Final - AppendixE_GRRP_Application_ConsentForm_Interview

(OMB # 2528-XXXX) 

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX 

GRRP Application Consent Form and Interview

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 supplement the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) Application Survey and to help HUD assess the success of the GRRP application process based on owners’ perceptions of the design of the application and the program. This survey was approved by the Office of Management and Budget under OMB Control Number XXXX-XXXX, which expires on XX/XX/XXXX. HUD may not collect this information, and you are not required to complete this form, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

If you agree to participate, here are some things you should know:

• 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.

• Your name will not be used in any reports about this interview.

• All information collected during this study will be kept confidential, and your responses will not be identified individually in any way.

• With your permission, the discussion will be recorded. Since we are talking with a lot of owners across the country, this will help us keep track of and accurately report who said what. We will not share the recording with anyone outside of the study team, and we will destroy the recording when the study is over.

• Completing this interview 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 interviewer will answer any questions you may have.

• The interview will take up to 90 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.

HUD welcomes and is prepared to receive calls from individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as individuals with speech or communication disabilities. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone call, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/telecommunications-relay-service-trs.

Certification: By signing this document, you are certifying that you have read this agreement and that you [CHECK ONE in each line]:

_____ agree /_____ disagree to participate in the study

_____ agree /_____ disagree to have the interview recorded

Name [PRINT]: _________________________________________________________________

Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: __________________

Interview Questions 

 

Non-applicants:

1. Why did you not apply to GRRP?

   1. Probe: For example, you could: have recently completed a rehabilitation or construction for your property, have capital needs not covered by GRRP, already have efficiency or resilience investments, not have the capacity to manage the award, found the award or application requirements too challenging, not want to disrupt residents, etc.

Unawarded Applicants and Awardees:

1. Did you experience any barriers when deciding whether to apply to the program? If so, what were they? Were there barriers to applying once you decided to apply? What types of challenges did you encounter? 

   1. Probe: For instance, barriers could include timing constraints, funding constraints (e.g., cost-sharing requirements), program complexity, owner capacity, etc.

2. How did you decide which cohort (Elements, Leading Edge, or Comprehensive) to apply to?

   1. Probe: For example, you could have been motivated by: the maximum award amount, the eligible investments, the level of technical assistance available, the application requirements of other cohorts, the award requirements of other cohorts, the competitiveness of your property for that cohort, or the flexibility of funding offered.

3. What were your original priorities or goals for your property in terms of capital needs? How well do you feel GRRP fit with your existing priorities or goals for your property, including your capital needs plans or, if applicable, any recapitalization plans? 

4. What green or resilient improvements were you originally considering for your property, if any, before you heard about GRRP? Did GRRP funding lead you to consider green or resilient improvements for your property that you had not previously considered implementing?

   1. Probe if yes: What were these improvements, and what was your motivation for making them? Which programs or funding sources are you using, if any, to fund other green or resilient improvements?

5. What were the most important factors in your decision to apply to GRRP?

   1. Probe: For example, these could be: making physical improvements to the property, reducing utility costs, achieving higher-end efficiency improvements, avoiding potential damage due to climate or disaster events, or reducing future hazard insurance premiums.

6. [Elements only] Why did you choose the investments that you did for your application? 

7. [Leading Edge only] Why did you choose the green certification you chose in your application?

8. Did you know that, under GRRP, some of the savings from reduced utility bills paid by tenants would be retained for the owner? If so, was this an important factor in your decision to apply to GRRP?

9. Is the extended use restriction regarding affordability (15 years for loans and 25 years for grants) a reasonable tradeoff for the investment? Why? 

10. As you were completing your application, what did you see as the major obstacles, if any, related to the cost-sharing requirement? Cost-sharing refers to the owner's responsibility to cover the costs of standard versions of building components or systems to meet standard asset management good practices, while HUD would cover the incremental cost associated with upgrading these items to greener or more resilient alternatives.

11. If this program were to continue into the future, what would you highlight as strengths of the application process and the program design?

12. If you could recommend changes to the application process or program design, what would those changes be and why?