By: VHFA

July 14, 2008

housing data siteThe Center for Rural Studies (CRS) at the University of Vermont, VHFA's partner in developing the Vermont Housing Data Web site, is conducting an online survey of the site's visitors.

Take the survey now for a chance to win an Apple® iPod® nano!

CRS's survey, which will run into the fall, is the first step in a grant-funded initiative to improve content and usability of the site.

In October, CRS will begin hands-on usability testing of the site at locations around the state.

Vermont Housing Data, the largest single online source for Vermont-related market rate and affordable housing information, debuted in 2003. We performed an extensive redesign last summer to give the site a fresh look and bring it in-line with the latest Web code and accessibility standards.

The site won a National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) Award for Program Excellence in 2005. More recently, it was critiqued by Web guru Jeffrey Zeldman at "An Event Apart," a designers conference held in Boston last month.

For more information about the survey, or to sign up for usability testing this fall, contact Chip Sawyer.