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SPACE City Panel

 

Research Reports

Welcome to the SPACE City Panel — your window into how Houstonians adapt, innovate and thrive when facing changes and challenges. Developed by the Center for Public Policy at the Hobby School of Public Affairs in partnership with the National Opinion Research Center, this groundbreaking longitudinal survey gathers insights from residents across the Greater Houston region. Residents are asked about their communities, perceptions, well-being and expectations.

WHY

The Greater Houston area is one of the nation’s largest and most diverse metropolitan regions with a critical need for timely, reliable information about the experiences, priorities and concerns of its residents. Decision-makers, community organizations, researchers and the public often lack data collected directly from a representative cross-section of the region’s population, particularly from groups whose voices may be underrepresented in traditional research. The SPACE City Panel was created to help address this gap by providing a scientifically rigorous, ongoing source of information from Greater Houston residents and tracking how those views change over time. Through recurring surveys, the panel covers a wide range of issues, including the economy, education, health, politics, energy and the environment, community development and disaster resilience. By creating a common source of local data, the SPACE City Panel helps researchers and decision-makers better understand the region and respond to the needs and priorities of the people who live here.

Representation

Greater Houston is home to people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The panel provides an opportunity for residents to share their views on the issues affecting their households and communities. By reaching residents from across the Greater Houston area, the panel helps build a more complete understanding of the region and ensures that research reflects the diversity of the people who live here.

Accuracy

The SPACE City Panel is built using NORC’s rigorous survey research methodology, helping ensure that the information collected is reliable and representative of residents in Greater Houston. NORC brings expertise in probability-based sampling, survey design, recruitment and data collection to the panel, helping reach a cross-section of residents rather than relying solely on people who choose to participate in online surveys. This approach provides researchers and decision-makers with high-quality data that can be used to better understand the experiences and changing views of Greater Houston residents.

Expertise

The Center for Public Policy at the Hobby School of Public Affairs brings extensive knowledge of the Greater Houston area and the issues that matter to its residents, while NORC contributes decades of experience in public opinion and survey research. Together, the two organizations combine local expertise with established research practices to create a resource for understanding the region over time. This partnership allows researchers to examine both current issues and longer-term changes in the perspectives of Greater Houston residents.

Meet the Team

 

Work With Us

Looking to reach residents across the Greater Houston area? Researchers, organizations and other groups can use the SPACE City Panel to collect timely, high-quality data from residents across the Greater Houston area. Whether seeking answers to a few questions or conducting a full survey, partners can choose flexible options to fit a range of research needs and budgets. Options include a custom module, a set number of questions or minutes of survey time. The team works with partners to identify the best option for each project, develop questions that align with research goals and field them to residents through the panel.

Contact us to explore how the SPACE City Panel can support your research at hobbycpp@central.uh.edu 

 

SPACE City Panel Flyer

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Reports

Vulnerability, Resiliency, Adaptability and Preparedness Dashboard

Hobby School researchers developed an interactive tool to identify neighborhood characteristics and needs that may increase vulnerability to weather events, health risks and economic challenges. The dashboard draws on publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDC and FEMA. The dashboard also incorporates Houston-specific indicators and findings from the SPACE City Panel, providing a picture of community resilience.

Explore the Map

 

In the News

“How Houston Residents View Their Communities”

Houston Public Media

“Most Houston-area residents use AI — but oppose data centers being built near them, UH study finds”

Houston Chronicle

“Estas son las principales fuentes de deuda de los hispanos en Houston”

Telemundo Houston

“Majority of Houstonians use AI but oppose data centers near their homes, Hobby School survey finds”

Houston Public Media

Research Partner

 

NORC logo in orange letters