Radon on Nextdoor

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Background Information

The Colorado Radon Program administers the Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance (LIRMA) program to reduce household radon exposure to low-income homeowners. The program has slowly grown since it started taking applications in 2018, but most applications come from the Denver Metro area or other urban settings. In Spring 2021, the Radon Program launched a targeted outreach campaign on the NextDoor app, a social media platform that creates online communities for neighborhoods and cities. Governmental organizations can target messages to key communities for the public good. Information about LIRMA and free radon test kits were shared through the platform via two ad campaigns. The campaigns focused on zip codes that were more likely to qualify for the LIRMA program. 

What was CO Tracking’s role?

The Colorado Tracking program identified target communities for the NextDoor ad campaign. Tracking evaluated American Community Survey data to identify census tracts that had a higher proportion of residents that would qualify for the LIRMA program. The target census tracts were then extrapolated to zip codes for use in the NextDoor app's targeted outreach. 

What product or output came from CO Tracking’s role?

List of zip codes with a higher likelihood of LIRMA-qualified residents for use in NextDoor ad campaign. 

What was the outcome of this action or decision? 

AlphaEnergy, the partner laboratory for CDPHE's free radon test kits, distributed 108 test kits through the link on the NextDoor ad campaign. Approximately 80% of these test kits went to the targeted zip codes. Six out of the eight targeted zip codes received free test kits through the campaign, with larger increases among urban zip codes. Two of the four rural zip codes received free radon test kits for the first time in three years as a result of the advertising on NextDoor. About 50% of the test kits were sent back and analyzed. The LIRMA program received at least one application as a result of the NextDoor ad campaign; however, this application was not completed due to a lack of documentation after multiple follow-up attempts. 

Quantify the impact or the resulting action

Targeted outreach on NextDoor expanded access to free radon test kits in 6 out of 8 targeted zip codes, with a larger increase in urban areas. The outreach campaign resulted in at least one additional application to the LIRMA program.