Jubilee Housing is enhancing the way it carries out its mission, and it starts with more and better listening to Jubilee residents.

Even before Jubilee launched its new five-year plan, “Justice Housing in Action,” the organization already was attacking Goal 1 of the plan: Create a resident centric experience that supports individuals and families in Jubilee communities in achieving success through justice housing. Jubilee undertook its first-ever resident survey, in which an impressive 80 percent of Jubilee Housing households participated.

The survey was designed to enable Jubilee to better understand the life circumstances of Jubilee residents—for instance, whether they can pay their bills each month and are able to save—and the kinds of supportive programming that could help them reach their goals.

Findings from the survey are informing changes to services Jubilee Housing offers and set the stage for more in-depth opportunities to hear from residents.

“The main thing we learned from the resident survey is that we need to make listening a permanent method of operating,” said Jubilee Housing Executive Director Jim Knight. “We are building practices that will enable us to perpetually listen.”

Jubilee is now conducting deeper, follow-up discussions with Jubilee Housing parents. Observations from this research will inform the design of future programming to support Jubilee Housing families and youth. Jubilee expects to draw conclusions from these listening sessions in late July.

Meanwhile, the organization already has started to adjust its work based on the original survey research. For instance, one-third of residents said they could use food assistance and many requested that Jubilee establish a food pantry, where they occasionally could pick up healthy food for free. Reflecting the concern with food security, a significant majority of residents requested Safeway—versus Target or Best Buy—gift cards, which Jubilee offered them for sharing their time and information. Consequently, Jubilee is working on opportunities to provide residents with tips for preparing healthy, low-cost meals and the ingredients to create them. And, the renovated Maycroft, will feature a Lobby Market, by Martha’s Table, where neighborhood families can shop for healthy food at no cost.

“We’re redesigning the way we relate to the resident community,” Knight said. “The survey is a first pass.” Jubilee expects to conduct a second resident survey in late 2019.