Objectives: Hypotheses
The specific hypotheses to be tested in this study touches on demographic differences, preference differences, and attitude differences between the two groups, dealing with the conventional wisdom concerning the differences between the two groups.
1. New comers into the neighborhood are white, young (under 30), and hold employment outside the neighborhood
2. New comers consider more stores to be less available and poorer in quality than long standing residents
3. New comers like the new commercial/retail development more than long standing residents
4. Long standing residents like the previously existing corridor more than new comers
5. Both new comers and long standing residents are satisfied with the variety of stores in the neighborhood.
Data/Methods: A survey instrument was made up of four sections. The first section centered on the demographics of the sampled residents. The second section asked respondents their opinion about the availability and quality of stores by type. Whenever a store was perceived to be available, respondents were then asked to assess the quality of the store according to a 5-point Likert scale. Also in this section, respondents were then asked to assess the variety of stores in the neighborhood according to a 5-point Likert scale. This section also provided an open ended response for respondents to state their desire for new type of stores to be added to the neighborhood. In the third section, respondents were asked to assess eight selected attributes of the new commercial developments. Similarly in the fourth section, respondents were asked to assess the same eight attributes of the previously existing business corridor.A total of 217 completed surveys were received.
Of the 116 internet respondents, 72% were whites who had lived in Columbia Heights less than four years and who rarely reported holding a job in the area. Of the 101 persons in the one-on-one street interviews, 72% were African Americans who had lived in the area for more than sixteen years and the majority of whom had employment in the area. There were newcomers and long-term residents in both sets of participants. After splitting the sample into thirds, we found that newcomers were effectively defined operationally as those who had lived in the neighborhood two years or less, while long standing residents were identified as those who have lived in the neighborhood for more than eight years.
Results/Expected Results:The primary implication of support for the hypotheses is the likely future trajectory of the neighborhood, i.e., that some of the indirect and cultural impacts of the newcomers will tend to drive out those with the characteristics associated with the long standing residents.