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Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Community Pulse

Fall 2014

Issues: Current and Emerging

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Each respondent to the Community Pulse survey is asked to identify the top three current issues having the most significant impact on the welfare of their communities as well as the top three emerging issues having the most significant impact on the welfare of their communities a year from now. For the fall 2014 round, the same issues received the most votes from respondents for ranking as the top three current and emerging issues.

Availability of local jobs options was the top current and emerging issue in the Fifth District with slightly more than 17 percent of the current votes and almost 15 percent of emerging votes. With over 13 percent and 11 percent of total votes, affordable housing was the second highest ranked current and emerging issue, respectively. The issue of improving the quality of K-12 education placed third with roughly 8 percent of current votes and almost 9 percent of emerging votes.

Employment options, affordable housing, and education are the top current issues in the Fifth District

Note: The figure only shows the percentage of total votes received by the top five issues, so the percentages do not sum to 100.

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Employment opportunities, affordable housing, and education are the top emerging issues in the Fifth District

Note: The figure only shows the percentage of total votes received by the top five issues, so the percentages do not sum to 100.

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In addition to ranking the top three issues, respondents were asked to provide a brief explanation for their ranking decision. The table below provides a sample of the explanations received by geography and issue. Many of the respondents saw a connection between the top three issues. For example, roughly 49 percent of the respondents who mentioned “employment” as part of their rationale also mentioned “education” as a co-related current issue. Respondents also acknowledged the difficulty in solving these issues within a time span of one year which explains why the majority see them as top emerging issues in 2015. One respondent from a social services or public health agency in Virginia wrote, “These issues will be front and center for at least a decade. No quick fixes here.”
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Next: Economic Prospects

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this report are those of the survey respondents and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond or the Federal Reserve System.

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Pamela Smith