IL Extension Regional Housing Assessment Survey for Henry, Mercer and Stark Counties

Housing Assessment Survey for Henry, Mercer, & Stark Counties 2024

You've been selected to share your valuable insights. University of Illinois Extension is conducting a survey to assess the housing needs in Henry, Mercer, and Stark Counties. Your participation in this survey is entirely voluntary and should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. Rest assured, your individual responses will remain anonymous and confidential.

If you have any questions or require assistance with the survey, please don't hesitate to reach out to Russell Medley, Illinois Extension community and economic development educator at rmedley@illinois.edu or call (309) 756-9978. Your voluntary participation is greatly appreciated!

Please check the box next to the answer that best reflects your answer.

1. What is the Zip Code for your current address

2. Why did you move to your current address? (Check all that apply.)

3. How long have you lived at your current address? (Check one.)

4. Why do you remain at your current address? (Check all that apply.)

5. In your opinion, does your community need more rental units? (Check one.)

6. Which of the following types of rental unit is needed? (Check all that apply.)

7. What would you consider a reasonable monthly rent for an APARTMENT in this region? (Check one.)

8. What would you consider a reasonable monthly rent for a HOUSE in this region? (Check one.)

9. What best describes the type of home you currently live in? (Check one.)

10. Ideally, what type of housing would you be living in today if affordability was not an issue? (Check one.)

11. Which of the following best describes your current housing situation? (Check one.)

Other

12. Please select the statement that best describes your housing costs (mortgage/rent, utilities, insurance and property taxes) (Check one.)

13. If you are considering moving to a new home, what type of housing would best suit your needs (based on what you can afford and are willing to pay)? (Check one.)

14. If you wanted to buy a house, what price range could you afford? (Check one.)

15. If you want to buy a home, but have not done so, why not? (Check all that apply.)

16. When considering housing in your community, please indicate your level of agreement with the need for additional units for each stated housing type. (Rate each one.)

Rows	Strongly Agree	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Strongly disagree	N/A	Don't know
High end housing
Conventional subdivisions and homes
Traditional neighborhoods and homes
Condominiums/Townhouses
Senior housing (1 level, accessible)
Multifamily rental units/apartments
Downtown housing (apartments or condominiums)
Affordable homes for first time buyers
Housing for individuals with physical disabilities

17 a. If you were choosing a new home, how important would the following building/lot characteristics be in your decision-making process? (Rate each one.)

Rows	Very important	Somewhat important	Neutral	Less important	Not important
Single family detached home
Multi-family apartment unit
Condominium/Townhouse
Multiple floors
Single floor
1-2 bedrooms
3 or more bedrooms
Multiple bathrooms
In-home laundry
Shared laundry facilities
Energy efficiency
New build home (past 4 years)
Existing home (1920-2020)
Historic home (100 years+)
Accessible home for Seniors – zero entry, widened hallways, modified bathrooms etc.

17 a. (continued) If you were choosing a new home, how important would the following building/lot characteristics be in your decision-making process? (Rate each one.)

Rows	Very important	Somewhat important	Neutral	Less important	Not important
Less than 1,000 sq. ft. of livable space
1,000 to 2,000 sq. ft. of livable space
2,000 to 3,000 sq. ft. of livable space
3,000 sq. ft. or more of livable space
Detached garage
Attached garage
Enclosed parking
Covered parking
Patio/balcony/deck
Basement/Storm shelter
Small yard/lot
Large yard/lot
New/renovated kitchen and bath(s)
Space for home office

17 b. If choosing a new home, how important would the following community characteristics be in your decision-making process? (Rate each one.)

Rows	Very important	Somewhat important	Neutral	Less important	Not important
Rural/farm setting
In-town setting
Walkable downtown
Close to family and friends
Close to work
Close to amenities (retail, restaurants, and services including pharmacies and grocery stores)
Quality of local government services (fire, law enforcement, libraries)
Close to healthcare
Local school system
Transportation access
Proximity to outdoor spaces and recreation
Access to municipal water and sewer
Private well and septic systems
Access to Internet/broadband

18. From your perspective, what are the housing-related challenges facing your community/county? (Check all that apply.)

19. Have you ever been at risk of eviction or foreclosure?

Good job you're halfway done!

20. Indicate the level of impact each of the following factors has on your ability to stay in the community. (Rate each one.)

Rows	Significantly impacts	Somewhat impacts	Slightly impacts	Does not impact	N/A
Supply of available housing
Quality of available housing
Cost of available housing
Type of available housing
Location of available housing

21. Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement about your current housing needs. (Rate each one.)

Rows	Strongly agree	Agree	Neutral	Disagree	Strongly disagree	N/A	I don't know
My current housing meets my needs today
My current housing meets my anticipated needs for the next 10 years
My current housing is in need of major improvements or repairs to meet my future needs
My ability to stay in the region depends on finding adequate affordable housing

22. If you are not satisfied with your current home, why? (Check all that apply.)

23. If you wanted to buy a house, do you think you would be able to find something in your community or county that fits you and your family’s needs?

24. Do you anticipate that you will be looking for senior housing within the next five years for yourself?

25. Do you anticipate that you will be looking for senior housing within the next five years on behalf of a senior family member?

26. If you needed housing for seniors or the disabled, and such housing was available, would you prefer to rent or own?

27. Are government subsidized housing units for seniors and/or disabled needed in your community or county?

28. From your perspective, how do the following factors impact the cost and supply of housing in your community? (Rate each one.)

Rows	Significantly impacts	Somewhat impacts	Slightly impacts	No impact	N/A
Local employment opportunities
Wages
Household debt
Household savings
The ability to qualify for a mortgage
Available building sites
Cost of land
Cost of construction
Zoning and permit regulations
Available utilities and infrastructure (sewer, water, roads, electric, broadband)
Local government interest in housing
Lack of contractors/developers
Many homes sold “word of mouth” versus through professional real estate broker without being advertised
Location of community
Interest rates/general economy

29. On a scale of one to five, how do you rate your community as a place to live? (Check one.)

30. Which age bracket are you in?

31. How many people live in your household(including yourself)?

Rows	One	Two	Three	Four	Five or more	None
Adults
Children

32. What is your marital status?

33. Please describe your current employment status

34. How far do you commute to work?

35. What is the gross annual income for your household? (total income for all members before taxes)

36. What is your ethnicity?

37. What is your race? (Mark one or more)

38. What is your gender?

Thank You for Your Participation!

We sincerely appreciate your time and effort in completing this survey. Your input is invaluable in helping us better understand and address the housing needs of our community. Please place your completed survey in the postage-paid return envelope provided and drop it in the nearest mailbox.

Once again, thank you for your contribution to this important endeavor!

Warm regards,

University of Illinois Extension serving Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, and Stark Counties

Demographics