A Final Report to the City of Schuyler, Nebraska, on Residents' Perceptions of Housing and the Quality of Life in Schuyler, Nebraska

Authors

James Potter, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Rodrigo Cantarero, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
X. Winston Yan, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Steve Larrick, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Blanca Ramirez, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

5-1996

Comments

Based on a Door-to-Door Survey of 85 Long-Time and Newly-Arrived Residents of Schuyler, Nebraska, in February 1996. Prepared by a research team from the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Abstract

Schuyler, Nebraska, is on the cutting edge of a global economy in which people are migrating to places that offer jobs and a better quality of life. With the growth of employment opportunities at the Excel Packing Plant, Schuyler’s population is increasing and the demand for affordable housing is rising.

To help assess resident perceptions of how the community is responding to these challenges, a team of researchers from the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln conducted a survey of 85 households in Schuyler in February of 1996. The survey addresses issues of housing and the quality of life in Schuyler from the perspectives of longtime residents (15 or more years in the community) and newly-arrived residents (less than five years in the community).

To summarize results of the 95-question survey, there are areas of agreement and disagreement between the long-time and newly-arrived residents of Schuyler. Both groups tend to believe that:

(1) Schuyler provides its residents with a good quality of life.
(2) Improvements are desired to meet the housing and other needs of its growing population.

Long-time and newly-arrived residents tend to express some differences in perceptions, such as:
(1) Newly-arrived residents tend to perceive more stress than long-time residents.
(2) Long-time residents tend to feel that conditions in the community are getting worse and newly-arrived residents tend to feel that they are getting better.

Based on these and other findings from the study, the research team recommends that the following actions be taken to meet the emerging community needs:

(1) To continue to gather information about housing options and make it available to the public.
(2) To address residential housing priorities identified by long-time and newly-arrived residents.
(3) To establish a support group for newly-arrived residents and provide outreach education classes.
(4) To continue to improve the local business climate.