Household Surveying

Traci WattsState of Louisiana

Office of Community Development

Back to the beginningProject developmentIdentify problems that need to be

addressedDraw proposed improvements on a mapConsultant and Engineer must work

together on this phaseMake site visit to area to ensure that map

is actually correctRevisit map to make any needed changes

to the beneficiary area of the project

Important to RememberEach target area must have a

minimum of 51% low and moderate income persons benefitting.

Each target area must have census data and/or survey data reported independently of the other target areas.

Number of required surveys for each target area depends on the universe size of the area being surveyed.

Prepare to Conduct the Household SurveyIdentify all structures on the map or use a

customer list if the project involves a system. Identify all commercial or exempt structures

on the map or entries on the customer listNumber all residential structures (occupied

and vacant) in the target area in a consecutive order. The total number of residential structures equals the universe. Do NOT number structures that are obviously not residential. Do NOT number entries on the customer list that are not in the target area.

Choose a random numbers table based on the number in the universe.

Random Numbers Table

Random Numbers Table

Definitions

Required – numbered structures that must be surveyed

Extras – numbered structures that can be used to replace a required survey

Unreachable – an occupied house that cannot be surveyed after three separate attempts to obtain the survey, or an occupant has given an outright refusal to give the required information.

UnreachablesMust attempt to survey at different

times of the day on different days of the week.

Must document on the survey form why the structure is “unreachable”.

Must document the times and dates of survey attempts.

If more than 10% of the survey results in “unreachables”, the documentation of survey attempts must be submitted.

Conducting the Household SurveyList all of the “required” numbers from

the random numbers table on the Household Survey Form.

The “extra” numbers will only be used if your survey identifies “unreachables”, vacants, commercial or exempt structures in your “required” numbers.

The “extra” numbers must be used in the order they appear on the random numbers table and must be listed on the household survey form in that order as well.

Map

Household Survey Form

Tabulating Survey Data

Completing the Survey Tabulation FormIf the survey was not 100% survey,

then a calculation must be completed to determine the total number of occupied houses in the target area.

# of survey attempts - # of vacants/businesses/

exempts/non-residential buildings/camps = % Occupied Houses

Total number of survey attempts

Completing the Survey Tabulation Form

Example: 313 Universe (Required sample size is 200)

235 Total number of survey attempts- 9 Subtract vacants, businesses, and

exempts226 Known occupied houses based on survey

226 divided by 235 = 96.17% occupied house % in target area

.9617 multiplied by 313 = 301 projected occupied houses

Note: 26 of the houses were unreachables, therefore the applicant would be required to submit the documentation of times, dates, etc. of survey attempts with the application.

Verifying Surveys During the Rating Process

Projecting BeneficiariesRequired when surveys conducted

do not result in 100% surveys.Use the information on the Survey

Tabulation page to complete this process.

Give manual calculation process or an electronic form to use that will make calculations for the applicant.

Retabulating Surveys Prior to Funding

After all rating data has been entered into the computer system, then ranking lists are produced.

All applications that are above the funding line that include household surveys are reexamined at that point.

Household surveys are retabulated to ensure the data is correct.

Questions?