A door-to door survey conducted for SDC by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Center for Urban Initiatives and Research (CUIR) shows little change in the incidence and prevalence of poverty in Milwaukee’s central city.
Researchers surveyed residents of the City of Milwaukee’s 18 Neighborhood Strategic Planning areas which have been identified as having a high incidence of poverty and/or the need for community-based services.
The work by UWM-CUIR was part of a community needs assessment for the Social Development Commission (SDC). That assessment is regularly conducted by SDC as part of the agency’s participation in the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program to (1) identify the extent of individual need, (2) identify gaps in human services, (3) identify barriers to self-sufficiency, and (4) identify strategies for overcoming those barriers.
425 households were surveyed by UWM-CUIR with help from staff from Safe and Sound- Community Partners during the spring of 2013 and the results were compared to a similar survey conducted in 2009. Major findings include:
• Poverty remains a serious problem in Milwaukee County
• Quality of life is largely unchanged over the past three years
• Many service needs and gaps exist in Milwaukee County
• Lack of employment and education are major barriers keeping residents living in poverty
• Creating more or better employment and education opportunities are highly recommended by residents as strategies to reduce poverty
Researchers conclude that while poverty exists among all groups of Milwaukee residents, some groups are more apt to be in poverty. People in poverty are more likely to be a person of color, female, a parent with children in the household, and unemployed. They add that the information collected through the survey confirms what data from other sources including the U.S. Census have indicated about the pervasiveness of poverty in Milwaukee.
The UWM-CUIR and SDC survey is an integral part of an agency assessment that will be used to analyze the effectiveness of current SDC programs and also influence the development of future poverty-reduction initiatives. Many of SDC’s clients live within the neighborhoods surveyed for the study.
To view the entire CSBG Needs Assessment that includes the door-to door surveys, visit www.crsdc.org/About/PolicyResearch/Publications.htm at the SDC website.
