Final - AppendixB_GRRP_Application_ConsentForm_Survey

GRRP Application Survey
Consent form
Thank you for participating in our survey. Your feedback is important.
Please ensure this survey is filled out by a person(s) at your organization who is
knowledgeable about your organization's recapitalization efforts. If your
organization applied to the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), please
ensure this survey is filled out by someone familiar with that application.
1. GRRP Application Survey Consent Form
You have been selected to participate in a research study being conducted by the United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The purpose of this study is to
help HUD assess the success of the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) application
process based on owners’ perceptions of the design of the application and the program.
If you agree to participate, here are some things you should know:
1. If you are not a GRRP awardee, your participation is completely voluntary (not required),
and will not affect your relationship with HUD in any way.
2. Your name will not be used in any reports about this interview.
3. All information collected during this study will be kept confidential, and your responses
will not be identified individually in any way.
Completing this survey will help HUD answer the following research questions: Do property
owners want the resources (loans and grants) that are offered through GRRP? Are the funds
addressing the right needs? How can HUD balance reaching owners with properties most in
need of upgrading, who may not have the capacity to leverage the funds offered through
GRRP, with achieving the energy, carbon, and resilience goals of the program?
You may choose to skip or not answer any questions. You may also leave the survey at any
time. You will not be affected in any way if you stop the survey or decide not to answer a
question.
The survey will take up to 45 minutes.
Contact Information: The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has
authorized XXX to conduct this study. If you have any concerns about your participation in
this survey or have any questions about the study, please contact XXX.
Please provide the following information in the boxes below: Name, property you represent
(as designated in your outreach e-mail), and e-mail address.
Name
Property
E-mail address

2. Certification: Do you agree to participate in the study?
Yes
No

GRRP Application Survey
Survey Sorting
3. Which of the following best describes you?
I applied to GRRP and received an award for this property.
I applied to GRRP and did not receive an award for this property.
I did not apply to GRRP.

GRRP Application Survey
Awardees
4. Do you plan to highlight improvements funded by GRRP when you advertise your property
to prospective tenants?
Yes
No

GRRP Application Survey
Non-awardees
5. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It was clear why my property's
application was denied.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

GRRP Application Survey
Cohort Sorting
6. Which cohort did you apply to for this property? Check all that apply.
Elements
Leading Edge
Comprehensive

GRRP Application Survey
Question for Elements applicants
7. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? GRRP allowed us to add scope on
top of our existing recapitalization transaction.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

GRRP Application Survey
Question for Leading Edge applicants
8. Why did you choose the green certification you chose in your application? Check all that
apply.
It was the easiest green certification to achieve.
It was the only achievable green certification.
It was the green certification that our developer and/or architect was most familiar with.
Our consultant, developer, or architect chose it.
Other (please specify)

GRRP Application Survey
All applicants
9. How did you hear about the GRRP funding opportunity? Check all that apply.
Email from HUD
Direct contact from HUD staff
Grants.gov
Federal Register
Member organization, industry association, or other organization (please specify the organization below)
Another owner
Consultant or vendor
News
Social media
Other (please specify)

10. Approximately how many hours did it take to prepare the application form?

11. Approximately how many hours did it take to submit the application on grants.gov?

12. (If applicable) Approximately how many hours did it take to complete the MBEST?

13. Did you consult a third party to prepare or help prepare the application?
We hired a third party to complete the application.
We consulted a third party on the application and got assistance completing part of the application.
We consulted a third party on the application, but we completed it ourselves.
We attempted to consult a third party on our application but were unsuccessful.
We did not consult a third party on our application.

GRRP Application Survey
All applicants
14. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It was easy to determine which
GRRP cohort (Elements, Leading Edge, or Comprehensive) to apply to.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

15. Why did you choose to apply to the cohort(s) (Elements, Leading Edge, or
Comprehensive) you applied to? Check all that apply.
The maximum award amount best fit my property's needs or goals.
The eligible investments funded for the cohort best fit my property's needs or goals.
The level of technical assistance available for the cohort was the right amount for my needs.
The application requirements of the other cohorts were too challenging (please specify the requirements
below).
The award requirements of the other cohorts were too challenging (please specify the requirements below).
It was the one my property was eligible for.
It was the one I thought my property would be most competitive on/would be scored the highest on.
It was the one that offered the most flexibility.
Other (please specify)

16. For each of the following resources HUD provided to explain the GRRP program and the
application process, please rate how useful you found the resource.

Not at all useful
Webinars and/or
overview videos
Office hours
E-mail assistance
inbox
Fact sheets
FAQs
GRRP website

Somewhat useful

Very useful

N/A--I did not use this
resource.

17. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The GRRP application
requirements (Excel application form and required documentation) are reasonable.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

18. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Based on my understanding of the
scoring criteria, I could determine whether my property would be competitive for an award.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

19. How important were the following factors in your decision to apply to GRRP?

Not so important
Making physical
improvements to the
property
Reducing utility
costs
Achieving deeper
efficiency
improvements
Avoiding potential
damage due to
climate or disaster
events
Reducing future
hazard insurance
premiums
Other (specify
below)

Other (please specify)

Somewhat important

Very important

20. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The extended use restriction
regarding affordability is a reasonable tradeoff for the investment.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

GRRP Application Survey
Capital Needs
21. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The types of retrofit projects
covered under GRRP are consistent with my property's currently known capital needs.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

22. Approximately what proportion of your property's known capital needs (in terms of
dollars) are eligible for GRRP funding?
0

100

GRRP Application Survey
Utilities Contribution
23. Do tenants contribute to payment of utilities at this property?
Yes, tenants contribute.
No, the owner pays for all utilities.

GRRP Application Survey
Shared Savings Retainer
24. Were you aware that, under GRRP, some of the savings from reduced utility bills paid by
tenants would be retained for the owner?
Yes
No

25. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? GRRP's Shared Savings Retainer,
which would keep some of the savings from reduced tenant-paid utility costs for the owner,
was a motivating factor for my application to GRRP.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Disagree
Strongly disagree

GRRP Application Survey
Non-Applicants
26. Have you heard of the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, also known as GRRP?
Yes
No

GRRP Application Survey
Non-Applicants: Heard of GRRP
27. How did you hear about the GRRP funding opportunity? Check all that apply.
Email from HUD
Direct contact from HUD staff
Grants.gov
Federal Register
Member organization, industry association, or other organization (please list organization below)
Another owner
Consultant or vendor
News
Social media
Other (please specify)

28. Did you consider applying to GRRP?
Yes
No

GRRP Application Survey
Non-applicants: Reasoning for not applying
29. Why did you not apply to GRRP? Check all that apply.
My property was recently constructed or recently completed a rehabilitation.
The timeline for my property's future rehabilitation does not align with the timeline of the program.
My property has capital needs not covered by GRRP.
My property already has utility efficiency and/or climate resilience investments.
My organization felt that the award amount was insufficient.
My organization felt that identifying additional sources of funding would be too challenging.
My organization does not have the staffing or capacity to manage the award.
The GRRP application requirements were too challenging.
The GRRP award requirements were too challenging.
My organization did not want to disrupt residents.
My organization did not feel the property would be competitive based on scoring criteria.
The cost-sharing requirement was a barrier to our decision to apply.
The extended use restriction regarding affordability is not a reasonable tradeoff for the investment.
Other (please specify)

GRRP Application Survey
Non-applicants: Application requirements
30. Which application requirements were too challenging? Check all that apply.
MBEST
Benchmarking in Portfolio Manager
Other (please specify)

GRRP Application Survey
Non-applicants: Award requirements
31. Which award requirements were too challenging? Check all that apply.
Environmental review
Section 3 requirements
Davis-Bacon requirements
Resident engagement requirements
Capital needs assessment (for Comprehensive)
Energy audit (for Comprehensive)
Renewable energy assessment (for Comprehensive)
Resilience survey (if applicable)
Other (please specify)

GRRP Application Survey
Non-applicants: Did not hear about GRRP
32. What could HUD have done to improve the likelihood that you knew about the GRRP
opportunity?

GRRP Application Survey
Other Green or Resilient Retrofits
33. Are you pursuing green or resilient retrofits outside of GRRP?
Yes
No

GRRP Application Survey
Other Green or Resilient Retrofits: Funding Source
34. Please list the programs or funding sources you are using to fund these.

GRRP Application Survey
Owner Demographics
35. Which option best describes the current ownership entity for this property?
Nonprofit organization (including religious institution, labor union, or fraternal organization)
LLP, LP, or LLC
General partnership
Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
Real estate corporation
Housing cooperative organization or stock cooperative
Tenancy in common
Individual investor, including joint ownership by two or more individuals, such as a married couple
Trustee for estate
Other kind of institution (please specify)

36. How many properties does your organization own?

37. If your organization owns multiple properties, where are they located?
Primarily in one metro area
Primarily in one state
In multiple states and/or territories within the same region
In multiple regions
Not applicable -- my organization only owns one property
Other (please specify)

38. (If applicable) How many properties does your highest-level parent organization own?

39. (If applicable) If your parent organization owns multiple properties, where are they
located?
Primarily in one metro area
Primarily in one state
In multiple states and/or territories within the same region
In multiple regions
Not applicable -- I do not have a parent organization
Not applicable -- My parent organization only owns one property
Other (please specify)

GRRP Application Survey
Suggestion Boxes
These questions provide an opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions for
similar program offerings in the future. If you did not consider applying to GRRP, or
if you had not heard about GRRP, you may wish to skip these questions.
40. If this program were to continue into the future, what would you highlight as things that
went well, if any, with the application process?

41. If this program were to continue into the future, what are your suggestions, if any, for
improving the application process?

42. What would you highlight as strengths in terms of the program's design (for instance, the
three-cohort design, the program requirements, the award types, etc.)?

43. If this program were to continue into the future, what are your suggestions, if any, for
improving the design of the program (for instance, the three-cohort design, the program
requirements, the award types, etc.)?