This summer, Belmark Associates, a student-run market research firm in the Department of Economics and Business, completed the third iteration of a survey for a client, Acts Housing. The team was led by Jorge Maldonado ’26, a senior business economics major, with assistance from Dhriti Nair ’26, Helmi Kawsar ’27, May Zaw ’27, Shaira Manandhar ’26, Isabella Padro ’26, and Conner Richards ’28, along with Faculty member, Professor Laura Grube, and newly appointed staff of the Economics Business Department, Julie Fuellemen.

Acts Housing, a local nonprofit, helps renters become homeowners by providing consultation and financial coaching. The goal is to develop a sense of ownership so that they can start building equity and improve their financial well-being. The larger impact is an increased sense of belonging and community. Acts Housing has helped more than 110 families become homeowners in Beloit, Wisconsin.

The survey, completed in 2019, 2022, and for a third time this summer, helps Acts Housing to understand market demand for their services by asking renters whether they aspire to be homeowners. It gathers basic demographic information about two neighborhoods, Hackett and Merrill, and includes questions about how people perceive their neighborhoods. After completing the survey, residents learn about Acts Housing and receive a QR code that provides details about the organization and contact information.

The survey was an exercise in persistence. In total, the team knocked around 3,000 houses in two months. Be it the scorching heat of summer, sprinkles of rain, or gusts of wind, the team was out in the Hackett and Merrill neighborhoods from 5 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., five days a week, knocking on strangers’ doors, and politely starting the conversation with “Hello, we are students from Beloit College conducting surveys in this neighborhood. Do you have five minutes for us?” or “Hola, ¿Tienes cinco minutos para una encuesta sobre la comunidad?”

Students learned a lot about conducting surveys in the field, especially how to effectively get information from people, and how to connect with individuals through language or culture! The students had a lot of fun too, from the entire team getting free ice cream treats from manager Jorge, to finding Beloit College alumni, there were a lot of moments of joy.

“Surveying for Acts Housing has been one of the biggest learning experiences of my college career. It was a great opportunity for me to gain hands-on technical skills and connect deeper with the surrounding Beloit community,” says May Myint Mo Zaw ’27.

In the Hackett and Merrill neighborhoods, there are 1,370 renters and 1,733 owners, and among those, 300 residents were surveyed. According to the survey, 85% of owners take pride in living in the neighborhood, while the sense of pride for renters is a bit less, 72.5%. These findings, compiled from street to street, provide Acts Housing with a more accurate picture of the area, enabling better consumer profiles.

Balancing coursework and partner needs, the team continues to analyze the data. Jorge and Dhriti are cleaning the data and observing trends and correlations between different variables with the end goal of presenting a report to Acts Housing.