An assessment of public housing residents for the moving to work program 2006 by Thoughtbox

AN ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS FOR THE MOVING TO WORK PROGRAM

PREPARED FOR The Charlotte Housing Authority

PREPARED BY Cheryl Ramsaur Roberts and Dawn Coleman The Center for Applied Research Central Piedmont Community College

November 21, 2006

Acknowledgements The staff of The Center for Applied Research would like to express thanks to the individuals and groups who supported and assisted in the completion of this survey process. Charlotte Housing Authority Special thanks to Troy White, Chief Operating Officer Donna Hughes, Client Services Director And Lekeista Freeman, Client Services Assistant We would not have been able to administer the surveys without the collaboration of CHA staff. We would also like to thank the site managers for coordinating with the onsite surveyors for several hours during their busy days. And last, but not least, our thanks go to the residents of CHA communities who patiently sat with the surveyors and answered personal questions. Central Piedmont Community College Human Services Technology Program And Service Learning We would like to especially thank Tommy Lopez, Program Chair and Instructor in the Human Services Technology Program, for supporting his students in the survey process. And we thank the students and all surveyors for assisting us in accomplishing this immense task.

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................... 1 - 3 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE OF THE ANALYSIS .......................................... 4 -5 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 5 - 10 Survey Development........................................................................................... 6 -7 Hiring Survey Staff ............................................................................................ 7 - 8 Training Survey Personnel.......................................................................................8 Survey Administration .............................................................................................9 Survey Processing..................................................................................................10 SURVEY RESULTS ................................................................................................. 10 - 13 SURVEY ANALYSIS............................................................................................... 13 - 16 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ............................................................16 APPENDICES .................................................................................................... A-1 – G-11 Appendix A: Survey Instrument ............................................................. A-1 – A-15 Appendix B: Charlotte Housing Authority Communities ...................................B-1 Appendix C: Survey Schedule .............................................................................C-1 Appendix D: Level of Survey Response by Survey Phase ................................. D-1 Appendix E: Survey Responses by Housing Community ...................................E-1 Appendix F: Tiers by Housing Community......................................................... F-1 Appendix G: Survey Responses.............................................................. G-1 – G-11

AN ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS FOR THE MOVING TO WORK PROGRAM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY According to HUD, Moving to Work (MTW) is a program that allows public housing authorities (PHAs) to design and test ways to: • Promote self-sufficiency among assisted families; • Achieve programmatic efficiency and reduce costs; and 1 • Increase housing choice for low-income households. To assess the families living in its communities, the Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) contracted with The Center for Applied Research to survey public housing residents in Charlotte. Assessing the ability of the families supported by PHAs to move towards independent living required gathering information on an array of variables which address many components of self-sufficiency. Surveys were administered over a period of nine to ten weeks by Center researchers, parttime staff and students from Central Piedmont Community College, which houses The Center for Applied Research. For each site, CHA staff established surveying schedules in consultation with Center researchers and sent flyers to the site managers to distribute to residents instructing them to come to the community room or leasing office of the complex during a specified time period to complete their survey. Every effort was made to accommodate the schedules of the residents by scheduling site visits in both the morning and afternoon and, in many cases, scheduling evening and weekend times. Surveying was completed in three phases, with most sites being visited three times. At one site, due to there being no community center or office, surveyors completed the surveys door-to-door. During the final phase, surveys were mailed to that same site in order to solicit responses via mail. Each survey took approximately 15 minutes to administer. Completed surveys were scanned into a Teleform system and a database was set up by Center researchers. There are approximately 2,900 public housing units administered by the Charlotte Housing Authority. Due to fluctuations in occupancy, however, approximate 2,777 units were occupied in 33 CHA communities as of October 2006. Out of these 2,777 occupied units, 1,867 residents responded to the survey. This is a response rate of 67%.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/mtw/index.cfm

Moving To Work Assessment

Residents were asked about their current work situation. When asked about their work situation, 28% were employed and the remaining residents were either looking for work (15%) or unemployed for various reasons. The majority of working respondents (56%) work 30 or more hours per week. In terms of education, 41% of respondents had not completed high school or their GED. Thirty percent indicated that they did have a diploma or GED and more than 25% of residents reported some college or level of training beyond high school. Only 11% of respondents were currently in college or attending job training though many more indicated that they were starting in an upcoming semester or interested in starting in the near future. Residents were asked about services and training that they might be interested in receiving, and 30% wanted help finding a job or a different job. Many residents indicated an interest in job or computer training, or attending college. Residents were also asked about their family responsibilities, including the number of children in their household. The majority of respondents (58%) had no children. This percentage was influenced greatly by the high proportion of elderly residents 55 years of age or older. Several elderly residents, however, indicated that they were caring for grandchildren. In terms of disabled family members, 10% indicated that they were responsible for caring for a disabled child and 5% were responsible for caring for a disabled family member other than a child. Additionally, 35% were themselves on disability. Elderly and disabled residents were asked a series of questions designed to gauge their social involvement and mental and emotional health and 72% felt that they did see enough of their friends and family. Approximately 41% of respondents reported that they were 55 years of age or older and 35% answered yes to the question â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Are you currently on disability?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The three most sensitive questions on the survey involved domestic violence, alcohol abuse and substance abuse. Most residents, however, reported no problems with these issues. It should be noted that survey responses were self-reported by the residents so in some cases, particularly the se sensitive questions, the answers may not truly reflect the reality of the situation. Based on the responses to the survey reported above, many residents in CHA communities need assistance to lead more productive and organized lives as the first step on the road to self-sufficiency. The large majority of residents have several primary and secondary needs that must be addressed before they could even become eligible for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Some of these needs are immediate. Also, almost half of public housing residents fall into the elderly or disabled category. Even if some of these residents are currently functioning well, as they age they will need increasing levels of assistance.

Moving To Work Assessment

The database provided to CHA of all residents who responded will provide an indication of residents who have immediate needs, such as needs for health care, medications, income, child care and transportation. Other less immediate needs that were reported included help finding a job or a different job, help getting their GED, job or computer training, help to attend college, and help with budget management Addressing the needs highlighted above and providing resources for residents to help them deal with these needs is the first step in building self sufficiency, and moving families to work and independent living.

Moving To Work Assessment

Introduction and Purpose of the Analysis

According to HUD, Moving to Work (MTW) is a program that allows public housing authorities (PHAs) to design and test ways to: • • •

Promote self-sufficiency among assisted families; Achieve programmatic efficiency and reduce costs; and Increase housing choice for low-income households.2

The purpose of the MTW program is to give PHAs and HUD the flexibility to design and test various approaches to providing and administering housing assistance that accomplishes three primary goals: • •

•

Reduce cost and achieve greater costs effectiveness in Federal expenditures; Give incentives to families with children where the head of household is working, is seeking work, or is preparing for work by participating in job training, educational programs, or programs that assist people to obtain employment and become economically self-sufficient; and Increase housing choices for low-income families.3

An important component of the MTW program is the assessment of families being served by PHAs to measure their capacity for independent living and connect them with the services that can facilitate their progress toward that goal. Families living in housing units that are supported by PHAs fall into several categories: •

Elderly Many of the PHA residents who are elderly are single elderly women or families headed by an elderly person who is no longer able to work. These families will continue to need support and are likely beyond the ability to provide an independent living for themselves.

•

Disabled Families with disabled individuals may fall into several categories. An individual may have severe disabilities that preclude their ability to work. A family may have a disabled member who requires constant care so that neither the disabled individual nor the caregiver can provide for their own independent living. Some disabled individuals, however, may be able to find gainful employment that can help to move them out of public or subsidized housing. Disabled individuals may have mental illnesses. The capacity of these individuals to hold down jobs will depend on the severity of the mental illness and the response to medication.

2 3

http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/mtw/index.cfm http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/mtw/background.cfm

Moving To Work Assessment

•

Non-Disabled, Working Age Families with individuals who are not disabled and are of working age are the most likely candidates for the Moving To Work Program. Individuals in these families may need further education or skills training to enable them to obtain and keep jobs that can support their families. They may need child care, job training, transportation, career counseling or any number of other services.

To assess the families living in its communities, the Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) contracted with The Center for Applied Research to survey public housing residents in Charlotte. Created by Central Piedmont Community College to provide community-based research, assessment, and evaluation services, The Center for Applied Research is the first such research center to be opened in the United States by a community college. Center staff worked with CHA staff on planning the interview process, developing the survey instrument, and scheduling visits to public housing sites. This document reports on the assessment process and its results. The following section, Section II, details the project planning, survey development and interviewing process. Section III describes the results of the survey, including the level of response. Section IV provides an analysis of the survey responses and results and Section V gives recommendations and conclusions based on this analysis. II.

Methodology

Assessing the ability of the families supported by PHAs to move towards independent living required gathering information on an array of variables which address many components of self-sufficiency. Center researchers were charged with the task of gathering and analyzing this information by: • • • • • • • •

Developing a survey instrument in collaboration with CHA staff; Hiring and managing personnel to administer surveys at the CHA sites for approximately nine weeks; Training surveyors on the survey instrument and administering the surveys; Working with CHA staff to set up the survey process at the sites; Scanning completed paper surveys into Microsoft Excel; Completing data entry on any open-ended questions; Analyzing the survey response data, in SPSS; and Preparing a report of the survey process and the analysis.

In order to condense the process of surveying approximately 2,900 public housing residents into nine weeks, Center staff hired a group of surveyors to administer the surveys at each of the public housing sites. The schedule is outlined below: •

Between August 9 and August 25, 2006, Center researchers developed and pilottested a survey instrument to gauge the capacity of public housing residents for independent living. During this same time frame, The Center hired survey staff.

Moving To Work Assessment

• •

On August 28, Center researchers held a training session for one group of surveyors. Donna Hughes, Director of Client Services for the Charlotte Housing Authority, led a portion of this training. Between August 28 and October 30, 2006, Center researchers organized and managed survey administration at 33 CHA housing communities, including large complexes and scattered sites. Three different surveying times were scheduled at most of the sites and at least two surveyors were sent to every site for each scheduled time. Multiple surveyors were scheduled for the larger sites. Concurrently with the survey administration, completed surveys were scanned and processed into a survey database, using SPSS and Microsoft Excel. When all of the completed surveys had been scanned and processed, the results were analyzed so that a draft report could be submitted to CHA staff by November 15, 2006.

The schedule outline above provides a general overview of the process. In the following sections, each step in the process is explained in greater detail. Survey Development The Moving To Work assessment instrument was developed in consultation with CHA staff. The goal was to design a survey instrument that could measure capacity for independent living and gather data that would be useful in designing a work plan for each resident. Because of the volume of surveys to be completed, and to minimize the disruption to residents’ schedules, each survey needed to be administered in less than 30 minutes. The survey instrument was developed through research and analysis of other questionnaires designed to measure capacity for independent living and functional status. Center staff reviewed surveys used by other housing authorities and instruments devised by psychologists and sociologists to assess self-sufficiency. In Measuring Health: A Guide to Scales and Questionnaires,4 there are many examples of assessment tools to measure activities of daily living including questions primarily geared towards elderly and disabled populations. Researchers also reviewed the Homeless Services Network THREADS assessment instrument, a locally-devised survey that is being used by Community Link for the Piedmont Courts HOPE VI families. Based on this research and review, Center staff developed a 12-page survey instrument that could be programmed into a Teleform Survey System for scanning into Microsoft Excel. The survey consists of five sections:

McDowell, Ian and Claire Newell, Measuring Health: A Guide to Rating Scales and Questionnaires. New York, Oxford University Press, 1996.

Moving To Work Assessment

• • • • •

Employment and Education Family Responsibilities Health Elderly and Disabled Residents Miscellaneous

Variables reported from the survey include: • • • • • • • • • • • •

Age Work status Income of working population Barriers to finding, obtaining or keeping a job Education level Number and age range of children Childcare arrangements Childcare expenses Health or disability status Level of dependency Primary mode of transportation Other needs reported by residents

Three Center researchers pilot-tested the survey at one of the public housing developments and revisions were then made to the survey. The final questionnaire contains 87 questions, the majority of which are multiple-choice style questions, some with the option of selecting ‘Other’ and providing an alternative response. It also includes five open-ended questions. An example of one of the multiple-choice style questions is below: Question 9.

How long does it usually take you to get to work? { Less than 15 minutes { 16 to 30 minutes { 31 to 45 minutes { 46 minutes to one hour { More than one hour

A copy of the survey is included in Appendix A. Hiring Survey Staff Because The Center for Applied Research is housed at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), an important consideration for this project was to give students the opportunity to administer surveys and gain ‘real-world’ experience. It was also critical that the scheduling be designed to staff the surveying of the 2,900 families in 33 CHA communities on a daily basis for just over two months. Therefore, a combination of personnel was hired to ensure that there was complete coverage at the sites. Personnel

Moving To Work Assessment

included CPCC students, part-time workers and temporary workers hired through a staffing agency. Three Center researchers also administered surveys when necessary. A total of 18 surveyors were involved throughout the process, as shown in Table 1. Table 1. Survey Staffing Center Staff CPCC Students Part-time Staff Service Learning Temporary Personnel Non-student Personnel Total Surveyors

4 5 4 4 1 18

The student surveyors came primarily from the CPCC Human Services Technology Program, which is designed to provide students with a basic body of knowledge and skills that will prepare them to be effective in a wide range of human service agencies.5 Center staff met with instructors in the program to discuss the surveying project and attended class sessions to announce the opportunity to work on this project. Many of the students were involved in the survey process as part-time wage workers. Other student chose a Service-Learning option, which combines community services with academic instruction and requires a commitment of 25 hours per semester. Two of the students chose to continue with the project as part-time workers after they had completed their Service Learning hours. Another student continued to volunteer his time after his Service Learning was complete. To take into consideration the irregularity of student schedules, four temporary workers were contracted through a staffing agency to ensure that full-time surveying hours could be covered. One other surveyor was hired directly by The Center and a part-time worker already employed by The Center was also utilized when needed. Training Survey Personnel The surveyors were trained in several ways, depending on time-frame and availability. The staff hired to conduct surveys full time, which included the four temporary workers and the one surveyor hired directly by The Center, were trained by Center staff on the first day of the surveying process. During the training, Center staff provided an overview of the entire process, including information about MTW, the sites to be visited, the number of surveys to be administered and a preliminary surveying schedule. Center researchers also trained these personnel in the use of the survey instrument, including how to follow the skip patterns and how to answer the open-ended questions. 5

Central Piedmont Community College website, 2006. http://www.cpcc.edu/Nursing_Human_ Services/Human_Services/

Moving To Work Assessment

Donna Hughes, Director of Client Services for the Charlotte Housing Authority, participated in this training session by giving the surveyors a background on the families living in CHA communities and offering suggestions for how best to interact with them. That same afternoon, surveyors visited their first site and began the surveying process. Because of their varied schedules, students were trained on an individual basis prior to beginning their first work shift. Center staff trained the students in the use of the survey instrument and cautioned them to use sensitivity due to the personal nature of some of the survey questions. Additionally, the survey was used as a teaching tool in the human services class many of the student surveyors attended. This class involvement provided support for the survey process, while also providing a teaching tool for the instructor. Survey Administration The survey was administered over a period of about 9 Â˝ weeks from August 24 to October 31, 2006. For each site, CHA staff established surveying schedules in consultation with Center researchers and sent flyers to the site managers to distribute to residents instructing them to come to the community room or leasing office of the complex during a specified time period to complete their survey. A list of Charlotte Housing Authority communities and occupancy is shown in Appendix B. At least two surveyors were assigned to each time slot, based on the number of occupied units in a community. One resident from each housing unit was expected to come to the designated location and participate in an interview lasting from 10 to 20 minutes. A schedule of the surveying process is shown in Appendix C. Every effort was made to accommodate the schedules of the residents by scheduling site visits in both the morning and afternoon and, in many cases, scheduling evening and weekend times. Surveying was completed in three phases, with most sites being visited three times. At one site, due to there being no community center or office, surveyors completed the surveys door-to-door. During the final phase, surveys were mailed to that same site in order to solicit responses via mail. The level of response broken down by survey phase is shown in Appendix D. Surveyors also went door-to-door at additional sites during the final phase of surveying in an effort to increase the response rate. At that time, the surveyors left flyers on the doors of residents who were not at home asking them to call Center researchers and complete the survey via phone. Several surveys were returned by mail and conducted over the phone at the end of the surveying process. The total number of surveys completed was 1,867, which is 67% of the reported number of families in 33 CHA communities as of October. The number of survey responses broken down by housing community is shown is Appendix E.

Moving To Work Assessment

Survey Processing Although the use of scanning software minimized the time needed to process the surveys, readying the surveys for analysis required an extensive six-step process. 1. When the completed surveys were returned to the office by the surveyors, they were entered into a resident database to track the level of response throughout the surveying process. 2. The residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; T-codes were then entered onto the surveys so that responses could be linked to residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names and to confirm the receipt of completed surveys by resident and by housing unit. T-codes are the identification number used by CHA for each resident who leases a unit. 3. Center researchers then reviewed the surveys individually to check that the survey was completed properly and to report any immediate concerns to CHA. 4. The T-coded surveys were then scanned into an Excel file and verified to ensure the accuracy of scanning. 5. Because the software is unable to read responses to open-ended questions, those responses had to be entered into a separate Excel spreadsheet, along with the associated T-code. 6. Once all surveying was complete, the scanning file and the data entry file were combined into SPSS based on T-codes. The original resident list provided by CHA was also merged into this file. This multi-step system enabled Center researchers to maintain quality control over the completed surveys and the data processing. The use of SPSS provided an additional tool for verification and enabled researchers to conduct an analysis of more than 87 variables in 1,867 surveys. III.

Survey Results

There are approximately 2,900 public housing units administered by the Charlotte Housing Authority. Due to fluctuations in occupancy, however, approximate 2,777 units were occupied in 33 CHA communities as of October 2006. Out of these 2,777 occupied units, 1,867 residents responded to the survey. This is a response rate of 67%. Residents in new housing complexes, such as Nia Point, and complexes being redeveloped, such as Live Oak, were not included in this survey process. Additionally, contact was made with two residents who refused to complete the survey and four residents who were in need of a translator and thus were unable to complete the survey. Residents were first asked about their current work situation and their responses to this question determined which of the additional survey questions they would answer. â&#x20AC;˘

When asked about their work situation: 16% indicated that they were working full-time. 12% indicated that they were working part-time.

o o

Moving To Work Assessment

15% indicated that they were looking for work. 6% indicated that they were unemployed and not looking for a job. 32% indicated that they were disabled. 18% indicated that they were retired and/or over the age of 55. 1% answered ‘Other’ – the most common alternative response was that they were on sick or maternity leave. The majority of working respondents (56%) work 30 or more hours per week. Another 20% work 20 to 29 hours per week. Eight percent indicated that they worked more than 40 hours per week. o o o o o

•

It should be noted that there was a discrepancy between the responses to whether they worked full or part time and how many hours they worked. While 297 residents indicated that they worked full-time, only 204 indicated that they worked 40 or more hours. • • • •

59% of working respondents get to work using their own car. Another 26% take the bus. 43% of working respondents can get health insurance at their job. 50% of working respondents get paid vacation time at their job. 45% of working respondents get paid sick leave at their job.

In terms of education, 41% of respondents had not received a high school diploma or completed their GED. • • • • • • • •

9% had an 8th grade level of education or lower. 32% had a 9th to 11th grade level of education. 30% had their high school diploma or GED. 1% had some technical or vocational schooling. 3% had a vocational or technical certificate. 19% had some college. 3% had an Associate’s degree. 3% had a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

Only 11% of respondents were currently in college or attending job training though many more indicated that they were starting in an upcoming semester or interested in starting in the near future. Residents were asked about services and training that they might be interested in receiving. • • • • • •

30% of respondents wanted help finding a job or a different job 15% of respondents wanted help getting their GED 6% of respondents wanted help learning to read 41% of respondents wanted job or computer training 31% of respondents wanted help to attend college 22% of respondents wanted help with budget management

Moving To Work Assessment

Residents were also asked about their family responsibilities, including the number of children they have. The majority of respondents (58%) had no children. This percentage was influenced greatly by the high proportion of elderly residents 55 years of age or older. Several elderly residents, however, indicated that they were caring for grandchildren. Of those who do have children: • • • •

64% had one or two children. 31% had three or four children. 5% had five or more children. 79% of those with school-age children helped their children with their homework every day. Another 9% helped them with homework a few times each week.

In terms of disabled family members, 10% indicated that they were responsible for caring for a disabled child and 5% were responsible for caring for a disabled family member other than a child. Additionally, 35% were themselves on disability. The three most sensitive questions on the survey involved domestic violence, alcohol abuse and substance abuse. • • •

7% indicated that there had been any cases of domestic abuse in their household. Less than 1% indicated that they needed or wanted counseling for alcohol abuse. Less than 1% indicated that they needed or wanted counseling for substance abuse.

Elderly and disabled residents were asked a series of questions designed to gauge their social involvement and mental and emotional health. • • • •

72% felt that they did see enough of their friends and family. 52% felt useful all of the time or most of the time. However, 11% answered that they never felt useful. 46% never worry so much that they can’t sleep. However, 16% do worry so much they can’t sleep all of the time or most of the time. 36% indicated that they never get bored. However, 17% feel bored all of the time or most of the time.

Finally, residents were asked additional questions about transportation and other miscellaneous items. • • • •

33% of respondents have a working car or vehicle. 24% have a computer in their home. 58% have a bank account. 20% have had their phone disconnected within the past six months due to failure to pay.

Moving To Work Assessment

Approximately 41% of respondents reported that they were 55 years of age or older and 35% answered yes to the question â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Are you currently on disability?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;. It should be noted that survey responses were self-reported by the residents so in some cases, particularly the questions regarding domestic violence and alcohol and substance abuse, the answers may not truly reflect the reality of the situation. IV.

Survey Analysis

To analyze the data resulting from surveying 1,867 residents of Charlotte Housing Authority communities, researchers used a tiering system developed by the Housing Authority that categorizes residents according to the type of services they will need to become self-sufficient. The tiering system is divided into four tiers: Tier I:

Residents do not have any primary needs and will only need minimal services to keep them informed of job opportunities and ongoing information. There is a low need for life skills training for this group to become self-sufficient.

Tier II:

Residents have at least two primary needs and three or more secondary needs. Residents in this category will need assistance in obtaining and maintaining employment. Life skills training will be key for this group to become selfsufficient.

Tier III: Residents in this category will require more intensive services as they have the most severe and complex problems. The residents in this category will need long-term services, intensive counseling and case management to assist them in achieving self sufficiency. Tier IV: Residents in this category are elderly or disabled. These families continue to need support and may be beyond the ability to live completely self-sufficient. Families with disabled individuals may be precluded from working, or may have a family member who requires constant care so that neither the disabled individual nor the caregiver can provide for their own self-sufficient living. The families that may be able to find gainful employment and reach selfsufficiency will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Each survey was categorized into an appropriate tier through a selection of survey variables measuring a residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity for self-sufficiency. Multiple Response Sets were then defined in SPSS so that each resident who had responded could be assigned to a category. The number of residents assigned to each tier is shown is Table 2, below.

Moving To Work Assessment

Table 2. Response by Tiers # of Percent of Tier Respondents Respondents 1 78 4% 2 294 16% 3 363 19% 4 1,132 61% 1,867 100% Total

The number of residents categorized into different tiers according to housing communities is shown in Appendix F. Residents were selected for Tier I based on the following variables: • • • • • • • • • • •

Under 55 years of age Working 30 or more hours per week Having their current job for six months or more Having a high school diploma and some training past high school, such as vocational training or certificate or some college Having no more than three children under 18 Having no responsibility for caring for a disabled family member or child Not currently on disability Having no instances of domestic violence in their household Having received no counseling for alcohol use or substance abuse and not needing or wanting such counseling Having a working car or vehicle Knowing how to use a computer

As shown in Table 2 above, 78 residents were categorized into Tier I, with most of those residents living in a CHA community that has a Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. These communities can be either HOPE VI communities that have been redeveloped from public housing complexes or public housing communities that contain FSS programs. The FSS Program is designed to assist families in achieving the goal of becoming self sufficient. Because families enrolled in these programs are employed, they comprise the residents in CHA communities who are likely to need minimal services. The residents selected for Tier II are under 55 years of age and do not live in an elderly/disabled community. Tier II residents are likely to: • • • • • •

Be working less than 30 hours per week Have limited work experience Have no further training beyond a high school diploma or GED Have several children Have limited access to transportation and child care Have some health issues

Moving To Work Assessment

• • • •

Have no access to health insurance except for Medicaid Have several barriers to finding, getting or keeping a job Report that they need help in several areas such as job training and budget management Have limited or no computer experience

Tier II residents may live in FSS sites but many of them live in family public housing sites. These residents need assistance in obtaining and maintaining employment and case management assistance in learning to maintain a stable life style. There were 294 survey responses that categorized residents into Tier II. Tier III residents need greater assistance than residents categorized into Tiers I and II. Residents in Tier III are likely to: • • • • • • • • • •

Be under 55 Be unemployed and not looking for a job Not have a high school diploma or GED Have more than three children under 18 Have many barriers to finding, getting or keeping a job Need training in several areas Have health issues, though they are not on disability Report that they feel nervous or sad most of the time or all of the time and have issues with depression Have experienced domestic violence Have received or need counseling for alcohol use or substance abuse

There are 362 residents categorized into Tier III. These residents live in all public housing communities with the exception of the elderly/disabled communities. Many of these residents need immediate intervention because they have limited resources for functioning on a daily basis. Tier IV residents are those who either: • • •

Are 55 years of age or older; Answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Are you currently on disability?’; or Live in a CHA community for the elderly/disabled

There are 1,133 residents in Tier IV. This large number is not surprising considering that there were 823 survey responses from residents in elderly/disabled communities. However, there are also 310 residents who reported being 55 years of age or older—or receiving disability payments—who live in other public housing communities including several who reside in FSS units. Tier IV residents may not all need immediate or prolonged assistance. Many of the residents who are 55 or older are of retirement age. They are in good health and report a

Moving To Work Assessment

high quality of life. They are involved with family and friends, participate in religious activities, and are active adults. Other residents in Tier IV may have poor health and need assistance in several areas. Some also would like to have jobs and need assistance with job training or finding a job. The frequencies and percent of responses by variable are reported in Appendix G. V.

Recommendations and Conclusions

Based on the responses to the survey reported above, many residents in CHA communities need assistance to lead more productive and organized lives as the first step on the road to self-sufficiency. The large majority of residents have several primary and secondary needs that must be addressed before they could even become eligible for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. Some of these needs are immediate. Also, at least a third or more of public housing residents fall into the elderly or disabled category. Even if some of these residents are currently functioning well, as they age they will need increasing levels of assistance. The database provided to CHA of all residents who responded will provide an indication of residents who have immediate needs, such as needs for: • • • • •

Health care Medications Income Child care Transportation

Other less immediate needs that were reported included: • • • • • •

Addressing the needs highlighted above and providing resources for residents to help them deal with these needs is the first step in building self sufficiency, and moving families to work and independent living.

Moving To Work Assessment

APPENDIX A MOVING TO WORK SURVEY

Moving To Work Assessment

A-1

The Charlotte Housing Authority has asked us to interview all public housing residents to ask questions about job skills, education, family responsibilities, and health. Your participation is crucial to making the Moving to Work Program a success. This interview will take about twenty minutes.

LAST NAME OF RESIDENT:

NAME OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT:

FIRST NAME OF RESIDENT:

DATE OF BIRTH: (mm/dd/yy)

/ NAME OF INTERVIEWER:

DATE OF INTERVIEW: (mm/dd/yy)

/ TIME INTERVIEW BEGAN:

TIME INTERVIEW ENDED:

RESIDENT CODE:

Moving To Work Assessment

A-2

EMPLOYMENT and EDUCATION

1. Which of the following statements best describes your work situation during the past month? Working full-time (SKIP to Q4) Working part-time (SKIP to Q4) Unemployed and not looking for employment Looking for work (SKIP to Q3) Unemployed because of my health or disability (SKIP to Q3) Retired and/or over age 60 (SKIP to Q17) Other (SKIP to Q3)

2. Why aren't you currently looking for employment? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) No transportation No childcare Do not know how to find a job Need more education/training Do not speak English well Other

3. How long has it been since you were last employed? Less than a month (SKIP to Q14) More than one but less than three months (SKIP to Q14) More than three months but less than six months (SKIP to Q14) More than six months but less than a year (SKIP to Q14) One to three years (SKIP to Q15) More than three years (SKIP to Q15) 4. Do you currently have more than one job?

Moving To Work Assessment

Yes

A-3

5. On average, how many hours per week do you work at all jobs combined? 1-9 hours 10-19 hours 20-29 hours 30-39 hours 40 hours

41-45 hours 46-50 hours 51-60 hours More than 60 hours

6. How much do you currently earn from all of your jobs?

7. How long have you been working at your job (if more than one, the one they've had the longest)? Less than a month More than one but less than six months More than six months but less than a year One to two years Three to four years More than four years 8. How long does it usually take you to get to work? Less than 15 minutes 16-30 minutes 31-45 minutes

46 minutes to one hour More than one hour

9. How do you usually get to work? Bus

Walk

Your own car

Ride with a friend

A borrowed car

Work at home

Taxi

Other

Moving To Work Assessment

A-4

10. How did you find your current job? Through the newspaper or radio Through the internet Through the welfare or unemployment office Through a private employment agency Through a friend or relative By visiting employers to see if they had openings Other

11. Through your employer are you eligible for health insurance?

Yes

12. Through your employer are you eligible for sick leave?

Yes

13. Through your employer are you eligible for paid vacation?

Yes

14. How many different jobs have you had in the past year? None

Two to three

One

Four to five

Two

More than five

15. What is the longest you have held the same job? Less than a month More than one but less than six months More than six months but less than a year One to two years Three to four years More than four years

Moving To Work Assessment

A-5

16. Do any of the following make it difficult for you to look for a job, get a job, or keep a job? a. Not having work experience

Yes

b. Not having child care

Yes

c. Not having reliable transportation

Yes

d. Not speaking English well

Yes

e. Disability or other health problem

Yes

f. A child or family member with a disability or health problem

Yes

g. Drug or alcohol problem

Yes

h. Criminal record

Yes

17. What is the highest level of education you have completed? 8th grade or less 9th to 11th grade High school diploma GED Some vocational/technical/business school Vocational/technical/business certificate or diploma Some college Associates's degree Bachelor's degree Some graduate/professional school Graduate/professional degree 18. Are you currently in college or attending any educational courses?

Yes

19. If not, why not? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) No transportation

Do not speek English well

No childcare Do not have funding

Do not need to Other

Moving To Work Assessment

A-6

20. How many hours per week do you spend working, looking for a job, or attending school? 1-9 hours 10-19 hours 20-29 hours 30-39 hours 40 hours

41-45 hours 46-50 hours 51-60 hours More than 60 hours

21. Are you currently getting help with finding a job? 22. If not, do you need or want help with finding a job? 23. Are you currently getting help with getting your GED? 24. If not, do you need or want help with getting your GED? 25. Are you currently getting help with learning to read? 26. If not, do you need or want help with learning to read? 27. Are you currently getting any job or computer training? 28. If not, do you need or want help with job or computer training? 29. Are you currently getting help to attend college? 30. If not, do you need or want help to attend college? 31. Are you currently getting help with budget management? 32. If not, do you need or want help with budget management?

Moving To Work Assessment

Yes

A-7

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES 33. How many children do you have in your household? None (SKIP to Q47) 4 1 5 2 More than 5 3 34. How many of these children are under the age of 5? None (SKIP to Q37) 1 2 3

4 5 More than 5

35. Are any of these children participating in a pre-school, pre-kindergarten, or Head Start program? Yes

36. Where are these children cared for during the day? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) At home by a parent Day care run by a church At home by an older child Day care run by an agency Family member's home They care for themselves Privately run day care Other

37. How many of these children are over the age of 5? None (SKIP to Q45) 1 2 3

Moving To Work Assessment

4 5 More than 5

A-8

38. Have any of these children repeated any grades in school?

Yes

39. How often do you help your children with homework? Everyday (SKIP to Q41) A few times a week (SKIP to Q41) A few times a month (SKIP to Q41) Rarely Never 40. Why don't you help your child with their homework? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY) No time Child never needs help Child does not have homework That is the teacher's job Other

41. Do any of your children receive special help for behavioral or emotional problems? Yes

42. Do any of your children need special help for behavioral or emotional problems? Yes

43. Do any of your children attend special classes for gifted students or do advanced work in any subject? Yes

Moving To Work Assessment

A-9

HEALTH

48. Are you currently disabled?

Yes

49. If yes, what type of disability is it?

50. How difficult is it for you to do the following activities? Not difficult

Difficult

Very Difficult

Impossible

Walk for 10 minutes Walk up 10 steps Stand for 2 hours Sit upright for 2 hours Stoop, bend or kneel Reach up over your head

51. Please tell me how often you have felt this way in the past month: All of the time

Most of the time

Some of the time

Never

Felt nervous Felt calm or peaceful Felt sad Felt happy Felt tired

Moving To Work Assessment

A-10

52. During the past month, about how often did you get together with friends or relatives, such as going out together, visiting in each other's homes, etc.? Everyday Almost every day Once or twice a week

A few times Once Never

53. Have there been any cases of domestic violence in your household? 54. If yes, do you need or want assistance or counseling for domestic violence?

Yes Yes

No No

55. Have you ever received counseling for alcohol use? 56. If not, do you need or want counseling for alcohol use?

Yes Yes

No No

57. Have you ever received counseling for substance abuse? 58. If not, do you need or want counseling for substance abuse?

Yes Yes

No No

59. How much does your household spend on health care and health insurance for all members of the household?

IF INTERVIEWEE IS UNDER THE AGE OF 60, SKIP TO QUESTION 85

Moving To Work Assessment

A-11

A few times Once Never

53. Have there been any cases of domestic violence in your household? 54. If yes, do you need or want assistance or counseling for domestic violence?

Yes Yes

No No

55. Have you ever received counseling for alcohol use? 56. If not, do you need or want counseling for alcohol use?

Yes Yes

No No

57. Have you ever received counseling for substance abuse? 58. If not, do you need or want counseling for substance abuse?

Yes Yes

No No

59. How much does your household spend on health care and health insurance for all members of the household?

IF INTERVIEWEE IS UNDER THE AGE OF 60, SKIP TO QUESTION 85

Moving To Work Assessment

A-12

We'd like to know how difficult it is for you to do the following activities. For each one, let us know if you can do it without any help, with some help, or if you're completely unable to do the activity.

75. Can you get to places outside of walking distance? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

76. Can you go shopping for groceries or clothes? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

77. Can you prepare your own meals? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

78. Can you do your own housework? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

79. Can you take your own medicine (correct doses)? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

80. Can you handle your own money? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

81. Can you dress and care for your own appearance? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

82. Can you get in and out of bed? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

83. Can you get in and out of a chair? Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

84. Can you take a bath or shower? Without help

With some help

Moving To Work Assessment

Unable to do this

A-13

MISCELLANEOUS

85. Do you have a bank account?

Yes

86. Has your phone been disconnected within the past 6 months because you could not afford to pay the bill? Yes

87. Have any of your utilities been disconnected within the past 6 months because you could not afford to pay the bill? Yes

88. Do you have a working car/vehicle?

Yes

89. Do you have a driver's license?

Yes

90. What is your primary mode of transportation? Bus

Walk

Your own car

Ride with a friend

A borrowed car

Work at home

Taxi

Other

91. How long does it usually take you to walk to the nearest bus stop? Less than 15 minutes 16-30 minutes 31-45 minutes

Moving To Work Assessment

46 minutes to one hour More than one hour Don't know

A-14

92. Do you have a computer in your home?

Yes

93. Do you know how to use a computer?

Yes

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.

Moving To Work Assessment

A-15

APPENDIX B CHARLOTTE HOUSING AUTHORITY COMMUNITIES Housing Community1 Arbor Glen Autumn Place Boulevard Homes Cedar Knoll Charlottetown Terrace Claremont Dillehay Courts Edwin Towers First Ward Gladedale Grove Place Hall House Leafcrest Mallard Ridge Meadow Oaks Montgomery Gardens Oak Valley Parktowne Terrace Rivermere Robinsdale Savanna Woods Southside Homes Stonehaven East Strawn Apartments Sunridge Tall Oaks Tarlton Hills 1 Tarlton Hills 2 The Park at Oaklawn Valley View Victoria Square Villa Courts Wallace Woods TOTAL OCCUPANTS

Population Mixed income Elderly Family and Elderly Family and Elderly Elderly/Disabled Family and Elderly Family Elderly/Disabled Mixed income Family and Elderly Mixed income Elderly Family and Elderly Family and Elderly Family and Elderly FSS Mixed Income Elderly/Disabled FSS Family Family and Elderly Family and Elderly FSS Elderly/Disabled Family and Elderly Family and Elderly Family and Elderly Family and Elderly Mixed Income Mixed Income Family Affordable housing Family

# of 2 Occupants 72 68 293 28 174 49 134 171 132 48 35 188 23 20 32 20 50 162 17 27 48 275 22 315 43 48 28 21 84 49 29 36 47 2788

The communities included in this listing are the ones where surveys were conducted. This is not intended to be a comprehensive listing of all CHA sites. 2

The number of occupants is based on data provided by CHA staff at various stages of the project.

Moving To Work Assessment

B-1

APPENDIX C SURVEY SCHEDULE Phase I Housing Community Arbor Glen Autumn Place Boulevard Homes Cedar Knoll Charlottetown Terrace Claremont Dillehay Courts Edwin Towers First Ward Gladedale Grove Place Hall House Leafcrest Mallard Ridge Meadow Oaks Montgomery Gardens Oak Valley Parktowne Terrace Rivermere Robinsdale Savanna Woods Southside Homes Stonehaven East Strawn Apartments Sunridge Tall Oaks Tarlton Hills 1 Tarlton Hills 2 The Park at Oaklawn Valley View Victoria Square Villa Courts Wallace Woods

Date Scheduled 9/9 AM 9/6 ALL 9/18 ALL 8/30 AM 9/20 ALL 9/22 5-7 9/14 AM 9/21 ALL 9/21 5-7 9/19 PM 8/31 AM 9/12 ALL 9/5 AM 8/30 PM 9/14 PM 9/25 5-7 9/5 AM 9/11 ALL 9/23 9-12 8/28 PM 9/1 AM 9/15 ALL 9/23 9-12 9/7-9/8 ALL 8/23 AM 9/13 PM 9/13 AM 9/13 AM 9/16 9-12 8/31 PM 9/20 5-7 9/1 PM 9/19 AM

AM=Morning surveying MAIL=Mail surveying

Date Surveyed 9/9 9/6 9/18 8/30 9/20 9/22 9/25 9/21 9/21 9/25 9/22 9/12 9/5 8/30 9/14 9/25 9/22 9/11 9/23 8/28 9/1 9/15 9/23 9/7-9/8 8/24 9/13 9/13 9/13 9/16 9/22 9/20 9/1 9/19

Phase II Date Scheduled 10/12 4-7 10/9 AM 9/29 ALL 10/10 PM 10/5 ALL 10/3 4-7 10/12 PM 10/3 ALL 10/14 9-3 10/12 AM 10/17 6-8 10/2 ALL 10/9 PM 10/11 PM 9/28 PM 10/11 4-7 10/27 MAIL 10/4 ALL 10/4 4-7 10/10 AM 10/11 AM 10/6 ALL 10/9 4-7 9/27 ALL 10/16 PM 10/13 AM 10/13 PM 10/13 PM 10/10 4-7 10/18 6-8 10/5 4-7 10/16 AM 9/28 AM

PM=Afternoon surveying DOOR=Door-to-door surveying

Moving To Work Assessment

Phase III

Date Surveyed 10/12 10/9 9/29 10/10 10/5 10/3 10/12 10/3 10/14 10/12 10/24 DOOR 10/2 10/9 10/11 9/28 10/11 10/27 MAIL 10/4 10/4 10/10 10/11 10/6 10/9 9/27 10/16 10/13 10/13 10/13 10/10 10/25 DOOR 10/5 10/16 9/28

Date Scheduled 10/23 4-6 10/23 PM 10/18 ALL

Date Surveyed 10/23 10/23 10/18

10/19 DOOR 10/19 4-6 10/24 AM 10/19 PM 10/30 PM 10/27 AM

10/19 10/19 10/24 10/19 10/30 10/26

10/23 AM 10/25 PM

10/23 10/25

10/20 AM 10/27 2-6

10/20 10/27

10/19 AM 10/26 4-6 10/17 PM 10/25 AM 10/20 ALL 10/25 4-6 10/17 DOOR 10/26 2-4 10/24 AM 10/26 AM 10/26 AM 10/24 4-6

10/19 10/26 10/17 10/25 10/20 10/25 10/17 10/26 10/24 10/26 10/24 10/24

10/16 4-6

10/16

10/17 AM

10/17

ALL=All-day surveying

C-1

APPENDIX D LEVEL OF SURVEY RESPONSE BY SURVEY PHASE Phase I Housing Community Arbor Glen Autumn Place Boulevard Homes Cedar Knoll Charlottetown Terrace Claremont Dillehay Courts Edwin Towers First Ward Gladedale Grove Place Hall House Leafcrest Mallard Ridge Meadow Oaks Montgomery Gardens Oak Valley Parktowne Terrace Rivermere Robinsdale Savanna Woods Southside Homes Stonehaven East Strawn Apartments Sunridge Tall Oaks Tarlton Hills 1 Tarlton Hills 2 The Park at Oaklawn Valley View Victoria Square Villa Courts Wallace Woods TOTAL

Phase II

Phase III

# of Occupants

Number Completed

Percent

Number Completed

Percent

Number Completed

Percent

72 68 293 28 174 49 134 171 132 48 35 188 23 20 32 20 50 162 17 27 48 275 22 315 43 48 28 21 84 49 29 36 47 2788

14 37 53 5 81 19 76 59 32 10 4 94 1 3 19 7 6 89 3 8 12 61 5 165 11 7 2 1 14 1 10 9 17 935

19% 54% 18% 18% 47% 39% 57% 35% 24% 21% 11% 50% 4% 15% 59% 35% 12% 55% 18% 30% 25% 22% 23% 52% 26% 15% 7% 5% 17% 2% 34% 25% 36% 34%

7 9 70 16 1 15 0 59 35 12 18 30 6 10 8 2 6 36 3 10 17 0 2 74 9 19 12 11 11 13 8 7 7 543

10% 13% 24% 57% 1% 31% 0% 35% 27% 25% 51% 16% 26% 50% 25% 10% 12% 22% 18% 37% 35% 0% 9% 23% 21% 40% 43% 52% 13% 27% 28% 19% 15% 19%

15 0 52 0 32 8 7 28 54 11 3 8 10 0 3 7 0 8 3 6 8 60 1 13 4 3 4 0 14 1 8 4 14 389

21% 0% 18% 0% 18% 16% 5% 16% 41% 23% 9% 4% 43% 0% 9% 35% 0% 5% 18% 22% 17% 22% 5% 4% 9% 6% 14% 0% 17% 27% 28% 11% 30% 14%

Moving To Work Assessment

D-1

APPENDIX E SURVEY RESPONSE BY HOUSING COMMUNITY Housing Community Arbor Glen Autumn Place Boulevard Homes Cedar Knoll Charlottetown Terrace Claremont Dillehay Courts Edwin Towers First Ward Gladedale Grove Place Hall House Leafcrest Mallard Ridge Meadow Oaks Montgomery Gardens Oak Valley Parktowne Terrace Rivermere Robinsdale Savanna Woods Southside Homes Stonehaven East Strawn Apartments Sunridge Tall Oaks Tarlton Hills 1 Tarlton Hills 2 The Park at Oaklawn Valley View Victoria Square Villa Courts Wallace Woods TOTAL

Moving To Work Assessment

# of Occupants

Number Completed

Percent Completed

72 68 293 28 174 49 134 171 132 48 35 188 23 20 32 20 50 162 17 27 48 275 22 315 43 48 28 21 84 49 29 36 47 2788

36 46 175 21 114 42 83 146 121 33 25 132 17 13 30 16 12 133 9 24 37 121 8 252 24 29 18 12 39 15 26 20 38 1867

50.0% 67.6% 59.7% 75.0% 65.5% 85.7% 61.9% 85.4% 91.7% 68.8% 71.4% 70.2% 73.9% 65.0% 93.8% 80.0% 24.0% 82.1% 52.9% 88.9% 77.1% 44.0% 36.4% 80.0% 55.8% 60.4% 64.3% 57.1% 46.4% 30.6% 89.7% 55.6% 80.9% 67.0%

E-1

APPENDIX F TIERS BY HOUSING COMMUNITY Housing Community Arbor Glen Autumn Place Boulevard Homes Cedar Knoll Charlottetown Terrace Claremont Dillehay Courts Edwin Towers First Ward Gladedale Grove Place Hall House Leafcrest Mallard Ridge Meadow Oaks Montgomery Gardens Oak Valley Parktowne Terrace Rivermere Robinsdale Savanna Woods Southside Homes Stonehaven East Strawn Apartments Sunridge Tall Oaks Tarlton Hills 1 Tarlton Hills 2 The Park at Oaklawn Valley View Victoria Square Villa Courts Wallace Woods TOTAL

Tier 1 Number Percent 10 28% 0 0% 1 1% 0 0% 0 0% 3 7% 0 0% 0 0% 27 22% 0 0% 9 36% 0 0% 3 18% 0 0% 1 3% 1 6% 3 25% 0 0% 1 11% 1 4% 2 5% 1 1% 1 13% 0 0% 2 8% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 7 18% 2 13% 3 12% 0 0% 0 0% 78 4%

Moving To Work Assessment

Tier 2 Number Percent 16 44% 0 0% 28 16% 2 10% 0 0% 15 36% 21 25% 0 0% 63 52% 6 18% 9 36% 0 0% 5 29% 1 8% 6 20% 10 63% 4 33% 0 0% 4 44% 7 29% 7 19% 17 14% 3 38% 0 0% 4 17% 7 24% 1 6% 3 25% 23 59% 10 67% 12 46% 3 15% 7 18% 294 16%

Tier 3 Number Percent 6 17% 0 0% 63 36% 11 52% 0 0% 21 50% 40 48% 0 0% 28 23% 13 39% 1 4% 0 0% 6 35% 6 46% 9 30% 5 31% 4 33% 0 0% 4 44% 11 46% 14 38% 44 36% 3 38% 0 0% 5 21% 8 28% 4 22% 3 25% 9 23% 3 20% 9 35% 14 70% 18 47% 362 19%

Tier 4 Number Percent 4 11% 46 100% 83 47% 8 38% 114 100% 3 7% 22 27% 146 100% 3 2% 14 42% 6 24% 132 100% 3 18% 6 46% 14 47% 0 0% 1 8% 133 100% 0 0% 5 21% 14 38% 59 49% 1 13% 252 100% 13 54% 14 48% 13 72% 6 50% 0 0% 0 0% 2 8% 3 15% 13 34% 1133 61%

F-1

Total 36 46 175 21 114 42 83 146 121 33 25 132 17 13 30 16 12 133 9 24 37 121 8 252 24 29 18 12 39 15 26 20 38 1867

APPENDIX G SURVEY RESPONSES EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION Which of the following statements best describes your work situation during the past month?

Number

Percent

Working full-time

297

15.9

Working part-time

230

12.3

Unemployed and not looking for a job

108

5.8

Looking for work

280

15.0

Disabled

596

31.9

Retired and/or over age 55

330

17.7

Other

1.4

Total

1,867

100.0

Number

Percent

No transportation

10.3

No childcare

15.0

Do not know how to find a job

3.7

Need more education/training

7.5

Why aren't you currently looking for a job?

Do not speak English well

0.0

Other

78.5

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

Less than a month

7.5

More than one but less than three months

13.6

21.1

More than three months but less than six months

14.1

35.2

More than six months but less than a year

15.0

50.2

One to three years

122

29.6

79.9

More than three years

20.1

100.0

Total

412

100.0

How long has it been since you had a job?

Moving To Work Assessment

G-1

Working respondents who answered "Yes" to the following questions.

Number

Percent

Do you currently have more than one job?

8.9

Can you get health insurance at your job?

231

43.1

Do you get sick leave at your job?

242

45.1

Do you get paid vacation at your job?

267

49.8

On average, how many hours per week do you work at all jobs combined?

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

0 hours

3.3

1-9 hours

2.6

5.8

10-19 hours

10.4

16.2

20-29 hours

107

19.5

35.7

30-39 hours

149

27.1

62.8

40 hours

159

29.0

91.8

41-45 hours

3.6

95.4

46-50 hours

1.6

97.1

51-60 hours

2.0

99.1

More than 60 hours

0.9

100.0

549

100.0

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

Less than a month

7.1

More than one but less than six months

16.3

23.4

More than six months but less than a year

13.1

36.4

One to two years

151

28.2

64.7

Three to four years

10.8

75.5

More than four years

131

24.5

100.0

Total

535

100.0

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

Less than 15 minutes

189

35.4

16-30 minutes

228

42.7

78.1

31-45 minutes

10.3

88.4

46 minutes to one hour

5.4

93.8

More than one hour

6.2

100.0

Total

534

100.0

Total

How long have you been working at your job (if more than one, the one you've had the longest)?

How long does it usually take you to get to work?

Moving To Work Assessment

G-2

How do you usually get to work?

Number

Percent

Bus

141

26.3

Your own car

318

59.2

A borrowed car

1.3

Taxi

0.2

Walk

6.0

Ride with a friend

6.0

Work at home

0.6

Other

0.6

Total

537

100.0

Number

Percent

Through the newspaper or radio

9.6

Through the internet

6.0

Through the welfare or unemployment office

2.4

How did you find your current job?

Through a private employment agency

6.6

Through a friend or relative

210

39.3

By visiting employers to see if they had openings

132

24.7

Other

11.4

Total

534

100.0

What is the longest you have held the same job?

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

Less than a month

1.5

More than one but less than six months

2.9

4.4

More than six months but less than a year

5.3

9.7

One to two years

234

24.9

34.6

Three to four years

196

20.9

55.5

More than four years

417

44.5

100.0

Total

938

100.0

Moving To Work Assessment

G-3

Which of the following make it difficult for you to look for a job, get a job, or keep a job?

Number

Percent

Not having work experience

221

23.6

Not having child care

239

25.5

Not having reliable transportation

306

32.6

Not speaking English well

4.1

Disability or other health problem A child or family member with a disability or health problem Drug or alcohol problem

144

15.4

106

11.3

0.3

Criminal record

6.4

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

8th grade or less

174

9.3

9th to 11th grade

592

31.8

41.1

High school diploma

471

25.3

66.4

GED

4.2

70.6

Some vocational/technical/business school

0.8

71.3

Vocational/technical/business certificate or diploma

3.3

74.7

Some college

358

19.2

93.9

Associate's degree

2.8

96.7

Bachelor's degree

2.5

99.1

Some graduate/professional school

0.5

99.6

Graduate/professional degree

0.4

100.0

1,863

100.0

Total

Respondents answering "Yes."

Number

Percent

203

10.9

Number

Percent

197

10.6

0.3

No childcare

124

6.6

Do not need to

333

17.9

Do not have funding

294

15.8

Other

973

52.2

Are you currently in college or attending any job training?

If you're not currently in college, why not? No transportation Do not speak English well

Moving To Work Assessment

G-4

Respondents answering "Yes."

Number

Percent

Are you getting help with finding a job or a different job?

120

6.4

If not, do you need or want help with finding a job or a different job?

506

29.2

Are you getting help with getting your GED?

3.8

If not, do you need or want help with getting your GED?

249

14.0

Are you getting help with learning to read?

1.0

If not, do you need or want help with learning to read?

104

5.7

Are you getting any job or computer training?

100

5.4

If not, do you need or want help with job or computer training?

716

40.7

Are you getting help to attend college?

112

6.0

If not, do you need or want help to attend college?

535

30.7

Are you getting help with budget management?

194

10.4

If not, do you need or want help with budget management?

353

21.2

Moving To Work Assessment

G-5

FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES Respondents answering "Yes."

Number

Percent

Are you responsible for caring for a disabled child?

4.0

Are you responsible for caring for a disabled family member other than a child?

4.9

How many children (under age 18) do you have in your household?

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

1,079

57.9

281

15.1

73.0

218

11.7

84.7

159

8.5

93.2

4.8

98.0

None

1.2

99.2

More than 5

0.8

100.0

1,864

100.0

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

256

66.7

105

27.3

94.0

4.2

98.2

1.3

99.5

0.5

100.0

384

100.0

Number

Percent

None

159

20.4

Cumulative Percent 20.4

275

35.2

55.6

183

23.4

79.0

102

13.1

92.1

5.5

97.6

1.7

99.2

More than 5

0.8

100.0

781

100.0

Total

How many of these children are under the age of 5?

Total

How many of these children are over the age of 5?

Total

Moving To Work Assessment

G-6

Where are your children cared for during the day?

Under Age 5

Over Age 5

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

143

37.2

328

51.8

Day care run by a church

2.1

1.6

At home by an older child

1.0

4.6

Day care run by an agency

118

30.7

14.7

Family member

12.0

7.7

They care for themselves

0.5

7.6

Privately run day care

7.3

3.0

Other

22.4

15.5

At home by a parent/guardian

How often do you help your children (over age 5) with homework?

Number

Percent

Cumulative Percent

Everyday

488

79.2

A few times a week

9.1

88.3

A few times a month

1.6

89.9

Rarely

3.6

93.5

Never

6.5

100.0

Total

616

100.0

Why don't you help your children (over age 5) with their homework?

Number

Percent

No time

0.3

Child never needs help

2.9

Child does not have homework

0.5

That is the teacher's job

0.2

Other

7.2

Number

Percent

151

39.6

214

34.7

108

17.7

15.7

154

25.2

Respondents answering "Yes." Are any of your children (under age 5) participating in a pre-school, pre-kindergarten, or Head Start program? Have any of your children (over age 5) repeated any grades in school? Do any of your children receive special help for behavioral or emotional problems? Do any of your children need special help for behavioral or emotional problems? Do any of your children attend special classes for gifted students or do advanced work in any subject?

Moving To Work Assessment

G-7

HEALTH Impossible

Very Difficult

Difficult

Not Difficult

Walk for 10 minutes

4.3%

5.5%

18.2%

72.0%

Walk up 10 steps

7.0%

7.3%

20.7%

65.1%

Stand for 2 hours

11.6%

6.9%

24.9%

56.6%

How difficult is it for you to do the following activities?

Sit upright for 2 hours

4.1%

3.5%

16.7%

75.7%

Stoop, bend or kneel

8.9%

7.3%

25.8%

58.0%

Reach up over your head

2.7%

13.8%

80.8%

Please tell me how often you have felt this way in the past month:

Never

Some of the time

Most of the time

All of the time

Felt nervous

32.9%

50.3%

8.5%

8.4%

Felt calm or peaceful

4.6%

37.2%

35.4%

22.8%

Felt sad

34.2%

54.2%

7.0%

4.7%

Felt happy

2.7%

34.5%

37.5%

25.3%

Felt tired

11.2%

51.3%

14.3%

23.1%

Number

Percent

Everyday

246

13.2

Almost every day

206

11.1

Once or twice a week

551

29.6

A few times

502

27.0

Once

182

9.8

Never

174

9.3

Total

1,861

100.0

During the past month, about how often did you get together with friends or relatives?

Moving To Work Assessment

G-8

Respondents answering "Yes."

Number

Percent

Are you currently on disability?

659

35.9

127

6.8

12.9

120

6.4

If not, do you need or want counseling for alcohol use?

0.5

Have you ever received counseling for substance abuse?

4.9

If not, do you need or want counseling for substance abuse?

0.4

Have there been any cases of domestic violence in your household? If yes, do you need or want assistance or counseling for domestic violence? Have you ever received counseling for alcohol use?

Moving To Work Assessment

G-9

ELDERLY OR DISABLED RESIDENTS Yes

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

453

46.5

522

53.5

694

71.2

281

28.8

466

47.7

510

52.3

174

17.8

802

82.2

164

16.8

811

83.2

627

64.2

349

35.8

284

29.2

689

70.8

698

71.8

274

28.2

Please let us know how often you feel this way:

Never

Some of the time

Most of the time

All of the time

I feel useful.

27.1%

24.3%

38.1%

10.5%

I sometimes worry so much I can't sleep.

7.8%

8.1%

37.7%

46.4%

I often get bored.

8.2%

8.9%

47.0%

35.9%

I am in good spirits.

31.4%

38.3%

28.7%

1.5%

I feel full of energy.

12.7%

24.5%

48.3%

14.5%

I have trouble concentrating.

5.4%

7.1%

43.4%

44.0%

I have a difficult time remembering things.

6.9%

10.4%

49.3%

33.5%

Do you have someone to help you if you were unable to get out of bed? Do you have someone to take you to the doctor if you need it? Do you have someone to help you with daily chores if you need it? Do you do volunteer work in any programs in the community? Are you part of any local organizations/clubs/community groups? Do you participate in any church/mosque/temple activities? Have you taken part in any efforts to improve the neighborhood? Do you feel like you see enough of your friends and family?

Without help

With some help

Unable to do this

Can you get to places outside of walking distance?

64.6%

30.3%

5.1%

Can you go shopping for groceries or clothes?

63.1%

34.3%

2.7%

Moving To Work Assessment

G-10

MISCELLANEOUS How do you typically get to places?

Number

Percent

Bus

942

49.5

Walk

327

17.5

Your own car

599

32.1

Ride with a friend

814

43.6

A borrowed car

3.7

Work at home

0.2

Taxi

174

9.3

Other

183

9.8

Number

Percent

How long does it usually take you to walk to the nearest bus stop? Don't know

192

10.4

1,587

85.7

16-30 minutes

3.1

31-45 minutes

0.3

46 minutes to one hour

0.3

More than one hour

0.2

1,852

100.0

Respondents answering "Yes."

Number

Percent

Do you have a bank account?

1,071

57.6

372

20.0

1.9

Do you have a working car/vehicle?

613

32.9

Do you have a driver's license?

903

48.5

Do you have a computer in your home?

453

24.3

1,011

54.3

Less than 15 minutes

Total

Has your phone been disconnected in the past 6 months because you could not afford to pay the bill? Have any of your utilities been disconnected in the past 6 months because you could not afford to pay the bill?

Do you know how to use a computer?

Moving To Work Assessment

G-11