Power of Home

The Ohio State University Consent to Participate in Research

Study Title: Power of Home Research Study

Researcher: Stephanie Moulton, PhD

Sponsors: The Ohio Finance Agency and Schmidt Futures Foundation

This is a consent form for research participation. It contains important information about this study and what to expect if you decide to participate. Your participation is voluntary. Please consider the information carefully. You can contact us by phone at 614-688-1145, or email at Powerofhome@osu.edu if you have any questions about this study after reading through the information, before or after you decide to participate.

Purpose: Researchers at The Ohio State University (“OSU”) are evaluating the Power of Home program, which includes the use of Framework, a platform developed by Framework Homeownership (“Framework”) that supports homeowners with trusted information, resources, and tools to manage, maintain and build equity in their home investment. The Power of Home program uses a version of Framework that integrates home maintenance and financial planning tools with access to local resources and customized information specific to your home. By consenting to participate in this research study, your data will be used to evaluate and improve the Power of Home program.

Procedures/Tasks: If you agree to participate in the study, (1) you allow the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (“OHFA”) to share data with OSU and Framework to assist in the administration of this study (2) you allow OSU to use your data for research purposes, and (3) you allow Framework to use your data to provide customized support through the Framework platform.

First, the OSU research team will link the information you provide on your Framework account to other administrative data for research purposes. This administrative data that will be shared includes information collected by OHFA and your loan servicer, US Bank, regarding the loan you obtained to purchase your home. This data will include but is not limited to household income, loan amount, and purchase price, as well as monthly loan payment data after you close on your home. The OSU research team may also work with OHFA and other state agencies to link your homeowner data to other administrative datasets. This administrative data is provided in a de-identified format, without any account numbers or any personally identifying information. Further, we will not pull your credit report for this research project so there will not be any inquiry on your credit record. The administrative data will be used for research purposes only and will not be shared with Framework or anyone else outside of the OSU research team.

Second, by agreeing to participate in the study, OHFA will share your loan data with Framework to customize your experience on the Framework platform and to connect you to resources for home maintenance and financial planning should you need them. At the time of your loan closing, you signed an authorization that allows your loan servicer to share your loan payment data with OHFA. The administrative loan data shared by OHFA with Framework will only include sufficient information to verify that you have an OHFA loan and loan payment data.

Duration: Your participation in the study will end when you stop using Framework, although we may collect administrative data for up to five years after you stop using Framework. You may withdraw from the study at any time. If you decide to stop participating in the study, your data will no longer be used for research or as part of Framework. There will be no penalty to you, and you will not lose any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Your decision will not affect your future relationship with The Ohio State University.

Risks and Benefits: There is minimal risk to your participation in this study. All reasonable efforts will be made to keep your information confidential. Individual Framework responses and administrative loan, employment, and credit data will not be shared with anyone outside of the research team. All information entered electronically will be stored in a secure, SSL encrypted database. There are no immediate benefits to you for your participation in the study. However, your participation will contribute to longer-term improvements to the Power of Home program for future homeowners.

Confidentiality: There may be circumstances where your information must be released. For example, personal information regarding your participation in this study may be disclosed if required by state law. Also, your records may be reviewed by the Office for Human Research Protections or other federal, state, or international regulatory agencies, or The Ohio State University Institutional Review Board or Office of Responsible Research Practices, or the sponsors supporting the study.

Future Research: Your de-identified information will not be used or shared for future research..

Participant Rights: You may refuse to participate in this study without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. If you are a student or employee at Ohio State, your decision will not affect your grades or employment status.

If you choose to participate in the study, you may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits. You will still have access to all resources available to Power of Home participants, including the affordable home repair loan and local resource guide. If you choose not to participate in the study, you will still have access to all resources available to Power of Home participants, including the affordable home repair loan and local resource guide. By agreeing to participate, you do not give up any personal legal rights you may have as a participant in this study

An Institutional Review Board responsible for human subjects research at The Ohio State University reviewed this research project and found it to be acceptable, according to applicable state and federal regulations and University policies designed to protect the rights and welfare of participants in research.

Contacts and Questions: For questions, concerns, or complaints about the study, or you feel you have been harmed as a result of study participation, you may contact Stephanie Moulton at 614-247-8161, moulton.23@osu.edu, or at 1810 College Road, 310U Page Hall, Columbus, OH 43210.

For questions about your rights as a participant in this study or to discuss other study-related concerns or complaints with someone who is not part of the research team, you may contact the Office of Responsible Research Practices at 1-800-678-6251 or hsconcerns@osu.edu.

Providing Consent: I have read (or someone has read to me) this page and I am aware that lam being asked to participate in a research study.  I have had the opportunity to ask questions and have had them answered to my satisfaction. I voluntarily agree to participate in this study. I am not giving up any legal rights by agreeing to participate

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