The Decatur Consolidated Plan meets the Federal statutory goals and establishes a unified vision for community development actions. The Plan affords the City the opportunity to shape the CDBG program into an effective, coordinated neighborhood and community development strategy. The Action Plan covers activities to be undertaken during a one year period with funds expected to be available under the CDBG grant program. The City expects to utilize funds totaling $608,000 which includes the grant and program income. The Plan includes summary lists of housing and non-housing projects and programs. Included in the one year plan are descriptions of specific activities to address Housing Rehabilitation, Code Enforcement, Public Services, Public Facilities and Improvements, and Homeownership opportunities.
The City of Decatur organized a Task Force, the Consolidated Planning
Advisory Committee, to encourage public participation in the planning process
for the Consolidated Plan. The meetings were well attended with a good number of
verbal and written comments for in-put for the Plan. The two public hearings
were held after being properly advertised and allowing the required 30 day
period for public review and comment.
Decatur is a medium sized city with a Mayor/Council form of government. The
City's population is 50,000 with 16% minority. The City has a diversified
industrial base. Approximately 35% of the population is low or very low income
with the 1990 medium family income being $31,959 and unemployment at 6.8% and
with 9.6% living below the poverty level. The City has two large General
Hospitals.. The educational system is excellent with a small community college
in the county.
Employment in Decatur is heavily concentrated in the manufacturing sector which accounts for 36% of employment in 1990. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is below the state and national rate. Income levels in Decatur are high with only 9.6% of families living below the poverty level. Per capita income is $13,809 which is 7.5% higher than the state per capita income.
The most critical housing need in the City of Decatur is the lack of affordable low cost housing units, particularly new single family units. Affordable housing is readily available for families with incomes above 50% of median income but families below 50% of median income will have a difficult time finding affordable housing without considering subsidized housing.
The general market in Decatur today in new construction is single family homes in the $80,000 and up price range. The used housing market had 673 residential listings in July 1993. The City has a total year round housing stock of 20,648 units. Of the total units, 19,152 (93%) are occupied, and 1,496 (7%) are vacant. Of the total occupied units 62% are owner occupied and 38% are renter occupied. A critical housing problem to be addressed is the heavy concentration of substandard housing in census tracts 5 and 6 which are predominately minority and low income households.
The unsupplied market of affordable housing for low income families is not being met by current developers and builders due to cost of land and low profit margins. It would appear that this unsupplied market will have to be met by a non-profit housing developer, or a for- profit that can develop their own lots.
The 1990 census showed a total of 9 sheltered homeless individuals, 18 years and older. This count will of course vary from time to time but the City of Decatur at this time does not have a significant homeless problem. The Salvation Army and the Tennessee Valley Outreach Rescue Mission are the principal providers of services to the homeless and they are handicapped with inadequate facilities.There is a need for additional facilities and services such as family counseling, job training, education, rent payment assistance and alcohol and drug counseling.
The total number of Public Housing units in Decatur by unit size are as follows:
| Bedroom Size: | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total | |
| Number of units | 59 | 276 | 245 | 151 | 46 | 8 | 785 |
The total number of vacant units at this time is 25, which is due to turnover. Current residents have had their units modified to suit their individual needs. Ramps have been added and smoke detectors added where necessary.
Through CIAP and/or Comprehensive Grant Program funds, the Housing Authority is creating accessible units in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, that is, five per cent of the rehabilitated units will be accessible for persons with mobility impairments, with an additional two percent designed for vision or hearing impaired persons
There are no unused tenant rental certificates or vouchers other than temporary situations caused by turnover. The maximum number of units vacant at any one time would be less than two percent. The Section 8 Program in Decatur consists of 321 Existing Units, 100 Voucher Units, and 48 Moderate Rehabilitated Apartments, for a total of 469 units.
In addition to units managed by the Housing Authority, the city also has low income family units available at Stonegate Village, Dogwood, Lakeview, Albany Landing Alta Vista Manor, and Dover Glen. These units normally stay fully occupied and maintain waiting lists for potential residents. Additional units are also available at Wesley Acres and Presbyterian Towers which specifically house elderly and disabled persons. Efforts are made to coordinate addressing the special needs for supportive housing for the elderly, frail elderly, persons with mental, physical, or developmental disabilities, persons with AIDS, and others.
The City of Decatur has studied it's tax policies, land use controls, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes, building fees and found that these practices did not pose significant barriers to affordable housing development, however, the City of Decatur Building Director's current policy of requiring any house that is found to be substandard under the Standard Unsafe Building Abatement Code to be brought into total compliance with the Southern Standard Building Code causes an undue expense to the property owner. The Standard Codes, as adopted by the City of Decatur, requires that only those systems and components that have failed should be required to meet the Standard Building Code. The current practice is that all systems are now required to meet the Standard Building Code. This means that the property owner is required to spend large sums of money to repair systems that are performing adequately.
On December 10, 1990, the City Council of the City of Decatur adopted Ordinance No. 90- 2962, now known as Section 16-22 of the Code of Decatur, also known as the Fair Housing Ordinance. The ordinance describes unfair housing practices, addresses out of town brokers, defines broker, sets violation punishments, sets forth a complaint process and establishes enforcement responsibility.
Since the adoption of the Fair Housing Ordinance there has been only one complaint filed with the City of Decatur. That complaint was investigated and a ruling of "no grounds for violation of Decatur's Fair Housing Ordinance" was filed.
Because there is no indication of unfair housing practices in the City of Decatur, the City has elected not to develop an analysis of impediments to fair housing. The City has elected to meet its affirmatively furthering fair housing obligations by taking actions, as described above, that further the policies of the Fair Housing Act and assure non-discrimination in housing transactions.
According to the 1990 U.S. Census there is an estimated 6,944 housing units in the City of Decatur that contain lead based paint, and that are occupied by low and very low income families. These units constitute 34% of the City's housing stock.
In 1994 the Morgan County Department of Human Resources stated that their agency "has not worked with any cases regarding lead poison". The Tri-County District Health Service currently reports only 9 active children cases with a 10 or higher BLL. This number is not alarming for a City the size of Decatur. In fact, none of these cases were severe enough (25BLL) to send to a hematologist. The Health Department does investigate such cases.
The Decatur Housing Authority has completed testing of it's properties and has started an abatement program.
Public Facilities Needs are primarily in the improvement of parks and
recreation facilities. Infrastructure Improvements needed include Solid Waste
Disposal, Flood Drainage, Street Improvements, and Sidewalk Improvements. Public
Service Needs include Senior Services, Handicapped Services, Youth Services,
Transportation, Substance Abuse, Employment Training, and Child Care Services.
The City sets aside the maximum allowable (15%) of it's CDBG Entitlement for
public services.
To accomplish HUD's overall goals of providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities the City of Decatur will work through a collaborative process to establish a unified vision of community development actions. The Consolidated Plan offers the City the opportunity to shape the CDBG program into an effective, coordinated, neighborhood and community development strategy. It also creates the opportunity for strategic planning and citizen participation to take place in a comprehensive context.
Evaluating the housing needs of the homeless and persons with special needs is a special consideration. Answering the housing problems of an aging housing stock and the needs of low and very low income families is a priority. Two areas of the City designated as Redevelopment Areas will receive special attention to remove substandard and dilapidated structures and provide rehabilitation and rental assistance. Every effort will be made to achieve the overall goal of affordable housing for low income families, the elderly, and the disabled. Attendant with the housing effort will be projects for low income neighborhood infrastructure improvements like drainage, streets and sidewalks.
Affordable Housing - This will include increasing the supply of affordable housing and reducing housing costs burdens for low income households, improving the living environments of lower income residents, assisting public housing residents to become more self-sufficient, increasing housing choice for low income and minority residents, and addressing the unique needs of large families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Homeless - This will include providing adequate emergency shelter, ensuring transitional and permanent housing alternatives for homeless persons, creating supportive services for homeless persons not capable of independent living, and providing support networks and services to persons at risk of homelessness.
Non-Homeless Persons With Special Needs - Providing supportive housing or housing linked to supportive services for the frail elderly, persons with HIV/AIDS, and other persons with special needs.
Priorities for non-housing community development needs include:
The City of Decatur, in concert with a host of local, State and Federal agencies and organizations, is now embarking on a new endeavor; the development of the West Moulton Area Revitalization Plan. This area has the greatest crime rate, the greatest number of drug related activities, vacant houses, substandard houses, and the greatest percentage of rental houses, of any area in the City of Decatur. Property values in the area are at an all time low, and practically non-existent. No one is interested in investing in the area. The area is in total distress.
The development of a plan for the complete revitalization of this area and the people that live in the area is just starting. A needs survey of the area is underway. an analysis of the survey will lay the foundation for the planning effort. The plan will address everything from the ground up including: infrastructure, housing conditions, under employment and unemployment, crime, youth, elderly, education, health needs, and drug related activities.
Federal
Non-Federal Public: local housing program called H.O.M.E. makes use of city owned property.
Private Resources: For-Profit (local Banks) Non-Profit - Decatur Housing Development Corporation, Habitat For Humanity, and Community Action Agency of North Central Alabama.
Coordination is done on a project by project basis. One project requires
coordination between different agencies than another project would. Involved
will be social service providers, organized community groups, non-profits. and
various neighborhood organizations
The City of Decatur One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of approximately $600,000 in CDBG funds. These funds will be spent primarily for housing and community development activities, including:
Most of the projects in the One-Year Action Plan are dedicated to targeted residential areas. Housing rehabilitation, code enforcement, and the homeownership projects are implemented in scattered sites throughout the target areas. The drainage project meets a critical need in the NW area of the city. Youth services activities are implemented city-wide.
Decatur's housing goals for the first year include rehabilitation of owner occupied substandard housing (at least 10 units), code enforcement in response to complaints, clearance of substandard lots and structures as needed, continuation of the Vine Street Redevelopment Project, which is an acquisition and relocation activity, homeownership assistance for at least 3 eligible families.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
Mr. Gary Voketz
Director of Community Development Division
205-351-7754
