Public Resource
Poll: Green New Deal for Public Housing Can Stand Up to Scrutiny
Sean McElwee, John Ray, Daniel Aldana Cohen, Julian Brave Noisecat, Data for Progress, YouGov Blue & Socio-Spatial Climate Collaborative

This polling tests Green New Deal (GND) for Public Housing Act legislation in an electoral environment, with Republican arguments against it. Polling includes questions probing the support of voters for a policy "if it would...":

  • Help flood-proof vulnerable public housing and increase backup power, to make public housing complexes community safety centers during disasters.
  • Add rooftop and community renewable energy generation including wind and solar, and have all building systems be powered by electricity so that public housing can transmit energy back to the grid and generate a revenue.
  • Use bulk, public procurement for the most efficient American-made electric appliances to lower prices, and allow community members to purchase these efficient appliances at the bulk price discount.

Responses showed net positive support, with the jobs and apprenticeship aspects of the GND for Public Housing policy the most popular. These findings are consistent with previous research on Green Housing legislation.

Executive Summary findings include:

  • Democratic voters clearly support new policies on housing reform, with independents being split. Republicans oppose these policies but report they would be more likely to support the policies if they included tax relief and new programs for jobs.

  • Voters across the ideological spectrum move in favor of comprehensive housing reform when the reform includes job-training programs, new jobs, and the removal of lead and mold.

  • Partisanship and political ideology are the strongest motivations determining support for housing reform, controlling for a variety of political and demographic factors.