A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECT BETWEEN LOYOLA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
AND MERCY HOUSING LAKEFRONT’S TENANT LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
Mercy Housing Lakefront
Background and History
1989 – A group called Lakefront SRO converts a single-room occupancy hotel in the Uptown neighborhood into a 69-unit building. Provided rooms and social services to people who had long
experience of homelessness. 2006 – Lakefront SRO combined with the national organization,
Mercy Housing, to become Mercy Housing Lakefront MHL has 12 permanent supportive housing buildings in Chicago
providing 1,307 units to some of the city's most vulnerable residents. Buildings in Uptown area:
Harold Washington Major Jenkins/Delmar Apartments Malden Arms Apartment Miriam Apartments Carlton Apartments
Context for Research
Mercy Housing Lakefront is funded by a mix of city, state, and federal housing programs along with private and philanthropic donations.
Major Budget Spending cut proposed in 2011/2012 Illinois State budget
Cuts of up to 8% to Department of Human Services.
Proposed cut would affect the services offered to Mercy Housing Lakefront tenants.
Raises concerns for some of the tenants Could be any other ways to buffer the effects of the proposed
budget cut?
Research Questions
Where are the free food resources in the area available to Uptown Mercy Housing Lakefront tenants?
Has the increase in food prices and decrease in federal assistance strongly impacted the tenants of Mercy Housing Lakefront in Uptown?
How are tenants coping with these changes through their spending habits, grocery store preferences, and food pantry visits?
MAP OF THE FREE FOOD RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE TENANTS LIVING IN
THE MERCY HOUSING LAKEFRONT BUILDINGS IN THE UPTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD
Map
Data Collection & Methodology
Need for knowledge of free food resources established at first tenant meeting
Data Collection Online research Resource from tenant compiled by Alderman James Cappleman’s
46th Ward Community Service Office direct2food.org
Looked for: Eligibility based on boundaries Reliability of information
Recorded: Name, address, hours of operation, telephone numbers, any
additional services
Data Analysis
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping Visual representation of quantitative and qualitative
dataMap is meant to be a resource that is easy for
anybody to use
IN ORDER TO FIND OUT IF THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN HAS EFFECTED TENANTS OF MERCY HOUSING LAKEFRONT’S ABILITY
TO OBTAIN FOOD
Survey
Survey
Data Collection
30 question survey, split into 4 sections Neighborhood Food budget Food pantries Grocery stores
Surveyed 50 Mercy Housing Lakefront tenants
Conducted structured interviews following CITI guidelines
Data Collection
Quantitative Direct questions with a
narrow range of answers could be classified along nominal, ordinal, or scaled measurements.
Focus on statistical trends in food budgets at Mercy Housing Lakefront.
Qualitative Open-ended questions-
giving the tenants the opportunity to expand and elaborate on their answers.
Focus on the “Hows?” and “Whys?”
Data Analysis: Quantitative
Social Statistics Software: SPSS 19Provided a statistical method for analyzing
our community collected data and produced averages and proportional statics to support our research question.
Presentation of Data: Quantitative
Presentation of Data: Quantitative
Presentation of Data: Quantitative
Presentation of Data: Quantitative
Presentation of Data: Quantitative
Results and Findings: Quantitative
Statistical trends support food cut backs in the Mercy Housing Lakefront community
Increase in food pantry usage, 67% frequent food pantries in last 6 months.
Almost unanimous agreement that food prices have risen in the last 6 months
Downturn has affected access to quality food resources
Data Analysis: Qualitative
Read through each survey multiple times focusing on one section at a time
Recorded all answersGrouped responses based on similarities in
order to find common themes.Compiled all responses into a single fluid
narrative
Results and Findings: Qualitative
Neighborhood Pro: Location,
Diversity Con: Gentrification,
Homelessness Changes: Decrease
Crime, Increase JobsFood Budget
Food Prices Increase Link card unchanged General Assistance cut
Food Pantries Increase in wait time Only go as a last resort “Doing the best they
can”
Grocery Stores Shop the sales Quality vs. Cost Traveling for savings
Limitations of Research
Spoiled surveys Misunderstandings and miscommunications Survey variation
Sample size and population
Implications
The area is becoming gentrified: Housing cost are increasing, cost of living is increasing, a growing backlash against homeless and tenants of supportive housing.
Due to the budget cuts and increasing food prices, tenants at Mercy Housing Lakefront are becoming more depended on resources in the area. Resources which are becoming depleted.
Growing tension between what Uptown is and who lives there and what Uptown is becoming and who wants to live there
Must ensure the food budget crisis does not escalate and advocate for the tenants’ right to food.
Suggestions for Further Research
Originally, “Background and Community Information” section was intended to give context to responses; however, it ended up serving as a general interest and suggestions component to the survey.
Many of our suggestions are based off tenant concerns Safety Effects on Local Food Pantries Tenant Diet Tenant Rights Community Building
Conclusion
Map of free food resources will be useful for Mercy Housing Lakefront tenants
Survey provided information about issues affect tenants and areas of interest
Entirely collaborative process This is the tenants’ map, tenants’ survey, and the
tenants’ results to use as they wantStrongest and most powerful resource –
tenants
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