11  Design housing education campaign

STRATEGIC PRIORITY 3

Design housing education campaign to incorporate into successful community engagement

Overcoming the stigma of increased density and affordable housing is a necessary step if existing residents consistently oppose the type of development most needed in communities. Housing education campaigns can help dispel common misconceptions and prejudices as well as create new supporters for housing.

By grounding a campaign in local human stories and data, a housing campaign can have a profound impact on the public. Cross-sector education campaigns that also show the benefits of increased housing affordability on economic development, public health, and human services have successfully built support for housing.

Virginia Beach has an important opportunity to capitalize on its ongoing comprehensive plan update by intentionally incorporating housing education into the effort’s community outreach. Although it can be difficult to reach all residents—specifically those in less connected or underserved areas—a proactive approach can seed productive conversations and grow support for coming policy changes.

11.1 HOW IT WORKS

This solution involves four major components:

Campaign planning

A successful campaign requires significant, intentional planning. The City should identify all core stakeholders and set clear objectives and roles for each member. A set of campaign goals—or just one overarching goal—should be drafted. This will allow for the campaign’s success to be measured later.

Content development

The City should expect to build different types of content catering to various learning preferences and making complex issues more understandable. Additional partners—especially affordable housing practitioners and other housing market experts—should be consulted to provide data, stories, and other helpful information.

Community engagement

By working with community leaders and stakeholders, the City can organize different types of events and engagement opportunities, both in person and online. To begin, the City should prioritize participation in existing events (e.g., comprehensive plan meetings, neighborhood fairs) to meet community members where they are already.

Evaluation

Brief and low-barrier methods for collecting feedback can help determine the campaign’s effectiveness. These could include short surveys with only one or two questions. The City must determine what outcomes are most important to assess: for example, increased understanding of housing issues and programs versus increased support for the creation of new affordable housing. As able, the City should revise and adapt content and outreach strategies for future engagement.

11.2 HOW TO DO IT

Within 6 months:

  • Coordinate with the Planning and Community Development Department to explore opportunities to incorporate housing education into a comprehensive planning engagement process.
  • Explore formation of a work group to oversee the education campaign at a high level and ensure consistent messaging.
  • Choose campaign ambassadors among work group members to lead outreach efforts.
  • Outline major talking points needed for audience types (e.g., general public, elected officials, institutions, business leaders, real estate professionals, neighborhood associations).
  • Investigate funding opportunities to sustain dedicated outreach efforts and potentially hire marketing consultant(s).

Within 1 year:

  • Create outreach materials as needed, including fact sheets, social media posts, “layperson” policy briefs, presentation slides, and other relevant content; this work can be done in-house or in collaboration with a PR firm.
  • Identify local housing stories to highlight during the campaign.
  • Evaluate progress to determine long-term goals of campaign(s); assess, reevaluate, and redesign outreach efforts, as necessary, to reflect changing housing needs in the city.

Within 2 years:

  • Consider a formal public opinion poll on attitudes toward housing development and affordability. The Campaign for Housing and Civic Engagement (CHACE) conducted a statewide poll in 2017 with the help of William & Mary, and should be used as a reference.

11.3 WHO DOES WHAT

City staff: Appropriate staff from the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization, along with the Communications Department and other departments, would be responsible for coordinating a housing education campaign in-house or with a PR consulting firm.

Community partners: Neighborhood organizations, churches and faith groups, nonprofits, and others should be recruited by the City early on to help embrace and promote the campaign to their constituencies.

HousingForward Virginia: Potentially can assist the city in the initial stages of campaign development and provide support through data and best practices.

11.4 FUNDING SCOPE

The scope of funds required depends on the level of outreach desired. The lower end of this scale would be achieved by City staff incorporating these actions into their standard workload on a limited basis. The upper end would include new, dedicated funding to support new staff, contracted professionals, or both to assist with the work, particularly where capacity is currently stretched thin.

Sustained, professional-level marketing and public relations will likely require the use of paid consultants. It will also be important to secure access to electronic platforms and communication tools to disseminate information, which may require new licenses or subscriptions.

11.5 POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES

Public sources: Education campaigns for housing might be funded through local operating funds. Funding may also be available via grant opportunities from Virginia Housing.

Private sources: Philanthropic and corporate partners may also be interested in funding educational efforts. The City should approach known funders who have an existing interest in housing and community development.

11.6 METRICS TO EVALUATE SUCCESS

The campaign’s reach, audience engagement, behavior change, and economic impact can be evaluated using both quantitative and qualitative data. Specific examples are suggested below.

Campaign reach:

  • Number of people exposed to the campaign across all platforms
  • Number of unique website visitors or landing page visits (if applicable)
  • Number of social media impressions and reach, split by platform

Audience engagement:

  • Number of social media interactions, including likes, shares, comments, and retweets
  • Number of subscriptions or sign-ups for more information or follow-up resources
  • Number of attendees at campaign-related events, webinars, or workshops

Behavior change:

  • Pre- and post-campaign surveys to measure changes in knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors related to housing issues
  • Number of inquiries or applications for housing assistance or other housing programs promoted during the campaign
  • Changes in patterns of housing searches or inquiries, potentially tracked through partnerships with real estate platforms or local housing authorities

Economic impact:

  • Increases in investment or funding for affordable housing projects
  • Increases in the number of affordable housing units built or planned
  • Changes in housing policy that can be linked to increased awareness or advocacy related to the campaign

Feedback and testimonials:

  • Qualitative feedback collected through surveys, focus groups, or interviews
  • Stories or testimonials from people who have been positively impacted by the campaign

11.7 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

  • There are no legal boundaries preventing these educational efforts.
  • The City may be able to use existing infrastructure and staff through the Communications Office to support this work.
  • The housing market can change rapidly, and keeping housing information relevant requires periodic updates.

11.8 EXAMPLES

Richmond Regional Housing Framework (Chesterfield, Henrico, Richmond, Hanover)

  • Designed to guide policy and investment decisions over the next 15 years, to enhance regional cooperation and public engagement, and to provide more affordable housing options for all residents.
  • Over 1,900 people in the region were reached in community meetings, focus groups, and interviews to identify priority housing challenges and common values.

Workforce Housing Now (Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties)

  • Data-based effort to expand awareness of housing affordability issues and make specific requests for solutions (e.g., expand Loudoun County’s housing trust fund)
  • Focuses on housing needs for core community workers, including teachers and other public servants.