Housing Survey now underway

CHESTERTOWN — Rebuilding Together Kent County (RTKC) and Washington College are inviting all residents of Kent County to participate in a housing survey, launched earlier this month. The survey, which is being conducted with the assistance of Washington College’s sociology department faculty and students, aims to help provide better, updated data on the housing conditions in the county so that RTKC can more effectively apply for grants and donations aimed at improving the residential environment for Kent’s citizens.

With this county-wide housing survey, RTKC will ask homeowners throughout Kent County about the physical conditions of their homes, their satisfaction with their homes, and other questions designed to understand how their interactions with their homes and the County intersect.

“This survey is dedicated to getting an accurate assessment of Kent County’s housing stock, as currently available data does not reflect our experience working over 20 years here” said RTKC Executive Director, Genevieve Croker. “RTKC’s ultimate goal is to someday end substandard housing in our community, and this survey is critical to understanding the challenge ahead. To help everyone, we first must determine our neighbors’ current lived experience, and which of their needs are most pressing. A newer, more accurate housing survey is paramount and will aid us in demonstrating to local and national partners what is needed for our communities to thrive.”

Sponsored by the Kent County Health Department, the Upper Shore Regional Council and the Chestertown Rotary Club, along with support and active student engagement from Washington College’s Holstein Program in Ethics and Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, the survey is being conducted in many ways, including online, in-person at the Chestertown Farmers’ Market, and through upcoming door-to-door interviews. To participate in the survey online, residents can visit https://www.rebuildingtogetherkcmd.org/survey and fill out their responses.

To gather accurate data, responses from as many residents as possible are needed. Respondents do not need to be a homeowner to participate — anyone residing in Kent County is encouraged to contribute. Residents’ personal information will be kept confidential, and addresses will not be stored by RTKC or shared with others; the findings will be reported in aggregate. The resulting report will be publicly available for individuals, agencies, and organizations.

“The Holstein Program in Ethics is incredibly proud to have supported this inspiring collaboration,” said Patrick Nugent, Washington College’s Thomas V. Miller Director of Civic Engagement. “This is exactly the type of ethical, interdisciplinary, public-facing research that the program’s namesake has long championed — programs that spark our students’ moral courage, showing them that the lessons they learn in every Washington College classroom can be applied with purpose and meaning, right now and right here.”

“The Department of Sociology aims to educate our students to meaningfully contribute to their communities,” said associate professor of sociology and director of pre-health programs and the public health minor Elizabeth Yost. “This survey data will help shape policy and outreach to better understand the housing needs of residents in Kent County.”

Those interested in learning more about the survey and resulting projects can attend one of several upcoming public meetings. Those scheduled so far include:

Tuesday, March 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Betterton American Legion

Tuesday, April 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Worton Community Center

Thursday, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Millington Town Office

Thursday, April 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Galena Town Office

Anyone interested in assisting with conducting the door-to-door portion of the housing survey can apply to be a RTKC volunteer at https://www.rebuildingtogetherkcmd.org/volunteer.