Arbrion ChamblissBlair DonaldEllie EnseleinRachel GillKristen Kobe

Kent State University Bateman Gold TeamTimothy Roberts, Faculty AdviserErin Orsini, Professional Adviser

#CLEisHomeToMe

#CLEisHomeToMe

Table of Contents

Campaign Summary Executive SummarySituational AnalysisSecondary Research Primary Research Key Publics Theme Key MessagesGoals, objectives, strategies, tactics, and outcomes ObstaclesBudget Summary Conclusion Budget

Appendix Testimonials Recommendations Communication ElementsStory House Street Teams Student Center ActivitiesSocial MediaMedia Relations Social Media Contests Additional Secondary Research Additional Primary Research

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#CLEisHomeToMe

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Executive SummaryThe lingering housing crisis in the United States impacts more than half of all Americans in some way. Many affected by this crisis do not know about nor have access to resources that could help them. Home Matters is a national movement inspiring Americans to rethink what Home really is.

Kent State Universitys Bateman Gold Team found a need to address this lack of knowledge in the Greater Cleveland area and chose to partner with Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland (NHSGC). Through primary and secondary research, the Bateman Gold Team noticed an extreme lack of awareness of Home Matters and NHSGC. Out of 207 Greater Cleveland residents surveyed, 81 percent had never heard of Home Matters and 72 percent had never heard of NHSGC.

Expert interviews found a need to market Cleveland as a resourceful, dynamic place to live, especially to millennials. The city lost just about half its population between 1970 and 2013, sinking from 10th to 45th on the list of largest U.S. cities. In addition, Cuyahoga County recorded the nations highest foreclosure rate in 2007. The Bateman Gold Team utilized social media and face-to-face tactics to rebrand Cleveland as an ideal place to live. By using the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe, the team was able to generate curiosity and awareness about NHSGC and its services.

The objectives of the Kent State Universitys #CLEisHomeToMe campaign were:

To increase interest among millennials in Portage County in settling in the Greater Cleveland area by 15 percent To increase awareness of Home Matters and NHSGC among residents of Greater Cleveland by 10 percent To increase participation in NHSGCs Tax Prep program among Cleveland homeowners by 10 percent To increase awareness among young mothers of NHSGC and its services by 10 percent.

At the conclusion of the campaign, the Bateman Gold Team reached three of its four objectives. Kent State Universitys Bateman Gold Team invites you to read more to learn about its #CLEisHomeToMe campaign.

2#CLEisHomeToMeSituational AnalysisThe idea of home means something different to everyone. Home Matters is a national movement redefining what the American Dream and Home means to Americans. The movement was launched in 2013 to build awareness and raise funds for more affordable homes through the work of community groups, nonprofits, companies, and the public at large.

For this competition, the Bateman Gold Team chose to partner with Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleve-land (NHSGC). NHSGC was founded in 1975 with a vision to provide free, fair, and unbiased information, programs, and services to the residents of Greater Cleveland to assist in achieving, preserving, and sustaining the American Dream of homeownership. The organization serves an average of 2,000 individuals in the Greater Cleveland area annually.

Through primary and secondary research, it was found the majority of publics had little or no knowledge of Home Matters, NHSGC, or the benefits of housing in Cleveland. Online surveys, focus groups, and interviews with experts showed that audiences are interested in owning a home but are unaware of the services and programs available to help them in this process.

Interviews with the client and other stakeholders indicated the need to increase homeownership in Cleveland. That finding drove the team to show targetaudiences the advantages of living in Cleveland.

The Bateman Gold Team decided to focus the majority of its tactics on increasing awareness of the benefits of living in Cleveland and the resources available there. Seventy-eight percent of the Kent State University student body is originally from the Greater Cleveland area. The team chose to mainly target millennials because they will be the next generation of homeowners within the next decade. Research prompted the Bateman Gold Team to use a mixed media #CLEisHomeToMe campaign involving social media and face-to-face guerilla tactics to effectively reach all target audiences.

Secondary ResearchThe Bateman Gold Team conducted client research in order to better understand their purpose and the services provided. Home Matters and NHSGC are both organizations that strive to make home a reality for everyone.

Home Matters is a national movement that focuses on five major components of home: public safety, health, economy, education, and individual success. The Bateman Gold Team researched these five areas of home and how they affect the Greater Cleveland area. Additionally, the team researched current living situations in Cleveland, Cleveland demographics, and the standard of living to better understand housing issues in the Greater Cleveland area.

The Bateman Gold Team also researched NHSGC and its key publics to help educate the team about the potential and effectiveness of the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign. Secondary research allowed the team to develop a plan that would best provide relevant and necessary information about housing resources while interacting with key publics during the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign.

Collaborators The Bateman Gold Team researched potential competitors in the Greater Cleveland area. Unlike traditional organiza-tions, NHSGC doesnt have true competitors; officials consider them more like collaborators. NHSGC works regularly with the Cleveland Housing Network, Community Housing Solutions, the Spanish-American Committee, the Home Repair Resource Center, and The NID Housing Counseling Agency.

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Primary Research Focus GroupsThe Bateman Gold Team facilitated two focus groups with residents of the Greater Cleve-land area, ages 27 to 57, to reach a better understanding of their sense of home, their awareness of NHSGC and Home Matters, their knowledge of housing issues, and their overall perception of Cleveland. Key findings from the focus groups include: A majority of residents did not know about Home Matters or NHSGC, but after

they were explained, said they would be open to using NHSGCs services and pro-grams.

Residents were aware of issues affecting housing but not the severity of them. Residents associated the following words with Home: family, protection, comfort,

and security. Five out of seven respondents described the housing issues in Cleveland as people

leaving by the masses. The Bateman Gold Team also conducted a focus group with millennials from Kent State University to better understand their perception of Cleveland as a possible place of residen-cy after graduation. The focus group indicated that most millennials were open to the idea of moving to

Cleveland, but they had not considered it before. None of the participants had ever heard of Home Matters or NHSGC but would be

interested in using NHSGCs services when it came time to buying a first home. The participants associated the following words with Cleveland: dirty, improving,

home, dangerous, boring, and emotionally connected.

In-depth professional interviewsIn order to better understand the current housing situation in Cleveland, the Bateman Gold Team reached out to four housing experts who work in the Cleveland area: Gwen Kwee, loan officer at American Mortgage Service Co.; Lou Tisler, executive director of NHSGC; Alexandra Bodie, communications manager for NHSGC; and Anthony Brancatelli, Cleveland city councilman. Each provided insight on trends seen through homeownership, foreclosure issues, and Cleveland as a city of residency. After the initial foreclosure crisis in 2007, Cleveland officials launched many initiatives to remedy the hous-ing crisis and bring new life to the city.

Online Surveys The Bateman Gold Team conducted an online survey reaching 82 members of its target audiences to gauge awareness of homeownership services, Home Matters, and NHSGC. Key findings from the online survey include: Eighty-three percent had never heard of Home Matters. Seventy-three percent had never heard of NHSGC. Eighty-seven percent want to own a home some day but do not know how to do so. Forty-six percent said their hometown in the Greater Cleveland area had been affected

by poverty. The Bateman Gold Team conducted another online survey of 122 millennials to gauge the level of interest in moving to the Greater Cleveland area after graduation. Fifty-seven percent said that they were not planning on moving back to their home-

town in the Greater Cleveland area after graduation. Seventy-one percent said they enjoyed attending college in the Greater Cleveland area. Millennials said the most important factor when choosing a place to live is the cost of

living. Having fun things to do nearby is the second most important factor.

Target audience members who had not heard of NHSGC

Target audience members who had not heard of Home

Matters

Most important factor when choosing a place to live:

73%

83%

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Key PublicsPrimaryAfter partnering with Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland, the Bateman Gold Team decided to target the following publics with its #CLEisHomeToMe campaign: Kent State students ages 18 to 24 in the Greater Cleveland area: An interview with Cleveland city councilman Tony

Brancatelli indicated the need to market Cleveland as a viable, fun place to live to the next generation of homeowners: millennials. Seventy-eight percent of the Kent State student body is originally from the Greater Cleveland area.

Greater Cleveland homeowners ages 30 to 60 years old: Demographic research from NHSGC showed that a typical client is a Cleveland homeowner ages 30 to 60 years old.

Young mothers ages 25 to 34 living in the Greater Cleveland area: Home Matters goal of making the new Amer-ican Dream attainable for everyone includes providing education and affordable housing programs for young single mothers, who are not always easily reached.

Secondary To increase awareness, the Bateman Gold Team aimed to target editors and reporters in earned and owned media in the Greater Cleveland area to promote NHSGCs services and the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign. The Bateman Gold Team also planned to use Kent State University media, as it reaches a large number of millennials.

ThemeThe Bateman Gold Team focused its campaign on promoting Cleveland as a viable place to live with services that can help people find and keep their homes. In order to unify all key publics, as their interests are widespread, the team devel-oped the campaign name #CLEisHomeToMe. The goal of the hashtag was to inspire people to think about what calling Cleveland Home means to them. #CLEisHomeToMe shows that the campaign is providing information on the benefits of living in Cleveland in addition to encouraging the use of Cleveland housing services and programs.

Key Messages

Cleveland is a sustainable, vibrant, affordable place to live.

The Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland is an organization helping homeowners or aspiring homeowners find, sustain, and preserve a home.

The values promoted by Home Matters and NHSGC will help create a future where every American has a safe, nurturing environ-ment to call home.

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Goal, Objectives, Strategies, Tactics, and OutcomesGoal: To actively promote awareness and usage of NHSGC programs and services to achieve, preserve, and sustain the dream of homeownership in the Greater Cleveland area and market Cleveland as a great place to live.

OBJECTIVE ONE: Increase interest among Portage County millennials in settling in the Greater Cleveland area by 15 percent throughout the month of February. Strategy 1: Engage students in face-to-face promotions using guerrilla tactics.Rationale: The millennial focus group participants stated that on-campus promotional activities catch their attention.

Tactic: Each week, Bateman Gold Team members set-up a promotional table in the Kent State Student Center, where team members approached students, awarding them with house-shaped cookies and Home Matters and NHSGC promotional items. While interacting with students, Bateman Gold Team members explained the benefits of living in Cleveland and promoted Cleveland events happening during the month of February.

Tactic: Each week, the Bateman Gold street teams approached stu-dents on campus and provided the opportunity to take a picture with a cut out Instagram posterboard. If the students posted a photo on any form of social media with the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe, they were awarded with a Home Matters promotional item and a cookie. Students also provided their email addresses. The team later sent out an informational e-blast to these addresses, linking to an online aware-ness survey for measurement purposes.

Strategy 2: Create an inviting and educational atmosphere to encour-age students to think about what home means to them through on- and off-campus events.Rationale: The millennial focus group participants stated on-campus engaging activities catch their attention.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team sponsored an awareness event at a local Kent restaurant, Twisted Meltz, promoting NHSGC and Home Matters. All the money raised was donated to NHSGC. All attendees of the fundraiser received a NHSGC koozie.

Strategy 3: Generate educational and promotional materials for distribution to students.Rationale: Focus groups indicated that students were more likely to remember something if they had a physical reminder.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team created hot cards with information about Cleveland and relevant Cleveland social me-dia accounts, which were passed out to students at a table in the Kent State Student Center once a week during the month of February. Hot cards were also distributed by street teams.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team created an informational e-blast to be sent out to students whose emails were collected throughout the campaign.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team developed a pitch for the Bateman Gold Teams #CLEisHomeToMe campaign to present to on-campus media.

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Strategy 4: Generate interest among millennials in moving to the Greater Cleveland area by using social media to demon-strate the benefits and attractions of living in Cleveland.Rationale: In focus groups and an online survey, millennials stated that part of the reason they do not consider Cleveland a good place to live is the lack of nearby entertainment. Millennials also stated that social media is their main source of information.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team members used their personal Twitter and Facebook accounts to promote events hap-pening in Cleveland and the benefits of living there.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team created a YouTube video featuring team members explaining what home means to them. Three team members are originally from the Cleveland area, so each member was able to highlight where she grew up and her favorite spots in Cleveland. This video was shared on each team members personal social media accounts and the Bateman Gold Teams YouTube channel.

Strategy 5: Promote NHSGC and Home Matters as resources for first-time homebuyers through social media. Rationale: The millennial focus group participants stated that social media is their main source for information.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team used the official NHSGC Twitter and Facebook accounts, as well as their personal social media accounts, to promote NHSGC services and Home Matters.

OBJECTIVE ONE EVALUATION: EXCEEDEDThe Bateman Gold Team exceeded its objective to increase interest among millennials in settling in the Greater Cleveland area by 15 percent. Results of post-campaign online surveys revealed a 19 percent increase in interest. In addition, the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign garnered 5,963 social media impressions.

OBJECTIVE TWO: Increase awareness of NHSGC among residents of Greater Cleveland by 10 percent throughout the month of February 2015. Strategy 1: The Bateman Gold Team used official NHSGC social media accounts and team members personal accounts to promote programs, key messages, and events in the month of February.Rationale: An interview with NHSGC Communications Manager Alexandra Bodie indicated that NHSGC social media was the best way to reach target audiences. Additionally, by using the already established NHSGC social media accounts, the Bateman Gold Team was able to reach a larger audience than if the team created an entirely new account.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team used official NHSGC Twitter and Facebook accounts to promote NHSGC February programs and Home Matters five components of Home.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team members used their personal Twitter and Facebook accounts to share and spread the posts from the NHSGC accounts.

Strategy 2: Generate interest in NHSGC by engaging audiences in two-way communication through other social media accounts.Rationale: Responses from focus group participants indicated social media was the primary way target audiences find news and other information.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team awarded a Twitter account that achieved the most #CLEisHomeToMe retweets each week with a gift card from a local business.

#CLEisHomeToMe

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Strategy 3: Use-face-to-face communication to encourage Greater Cleveland residents to join the Home Matters move-ment and support NHSGC.Rationale: Research from focus groups indicated residents of Greater Cleveland, especially older homeowners, prefer to receive information through face-to-face interactions.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team sponsored an event at NHSGC with its story house, a collapsible mini-house. Residents were encouraged to write what home means to them. Participants recieved promotional items, refreshments, and were entered in to win a gift card to a local Cleveland restaurant.

Strategy 4: Provide reliable mobile stations for residents to follow Home Matters and NHSGC on social media.Rationale: Focus group participants indicated it was more likely for them to sign-up for something if they could do it im-mediately. Mobile stations allowed for instant gratification.

Tactic: At the NHSGC story house event, the Bateman Gold Team set up a mobile station for participants to like or follow Home Matters or NHSGC on Facebook and Twitter.

OBJECTIVE TWO EVALUATION: EXCEEDEDBefore the launch of our campaign, NHSGC had 2,615 likes on Facebook and 897 followers on Twitter. At the conclusion of our campaign, NHSGC had 2,910 likes on Facebook and 1,001 followers on Twitter, for a 23 percent increase in social media following.

OBJECTIVE THREE: Increase participation by Cleveland homeowners in the NHSGC Tax Prep program by 10 percent when comparing attendance in 2014 with attendance in 2015. Strategy 1: Use official NHSGC social media accounts to reach Cleveland homeowners and inform them about the NHSGC Tax Prep program. Rationale: Alexandra Bodie, NHSGC communications manager, indicated that by using established NHSGC social media accounts, the Bateman Gold Team would be able to reach a larger audience than if the team created entirely new accounts.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team used the official NHSGC Twitter and Facebook ac-counts to promote the dates and benefits of the Tax Prep programs.

Strategy 2: Use face-to-face communication and takeaways to demonstrate to Cleveland homeowners the importance and benefits of properly filing taxes through the NHSGC Tax Prep program.Rationale: Research from focus groups also indicated that residents of Greater Cleve-land, especially older homeowners, preferred face-to-face communication. Focus group participants said they would look at mainstream media and flyers placed in central locations in the city.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team conducted street teams in Cleveland to create conversation about NHSGC and the Tax Prep program. The team also distributed NHSGC Tax Prep hot cards.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team posted promotional flyers highlighting the Tax Prep program in Cleveland bus stops and on bulletin boards in Cleveland businesses in high-traffic areas.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team created a press release to distribute to Cleveland media, Sun News, the Plain Dealer, and Crains Cleveland Business that summarized the Tax Prep program and NHSGC programs.

Are You #TaxReady?

Neighborhood Housing Services of

Greater Cleveland will do your taxes for FREE!

Dial 2-1-1 now to schedule an appointment.

#CLEisHomeToMe

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OBJECTIVE THREE EVALUATION: EXCEEDEDDuring our campaign, we engaged in face-to-face communication with 53 people during street team events concerning NHSGC Tax Prep program, prompting those people to enroll. NHSGC completed 253 returns in February 2014 and 286 returns in February 2015, an 11.5 percent increase in NHSGC Tax Prep program participation.

OBJECTIVE FOUR: To increase awareness and participation among young mothers in Greater Cleveland ages 25-34 in NHSGC programs by 10 percent throughout the month of February 2015. Strategy 1: Use social media to demonstrate to young mothers the importance of knowing the basics of homeownership.Rationale: Focus group participants expressed that they obtain a majority of their new information through online and social media.

Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team used official NHSGC Twitter and Facebook pages to promote its events and programs.

Tactic: Each week, the Bateman Gold Team promoted the importance of knowing the basics of homeownership by post-ing homeowner advice on NHSGC social media.

Strategy 2: Generate educational and promotional materials for distribution to young mothers and relevant media in the Greater Cleveland area.Rationale: Through research, the Bateman Gold Team provided educational resources in areas where young mothers most commonly congregated. Tactic: The Bateman Gold Team distributed informational NHSGC brochures in several local churches, which focused on homeownership.

OBJECTIVE FOUR EVALUATION: INCONCLUSIVEBefore the launch of our campaign, an average of 107 people used NHSGC programs and services each month. Al-though the Bateman Gold Team was able to increase overall participation in the NHSGC programs by 10 percent throughout February 2015, NHSGC did not provide the team with the demographics information necessary to properly evaluate the success of this objective.

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ObstaclesObstacle OneDuring the implementation of our campaign, one challenge that was especially hard to overcome was the weather. The conditions were extremely harsh and frigid; February 2015 was the coldest February on record in Ohio. Due to the weath-er, a few events had to be moved inside or cancelled altogether, restricting the number of face-to-face interactions between the team members and publics. Kent State University closed for two days in February, causing the cancellation of a Stu-dent Center table and a street team. Some outdoor events in Cleveland had to be cancelled as well because it was difficult to persuade people to stop and speak with the team in freezing temperatures. The team also could not hold two events in Cleveland because of poor driving conditions.

The team recognized this challenge but also saw the opportunity in it. The Bateman Gold Team members made an effort to go to Cleveland as often as they could during the month of February. They also changed the location of a few events to warmer venues and encouraged audiences to be active at a time when most people were sitting inside.

Obstacle Two The Bateman Gold Team encountered several problems communicating with partners. When team members called to confirm an awareness event at Twisted Meltz, a restaurant in downtown Kent, they learned the manager did not write the date down and the event had to be rescheduled. The Bateman Gold team also had to stop giving away cookies at the first informational table, as the Student Center receptionist did not inform the team that the only food that could be given out was food purchased through the Student Centers Banquet Services. In addition, the Bateman Gold Teams contact from NHSGC unexpectedly went on vacation for half the month of February, making it difficult for the team to obtain needed information.

To combat these roadblocks, the team quickly rescheduled the event with the head manager, confirming the date three days prior, ordered cookies through Dining Services to hand out to students, and found a new contact at NHSGC to work with for the remainder of the month.

Obstacle Three The target audience of young mothers living in the Greater Cleveland area proved difficult to reach. Originally, Bateman Gold aimed to hold an event at multiple local Cleveland churches in Cleveland; however, the churches did not think it would be a good idea. Instead, the churches prefered brochures be dropped off for the patrons to pick up.

Although the Bateman Gold Team could not promote NHSGC in person, the team still took advantage of established contacts within the churches and distributed information to those contacts and a womens shelter.

Obstacle FourThe showcase tactic for the Bateman Gold Team was the NHS story house event. It is a 6 by 6 collapsible and transportable house that the team was planning on bringing to the Kent Student Center, as well as holding an event at NHSGC. However, the day before the event, the contact at NHSGC emailed the Bateman Gold Team and said she wouldnt be able to transport the house to Kent State, cancelled the story house event at NHSGC, and rescheduled it to the last day of February. This was the largest obstacle the Bateman Gold Team faced.

The Bateman Gold Team still had a spot reserved in the Student Center, so the team set up a table. It was less exciting than the story house, but the team was still able to reach more than 36 students.

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Budget SummaryExpensesThe Bateman Gold Team spent $239.95 of its $300 budget. The team set aside 15 percent of its budget in case contin-gency funds were needed and $50 for the printing of casebooks. Team members spent a portion of the budget on cookies, promotional items, and printing of hot cards and posters. The Bateman Gold Team also used funds to purchase refresh-ments for events.

In-Kind DonationsThe Bateman Gold Team used $540.14 of its $1,000 in-kind donation budget. Most of the donations were from Neigh-borhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland. The Bateman Team also received in-kind donations from Kent local restaurants as well as the Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

ConclusionThe #CLEisHomeToMe campaign successfully reached our target audiences to help them find their meaning of Home.

The Bateman Gold Team was challenged to raise awareness of Home Matters and the Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland among its key publics. The team applied its research findings to develop a strategic plan to actively promote Cleveland and NHSGC. The team faced many challenges, but the members were able to overcome them and meet three out of four objectives. With a strong social media presence and inspirational face-to-face tactics, the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign succeeded in reaching its target audiences. The teams events and collaborations were able to encourage the use of NHSGC programs as well as promote Cleveland as a viable, vibrant place to live.

ImpactThe Bateman Gold Team reached more than 5,963 millennials, 53 Cleveland homeowners, and 29 young mothers. Through street teams and other events, the team was able to enhance NHSGCs Twitter and Facebook followings. The on-campus tables, street teams, and social media campaigns helped to generate an overall increase in awareness about the objectives of NHSGC and Home Matters.

SustainabilityThe Bateman Gold Teams social media campaign could be easily continued by NHSGC staff. The hashtag was easily transferrable and, in fact, a similar organization in Milwaukee, Wisc. asked for permission to use it.

Because of the low cost of the street team and the social media, it would not be a financial burden for any housing organi-zations to implement such a strategy. People on Twitter are still using the hashtag and can continue doing so.

Thanks to the lasting power of social media, the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign can be continued indefinitely in Cleveland and the strategies and tactics can be replicated in other major cities across the country.

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Budget

Item Cost $300Poster board/Markers $6.41 $293.59Sugar cookie mix $3.18 $290.41FedEx Hot card Printing $46.98 $243.43Sugar cookie mix/butter $8.24 $235.19Chocolate chip cookie mix $10.00 $225.19Cookie cutter $11.69 $213.50Insomnia $10.00 $203.50Icing $8.00 $195.50Student Center cookies $30.00 $165.50*Casebook Printing $50.00 $115.50*NHS Koozies $40.00 $75.50Cookie Bags $5.54 $69.96Story house Items $9.91 $60.05

Total Spent: $239.95

Expenses Remaining Budget

Item Cost $1,000Focus GroupPizza $27.96 $972.04Soda $2.43 $969.61Giant Eagle Gift Cards $100.00 $869.61

Local Businesses*Chipotle $56.00 $813.61Belleria $15.00 $798.61Twisted Meltz $13.75 $784.86*JMC $60.00 $724.86PRSSA $15.00 $709.86

Communications ElementsNHS and Home Matters Promotional Items

$250.00 $459.86

Total Used: $540.14

Remaining BudgetIn-Kind Donations

*Approximation

*Approximation

#CLEisHomeToMe

A1

Testimonials

#CLEisHomeToMe b/c it has great opportunities & I was born & raised there!-- Jaleesa

Because the Cleveland Clinic is a leading health-care provider and employer is why #CLEisHome-ToMe. -- @a_nilg

U know what the Midwest is? Young & restless. But those who make it out & yet still keep their hu-manity are golden. Thats why #CLEisHomeToMe. -- @MissJaz_

I am proud to be from a city that continues to grow and surpass expectations #CLEisHomeToMe. -- @IndiaHines_

#CLEisHomeToMe because its the land of en-couragement, loyalty & strength. Only the toughest survive & weve endured it all! --@Sunnshiine

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Recommendations

During the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign, the Bateman Gold Team found its target audiences responded differently to the current housing crisis. The team believes that the tactics employed can be repeated by NHSGC, as well as adopted by oth-er non-profit housing organizations. The Bateman Gold Team recommends emphasizing different programs and services depending on the targeted audience.

Millennials

One of the focal points of this campaign was the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe. Staff members at NHSGC will be able to monitor the hashtag on social media and also modify it for additional campaigns. This is a great way to keep millenni-als engaged, as well as advertise Cleveland to millennials on social media. Staff members can use the #CLEisHomeToMe hashtag to help engage in conversation. The Bateman Gold Team recommends holding free events for millennials in downtown Cleveland. Also, the hashtag can be modified and used in any major city.

Cleveland Residents and Young Mothers

Although the Bateman Gold Team was not able to hold a successful event with the NHS story house, it is still an excellent resource. The team recommends NHSGC continue to take advantage of the story house by bringing it to community events in the Greater Cleveland area. This will help get residents involved with NHSGC. The team recommends bringing the NHS story house to public places, such as libraries, malls, shelters, and churches in Cleveland and the surrounding areas.

Campaign Timing

If the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign were to be implemented on a larger scale, the Bateman Gold Team recommends hosting events during the spring to fall seasons. The weather during the month of February creates obstacles. The weather is typically more favorable during the spring to fall seasons throughout the United States, and people are more willing to participate in outdoor events.

#CLEisHomeToMe

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Communication ElementsInformational TablesEach week, the Bateman Gold Team set up a promotional table in the Kent State Student Center. Based on research, the team found that there is a large number of students in the Student Center between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. As a result of this finding, the team decided these hours would be the ideal time to interact with students, explaining the benefits of living in Cleveland and promoted Cleveland events happening during the month of February. Students were encouraged to use the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe on their personal social media accounts. Those who did so were awarded with house-shaped cookies and Home Matters and NHSGC promotional items.

Flyers The Bateman Gold team created flyers highlighting the NHSGC Tax Prep program and distributed them at downtown Cleveland bus stops, on street poles, and bulletin boards in Cleveland local businesses to increase awareness of NHSGC. The team applied focus group research to strategically place the flyers in areas with high traffic and central locations to increase visibility (A4).

Hot Cards The Bateman Gold Team created hot cards to distribute at the Kent State Student Center tables and street teams. The hot cards highlighted NHSGC and the #CLEisHomeToMe social media campaign associated with the Bateman Gold Team. Also, the back of the hot card was utilized to promote Cleveland events happening during the month of February. The hot cards were distributed to 50 Kent State students and staff (A5).

Instagram cut-out posterThe Bateman Gold team approached students during on-campus street team events, giving them the opportunity to take a picture with a cut out Instagram poster board. The team encouraged participants to post the picture on any form of social media with the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe. In return, participants were rewarded with cookies and Home Matters promotional items.The cut out Instagram poster board was used to attract students while also providing an interactive element (A6).

BrochuresDuring the month of February, the Bateman Gold team took advantage of informational brochures provided by NHSGC in an effort to increase awareness among target audiences. The brochures highlighted different NHSGC programs and services. Brochures were used throughout the campaign at Kent State Student Center tables, street team events, and were distributed to local Cleveland churches and womens centers.

#CLEisHomeToMe

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Tax Prep Flyer

Are You #TaxReady?

Neighborhood Housing Services of

Greater Cleveland will do your taxes for FREE!

Dial 2-1-1 now to schedule an appointment.

#CLEisHomeToMe

A5

Cleveland Hot Cards

Spend Your Weekend in Vibrant Cleveland!

Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater ClevelandHome Matters#batemangold #CLEishometome

Cleveland is only 45 minutes away, so why not spend your weekend at one of these exciting events? Tweet @NHSCleveland with the hashtag #CLEishometome and tell us why you love Cleveland. The best tweet wins a special prize!

#CLEisHomeToMe

A6

Instagram Frame

@Banana_Sheridan: #CLEisHomeToMe because @DowntownCLE rocks my socks

@LexiBear_xo: We like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame #CLEisHomeToMe

@RitzCarleton96: #CLEisHomeToMe because I like the food and the museums

@Bri_justine: #CLEisHomeToMe because of the awesome sports teams

#CLEisHomeToMe

A7

Story House

The Bateman Gold Teams partner, NHSGC, had recently constructed a transportable, collapsible, mini-house. Housed at NHSGC offices, the small 6 x 6 red house was built with the idea of bringing it to different locations around the Greater Cleveland area for residents to go inside of, snap a photo, and share their story of home, whether that be their upbringing in Cleveland, their idea of the American Dream, or the their current housing situation. Each individual has a different meaning of the word Home, and the story house attempts to capture that.

The Bateman Gold Team planned to hold two events with the NHS story house during the month of February, one at NHSGC offices and one at the Kent State Student Center. Due to unexpected understaffing the week of the NHS story house event at Kent State, the NHSGC employees with the capabilities to transport the house were unable to bring the house to the campus, thus cancelling the event. Almost the exact situation arose the weekend of the NHS story house event at the NHSGC offices, and the event had to be rescheduled to the last day of February.

The Bateman Gold Team had a difficult time promoting the rescheduled event on such short notice and this new date conflicted with many patrons who planned to attend the original event. The Bateman Gold Team did its best to promote the new event on social media and the NHSGC website. The NHS story house event on February 28 did not gain the number of participants as hoped. Team members were not allowed to leave the door in the front of NHSGC unlocked, so participants would have had to come in through the back door. Signage outside the door on the main road was not successful because NHSGC is located on a road that does not have much foot traffic.

This tactic was meant to be the Bateman Gold Teams showcase event, but unfortunately obstacles prevented the story house from being successful. It would be a great idea for NHSGC to hold more story house events in the future because it is a fun, engaging way to better capture Cleveland residents idea of Home.

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Street Teams

According to participants in the Bateman Gold Teams millennial focus group, on-campus promotional activities and face-to-face communication tend to catch their attention. Millennials indicated they would be more likely to remember something if given a physical reminder or handout. For these reasons, the Bateman Gold Team decided to conduct street teams.

Kent State University Street TeamsEach Wednesday throughout the month of February, the Bateman Gold Team conducted a street team on the Kent State campus, consisting of all five group members. The team walked around locations including the Kent State Student Center and library during busy hours. While interacting with students, the Bateman Gold Team approached students with information regarding Home Matters, NHSGC, and information about living in Cleveland after graduation. Students were rewarded for participating in the #CLEisHomeToMe street team.

The Bateman Gold Team provided students the opportunity to take a picture with a cut out Instagram posterboard. Students were encouraged to post the photo on any personal social media platform using the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe, and in return received a cookie and a Home Matters or NHSGC promotional item. The team also gathered student email addresses to later send an informational e-blast linking to an online awareness survey for measurement purposes.

During the last week of February, the #CLEisHomeToMe street team also encouraged students to follow and like NHSGC on Facebook and Twitter. In return, students were rewarded with cookies, Home Matters and NHSGC promotional items, and NHSGC koozies.

Cleveland Street TeamsOn two Saturdays in February, the Bateman Gold Team traveled to Cleveland to conduct a street team with Cleveland residents. The team walked around busy areas in downtown Cleveland including Playhouse Square and East 4th Street. While interacting with residents, the Bateman Gold Team approached people regarding the NHSGC Tax Prep program. Residents were also asked about their familiarity with NHSGC and were encouraged to use its programs and services. The Cleveland street teams were strictly based on spreading awareness of NHSGC and its programs and services, specifically the Tax Prep program.

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Student Center ActivitiesResponses from focus group participants indicated that most college students respond well to face-to-face interaction. For these reasons, the Bateman Gold Team decided to utilize the Kent State Student Center, one of the busiest locations on Kents main campus, to hold informational tables once a week. The tables featured brochures regarding NHSGC pro-grams and services, including the Land Trust and Tax Prep programs, buttons and stickers from Home Matters, and #CLEisHomeToMe hot cards.

Passers-by were drawn to the informational table by free cookies provided by the Bateman Gold Team. Kent State students and staff received a cookie if they participated in the #CLEisHomeToMe social media campaign by posting why Cleveland is important to them. Student email addresses were gathered to later send an informational e-blast linking to an online awareness survey for measurement purposes.

While at the table, the Bateman Gold Team engaged with students and staff regarding information about NHSGC, Home Matters, and about living in Cleveland. Participants expressed interest in the information provided and most said they would use NHSGC programs and services in the future.

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Social Media

The Bateman Gold Team decided in order to keep NHSGCs information cohesive and to reach a larger audience, the team would not create its own social media account and instead use the official NHSGC Facebook and Twitter pages in conjunction with their personal accounts to promote activities.

The Bateman Gold Team created a social media calendar to coordinate tweets between all accounts. The team encour-aged all event participants to like the NHSGC Facebook page or follow the NHSGC Twitter account. The team used social media to promote on-campus events, NHSGC program dates, street teams, Cleveland events, and the Twisted Meltz awareness event. (A11). Before the launch of our campaign, NHSGC had 2,615 likes on Facebook and 897 follow-ers on Twitter. At the conclusion of our campaign, NHSGC had 2,910 likes on Facebook and 1,001 followers on Twitter, for a 23 percent increase in social media awareness.

The Bateman Gold Team also used Instagram to promote NHSGC and Home Matters. During Kent State University street team activities, KSU students could take a photo using an Instagram frame, then post it on a social media account using the #CLEisHometoMe hashtag.

The #CLEisHometoMe hashtag was used during the entire campaign and ended up being highly successful. Kent State stu-dents were asked to tweet their favorite thing about Cleveland using the hashtag, and each week the most popular tweet was rewarded with a buy one burrito, get one free gift card to Chipotle. Kent State students could also tweet using the hashtag for a free cookie at the Bateman Gold tables in the KSU Student Center.

The Bateman Gold Team also created a YouTube video that promoted Cleveland as a vibrant city and a fun place to live. The video featured the Bateman Gold team members who are from the Greater Cleveland area talking about their favor-ite part of their hometown. The video gained 147 views on YouTube.

The hashtag, Instagram photos, YouTube video, and social media promotion all helped in the marketing of NHSGC and Home Matters. The hashtag competitions were also a great way to incentivize students to use the hashtag and think about what the city of Cleveland meant to them. The intent behind the competition was to make students, especially those graduating soon, consider Cleveland as a place to live after college. The participants were also exposed to lots of informa-tion about Home Matters and NHSGC.

Overall, the hashtag got over 50 mentions, including a tweet from a Kent State students account who has over 3,000 followers.

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Media RelationsThroughout the #CLEisHomeToMe campaign, the Bateman Gold Team pitched to both local and student-run media sources.

The Bateman Gold Team sent out its first press release on February 8 to Cleveland media sources including: WKYC Cleveland, Cleveland.com, Sun News, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The press release (A13) summarized the Tax Prep program offered by NHSGC and background information on both NHSGC and Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition.

Additionally, the team sent out a press release to Kent State student media on February 14. The release (A14) introduced the Bateman competition, provided insight on both Home Matters and NHSGC, and highlighted on-campus events sponsored by the Bateman Gold Team.

The release was sent to Kent State student media including: Kentwired.com, Kent State news website; and The Kent Stater, student body newspaper.

Although the stories were assigned to journalists, they never ran in print or online.

Cleveland Media Press ReleaseFREE TAX PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR CLEVELAND RESIDENTS

(CLEVELAND, OH) - Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland (NHSGC) is offering free tax preparation for low and moderate-income families through the month of February. The tax prep classses take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Locations are spread though out northeastern Ohio. Participants will be able to find the nearest location to them to schedule an appointment by dialing 2-1-1 or visiting www.refundohio.org. NHSGC conducts the program through Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

EITC is a refundable tax credit that increases the income of low- to moderate-income working families through the provi-sion of tax reductions and wage supplements. The EITC has been widely praised for its effectiveness in reducing poverty and has been instrumental in closing the poverty gap for the countries working poor. Because low-income families pay little or no Federal income taxes, the refunds received represent increases in income, not reductions in taxes owed, providing a greater level of support.

NHSGC is an organization providing free, fair, and unbiased information, programs and services to the residents of Greater Cleveland and the surrounding areas of northeast Ohio. NHSGC offers educational programs for homeowner-ship, foreclosure prevention and other services. According to NHSGC, they assist in achieving, preserving and sustaining the American Dream of homeownership.

For more information, please visit http://www.nhscleveland.org/

# # #Media Contact:Arbrion Chambliss, Kent State Public Relations Cell: (216) 459-5256Achambl1@kent.edu

#CLEisHomeToMeThe Kent Stater/KentWired Press Release

2015 KSU Bateman Gold Team Partners with Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland

Posted February 14, 2015

(KENT, OH) - The Kent State University Bateman Gold Team has chosen to partner with Neighborhood Housing Ser-vices of Greater Cleveland, a supporter of Home Matters, in the 2015 Public Relations Society of Americas Bateman Competition. The Bateman Gold Team has chosen to partner with NHSGC because of the services it provides and the overall mission and vision of the organization.

NHSGC is an organization providing free, fair and unbiased information, programs and services to the residents of Greater Cleveland and the surrounding areas of northeast Ohio to assist in achieving, preserving and sustaining the American Dream of homeownership. As the countrys preeminent leader in affordable housing and community devel-opment, NHS of Greater Cleveland has the tools and training to ensure the best for its clients when buying, fixing, or maintaining their homes.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland is a supporter and partner of Home Matters. Home Matters is a national movement redefining what the American Dream and Home means to Americans. The movement was started in 2013 by a group of housing professionals and leaders who identified a gap in public discourse.

The Home Matters movement focuses to ensure every American lives in an environment with access to five compo-nents of home: health, education, public safety, economy, and individual success. In the next 10 years, Home Matters and its partners hope to decrease homelessness, increase affordable rent, increase homeownership and increase the quali-ty of homes and communities.

According to Home Matters, More than half a million people in the United States do not have a home, almost a quar-ter of these individuals are children. In addition, 52 percent of Americans have needed to make sacrifices in order to pay their mortgage or rent.

The Bateman Gold Team has been researching and planning since November in order to ensure their campaign #CLEisHometoMe is successful. Throughout the month of February, you can see the Bateman Gold Team around campus promoting Cleveland and why its a great place to live.

As a whole, we just want people to lose the negative connotation that is associated with the city of Cleveland, said Kristen Kobe, Bateman Gold team member. Cleveland is a great place to live and it is one of the most affordable cities to live in.

Every Monday from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. the Bateman Gold Team will be at the Kent State Student Center promoting NHSGC and its services, while also promoting the city of Cleveland and everything that it provides. Free cookies and information are distributed to students who come up to the table.

###Media Contact: Kristen Kobe Kkobe2@kent.edu 440-488-5378

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#CLEisHomeToMeSocial Media ContestsThe CompetitionThe Bateman Gold Team used face-to-face interaction and personal social media accounts to promote the city of Cleve-land and the benefits of living there. To help spread the word, the team created a social media campaign implemented throughout the month of February. The team promoted the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe to help key publics associate their Tweets with the campaign.

GuidelinesKent State University students and staff who participated in the #CLEisHomeToMe social media contest were asked to tweet something about Cleveland. From there, students and staff were able to be as creative as possible and say what they truly thought of the city of Cleveland. The guidelines were simple, and everyone who participated was entered to win a Chipotle, buy one get one free card.

One winner was chosen each week by the Bateman Gold Team based on the most creative tweet or the tweet that received the most favorites or retweets throughout that specific week. Students and staff who provided their email address received the chance to be entered into a final drawing at the end of the month. The winner of this drawing would win a $15 Belleria gift card. These emails were also used for our informational e-blast linking to an online awareness survey for measurement purposes.

Throughout the month, the hashtag #CLEisHomeToMe received 50 mentions, which helped increase the reach of our campaign.

Winners

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Additional Secondary ResearchKey Findings Secondary research conducted by the Kent State University Bateman Gold Team produced the following findings: Seventy-eight percent of undergraduate students currently enrolled at Kent State University are originally from the

Greater Cleveland area. Home Matters focuses on increasing homeownership and improving the community surrounding those homes.

The movement wants to improve the overall quality of life in the United States by improving health, education, public safety, the economy, and individual success.

NHSGC provides programs and services that can benefit anyone who wants to own and maintain a home. Its pro-grams include homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention, and tax preparation.

NHSGC reaches a variety of people of different races and ages. The most common factor among all of its audiences is a low to moderate level of income.

The best practices NHSGC has used to reach its key publics are through social media and word-of-mouth. NHSGC is on a tight budget and has found that results from mainstream advertising in magazines and television were not worth the cost.

Secondary Research ReportClient ResearchHome Matters Home Matters is a national movement thats redefining what the American Dream and Home means to Americans. According to the organizations website, Home Matters believes in a new American Dream in which every American lives in a safe, nurturing environment with access to quality education, healthcare, public spaces, and community services. Home Matters is represented throughout all of the United States and exists through the work of community groups, nonprofits, companies, and the public at large.

The movement was started in 2013 by a group of housing professionals and leaders who identified a gap in public dis-course. The Home Matters movement focuses on five components of home: health, education, public safety, economy, and individual success. Home Matters believes all five components to be an integral part of what makes a home and its surrounding community.

Home Matters focuses on the importance of home throughout all lines of work. Having a home where individuals feel protected and comfortable provide them the chance to become empowered, encouraged, and inspired. A home is not only something that provides shelter; a home helps strengthen a community.

What Home Matters Does Educate: Home Matters wants to spread the importance and benefits of home. Collaborate: Home Matters strives to bring together organizations to help recognize and bring awareness to the

importance of home. Engage: Home Matters wants everyone to band together and become a part of the movement. Support: Home Matters strives to raise funds and increase investments to help make Home a reality for more

Americans. Celebrate: Home Matters wants to honor the importance of Home and its incredible effect in transforming lives,

families, and communities. Unfortunately, having a home is taken for granted in the United States. According to Home Matters, More than

half a million people in the United States do not have a home, almost a quarter of these individuals are children. In addition, 52 percent of Americans have needed to make a sacrifices in order to pay their mortgage or rent.

#CLEisHomeToMeAlong with the lack of affordable housing, most neighborhoods in the country also lack services or programs for the com-munity, such as afterschool programs, affordable extracurricular activities, and sufficient legal enforcement or services. All these services help lead to a safe and comfortable environment that individuals and families can be proud to call home.

Home Matters is consistently trying to return the national focus and attention to what Home means and the fact that many individuals do not have one. Within the next 10 years, Home Matters will work toward its goals of decreasing homelessness, increasing affordable rent, increasing homeownership, and increasing the overall quality of homes and com-munities. By accelerating activities in housing, community and economic development, education, and learning, Home Matters hopes to accomplish its goals.

Kent State Universitys Bateman Gold Team found a need to address this lack of knowledge and affordable housing in the Greater Cleveland area, and chose to combine forces with one of Home Matters national partners, Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland.

NHSGCNHSGC was founded in 1975 with a vision to focus on education as a positive force behind homeownership. Its mission is to provide free, fair, and unbiased information, programs, and services to the residents of Greater Cleveland to assist in achieving, preserving, and sustaining the American Dream of homeownership.

NHSGC started by focusing on six distinct neighborhoods but today covers five counties: Cuyahoga, Erie, and Lorain counties for all services and Huron and Medina counties for foreclosure prevention services. In September of 2011, NHSGC merged with the Community Land Trust of Greater Cleveland, which allowed for increased opportunities for affordable housing and increased programming. NHSGC plans to continue growing in partnerships, strategic alliances, and other possible mergers by implementing a second five-year strategic plan from 2012 to 2017. NHSGCs core values of excellence, education, community, equity, and collaboration guide its work, decisions, and leadership.

NHSCG is one of the first chartered satellites from its parent organization, NeighborWorks. NeighborWorks America is the countrys renowned leader in affordable housing and community development. It consists of a networks of more than 235 organizations working in nearly 4,400 urban, suburban, and rural communities nationwide. This partnership gives NHSGC the tools and training to ensure its clients can buy, fix, or keep their homes as well as leverage national, state, and local partnerships.

NHSGC provides ongoing programs and services for achieving, preserving, and sustaining the American Dream of home-ownership.

Programs and services for achieving the American Dream: Homebuyer Education: A 10-hour course that covers budgeting, credit reports, how to shop for a house, how to

apply for a mortgage, and maintaining your home. Cuyahoga County Down Payment Assistance Program: Available to income qualified first-time home buyers.

Assistance includes a deferred mortgage loan that does not need to be repaid until resale or transfer of a property. CityLIFT Downpayment: Provides eligible homebuyers in the city of Cleveland with homebuyer education and

$15,000 in down payment assistance. LandTrust Program: Develops affordable homes for sale and rent. These homes are fully rehabilitated. The

program helps low- and moderate-income families benefit from the equity and preserve the affordability of these home so that future residents will have same affordable experience with homeownership. Families will buy a home with a traditional mortgage but receive a 99-year lease to the land on which the house sits, securing the communitys investment in housing,

Year 16 Lease Program: Many low-to-moderate renters who have a history of paying their rent on time and have lived in the area for many years have the opportunity to apply to this program for a chance to own a purchase

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their homes. Renters take part in the Homebuyer Education program, maintenance training, and pre-purchase counseling and are then reviewed for the Year 16 loan, a five-year affordable first mortgage.

Programs and services for preserving the American Dream: Home Repair Loans: Helps to provide homeowners with energy-efficient repairs when trying to upgrade their

homes. NHSCG assists with job specifications, cost estimates, contractor selection, and oversight of renovations. Home Maintenance Training: NHSGC conducts several of these workshops at its offices including Getting

Ready for Winter, Spring Cleaning and Maintenance, and Do It Yourself. Reserve Mortgage Counseling: Provides detailed information about Reverse Mortgage products and how they

benefit homeowners. Cleveland Saves: Provides a free road map to saving for a home, education, emergencies, and transportation.

Helps to set financial goals, track spending and provides strategies to save money.

Programs and services for sustaining the American Dream:

Foreclosure Prevention: Provides mediation and tips to help residents preserve the American Dream of home-ownership.

Free Tax Preparation: Professionally trained volunteer tax preparers offer free tax preparation to residents of northeast Ohio between January and April. From 2012 to 2013, NHSGC earned taxpayers over $1 million in tax refunds and saved them over $150,000 in fees.

Consumer Law Center: Gives citizens of Greater Cleveland the information they need to make informed and fi-nancially safe consumer decisions. The Consumer Law Center does this by using educational materials, seminars, counsel, and public awareness campaigns.

A recent study found NHS of Greater Clevelands programs and services had the following economic impact on Greater Cleveland: $105 million to the Greater Cleveland economy $14 million in tax revenue generated from main-

tained homeowners 153 jobs sustained annually through stable housing $36 million of income generated for Greater

Cleveland labor

The study also found NHS of Greater Clevelands impact in the community: 306 families achieving the dream of purchasing

a home of the 1,000 families reached with the Homebuyer Education program

Foreclosure prevention efforts have helped over 1,100 families, with 53% remaining in their homes of achieving a safe solution for their family

NHS has provided over $420,000 in down payment assistance loans, leveraging $4 million in housing investment Free tax preparation services have assisted over 1,000 clients, retaining more than $1 million of refunds in the Greater

Cleveland economy The Land Trust portfolio has been expanded to include nine rental units and five additional properties to ensure

affordable single family housing

#CLEisHomeToMeNHSGC Best PracticesNHSGCs most effective practices for reaching its key publics include:

NHSGC uses its Facebook page primarily to communicate with its partners and supporters. The page has 2,910 likes and 333 views. On average, NHSGC posts three or more times a week.

NHSGC is very active on Twitter and uses it to communicate primarily with its partners and supporters. The account has 1,001 followers and tweets several times a day about events, updates, and housing news in Cleveland.

NHSGC relies heavily on word of mouth to reach its key publics about its existence and the programs and ser-vices it provides.

CollaboratorsOther housing organizations do exist in the Greater Cleveland area, but NHSGC considers these organizations collabora-tors working toward a common cause, rather than competitors.

Cleveland Housing Network is one of the largest Community Resource Centers in the area. It has several of the same types of programs that NHSGC has. All services are free.

Community Housing Solutions helps families buy and maintain houses in good neighborhoods. It has homebuyer programs much like NHSGC. Services are free.

The Spanish-American Committee is a housing counseling site for Hispanic Americans. It teaches English, GED classes, family support classes, and housing counseling.

Home Repair Resource Center is focused on maintaining homes. It believes that sustained homes will improve the neighborhoods.

The NID Housing Counseling Agency wants to improve the standard of living in cities across the U.S. It offers homebuyer education programs and other housing programs and provides homeless and shelter services.

Five Components of Home

EconomyAffordable housing gives people of all income levels the opportunity to buy a home. In return, by buying an affordable home, people have more to spend and support the economy. The primary goal of affordable housing is to lower the monthly housing costs for low- and moderate-income families.

According to the Center for Housing Policy, the development of affordable housing increases spending and employment in the surrounding economy, acts as an important source of revenue for local governments, and reduces the likelihood of foreclosure and its associated costs. Affordable housing programs promote homeownership and neighborhood stability.

Quick Facts The National Association of Home Buyers estimates that building 100 new low-income housing tax credit units

for families can lead to the creation of 80 jobs in construction. An estimated additional 93 cents of every dollar of economic activity in the local market is generated from public

housing expenditures, according to the Center for Housing Policy. From 2006 to 2008, an investment of $260.1 million in affordable housing leveraged roughly $470 million in

additional public and private funds and resulted in nearly $1.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced economic ac-tivity. This level of activity generated roughly $62.5 million in state and local tax revenue, according to the Center for Housing Policy.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cleveland lost just about half its population between 1970 and 2013, sink-ing from 10th to 45th on the list of largest U.S. cities.

Foreclosure

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Foreclosure is the process of taking possession of a mortgaged property as a result of the mortgagors failure to keep up with mortgage payments on a home. When foreclosures occur, local governments are forced to absorb direct costs that accompany any home, including costs for boarding the property and coordinating trash removal, court and legal expenses, increased police and social services for the affected neighborhoods, and potential demo-lition of distressed properties.

Affordable housing programs reduce the chance of foreclosure, which, in turn, can eliminate foreclosure-related costs for municipalities. Foreclosures exert downward pressure on home prices and worsen problems in the hous-ing market and the broader economy.

One home foreclosure lowers the price of nearby homes by .9 percent on average, according to the Center for Housing Policy. This negative impact is cumulative, which means each additional foreclosure on the block lowers values an additional .9 percent.

Cuyahoga County recorded the nations highest foreclosure rate in 2007, according to The Plain Dealer.

Five Components of Home

Public SafetyAccording to recent studies, homelessness and a lack of affordable housing have shown a negative impact on public safety for both homeless and non-homeless citizens. Several studies conducted by organizations for the homeless, including the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH), have also shown that a lack of public safety can cause homeless-ness.

Citizens without homes can negatively impact the overall public safety of a community. NEOCH conducted a survey of 200 residents at the Lakeside Mens Shelter in Cleveland in July 2014. The residents said the number one reason that prevented them from finding housing was having a criminal background.

The homeless have been targeted in the past by laws that make it illegal to beg or remain in a public area after certain hours, to jaywalk, or share food. A report from the National Law Center for Homeless and Poverty from 2009 on the criminalization of homelessness in U.S. cities showed that while these laws were created to increase public safety, they have an adverse effect on the ability of the homeless to find stability. Cleveland has implemented several municipal laws that negatively affect the homeless. It is important that the homeless know these laws so they can avoid a criminal record; other-wise, it is possible that they could be prevented from finding housing.

Crime can also be a cause of homelessness. Domestic violence is one of these common causes for women and children. The National Network to End Domestic Violence reported that 63 percent of homeless adult women have experienced domestic violence at some point in their lives. The NEOCH provides information on its website that suggests that escaping domestic violence and having nowhere to go is a frequent cause of homelessness. People who do not understand the many causes of homelessness can commit hate crimes against homeless people, meaning homelessness is a safety risk in itself.

Overall, public safety and homelessness are strongly linked. Their inverse relationship means the smaller the homeless pop-ulation is, the safer a community will be. By decreasing homelessness with affordable housing, a community can increase its overall quality of life.

#CLEisHomeToMeFive Components of Home

HealthIn 2013, Rohe and Linblad found three different types of housing environments: the physical environment, the social environment, and the service environment. Each effects health in a different way. The physical environment has the most obvious effects on the residents of the community. Many factors are taken into account when discussing the physical environments affect on health including: access to grocery stores or supermarkets, fast food and liquor stores, safe exercise areas, traffic, and the quality of the home.

Low-income neighborhoods will often not have a full-service grocery store or supermarket with fresh produce, whole grains, dairy products, and healthier options. Rather, there are smaller convenience stores that tend to sell refined grains, added sugars, and fats. A study done by the National Housing Institute has shown residents of neighborhoods with access to supermarkets usually have healthier diets and are less likely to suffer from obesity. Studies have shown living closer to a supermarket or a full-service grocery store is linked to lower obesity rates, and living near small convenience stores is linked to higher obesity rates. Another factor contributing to obesity in neighborhoods is the lack of safe recreational facilities, parks and green spaces, bike trails, and playground equipment. Those available are often covered in litter or are in areas with high crime rates. Children in low-income neighborhoods are less likely to participate in organized sports, physical education classes, and are less likely to have recess in school. Additional physical factors that are detrimental to residents health can be found in individual homes. Lead paint, pests, and mold are all proven to have negative effects on health. All three of which can be found in older homes often in low-in-come neighborhoods. The social environment deals with the relationships between residents. When there is no trust among neighbors, people tend to look out for themselves and little progress is made as a community. Informal social controls in close-knit communi-ties keep crime rates down because people are more likely to look out for one another. Children who also have more than one adult presence in their lives to model themselves after are less likely to have drug or alcohol addiction, depression, or anxiety. The service environment encompassess the programs provided to the residents. This includes schools, transportation, healthcare, and employment opportunities. Neighborhoods with better school districts usually have higher graduation rates and enroll in higher education. Public transportation also gives residents more opportunity regarding where they can work and what jobs they can have. Employment opportunities gives residents the chance to increase their standard of living for themselves and their families.

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Five Components of Home

Individual SuccessResearch suggests an individuals success at work and school can be attributed to ones home life and homeownership. An unstable home environment has a negative effect on an individuals ability to perform successfully.

Results from PwCs 2013 National Employee Financial Wellness Survey revealed many employees are still feeling the ef-fects of the recent economic downturn. As a result, employees performance in the workplace is suffering. According to the Center for Housing Policy, stable, affordable housing may reduce the frequency of unwanted moves that lead children to experience disruptions in home life or educational instruction. Some affordable housing strategies may help families move to communities with stronger school systems or ones supportive of education. To grow up emotionally healthy, children under three need strong, safe, predictable, and stable environments.

According to Realtors.org, homeownership allows households to accumulate wealth and social status, and is the basis for a number of positive social, economic, family, and civic outcomes. Homeownership boosts the educational performance of children, induces higher participation, improves health care outcomes, lowers crime rates, and lessens welfare dependency. The home environment provides the foundation for learning and is an element of the students life that can affect grades.

Housing instability is very daunting for groups who are hit with the challenge of foreclosure. The effects of housing instability can take an emotional, physical, and mental toll on those faced with the hardship. Research suggests the stability homeownership brings can have positive effects on school success and social behavior. Those who own homes and enjoy a healthy home environment experience less stress at work then those who do not. Home stability plays a major role in ones success in their future, especially children. Being raised in a stable home will be projected through their performance in an educational setting or in the workplace.

#CLEisHomeToMeFive Components of Home

EducationResearch conducted by the Center for Housing Policy and the WhatWorks Collaborative supports the fact that stable, affordable housing has a positive impact on providing children with enhanced opportunities for educational success, espe-cially those from low-income families. Homeless children face several educational setbacks, including difficulties accessing public schools and Head Start programs. Because of these difficulties, homeless children are more likely to drop out of school, repeat a grade, obtain lower test scores, and/or suffer from learning/behavioral problems, according to the Nation-al Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

Although test scores have risen across the board nationally in recent years, low-income children still lag behind their wealthier classmates. Test scores for low-income students were nine to 12 percent lower on average than students from higher income families, according to the WhatWorks Collaborative. Even though the dropout rate for students from low-income families has fallen slightly over the past decade, it is still four times greater than the dropout rate for students from upper-income families.

Many factors affect school outcomes among low-income children, including mobility, overcrowding, parental involvement, and school quality. The following are concepts believed to support the positive contribution of affordable housing on edu-cation: The Center for Housing Policys research suggests frequently moving homes appears to have a negative impact on

educational achievement. However, moving to a better school system or safer communities may have a positive impact on education. Housing assistance programs are designed to help families access affordable developments, usually in neighborhoods with strong school systems. Children with families involved in these types of programs are less likely to miss school than other low-income children. Residential stability can lead to an uninterrupted school year, avoid disruptions at home caused by an unplanned move, and lead to fewer school changes that leave children behind aca-demically.

A national study, Panel Study of Income Dynamics, found children living in overcrowded housing complete two fewer years of education that those living in a stable household. Crowded living conditions can many times be associated with loud, chaotic environments that can interfere with childrens studying. Overcrowding also can leave children with-out a place to sit down to complete their homework.

Affordable housing may facilitate greater parental involvement in their childrens education by reducing parental stress and the need to hold multiple jobs, according to the Center for Housing Policy.

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SEO OptimizationThe Bateman Gold Team used Google Adwords Keyword Planner to determine what words people search for related to NHSGC and Home Matters. The best keywords are those with a high amount of average monthly searches and a medium to low amount of competition for those words.

The following words and phrases can drive traffic to the Neighborhood Housing Services website and social media ac-counts if positioned correctly.

Keyword Average Monthly Searches CompetitionHome affordable refinance program 5,400 High

Making homes affordable 1,600 MediumMaking homes affordable program 880 MediumFirst time home owner 720 MediumHome ownership program 590 MeduimMake home affordable 480 Low

Social Media Presence Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater ClevelandNHSGC is currently active on two different social media accounts but is mainly active on Twitter. The following explains NHSGCs use of its accounts.

The NHSGC Facebook page had 2,615 likes as of Jan. 11, 2015. The page regularly posts original content to engage users. The content usually consist of up-

coming events, links to other resources, and stories. NHSGC comments are usually positive or pose questions.

NHSGCs Twitter account had 897 followers and was following 289 people as of Jan. 11, 2015. Tweets usually consist of content copied from its Facebook page. The page mostly retweets relevant information on housing-focused issues and trends. NHSGC

usually responds to its audiences tweets with direct answer or by directing them to relevant sources.

Home Matters Home Matters is currently active on two different social media accounts but is mainly active on Facebook. The following explains Home Matters use of its accounts.

As of Jan.11, 2015, Home Matters had 1,194 Facebook. The page actively posts original content and links from other sources. Content consists of

personal stories from people on housing issues and their own experiences, informative posts on housing, and news articles that discuss housing topics.

As of Jan. 11, 2015, Home Matters Twitter page had 1,197 followers. The content consists of copied statuses from its Facebook page and links to other sources. The

page mostly retweets mentions from partnering organizations, such as NHSGC.

#CLEisHomeToMeCleveland Demographics2010 U.S. census population (rank) of Cleveland, Ohio: 2010 population: 296,815 Population, 2013 estimate:

390,113Gender: Male: 190,285 (48%) Female: 206,530 (52%)Race: White: 147,929 (37.3%) Black: 211,672 (53.3%) American Indian and Alaska

Native: 1,340 (.3%) Asian: 7,327 (1.8%) Other race: 17,502 (3.4%) Two or more races: 10,925 (2.8%) Hispanic/Latino: 39,534 (7.3%) Foreign born persons, 2009-13:

4.6%Age: 2010 population 18 and over:

299,158 65 & over: 47,496 (12%) Median age: 35Economic Status: Unemployed: 17,600 (9.6%) Per capita personal income:

$16,992 Median household income:

$26,217 Persons below poverty level:

34.5%Education: High school graduate or higher

(age 25+): 77.4% Bachelors degree or higher (age

25+): 14.9%Living Situations: Housing units: 207,536 Homeownership rate: 44.9% Housing units in multi-unit struc-

tures: 45.9% Median value of owner-occupied

housing units: $76,700 Households: 166,847 Living in same house 1 year &

over (2009-13): 80% Persons per household: 2

Ohio Demographics (2013)Population 2013: 11,570,808Race: White: 80.5% Black or African American:

12.5% American Indian and Alaska

Native: 0.3% Asian: 1.9% Foreign born persons, percent,

2009-2013: 4.0%Living Situation: Housing units 2013: 5,123,997 Homeownership rate, 2009-2013:

67.5% Median household income, 2009-

2013: $48,308 Persons below poverty level, per-

cent, 2009-2013: 15.8% Persons per household, 2009-

2013: 2.47 Living in same house 1 year &

over, percent, 2009-2013: 85.5% Homeownership rate, 2009-2013

67.5% Living in same house 1 year &

over, percent, 2009-2013: 85.5% Home foreclosure rate: 4.87%Education: High school graduate or higher,

percent of persons age 25+, 2009-2013: 88.5%

Bachelors degree or higher, per-cent of persons age 25+, 2009-2013: 25.2%

Economic Status: Poverty rate: 16% Extreme poverty rate: 7.5% Unemployment rate: 7.4% Food insecurity: 16% Low-income families that work:

31.8% Percent of jobs that are low-wage:

23.8% Percent of individuals who are

uninsured: 14%

United States DemographicsPopulation 2013: 316,128, 839Race: White: 77.7% Black: 13.2% American Indian and Alaska

Native: 1.2% Asian: 5.3% Other race: 2.4% Two or more races: 17.1% Hispanic/Latino: 62.6% Foreign born persons, 2009-13:

20.7%Living Situation/Economic Status: Homeownership rate 2009-2013:

64.9 % Median household income, 2009-

2013: $53, 046 Persons below poverty level 2009-

2013: 15.4%

Kent State University Enrollment Fall 2014Undergraduate student rate: 23,328Graduate student rate: 6,149Undergraduate students from Ohio Male: 7,647 Females: 11,275 Total: 18,922Graduate students from Ohio Male: 8,899 Female: 14,023 Total: 22,921 Kent State Students from the Greater Cleveland area: 78%

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Media Contacts

The Kent Stater/KentWired.comRationale: The Kent Stater and KentWired.com are the primary student news publications at Kent State University. The Kent Stater is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the Spring 2015 semester. Editor-in-chief: Matt MerchantEmail: mmercha1@kent.edu

WKYC ClevelandRationale: WKYC is one of Clevelands top-rated news sources. Lynna Lai has covered stories regarding tax season before.Reporter: Lynna LaiEmail: Lynnalai@wkyc.com

The Cleveland Plain DealerRationale: The Cleveland Plain Dealer is one of Clevelands top printed news sources. It has featured several stories regarding NHSGC before.Editor-in-chief: George RodrigueEmail: grodrigue@plaind.com

Sun NewsRationale: Sun News is one of the largest chains of weekly newspapers in the United States. It is published each Thursday. Sun News serves 47 Greater Cleveland area communities.Email: newsdesk@cleveland.com

Crains Cleveland Business Rationale: Crains Cleveland Business is a leading publisher of business news in Northeast Ohio. Crains has previously featured stories on NHSGC Executive Director, Lou Tisler and NHSGC programing.Editor-in-chief: Elizabeth McIntrye Email: emcintyre@crain.com

#CLEisHomeToMeWorks Cited

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Cleveland Housing Network. Cleveland Housing Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.

Cleveland, Ohio. Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Consumer Law Center. Homeownership Programs in Cleveland & Northeast Ohio. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.

Conley, Dalton. 2001. A Room with a View or a Room of Ones Own? Housing and Social Stratification.Sociological Forum 16(2): 263-280.

Cubbin, Catherine, Veronica Pedregon, Susan Egerter, and Paula Braveman. Where We Live Matters for Our Health: Neighborhoods and Health.Commission to Build a Healthier America (2008): n. pag. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Web.

Cunningham, Mary. Housing as a Platform for Improving Education Outcomes among Low-Income Children (2012): n. pag. What Works Collaborative. Web. 03 Jan. 2015.

Cutts, Diana Becker, Alan F. Meyers, Maureen M. Black, Patrick H. Casey, Mariana Chilton, John T. Cook, Joni Gep-pert, Stephanie Ettinger De Cuba, Timothy Heeren, Sharon Coleman, Ruth Rose-Jacobs, and Deborah A. Frank. US Housing Insecurity and the Health of Very Young Children. American Journal of Public Health 101.8 (2011): 1508-514. Childrens Health Watch. Aug. 2008. Web.

Domestic Violence and Homelessness. National Coalition for the Homeless. National Coalition for the Homeless, 2012. Web. 09 Jan. 2015.

Domestic Violence In Ohio. Information Blog - NEOCH. Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Ellis, Kate, and Guettler, Ellen. A Better Life - Creating the American Dream. American RadioWorks. American Public Media, 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Facts about Mold and Dampness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion, 17 June 2014. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.

Flournoy, Rebecca. Healthy Foods, Strong Communities. National Housing Institute. National Housing Institute, Sept. 2006. Web. 25 Jan. 2015.

Funders Network. N.p., 2006. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.

Hague S., Wardrip, K., and Williams, L. INSIGHT. Socialist Lawyer No. 27.LAW AND DEMOCRACY (1996): 4. Jan. 2011. Web.

Hague, S., Wardrip, K., and Willams, L. The Role of Affordable Housing in Creating Jobs and Stimulating Local

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Economic Development: A Review of the Literature (n.d.): n. pag. Nhc.org. Jan. 2011. Web.

Hate Crimes and Violence against People Experiencing Homelessness.National Coalition for the Homeless. National Coalition for the Homeless, Jan. 2012. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Henry, Meghan, Dr. Alvaro Cortes, and Sean Morris. The 2013 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Con-gress. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (2013): n. pag. Print.

Home Matters Fact Sheet. Home Matters Fact Sheet 1. pag. Home Matters. Home Matters America, 2013. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Home Matters | Home Is Where It All Starts. Home Matters. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Homes Not Handcuffs: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities. Rep. N.p.: National Coalition for the Home-less, 2009. Print.

Home Repair Resource Center. Home Repair Resource Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2015

INSIGHT. The Future of Children. Princeton Bookings. Web. 1 Jan. 2015.

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. N.p., Oct. 2001. Web. 12Jan. 2015.

Jozefowicz-Simbeni, Debra M.H. and Nathaniel Israel. 2006. Services to Homeless Students and Families: The McKinney-Vento Act and Its Implications for School Social Work Practice. Children & Schools 28(1): 37-44. Ernst, Greg and Maria Foscarinis. November/December 1995. Education of Homeless Children: Barriers, Remedies, and Litigation Strategies. Clearinghouse Review, 754-759; National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. 2000. Separate and Unequal: A Report on Educational Barriers for Homeless Children and Youth. Washington, D.C.: Author.

Know Your Legal Rights. Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, 2012. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Larkin, Brent. What Population Loss Is Costing Cleveland -- and Why It Matters: Brent Larkin. Cleveland.com. North-east Ohio Media Group, 19 June 2014. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

NID Housing Counseling Agency. NID Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing (2012): n. pag. National Association of Realtors. Web. 1 Jan. 2015.

Spanish American Committee. Spanish American Committee. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.Substance Abuse and Homelessness. National Coalition for the Homeless. NationalCoalition for the Homeless, July 2009. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

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