Smalltimore Study Design

Smalltimore Homes | Community Interest Hub

Primary Researcher: Niti Poddar, Product Researcher

Supervisor: LaQuida Chancey, Founder & Director

Type: Exploratory qualitative study

Timeline: July – Aug 2026

Purpose. Before finalizing our Community Interest Hub, we're listening. Smalltimore Homes builds community first,  the trust and relationships a future community home village will grow from. This study captures, in residents' own words, what they need, what gets in the way, and what a thriving future looks like to them. We're testing assumptions, not confirming them.

What we hope to learn. Who is drawn to community living, and why. What skills people want to build. What creates belonging. What resources already exist and what's missing. And what our future Wellness Tiny Village must include to truly serve its community.

Method. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews (~45–60 min) with up to ten community members, chosen purposefully for depth over breadth. Findings are synthesized through affinity mapping into clear themes.

Who we're talking with. A purposeful mix: older adults: particularly Black women 50+ at the heart of this work, plus caregivers, longtime community connectors, volunteers, younger adults interested in cooperative living, and community partners. Participants are described by role, not name, to protect their privacy.

Ethics. Participation is voluntary and confidential, grounded in informed consent. Anyone may skip a question or stop anytime. This is a conversation, not an application or eligibility screen.

How this shapes our community. Findings will directly shape the Hub's language and pathways, ground our programming in real demand, center resident voice in Wellness Tiny Village planning, and strengthen future grant and partnership applications. What we learn will be shared back with the community.

Scope. A small, exploratory listening study is a strong human starting point, not a large survey laying the foundation for broader listening as we grow.

Want to share your voice or stay connected? 👉 Link

Smalltimore Homes

Feeder. Connector. Community Builder.