Why did hundreds in Portland’s St. Johns neighborhood participate in an unpaid, detailed survey sharing their happiest moments, traumas, hopes, fears, and suggestions?
The St. Johns Neighborhood Association, a volunteer-run non-profit, advocates for community needs. This page will answer the following questions:
Friends of Frog Ferry
After being identified in a variety of comments in “What’s Missing” and “Changes for the Better”, Friends of Frog Ferry are utilizing the neighborhood survey feedback to bring new energy to their advocacy efforts after years.
The people of the St. Johns community in Portland, OR shared their greatest joys, wishes, traumas, and deepest fears in the study fostered by Luminoso.
Respecting the feedback by making meaningful changes keeps communication channels open for future research.
Explore the insights below and read the stories.
How will you remember St. Johns? Explore people’s cherished memories, routines, and their raw tragedies as you learn from their experiences.
What advice would you give to a new neighbor? What is the first thing you must set up when moving in? Where should you go for lunch or find friends?
Where do you find community? Disc golf at the park, coffee shops, dive bars, and block parties. Where are people gravitating to as regulars and why?
What’s missing in St. Johns? New small businesses, filling empty store fronts, what is the market demanding in this geography?
What changes would make St. Johns better? Improving safety, reducing homelessness, improving infrastructure like sidewalks, bike lanes, and accessibility, providing teenagers with more activities and entertainment options, beautifying the community through litter removal and green spaces, supporting local businesses, and providing more community events and festivals.
What does livability mean to this community? Safety, affordability, walkability, access to services and amenities, community involvement, and sense of belonging.
What changes would make St. Johns worse? An increase in crime rates or a decrease in feelings of safety could potentially make St Johns worse according to residents. A rise in visible homeless encampments was also cited negatively by residents.
St. Johns is a neighborhood located on a peninsula North Portland, Oregon with 12,898 residents (2020 census data). The City of Portland recognizes 94 neighborhood associations, as a means by “which the people of the City of Portland may effectively participate in civic affairs and work to improve the livability and character of their neighborhoods and the City” (Portland.gov). The average home price in the 97203 zip code at the time of the study was $453,586 compared to the City of Portland with the average home price identified as $524,870 (Zillow).
Membership for the St. Johns Neighborhood Association is open to “all residents 16 years of age and older, property owners, business licensees, and nonprofit organizations located (or performing a significant part of their services) within the boundaries of SJNA” (SJNA Bylaws)
People moved to St Johns for its small town feel and sense of community. It was seen as more affordable than other parts of Portland and had access to amenities while also feeling separate from the city.
Others were drawn to St Johns for particular attractions like its parks, views of the St Johns Bridge, and businesses. Farmers markets and community events also made St Johns appealing as a place to live.
Common challenges to quantitative surveys include low response rates, survey fatigue, and stakeholders who are inclined to take proactive measures to skew the data in their favor.
Focus groups can be swayed by charismatic personalities who drive the conversation, speaking over quieter more cautious participants. Focus groups are often limited in the number of people that can be included.
The Luminoso Method utilized in this research study allows each respondent to share their experiences and perspectives in depth.
Survey Participant Recruitment
The tone of the survey and publicity was neighborly, warm, and thoughtful, which successfully encouraged people to reciprocate that energy in kind. Flyers created were improved upon iteratively and were supported by many local businesses.
Technology Barriers
Access was simple for neighbors with smart phones, so we partnered with FirstDoorPDX to host a survey-taking event, where participants could submit surveys in exchange for Bingo cards to win prizes. Laptops were provided by the local library, and volunteers assisted residents with technology assistance needs.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity intentions
Surveys were available in long and short form, in both English and Spanish.
On February 29, 2024, a new conversation sprung up that no one was expecting, and emotions immediately started to run high.
The background of the Delta Park Bottle Drop location was known to residents, but not top of mind for the survey design initially. Some members of the community urged that the survey be closed, but Luminoso Daylight allowed SJNA to extend the survey fielding and capture the residents’ passionate concerns.
The survey fielding period was extended as a consequence, allowing more neighbors could share their stories given the time constraints of the 1 hour SJNA meeting.
The North Peninsula Review and the St. Johns Review are two local newspapers covering updates on Bottle Drop developments.
Community Development
The survey results were shared with the community on April 8, 2024 at the St. Johns Neighborhood Association general meeting in the Sitton Elementary School cafeteria. The SJNA April 8th presentation is publicly available, in addition to the March 11th presentation delivered to residents via newsletter following the Bottle Drop response meeting.
Supporting Economic Development
St. Johns Center for Opportunity seeks to fill empty storefronts in St. Johns with businesses that serve the community, centralizing equity and inclusivity, investing in underrepresented communities, and small businesses, particularly BIPOC and LGBTQ+ owned. The SJCO presentation is publicly available.
Small Businesses Respond
Wonderwood Springs, “a magical gathering place” created by Mike Bennett, a local artist and creator of ‘public joy’, introduced ice cream and mini golf, responding to the community’s request for 3rd spaces that children and families can enjoy.
Replicate this research for the people you care about.
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Who needs it? Existing residents? New residents? Entrepreneurs? Business owners? Government leaders? Grant writers?
Why do they need it? To justify prioritizing a part of their budget? To start something new? To make something better?
What do we need to learn? New small businesses, filling empty store fronts, what is the market demanding in this geography?
How can we inspire the people we want to understand to be vulnerable and candid with us? Sometimes asking directly works, other times we need to get creative (like with CSAT and NPS)
Collect survey responses Flyers, newspapers, social media, local events, and local influencers can help. Build an alliance of stakeholders and advocates.
Analyze the feedback with Luminoso Compare your community feedback with the St. Johns data.
The alliance of passionate volunteers, neighbors, supportive businesses, community non-profits, and local newspapers
were all critical in making this research as successful as it was.
Daydreamer Coffee is a community hub for many residents living along North Fessenden. Daydreamer hosts local events and leveraged their social media pages to promote the survey.
FirstDoorPDX is non-profit that a provides Homework Club, reading support, food distribution, English lessons, and more. FirstDoor hosted a survey taking raffle event night, enabling residents who may not have had access to the technology needed to participate in the survey.
Mosaic Taphouse opened their doors only a few weeks before they generously allowed survey invitations to be posted across their establishment throughout the entirety of the survey collection period.
Community newspaper The St. Johns Review promoted the distribution of the culture survey on the front page of the January 2024 issue.
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