Final - AppendixG_GRRP_PostConstruction_ConsentForm_Interview

(OMB # 2528-XXXX) 

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX 

GRRP Post-Construction 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) Post-Construction Survey and to help HUD assess the success of the GRRP construction process and post-construction outcomes based on owners’ perceptions of the construction process. 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:

• 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:
  How did procurement and construction go for GRRP compared to past rehabilitations? How are investments and installed equipment being maintained? How satisfied are owners with outcomes?

• 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 

 

Post-Construction Interviews: 

1. Did you combine GRRP with other federal, state, local, or private funding sources for energy reduction, decarbonization, climate resilience, or general rehabilitation? Did you face any issues when seeking or combining GRRP funding with other sources?

2. Compared to other funding programs, how easy or difficult was it to pair GRRP with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits?

3. Was the procurement process similar to or different from other procurements you have pursued for your property? How so?

   1. Probe: Was there sufficient availability of contractors familiar with the types of retrofit projects in your scope of work in your area?

4. Was the process of getting permits for GRRP retrofits similar to or different from other rehabilitation projects of this scale you have been involved with? How so?

5. Did you find the construction costs for this type of retrofit to be similar to or different from other construction work you have had completed for your property? How so? Do you know why the costs were, or were not, different? 

   1. Probe: Were there any delays in construction due to the unavailability of utility efficiency or resilience equipment needed for GRRP improvements?

6. Was the full scope of work executed, or did any components change between scoping and the end of construction?

   1. Probe if there were changes: Which components changed and why?

7. For Elements: Did you use GRRP funding to fund investments you had already planned for, or did you add new investments to your recapitalization transaction?

8. Do you think you would have been able to [Elements: fund the Elements investments] / [Leading Edge: achieve the green certification for the property] / [Comprehensive: achieve the overall scope of work for the property] without GRRP?

9. Overall, how satisfied are you with the program?

   1. What has been the impact of the program?

   2. Do you feel that your property is more climate-resilient compared to before GRRP?

   3. Do you feel that GRRP has increased the useful life of your property?

   4. What were the costs? What were the benefits? Do you think the benefits of the program outweigh the costs? Why or why not? 

10. To what extent did residents face disruptions from construction?

11. Have residents had any complaints about any of the retrofit items? If so, what are the most common complaints, and have you been able to address them?

    1. Probe: Complaints could be about, for instance, low-flow fixtures

12. If applicable, who is responsible for maintaining the new equipment (installed as part of the retrofit)? Do you anticipate any challenges with maintaining new systems?

    1. Probes: Have you had any trouble finding qualified maintenance professionals to take care of the equipment? Are residents educated on how to use the installed equipment effectively? 

13. How did GRRP change demand for leasing at the property, if at all?