The value of community housing needs assessments and strategies (CHNA/S) is three-fold: 1) they let a community know exactly what its housing needs are; 2) they aid officials in assigning priority to the housing needs identified; and 3) they provide a necessary guide in developing appropriate housing policies, programs, and strategies (Shoemaker, 1987). Preparation of CHNA/S should be part of a larger, overall long-term planning process that combines the elements of focused needs assessments with comprehensive and strategic planning processes. 

 Although housing needs assessments and strategies are often employed together, they are separate entities. A community housing needs assessment is an in-depth housing market analysis that carefully examines the area's supply and demand for housing to determine existing and future needs for shelter. Housing strategies are specific, short-term action plans designed to address selected needs identified in the CHNA. Before starting, guidebook users need to understand the context into which the process fits. They also should be aware of potential uses, variations in the end products, and the importance of adapting the process to fit each community. 

The Process and Its Context 

 The goal of a housing needs assessment is to help focus a community's efforts on its most critical local problems. The initial emphasis is often on issues of public concern (e.g., housing affordability, at-risk households, or rental housing problems). At a minimum, the housing needs assessment process may identify alternatives that might be more effective than the most obvious solution to a local housing problem. The local government's goal for the resultant strategies may be to ensure that decent, affordable housing is available to meet the needs of specific targeted households (e.g., very low income families). 

Uses and Variations 

Much of the current interest in housing needs assessments and strategic plans results from federal or state legislative requirements. For example, states need local housing data upon which to base statewide allocation plans for HUD's new HOME program funds or federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, or to prepare the statewide CHAS. Legislatures in many states have directed cities, towns, and counties to prepare community comprehensive plans or strategic economic development plans. Provision for affordable housing may be one required "goal" of these local development plans. 

To be useful (i.e., have an impact on resource allocations), any needs assessment requires a target audience and a mechanism for implementation. The checklist in FIGURE 1 can help readers identify and prioritize the possible uses for the housing needs assessment. The community's intended uses of the assessment will shape the specific problems and the solutions they consider. For example, a needs analysis performed in preparing a community economic development plan would have a different focus than one done by a nonprofit group planning transitional housing for persons with developmental disabilities. 

The Process and Its Adaptation 

Stated simply, the process of developing local housing needs assessments and strategies involves three stages: 1) assessing current and projected housing conditions--the diagnosis; 2) setting goals--the vision; and 3) selecting appropriate program approaches to achieve those goals--the action (U. S. DHUD, 1978; Committee for Economic Development, 1986; Luke, et al., 1988). 

Reality is much more complex. Therefore, the Community Housing Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning Process model (CHNAS/P, FIGURE 2) includes seven steps with associated tasks: I. Initiate the Process; II. Identify the Problem; III. Develop Community Housing Profile; IV. Assess Local Housing Needs; V. Set Public Policy Goals and Objectives; VI. Prepare Community Housing Strategies and Action Plans; and VII. Implement, Monitor, and Evaluate Progress. The steps may be completed in order or all at once, as the local situation, time, and volunteer labor allow. 

Each town or county must adapt the CHNA/SP process to their unique housing market circumstances. Communities should also determine their own priorities, based on the needs identified--not dictated--by the assessment itself. Establishing long- or short-range goals and objectives, in itself, does not automatically result in strategies or implementation plans. In other words, goals and objectives tell you where you want to go, not how to get there. Communities can achieve the latter task by developing and implementing short-term housing strategies and action plans, then monitoring and evaluating their progress. 

FIGURE 1. POTENTIAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGY USES 

Begin a housing needs assessment by identifying and prioritizing what you hope to accomplish. Who is the recipient of the needs assessment? What do you expect the outcome of the assessment to be? Rank the possible uses listed below (in alphabetical order) in order of importance to your community, and add others as appropriate: 

___ Basis for economic development efforts 

___ Basis for new or amended housing/community development legislation 

___ Compliance with federal or state (legislative) requirements 

___ Defining budget priorities (resource allocation) 

___ Description of housing situations/problems 

___ Developing intervention strategies 

___ Evaluation 

___ Fund raising for local housing efforts 

___ Housing advocacy and community awareness 

___ Housing data base development 

___ Housing information and referral 

___ Planning for decisionmaking 

___ Other, explain ________________________________________ 

FIGURE 2. COMMUNITY HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS 

The guidebook authors assume that, prior to beginning the process, local individuals or a steering group has recognized a need for a housing needs assessment and plan--and has an intended use for its outcome. The impetus may arise from a pressing local housing issue, a legislative mandate, economic development planning, or other reasons identified earlier in Figure 1. 

Step 1: INITIATE THE PROCESS 

Develop an inclusive list of participants from which to select Housing Task Force members. Plan for community awareness and involvement via local media, housing tours, and public hearings. Identify and commit resources to process. 

Step 2: IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM 

Use quantitative and qualitative data sources and techniques to describe the housing concerns of the community. Select key addressable public policy issues, then prepare and circulate the preliminary mission statement. 

Step 3: DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY HOUSING PROFILE 

Assemble community population and housing data, including housing demand, changes in the inventory, and the local housing delivery system. Existing federal, state, and local data will provide the major basis for the profile. 

Step 4: ASSESS LOCAL HOUSING NEEDS 

Select research methodologies to collect original data on housing needs and conditions of specific populations or neighborhoods. Interpret these relative, expressed, and perceived housing needs data against explicit housing standards. 

Step 5: SET PUBLIC POLICY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 

Given the political realities and economic situation of the community, select and finalize broad goals to be accomplished. Use housing needs assessment to shape a few community-specific objectives that are measurable and achievable. 

Step 6: PREPARE COMMUNITY HOUSING STRATEGIES AND ACTION PLANS 

State the accomplishments to be achieved, including their rationale(s). Prepare housing strategies and action plans (including new or revised policies) within the context of wider community planning and (economic) development initiatives. 

Step 7: IMPLEMENT, MONITOR, AND EVALUATE PROGRESS 

Present the strategies to obtain favorable public opinion and acceptance of planned activities. Systematically measure and report progress toward meeting goals and objectives. Evaluate the resultant product, process, and impact. 

   
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