Resident input plays a vital role in identifying community needs. The Community Priorities Survey (CPS) was used to gather resident feedback, which will inform the development of the Community Resource Plan (CRP). This plan will outline services that complement the planned physical renovations.

Residents of Nostrand Houses, aged 18 and older, could submit the CPS either online through the Trust’s website or via paper copies available at the Property Management Office. In addition, the Trust enlisted Nostrand residents—both youth and adults—as paid outreach specialists to engage with the community and collect surveys.

Various outreach strategies were deployed, including door-knocking, tabling, phone calls, flyer drop-offs with survey links, and email blasts, all designed to encourage survey participation. The CPS was made available in English, Spanish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. Residents could submit their responses from early July to mid-October 2024.

As an incentive, six residents were randomly selected to win a $50 gift card for completing the CPS.