The Community Development Department of the Minneapolis Fed has launched Ninth District Community Insight, a series of semiannual reports designed to provide a front-line perspective on the economic health of low- to moderate-income communities. Each Ninth District Community Insight report is based on an online survey of various organizations that play a critical role in developing and stabilizing communities. Survey questions ask respondents to assess how their communities are faring in terms of employment, housing, financial, and business conditions. The survey's twice-yearly frequency is intended to enable analysis of trends in community conditions over time.
The first Ninth District Community Insight Survey, conducted in the second quarter of 2011, drew 335 respondents, including housing developers, Community Action Agencies, financial counselors, and small business technical assistance providers. Findings from the inaugural survey appear in the Ninth District Community Insight: Second Quarter 2011 report, which was published in early November. The next Ninth District Community Insight Survey was conducted later in the fourth quarter of 2011; a report based on its findings is forthcoming.
For more on Ninth District Community Insight and the Federal Reserve System's community polling efforts, see the article "Fed Community Development offices launch community survey initiatives" in this issue.
