{"id":"joseph-community-housing-survey-2024","title":"Joseph Community Housing Survey, 2024","conductedBy":"Rural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Center and Eastern Oregon University, for the City of Joseph, with ECOnorthwest","source":{"id":"joseph-housing-analysis-2025","document":"Joseph Housing Analysis, April 2025, Appendix D: Joseph Community Survey Report","printedPages":"86 to 116","pdfPageOffset":7,"receivedFrom":"Grace Donovan, REV Center, by email on October 20, 2026 (the final version of the report; the city's copy of October 19 lacked Appendices C, D and E)"},"method":{"responses":137,"josephResponses":106,"josephDefinition":"Lives in the City of Joseph, or Joseph is the nearest community to the primary residence, or the zip code is 97846.","nonJosephShare":"23% of responses; most from Enterprise or the 97828 zip code; reported only as themes, not in the question results","eligibility":"Respondents 18 and older","distribution":"Digital and on paper at Joseph City Hall; notices in the city's utility bills on November 1 and December 1, 2024; REV Center and city Facebook posts; printed flyers in public places in Joseph and Enterprise","window":"Responses accepted from November 28, 2024, for about 30 days; the report prints the closing date as December 22, 2025, which its own description of a 30-day window shows to be December 22, 2024","pilot":"Piloted with city stakeholders before release","caveat":"The report's footnote 2: the small number of respondents means the results are not statistically significant and no definitive conclusions about all Joseph residents can be drawn.","page":87},"headlineFindings":[{"text":"45% of respondents reported little or no monthly housing payment, which the report says likely understates average housing costs.","page":86},{"text":"Renters were 20% of respondents and families with children at home 17%.","page":86},{"text":"52% of respondents reported 2023 household incomes at or below 80% of the county's median family income ($69,999 or less); 25% were between 80% and 120%; 23% above 120%.","page":90},{"text":"41% of respondents were over 65.","page":9},{"text":"86% said their current housing meets their needs; 28% were interested in moving.","page":92},{"text":"18 respondents of 98 (21%) owned a second residential property; 78% of those properties were in Wallowa County and 11 were in Joseph; six were long-term rentals.","page":96}],"table1":{"title":"Median family income by monthly housing cost","page":91,"note":"The page's prose gives $479 as the average for the lowest bracket; the table gives $469. Both are recorded here.","rows":[{"bracket":"At or below 80% of MFI","medianCost":0,"averageCost":469,"averageCostExcludingZero":1101},{"bracket":"80% to 120% of MFI","medianCost":0,"averageCost":899,"averageCostExcludingZero":1880},{"bracket":"At or above 120% of MFI","medianCost":1245,"averageCost":1410,"averageCostExcludingZero":1267}]},"questions":[{"id":"Q1","page":100,"kind":"single","n":106,"question":"Is your primary residence located in the city of Joseph?","options":[{"label":"Yes","pct":91},{"label":"No","pct":9}]},{"id":"Q2","page":100,"kind":"single","n":106,"question":"Do you rent or own the primary residence you live in?","options":[{"label":"Own","pct":80},{"label":"Rent","pct":20},{"label":"Occupy without payment of rent","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q3","page":101,"kind":"single","n":103,"question":"What type of primary residence do you live in?","options":[{"label":"Single family home","pct":77},{"label":"Mobile home/manufactured home","pct":12},{"label":"Duplex","pct":7},{"label":"Other","pct":2},{"label":"R.V./Bus conversion","pct":1},{"label":"Apartment","pct":1},{"label":"Residing with another family","pct":1},{"label":"Currently without residence","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q3.1","page":101,"kind":"open","n":2,"question":"Other (please specify)","responses":["Seasonal air bnb","Apartment above business"]},{"id":"Q4","page":101,"kind":"single","n":103,"question":"How long have you lived in your primary residence?","options":[{"label":"Under a year","pct":6},{"label":"Between a year and five years","pct":41},{"label":"Between five and ten years","pct":13},{"label":"More than ten years","pct":41}]},{"id":"Q5","page":102,"kind":"histogram","n":97,"approximate":true,"question":"How much is the house payment/rent per month for your primary residence? Do not include taxes or utilities. If you live in a mobile home park, include the amount you pay for your space. Write 0 if you pay nothing.","unit":"dollars per month, $250 bins; percentages read from the printed chart to the nearest point","bins":[{"from":0,"to":250,"pct":47},{"from":250,"to":500,"pct":1},{"from":500,"to":750,"pct":6},{"from":750,"to":1000,"pct":7},{"from":1000,"to":1250,"pct":13},{"from":1250,"to":1500,"pct":6},{"from":1500,"to":1750,"pct":3},{"from":1750,"to":2000,"pct":6},{"from":2000,"to":2250,"pct":4},{"from":2250,"to":2500,"pct":1},{"from":2500,"to":2750,"pct":1},{"from":2750,"to":3000,"pct":0},{"from":3000,"to":3250,"pct":2},{"from":3250,"to":3500,"pct":1}],"reportText":"Almost 50% of respondents do not have a monthly payment for housing; the next largest share pay between $1,000 and $1,500 (page 89)."},{"id":"Q6","page":102,"kind":"single","n":20,"question":"Do you receive a housing choice voucher or other form of rental assistance?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":95},{"label":"Yes","pct":5}]},{"id":"Q6.1","page":103,"kind":"open","n":1,"question":"Please share the amount of assistance you receive per month.","responses":["10"]},{"id":"Q7","page":103,"kind":"single","n":20,"question":"Have you faced barriers to renting in the Joseph housing market?","options":[{"label":"Yes","pct":80},{"label":"No","pct":20}]},{"id":"Q8","page":103,"kind":"multi","n":16,"question":"These barriers were due to... (select all that apply)","options":[{"label":"Financial limitations","pct":81},{"label":"Pet ownership","pct":50},{"label":"Other (please describe)","pct":19},{"label":"Size of family","pct":13},{"label":"Disability","pct":6},{"label":"Age","pct":6},{"label":"Race","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q8.1","page":104,"kind":"open","n":4,"question":"Other (please describe)","responses":["Everything available was for sale and not for rent","Multiple homes listed for sale while occupied","Very hard to find a rental property","Availability"]},{"id":"Q8.2","page":104,"kind":"open","n":7,"question":"If you would like to provide more detail on these barriers, please do so below.","responses":["Availability, variety.","Moved multiple times due to rental home being listed for sale.","Solo parent stigma","Housing in this county is incredibly expensive. Especially in Joseph, or enterprise. Which is the two towns in the county with any decent job opportunities that can almost pay enough to afford to live here.","Not sure if this is where to put it, but in addition to rent we manage and pay for some maintenance of our rental, including contracted and DIY work, in cooperation with the owners. This includes things like annual furnace maintenance as well as big projects like roofing and painting. Our lease payment doesn't cover utilities so we pay those separately and since this home was built in the 1940s energy costs are high.","When I first moved here 2016, I could not find an affordable home or apartment for long term. It took me two years and two big moves before I finally found the right place.","Many rentals don't allow pets and are also astronomical in price"]},{"id":"Q9","page":105,"kind":"single","n":100,"question":"In the past year, have you or anyone in your household stayed outside, in a car, in a tent, in an overnight shelter, or temporarily in someone else's home out of necessity?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":93},{"label":"Yes","pct":7}]},{"id":"Q10","page":105,"kind":"multi","n":98,"question":"Check all statements that describe your current housing.","options":[{"label":"Meets my needs","pct":86},{"label":"Too small","pct":12},{"label":"Too expensive","pct":10},{"label":"No privacy","pct":5},{"label":"Physical condition not adequate","pct":5},{"label":"Other","pct":4},{"label":"Location is inconvenient to employment","pct":4},{"label":"Too large","pct":2},{"label":"Location inconvenient to services (shopping, medical, daycare, schools)","pct":2},{"label":"Does not allow children","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q10.1","page":106,"kind":"open","n":2,"question":"Other","responses":["Seasonsl","high utility costs, water table is also dropping a lot for well"]},{"id":"Q11","page":106,"kind":"rating","n":97,"question":"Please rate the importance of the following features to you when choosing a place to live.","scale":["Unimportant","Neutral","Very important"],"note":"Where the chart prints no label for the smallest share, that share is the remainder to 100 and is marked derived.","rows":[{"label":"Low noise level","unimportant":2,"unimportantDerived":true,"neutral":14,"veryImportant":84},{"label":"Good neighborhood","unimportant":2,"unimportantDerived":true,"neutral":16,"veryImportant":82},{"label":"Privacy","unimportant":2,"unimportantDerived":true,"neutral":24,"veryImportant":74},{"label":"Storage","unimportant":4,"unimportantDerived":true,"neutral":30,"veryImportant":66},{"label":"Fenced yard","unimportant":9,"neutral":31,"veryImportant":61},{"label":"Affordable rent","unimportant":11,"neutral":28,"veryImportant":60},{"label":"View","unimportant":8,"neutral":37,"veryImportant":55},{"label":"Size/number of bedrooms","unimportant":4,"unimportantDerived":true,"neutral":42,"veryImportant":54},{"label":"Garden","unimportant":7,"neutral":40,"veryImportant":53},{"label":"Work area/shop or barn","unimportant":13,"neutral":36,"veryImportant":51},{"label":"Large lot size","unimportant":9,"neutral":43,"veryImportant":48},{"label":"Low utility costs","unimportant":4,"unimportantDerived":true,"neutral":49,"veryImportant":47},{"label":"Rural setting","unimportant":7,"neutral":51,"veryImportant":41},{"label":"Open area/close to parks","unimportant":18,"neutral":42,"veryImportant":40},{"label":"Children's play area","unimportant":47,"neutral":36,"veryImportant":17},{"label":"Americans with Disabilities Act compliance","unimportant":41,"neutral":45,"veryImportant":14}]},{"id":"Q12","page":107,"kind":"single","n":98,"question":"Are you interested in moving to a new residence?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":72},{"label":"Yes","pct":28}]},{"id":"Q13","page":107,"kind":"multi","n":27,"question":"If you want to move but you are unable, what are the reasons? (Select all that apply)","options":[{"label":"Housing costs are too high","pct":70},{"label":"Can't find housing in preferred location","pct":52},{"label":"Can't find preferred type of housing","pct":37},{"label":"Unable to find house in suitable condition","pct":26},{"label":"Cannot afford first and last month rent and/or security deposit","pct":26},{"label":"Cost of moving","pct":26},{"label":"Other","pct":22},{"label":"Restrictions which do not allow pets","pct":19},{"label":"Other debts","pct":19},{"label":"Difficulty of moving personal belongings","pct":11},{"label":"Can't find housing for household member with disability","pct":4},{"label":"Lack of transportation","pct":0},{"label":"Lack of references","pct":0},{"label":"Lack of steady employment income","pct":0},{"label":"Restrictions which do not allow children","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q13.1","page":108,"kind":"open","n":4,"question":"Other reasons or additional details","responses":["priced out of market by investors from outside the county","Buying A house","No where to live while trying to sell current house, can't find storage if needed something small and temporary. Home costs plus high interest rates make it not feasible to by a different home.","Downsizing but lack of affordable replacement property"]},{"id":"Q14","page":108,"kind":"single","n":95,"question":"In five years, what type of housing do you think will best suit your needs?","options":[{"label":"My present home will meet my needs in five years","pct":64},{"label":"Large single-family home (3+ bedrooms)","pct":17},{"label":"Other","pct":6},{"label":"Retirement complex","pct":6},{"label":"Small single-family home (2 bedrooms or fewer)","pct":5},{"label":"Duplex","pct":1},{"label":"Assisted care/living facility","pct":0},{"label":"Apartment","pct":0},{"label":"Mobile home/manufactured home","pct":0}],"reportText":"The report's prose gives 63% for the present home meeting needs in five years (page 95); the chart prints 64%."},{"id":"Q14.1","page":109,"kind":"open","n":6,"question":"In five years, what type of housing do you think will best suit your needs? Other","responses":["ADA","My home needs severe remodeling to see me into the future, new floors, roof, bathrooms and I am retired and on a fixed income so funding could be difficult!","A home with a shop to operate business from","55 Alive Complex","Cost will be most significant factor in determining the type of housing that can meet our needs, energy efficiency and low maintenance would be important","Single family outside of city limits 5-10 acres with outbuildings and zoned for a home business."]},{"id":"Q15","page":110,"kind":"open","n":31,"shown":19,"note":"The printed page clips the list; 19 of 31 responses are legible. The rest are in the response-level export the Record has asked REV for.","question":"Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your present or future housing needs?","responses":["no","dependable utilities would make a differnece. utilities in the county (electrical) are unreliable with frequent outages","Yes i have stayed in a tent for hunting and camping. The question was weird","Harsh Winter Climate and access to healthcare and other amenities are also reasons why we may want to move from this area","Safe walking paths for kids along highway to town / school. We live just outside of joseph and highway is only option for kids to get into town.","Like our privacy","It took a very long time and lots of patience to find our current home.","One thing that is needed for senior homeowners is a service that will do minor repairs for a reasonable price.","We absolutely do not need any more subsidized housing in Joseph, or Wallowa County","I am interested in converting my 4 bedroom house into a shared living arrangement with other older retired folks as I get older, I am 67 now so am thinking ahead to my future and that of my friends and family. Currently there are very little choices for the elderly in WC!!! We need to change that!!!","I will need to do extensive work to adapt my current home to my senior needs- bathing facilities, ramps over steps, railings and safety handles, kitchen and laundry rooms","Joseph needs housing for the elderly retired, who need adult housing, handicap accessible, before going into assisted living.","I listed my home as a 5 month lease during winter with no responses from the community.","My neighbor built a ginormous structure that completely blocks my view of the mountains and most of my sun. He was given a permit by the city with no notification to me. It is unacceptable for the lack of ordinance to protect our precious mountain views and solar gain.","It would be good to know the number of 2nd homes and/or vacation homes within the city limits, as those are a major issue when it comes to housing inventory and affordable housing. The city/county should consider implementing a significant tax on vacation homes (which are empty most of the year), as the state of Hawaii does., because until we solve that problem, affordable housing will continue as this part of Oregon is promoted as a tourist destination.","In future, a group home for single seniors would be nice.","I need suitable housing for elderly seniors","Need for retirement housing","Would be very helpful to have a smaller home (under current square footage allowed) for my son to live in so he can help me care for his disabled father."]},{"id":"Q16","page":111,"kind":"single","n":96,"question":"Do you own a second residential property (aside from your primary residence)?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":79},{"label":"Yes","pct":21}],"reportText":"The report's prose says 98 people answered and 18 (21%) own a second property (page 96); the chart prints 96 responses."},{"id":"Q17","page":111,"kind":"single","n":18,"question":"Is this second residential property located in Wallowa County?","options":[{"label":"Yes","count":14,"pct":78},{"label":"No","count":4,"pct":22}]},{"id":"Q18","page":111,"kind":"single","n":13,"question":"Is this second residential property located in Joseph?","options":[{"label":"Yes","pct":85,"count":11},{"label":"No","pct":15,"count":2}]},{"id":"Q19","page":112,"kind":"single","n":6,"question":"Is this property...","options":[{"label":"A long term rental","pct":100},{"label":"Occupied without payment of rent","pct":0},{"label":"A short term rental","pct":0}],"reportText":"No response was given for the remaining five Joseph properties (page 96)."},{"id":"Q20","page":112,"kind":"single","n":18,"question":"Do you own a third residential property (aside from the aforementioned residences)?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":78},{"label":"Yes","pct":22}]},{"id":"Q21","page":112,"kind":"single","n":4,"question":"Is this third residential property located in Wallowa County?","options":[{"label":"Yes","pct":100},{"label":"No","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q22","page":113,"kind":"single","n":4,"question":"Is this third residential property located in Joseph?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":75},{"label":"Yes","pct":25}]},{"id":"Q23","page":113,"kind":"single","n":0,"question":"Is this (third) property...","options":[],"note":"No data; the report prints 'No data found'. No respondent indicated owning more than four residential properties."},{"id":"Q24","page":113,"kind":"single","n":4,"question":"Do you own a fourth residential property (aside from the aforementioned residences)?","options":[{"label":"No","pct":100},{"label":"Yes","pct":0}]},{"id":"Q25","page":114,"kind":"histogram","n":92,"approximate":true,"question":"What is your age?","unit":"years, five-year bins; percentages read from the printed chart to the nearest point","bins":[{"from":0,"to":5,"pct":1},{"from":20,"to":25,"pct":1},{"from":25,"to":30,"pct":4},{"from":30,"to":35,"pct":3},{"from":35,"to":40,"pct":8},{"from":40,"to":45,"pct":8},{"from":45,"to":50,"pct":10},{"from":50,"to":55,"pct":8},{"from":55,"to":60,"pct":4},{"from":60,"to":65,"pct":9},{"from":65,"to":70,"pct":16},{"from":70,"to":75,"pct":16},{"from":75,"to":80,"pct":4},{"from":80,"to":85,"pct":5},{"from":85,"to":90,"pct":2}],"reportText":"41% of respondents are over the age of 65 (page 9). The one entry under five is as printed."},{"id":"Q26","page":115,"kind":"counts","n":77,"question":"Of the total number of adults and children living in your household, how many are included in each of the following categories?","unit":"people in responding households","options":[{"label":"White","count":160},{"label":"Asian/Pacific Islander","count":5},{"label":"Other","count":5},{"label":"American Indian","count":2},{"label":"Black","count":2},{"label":"Hispanic","count":0}]},{"id":"Q27","page":115,"kind":"counts","n":90,"question":"How many people that live in your household are...","unit":"people in responding households","options":[{"label":"17 and under","count":29},{"label":"18 to 39","count":28},{"label":"40 to 59","count":64},{"label":"60 to 75","count":63},{"label":"76 and older","count":23}]},{"id":"Q28","page":116,"kind":"single","n":89,"question":"Please indicate which of the following categories best describes your 2023 total household income, before taxes.","options":[{"label":"Under $5,000","pct":1},{"label":"$5,000 to $19,999","pct":4},{"label":"$20,000 to $29,999","pct":2},{"label":"$30,000 to $39,999","pct":12},{"label":"$40,000 to $49,999","pct":10},{"label":"$50,000 to $59,999","pct":10},{"label":"$60,000 to $69,999","pct":13},{"label":"$70,000 to $99,999","pct":26},{"label":"$100,000 or more","pct":20}]}],"discussion":{"page":"97 to 99","themes":["Cost is a significant barrier for a minority: most respondents are content, and those who are not name cost; renters who met barriers describe them as financial.","Outright ownership: almost half report no monthly payment; residents in their homes ten years or more and at or below 80% of MFI were the most likely to pay nothing.","Priorities: privacy, low noise and a good neighborhood rated highest; ADA compliance, parks and children's play areas lowest. The report notes this may make policy change hard where it is seen to add noise or reduce privacy.","Elder care: 63% expect their present home to meet their needs in five years; most who expect to need a retirement complex are 65 or over; no retirement housing exists in Joseph.","Residents outside Joseph (23% of responses) rented more often; their barriers were financial limitations, high rent and few units; as many reported incomes at or below 80% of MFI as above 120%."],"recommendedNextSteps":["More data on renters, who were about 20% of respondents and may not receive utility bills; reach them through landlords, mailed surveys, focus groups and property managers.","A longer survey window and a different season; the survey ran about 30 days over the holidays.","Interviews with real estate agents and hiring managers about people who wanted to move to Joseph and could not.","Whether second and third homes are rentals or sit vacant, checked with the assessor, realtors and property managers.","Whether the dominance of single-family homes is preference or the only option available.","Data by sex, which the survey did not collect."]},"recordRules":{"attribution":"Every result is credited to REV and EOU with the page; the Record shows REV any line that names REV, EOU or the students before publication.","respondents":"Open-text answers are anonymous in the report and reproduced as printed; the Record never adds anything that could identify a respondent.","transcription":"Transcribed from the printed charts on October 20, 2026; histogram bins are approximate and marked; the response-level export has been requested from REV."}}