1. 2017 Vacant Property Community Input Survey Final Report
Commissioned by Troy Board of Education
June 13, 2017

2. Survey Background
As part of its deliberation process concerning divestment of vacant properties owned by the District, the Troy Board of Education conducted a survey of constituents across the city.
Citizens were provided a synopsis of relevant financial and environmental valuation background information on each parcel based on reports from external experts hired by the Board for this purpose (as of April 18, 2017).
They were then asked to provide their recommended action by the Board from among a range of reasonable outcomes based on the Board’s fiscal and environmental analyses of each parcel.
Feedback from this survey is meant to provide one additional input to the Board’s strategic decision making process.
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report

3. Methodology and Sample
Phone survey fielded by Epic MRA, a Lansing-based market research company (firm that completed the 2013 TSD Bond survey).
Part of a larger survey of other issues that averaged 18 minutes in length.
Fielded 4/20 to 4/24/17.
To keep District costs as low as possible, a Board member with market research expertise drafted and analyzed the survey following standard research industry practices.
Sample
400 Troy residents who live within the Troy School District area.
Registered voters who indicate they are at least “seldom” voters in local school related elections.
Age distribution consistent with voting patterns from ’11 and ’13 Troy elections.
20% of interviews were completed with cell-only households.
Cooperation rate was extremely high: 80% of those who answered and qualified completed the survey.
Note: Full sample survey results are accurate to within +/- 5% at the 95 percent confidence level.
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report

4. Sample Profile Gender 53% women 47% men Age Distribution 18 to 29: 5%
65 or older: 34%
Shy: 2%
Other Characteristics
83% college degreed
36% households with kids
25% with kids in TSD
66% have lived in Troy 20+ years
Note: all sample statistics were highly consistent with 2013 TSD Bond survey, which accurately predicted the election outcome.
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report

5. Parcel discussion setup:
The Troy Board of Education has also completed a thorough evaluation of vacant land in Troy owned by the District and have identified three parcels that the District no longer needs for new buildings. Since real estate values in Troy are at record highs right now, the Board would like some input from constituents like you on how these parcels should be handled.
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report

6. The majority of citizens recommended divesting of Parcel 11 at market value and redirecting those funds to other District needs.
The first parcel is about 20 acres. It is land-locked in a subdivision and consists of dry, buildable land. Based on the sale of a similar lot earlier this year, the land is worth about 4 million dollars. In your opinion, should the District…?
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report

7. There was strong support for preserving Parcel 1 by deeding it to a conservancy.
The second parcel is about 80 acres and contains deep woods, wetlands, and a rare Michigan landform called a lake plain prairie. Independent experts determined that most of this land is well preserved, but that invasive plant species are starting to damage it. The District does not have the expertise or funds to prevent further damage. Despite its large size, it is only worth about 4 million dollars because much of the land is unbuildable. Developing the land would change water flows and destroy the lake plain prairie. Several land conservancies have offered to take over the parcel and maintain it as a nature preserve for the District and Troy community. In your opinion, should the District…?
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report

8. The public was evenly split across the three options available to the Board concerning the Square Lake Rd. frontage on Parcel 1.
The last parcel is attached to the 80 acres we just talked about. It consists of 5 acres of dry, buildable land next to a major road. Our experts determined it could be developed with minimal risk to the woods and lake plain prairie behind it. The land is worth about 2 million dollars. In your opinion, should the District…?
2017 Vacant Property Input Survey Report