The Ohio Housing Needs Survey

June 2014
The Ohio State University
Center for Human Resource Research

About the Study:

The 2014 Ohio Housing Needs Survey will contact a random sample of Ohioans by phone to obtain information regarding their current housing situation and to inquire as to the desirability of homeownership. The goal of the study is to provide hard data about the housing market – past, present, and future – that are not currently being collected publicly in Ohio. Telephone interviewers will collect general demographic information, data regarding personal finances, the cost and condition of their current housing, opinions on the desirability of homeownership, and related information. Extra interviews will be conducted in the eight-county region (Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe, and Noble Counties) that constitutes areas with the highest volume of horizontal shale drilling activity, commonly known as "fracking," that will include questions on how the energy industry has impacted their housing choices. This will allow for assessment of the impact on housing affordability and quality caused by the large increase in hydrocarbon extraction.

About the Sponsor:

This project is funded by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA). OHFA facilitates the development, rehabilitation and financing of housing for low- and moderate-income Ohioans. OHFA programs help first-time homebuyers, renters, senior citizens, and others find quality affordable housing that meets their needs. OHFA is an independent state agency that is financially independent and does not rely upon the general revenue fund of the State of Ohio.

This survey serves a number of purposes consistent with OHFA’s public objectives as articulated in Ohio Revised Code and the agency’s annual strategic plan. Crucially, the survey will improve the quality and quantity of information available to OHFA with the goal of improving the allocation of resources – both OHFA funds and the private dollars they leverage – to better meet the housing needs of Ohioans. This is particularly true in the shale region; while there has been anecdotal evidence of increasing housing prices, this study will provide an analytically rigorous assessment that has missing from the policy discussion. Further, the survey will inform stakeholders and other partners like property developers, real estate agents, and financial entities, helping the private sector better allocate housing to efficiently meet market demand.

About the Researchers:

The principal investigator of this survey is Dr. Holly Holtzen, OHFA’s Director of Research and Strategic Planning. Dr. Holtzen is assisted by Bryan Grady, Research Analyst at OHFA. If you have questions about this survey, feel free to contact Bryan at bgrady@ohiohome.org.

Housing resources:

INTERVIEWER TRAINING MATERIALS (Interviewer ID and password required):

Training Materials

• CHRR