Inflation Adds Burden and Tight Job Market Presents Challenges

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s Community Issues Survey collects information semiannually from direct service providers to monitor economic conditions and identify issues impacting low- and moderate-income (LMI) households in the Fourth District—a region that includes Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia. In March 2022, we surveyed more than 500 service providers who directly serve LMI individuals and communities across our District and received 84 responses (16 percent response rate). The results of this survey, summarized here, provide insights into how organizations and the households they serve are faring as they continue to navigate effects from the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing impact of inflation.