An official website of the United States government
This study initiated an exploration into how community members, specialists in housing issues, and social scientists might collaborate to address homelessness in Alaska. Through interviews and participant observation of planning meetings and related activities, the researchers are gathering insights from design experts, community organizers, and experts working on urban-rural homelessness in Alaska. This includes gathering information about cold weather design processes and issues facing urban-rural homelessness in Alaska, as well as the identification of possible research questions that can inform the development of a grant application for a multi-year research study. The study includes in-person as well as virtual research activities. Because of geographic distances, the majority of initial research activities were conducted virtually, but in-person field site visits began to take place June 15, 2021, and subsequent trips have taken place from August 2021-onward. These research trips involve site visits, participation in meetings, and in-person interviews when possible. Phase 1: 24 initial interviews were conducted with a range of stakeholders about housing insecurity in Alaska and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes interviewees from remote villages, from the Association of Alaskan Housing Authorities (AAHA), homeless advocates, designers, social scientists, engineers, and builders. Topics included myths about homelessness, homeless versus houseless terminology, research organizations, policies, impacts of pandemic, housing needs, and contrasting strategies. Analysis and synthesis with subsequent data is ongoing. 01: policy 02: interview with researcher 03: homelessness - Anchorage - rural communities - data sharing 04: design in rural communities 05: housing shortages in rural communities 06: technical issues in housing - collaborating with rural communities 07: homeless community in Fairbanks 08: history of Cold Climate Housing Research Center 09: design - homelessness - Anchorage 10: homelessness - rural/hub/urban - need for housing design repository 11: homelessness - Nome - Savoonga - designers need to visit villages 12: reverse interview - designer interviews researchers 13: homelessness - Anchorage - Bethel - housing costs 14: homelessness - rural/hub/urban spectrum - subsistence - houseless term 15: homelessness data and Bethel - impacts of pandemic - myths 16: homelessness data and Bethel - impacts of pandemic 17: ISERC (Integrated Security Education and Research Center) research 18: homelessness data and Bethel - CARES Act 19: homelessness data (gaps) and Bethel - CARES Act 20: homelessness data and Bethel 21: designer - public awareness and museum exhibits 22: veterans and community organizer 23: AAHA staff member 24: homelessness - Fairbanks - pandemic impacts on rescue missions Phase 2: 49 additional interviews were conducted with support from NSF funding (NSF 2103356: RAPID: COVID-19, Remote Ethnography, and the Rural Alaskan Housing Crisis). A meta-data description of the participants and topics are attached ('RAPID_interview_list___Descriptions').
more »
« less
This content will become publicly available on January 10, 2026
Amenity Migration and Community Wellbeing in Washington's Kittitas County Post‐COVID‐19 Pandemic
Amenity migration in the Intermountain West is a rapidly evolving process that has greatly impacted wellbeing in many rural communities over the past several decades. While the impacts of amenity migration have been discussed through both individual community case studies and cross‐community comparative analysis, there is an ongoing need for research that continues to build upon our understanding of amenity migration's effects on individual and community wellbeing. Remote and hybrid work opportunities, expanded during the COVID‐19 pandemic, have allowed for an increasing number of people to live part or full‐time in highly desirable rural locations, particularly those proximate to larger urban areas. In this paper, we discuss the historical and current trends of amenity migration in Kittitas County, proximate to Seattle, Washington, on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains. Drawing upon perspectives shared in 80 interviews with key informants and community members about community wellbeing in three towns, we discuss the implications of amenity migration for the perceived quality of life of both longer‐term residents and newer community members. Additionally, the setting and scope of this research allows for comparison between high‐amenity rural communities with larger recreation economies, and adjacent less—amenity‐based rural communities. Findings indicate that amenity migration continues to evolve and impact community wellbeing, primarily via community cultural changes and socioeconomic and housing inequality. However, there are nuanced geographical and longitudinal differences in the impacts of amenity migration. Additionally, participants perceived an increase in amenity migration patterns and impacts in the years following the COVID‐19 pandemic. To conclude, we discuss ongoing and potential initiatives that may help support community wellbeing, as well as possibilities for further improvements in policy and planning to equitably increase the quality of life for all residents.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 2115169
- PAR ID:
- 10586816
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Online Library
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Rural Sociology
- Volume:
- 90
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 0036-0112
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 3-22
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Background: The current study explores how characteristics of individuals, their communities, and their relative exposure to nearby Covid-19 cases are associated with specific fears or perceived threat/risk of the virus itself during the early stages of the pandemic in March 2020. Aims: Drawing from research emphasizing the intersectional relationships between individual social vulnerabilities, community characteristics, and Covid-19 outbreak locales, we test several hypotheses predicting fear. Method: Using data from a large-scale survey of 10,368 U.S. adults from March 2020, we construct a series of hierarchical linear and logistic regression models that nest individuals within their residential counties in order to account for key socio-demographic characteristics of individuals, communities, and each respondent’s geographic proximity to Covid-19 cases. Results: Results show that individual fear and perceived risk to oneself and family is predicted by individual social vulnerabilities, the type of community in which respondents live, and the relative presence of the virus in nearby places. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the importance of understanding fear, particularly as a possible mediator for both mental and physical health outcomes. Likewise, we emphasize ongoing efforts aimed at understanding how different groups and communities respond to fear and/or concern over Covid-19 as the pandemic remains ongoing.more » « less
-
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to impact the United States. While age and comorbid health conditions remain primary concerns in the community-based transmission of the virus, empirical evidence continues to suggest that substantial variability exists in the geographic and geodemographic distribution of COVID-19 infection rates. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternative, spatiotemporal perspective on the pandemic using the state of Wisconsin as a case study. Specifically, in this paper, we explore the geographic nuances of COVID-19 and its spread in Wisconsin using a suite of spatial statistical approaches. We link detected hot spots of COVID-19 to local geodemographic profiles and the presence of high-risk facilities, including federal and state correctional facilities. The results suggest that the virus disproportionately impacts several communities and geodemographic groups and that proximity to risky facilities correlates to increased community infection rates.more » « less
-
null (Ed.)As the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting life worldwide, related online communities are popping up. In particular, two “new” communities, /r/China flu and /r/Coronavirus, emerged on Reddit and have been dedicated to COVID- related discussions from the very beginning of this pandemic. With /r/Coronavirus promoted as the official community on Reddit, it remains an open question how users choose between these two highly-related communities. In this paper, we characterize user trajectories in these two communities from the beginning of COVID-19 to the end of September 2020. We show that new users of /r/China flu and /r/Coronavirus were similar from January to March. After that, their differences steadily increase, both in language distance and membership prediction, as the pandemic continues to unfold. Furthermore, users who started at /r/China flu from January to March were more likely to leave, while those who started in later months tend to remain highly “loyal”. To understand this difference, we develop a movement analysis framework to understand membership changes in these two communities and identify a significant proportion of /r/China flu members (around 50%) that moved to /r/Coronavirus in February. This movement turns out to be highly predictable based on other subreddits that users were previously active in. Our work demonstrates how two highly-related communities emerge and develop their own identity in a crisis, and highlights the important role of existing communities in understanding such an emergence.more » « less
-
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted civic life, particularly for older adults at increased risk for severe morbidity and mortality. Yet, little is known about the longer-term impacts on their daily routines and how this may affect health and wellbeing. MethodsThis qualitative study utilized data from older US adults who participated in the COVID-19 Coping Study’s three-year follow-up online survey, conducted in April–May 2023. The primary aim was to understandhowandwhydaily routines have changed among older Americans (N = 1,309). ResultsParticipants had an average age of 71 years, with approximately 74% female and 93% identifying as Non-Hispanic White. We conducted content and thematic analysis of open-ended survey responses to identify five key reasons for still-altered routines 3 years after the pandemic onset: (1) COVID-19 risk and exposure, (2) altered access, (3) broader life circumstances, (4) emotional health, and (5) physical health. DiscussionThese findings highlight the enduring impacts of the pandemic on older adults’ routines and underscore the importance of integrating public health strategies that prioritize routine stability to enhance mental, physical, and social health. To support older adults’ wellbeing during and beyond public health emergencies, we recommend strengthening community-based programs, improving access to health and social services, and designing adaptable interventions that help individuals rebuild and maintain meaningful daily routines.more » « less
