2019 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing: Phase 1 Report

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1.1 Response Rate & Respondent Demographics As of January 1st, 2020, out of 49 total invitations sent to individual agency staff, there were 33 "completed" (of these 3 were partially completed) for a total response rate of 67%. This is an acceptable and better than average response rate, which strengthens the reliability of our survey results. The survey was distributed to all OHCD staff, including those in the Accounting Department and other non -housing program departments. Table 1.1 below shows the demographics of the staff member respondents who completed the survey. We encourage agencies to compare this information to their understanding of their staff's overall characteristics to identify any potential bias in who completed the survey. [See Table 1.1 at End of Section] The ethnic backgrounds most represented included: Japanese (40%); White/Caucasian (30%); Native Hawaiian and Other (both 20%). Filipino and Chinese ethnicity were the next two most common identified (16.7% and 13.3% respectively). For this question, multiracial respondents could select all that applied. Two-thirds of respondents identified as female. The largest age group included those aged 40-49 (36.7% of respondents), with over 43% over age 50. A majority had advanced graduate degrees (2/3rds of respondents had a Masters, Law or other Graduate degree). Notably, no employee indicated that they had a disability. Two-thirds were born in Hawai`i and otherwise, most had lived in state over 20 years. Given the challenges associated with serving Hawai`i's multilingual population, we have summarized the languages in which agency staff respondents stated they were comfortable conversing. Due to confidentiality we cannot, of course, assess whether these language competencies are employed in client -facing roles at the agency. However, these language skills represent potential agency resources to advance fair housing access for language minorities or Limited English Proficiency individuals. At least one respondent spoke Hawaiian, Japanese, Ilocano, Tagalog, and Kosraean. Local languages not represented include Cantonese, Mandarin, Visayan, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Samoan, Palauan, Chamorro, Chuukese, Marshallese, Pohnpeian, Tongan, Yapese, and American Sign Language. 1.2 Respondent Training Needs In addition to assessing staff competency with fair housing, we also asked respondents directly whether or not they have received training in fair housing and what additional training they would like to have. The latter was asked after the substantive questions in hopes that gaps and limitations would be more apparent after respondents were confronted with a slate of fair housing questions. 10