From Fed Communities

Are we there yet?

Long car trips can feel endless. There are the miles and miles of roadway between you and your anticipated destination. Add in traffic lights, onramps, road signs, slowdowns, speed demons, bathroom breaks, construction zones, and blooms of toll-booth lines to navigate, and you've got a tiring, uncomfortable experience for all. If someone in the car doesn’t say it aloud, chances are everyone is thinking it: "How much longer?"

Recovery from the pandemic has felt a bit like that. In our report on the Fed's most recent COVID-19 survey published earlier this month, researchers analyze the state of lower-income communities, and the entities that support them, in relation to the pandemic. How are people faring? What's improving? In what areas are people experiencing continued disruptions caused by COVID-19?

While some indicators point to disruptions improving from 2021—the last time we conducted this survey—there are still many communities feeling continued challenges. Housing remains tenuous for many. Almost 50% of respondents reported facing continued significant disruptions in housing stability, including evictions, foreclosures, and homelessness. Lack of affordable housing and high housing costs were cited as the primary reasons.

In terms of jobs, respondents said the lack of childcare was the greatest challenge to finding or maintaining employment. Among nonprofits who responded, nearly half reported significant staffing challenges. These include loss of positions, inability to hire and retain staff, and lack of competitiveness in the job marketplace.

It's hard to imagine having a steady job when you don't know where you'll lay your head at night or if you're unable to secure quality care for your child while you work.

Still, there are signs of improvement. Almost 90% of survey respondents reported their organizations were able to adapt to some disruptions in the past year, with half noting they could adapt to most disruptions, a clear marker of resiliency. I encourage you to explore the entire report.

I also want to introduce you to Connecting Communities, the newest member of the Fed Communities family of digital channels. Connecting Communities is the Fed's longstanding community development webinar series. The program's virtual events have provided information and research to practitioners and policymakers since 2011.

Starting in late 2022, Fed Communities is managing the Connecting Communities program. Here's what you can expect:

• Monthly offerings, beginning with our December 1 Connecting Communities webinar, "Putting CRA to Work in Your Community."Tune in regularly to learn from experts on a range of community development topics.

• Connecting with other professionals who work in LMI communities and underserved areas via the virtual interactive webinars.  

• Easy access to the Fed's community development resources—our data, tools, research, and expertise—on economic challenges facing lower-income communities. Be sure to check out our calendar, too, for other Fed events to help inform your work.

Find these resources, along with profiles of organizations we partner with, at fedcommunities.org. We're here to help.

Best,

Anne

Anne O'Shaughnessy

Communications Director

Fed Communities