SPAAR conducted a housing poll; here’s what took place and why

The Saint Paul Area Association of Realtors® (SPAAR) conducted a poll in late summer 2023 asking voters in Anoka, Ramsey and Washington counties about their views on a variety of housing issues important to SPAAR.

This poll was conducted to gauge voter sentiment on a number of housing topics, including rent control and housing affordability, among others, and use the results to inform and direct SPAAR’s government affairs and advocacy work in 2024.

This poll was initiated and paid for by SPAAR’s Housing Affordability Task Force (HATF). The HATF dedicated $3,000 from its budget in addition to a financial award through the National Association of Realtors® grant program. SPAAR worked with local communications firm, Tunheim, to craft and conduct the polling and provide analysis of the results.

Polling took place on August 10 and 11 and sampled 764 Ramsey County voters, 581 Anoka County voters, and 563 Washington County voters, a total of 1,908 voters. Thirty-three percent of voters were surveyed via telephone and the remaining 67% were surveyed by text message. SPAAR chose to poll Ramsey County because it is the most populous county within SPAAR’s service area; Washington and Anoka Counties were chosen so both a northern and southern county from within SPAAR’s jurisdiction were also represented in the poll.

These poll results will help SPAAR staff and its members better understand consumers, and better engage the public, elected officials and other community stakeholders in its advocacy work.

In 2024, SPAAR will release the details of the poll. Information about the demographics of the poll takers, the questions they were asked, and of course, the results. As details of the poll are released, it will be vital that SPAAR members be engaged. Not only will the details of the poll make SPAAR members more informed Realtors® for their clients, but it will also elevate the quality and effectiveness of SPAAR’s advocacy work and engagement with community stakeholders on these important housing issues. Stay tuned.

For more information, contact Simon Opatz, Government Affairs Director at SPAAR, at (763) 489-3306.