Measures for Community and Neighborhood Research

Mary Ohmer has over twenty years of experience working in community organizing and development around the country with national and local nonprofit and community based organizations, foundations, and government. Dr. Ohmer has taught consensus organizing approaches as part of macro practice and community organizing social work courses. She received her Ph.D. in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in August 2004, and she is currently an assistant professor at the School of Social Work at Georgia State University. Dr. Ohmer is also currently working with the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta to help them develop and implement an evaluation of the community training. Claudia Coulton has been research methods courses for over 30 years all of which include significant content on community measures. She is currently co-authoring a book, "Neighborhood Data for Community Change", that will be published by Urban Institute. She has been a consultant and advisor to numerous community change initiative regarding evaluation and research methods. She is the author of numerous book chapters and journal articles based on neighborhoods and communities.

List of Measures and Tables Preface Acknowledgments INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS Chapter 1: Introduction and Purpose Defining Communities and Neighborhoods Overview of Measurement Methods and Inclusion Criteria for Measures in this Book Measurement Reliability Measurement Validity Purpose and Structure Description of Book Chapters Conclusion Chapter 2: Framework for Community and Neighborhood Measurement Our Conceptual Framework Conceptual Domains Examples of Community Measures in Research and Practice Example Application 1: Improving Access to Healthy Food Example Application 2: Promotion of Community Health Example Application 3: Promoting Community Safety and Preventing Violence Example Application 4: Prevention of Substance Use Disorders Conclusion Chapter 3: Methodological Considerations for Community and Neighborhood Measurement Methodological Issues When Using Community or Neighborhood-Level Measures Special Problems With Ecological and Geographic Units Ecological Fallacy The Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) Uncertain Geographic Context Problem (UGCoP) Violation of the Independence Assumption Sampling Considerations When Community Is the Unit of Analysis Addressing Sparseness Within Neighborhood Samples Sampling Neighborhoods or Place-Based Communities Sample Power in Multi-Level Studies Assessing the Reliability of Neighborhood-Level Measures: Ecometrics Overall Methodological Issues for Community and Neighborhood Measurement Specifying Neighborhood as a Social and Geographic Unit Administrative Boundaries Resident-Perceived Neighborhoods Physical and Spatial Characteristics Activity Spaces Considerations in Selecting the Unit of Analysis Objective Versus Subjective Neighborhood Measurement Engaging Community Partners in the Selection of Measures Using New Technology to Measure Neighborhoods Conclusion CHAPTERS ON MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS Chapter 4: Community Readiness and Capacity for Change Defining Community Readiness and Capacity Community Readiness Model Community Capacity for Change Measuring Community Readiness and Capacity Measures of Community Readiness Measures of Community Capacity Combined Measures of Community Readiness and Capacity Conclusion Chapter 5: Strategic Collective Action in Communities The Importance of Measuring Strategic Collective Action Methods for Measuring Strategic Collective Action Measures of Strategic Collective Action Participation, Representation, and Activities Power Collaboration Coalitions Conclusion Chapter 6: Social Connections and Processes in Communities Why is it important to measure social connections and processes in communities? Sense of Community (SOC) Measures Construct Validity of the SOC SOC as an Individual- and Community-Level Construct Measures of Neighborhood Social Processes Collective Efficacy Neighborhood Matters Measure Social Capital Measures Saguaro Seminar on Civic Engagement Social Capital Measure From the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods More Recent Social Capital Measures Conclusion Chapter 7: Community Empowerment and Engagement Why is it important to measure community empowerment and engagement? Empowerment in Communities Psychological Empowerment Measures Community Empowerment Measure Sociopolitical Control Measures Community and Citizen Participation Defining Community and Citizen Participation Measures of Community and Citizen Participation Civic Engagement Defining Civic Engagement Civic Engagement Measures Conclusion Chapter 8: Community Resources and Resident Satisfaction Defining Community Resources and Satisfaction Community Resources Community Satisfaction Satisfaction With Public Services The Relationship Between Community Satisfaction and Satisfaction With Public Services Why Measure Community Resources and Satisfaction? Methods Used to Measure Community Resources and Satisfaction Measures of Community Resources Observation-Based Measures of Resources Survey-Based Measures of Resources Combining Observations and Survey Methods to Measure Community Resources Measures of Community Satisfaction Measures of Satisfaction With Public Services Conclusion Chapter 9: The Built Environment Influencing Healthy Living Why is it important to measure the built environment? How is the built environment measured? Overview of Measures Neighborhood Food Environment Walkability of Neighborhoods Recreation in Neighborhoods Conclusion Chapter 10: Housing and Neighborhood Change Why are measures related to housing and neighborhood change important? Housing Measures Measures of Housing Quality Measures of Housing Affordability Measures of Housing Market Strength Neighborhood Change Measures Measures of Vacancy, Abandonment, and Blight Measures of Residential Mobility and Housing Unit Turnover Measures of Gentrification and Displacement Conclusion Chapter 11: Community Disorder, Crime, and Violence Why Is It Important to Measure Disorder, Crime and Violence? Community Disorder and Order Measures Defining Community Disorder and Order Measures of Community Disorder and Order Fear of Crime Defining Fear of Crime Measures of Fear of Crime Exposure to Community Violence Defining Exposure to Community Violence Measures of Exposure to Community Violence Among Children and Adolescents Measures of Exposure to Community Violence Among Adults Crime, Violence, and Related Data Conclusion Chapter 12: Place-based Social Exclusion and Inequity Measuring Community Social Disadvantage Quantifying Place-Based Segregation by Race, Ethnicity, and Income Minority-Majority Group Measures of Segregation Multiple Group Segregation Measures Economic Segregation Measures Spatial Segregation Measures Community Diversity Measures Measurement of Neighborhood Racial and Ethnic Diversity Measuring Income Diversity in Neighborhoods Measuring Access to Opportunity Measures of Job Access Measures of Access to Services and Amenities Conclusion Chapter 13: Community Well-Being and Quality of Life Defining Well-Being/Quality of Life Individual Well-Being Social Well-Being Community or Neighborhood Well-Being Why Measure Neighborhood Well-Being/Quality of Life? As an Alternative to GDP As an Alternative to DAYL Well-Being Measures Facet-Based Measures of Individual Well-Being That Include Community/Neighborhood Components Global Measures of Community/Neighborhood Well-Being Facet-Based Indicators of Community/Neighborhood Well-Being Measures Used in Surveys Measures That Use Administrative Data Measures That Combine Survey Items and Administrative Data Conclusion

"Measure for Community and Neighborhood Research is a 'one stop shop' for community practitioners, researchers, students and advocates. Each chapter provides a wealth of knowledge and resources to identify keen methods for measuring outcomes and making and supporting sustainable change." -- John R. Barner "Measures for Community and Neighborhood Research fills a gap in the literature; it puts core measures and methodological approaches in one place. It is a great resource for researchers engaged in interdisciplinary and multi-level analysis of communities." -- Robert Silverman "Measure for Community and Neighborhood Research is the first book of its kind. Now community practitioners and scholars can find in one place the key measures used to define community characteristics and track change over time." -- Richard J. Smith