the research team. We will not attribute any direct quotes to you.  In any reports, documentation, or other work product, your name and identifying information will not be included.  However, you should know that we are only speaking with a small number of people, and it is possible someone may be able to identify you from a quote even if though your name will not be given. Your decision to participate or not will not affect your interactions with your employer or any government agency. 

 

There are no direct benefits to your participation other than the knowledge that you are contributing to research that will inform future program planning at HUD to improve disaster recovery for rental housing and renter populations in communities affected by disasters.  

 

If you choose to participate, we recommend that we meet at a location that is agreeable to you and outside the eye or earshot of others. The research team is also happy to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon request.

 

We are seeking your approval to participate in today’s interview. We want to be sure that you freely consent to participate, that you are aware that you are not obligated to answer any questions, and that you understand the potential risks and benefits of participating.  

 

Questions 

If you have any questions about this interview, including those about your rights as a member of the study, please contact the lead researchers at the Urban Institute, Daniel Teles ([email protected]) or Sara McTarnaghan ([email protected]) or the Institutional Review Board (202–261–5632). This review board oversees the protection of people who take part in research studies. 

Agreement Statement 

Do you agree to take part in Urban Institutes’ Study on disaster recovery outcomes for rental housing, renter households, and affordable housing residents?   

Yes ______ No ______ 

Date of consent: ____________________________________ 

Initials of interview participant: ____________________________________ 

Counter signature of interview moderator: ____________________________________