Jefferson County is the largest of 67 counties in the State of Alabama and is located in the North Central part of the state. There is much diversity in business and industry with this area still ranked as the leading industrial center in the southeast. The largest employer in the county is the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB), located in the City of Birmingham, which includes a large Medical Center.
The Jefferson County Consolidated Plan meets the Federal statutory goals for it's community development actions. The Plan affords the County the opportunity to organize 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. The County expects to utilize funds totaling $4,344,000, which includes CDBG $3,219,000, HOME $996,000, and ESG $129,000. 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, Public Facilities, Infrastructure Improvements, Public Services, Handicap Accessibility, and Economic Development.
Jefferson County organized a Task Force for the public participation process
for the Consolidated Plan. It was made up of public/private individuals from
throughout the Consortium. The goal was to identify needs and develop priorities
from the public hearings, neighborhood meetings, Special Needs public hearing,
and comments from the 30 municipalities involved, 4 Public Housing Authorities,
and more than 21 Social Service providers. The meetings were well attended with
a large number of verbal and written comments for in-put for the Plan. The
public hearings were held after being properly advertised and allowing the
required 30 day period for public review and comment.
Jefferson County is a HUD designated Urban County. It is a Consortium of 30 municipalities excluding the cities of Bessemer and Birmingham who are Entitlement cities within the county. It is governed by a five member commission form of government. Along with the 30 municipalities there are 4 Public Housing Authorities, and 21 Social Service providers. Included in the entire county are 3 universities, 2 colleges, 3 Technical Schools, 3 Religious Training Schools, 4 Business Schools, and 276 public schools.
The total population of the Consortium (excluding Birmingham and Bessemer)
is 360,804. The minority population is 40,711 which is 12% of the total. Median
income is $36,300 and there are 43,724 low income households.
Jefferson County is the leading industrial center in the southeast and coupled with the fact that the University of Alabama/Birmingham is the largest single employer helps to keep the unemployment relatively low. Age of housing stock and deterioration of infrastructure determines needs and priorities.
Overcrowding and substandard housing creates a critical need. There are approximately 2,402 rental units within the consortium which are overcrowded. There are 8,626 housing units identified as substandard.
Cost burden is the category with the greatest need and the fewest options for dealing with the needs. Persons who fall within the 0%-30% of median income range do not have adequate resources to find and maintain "safe, sanitary, and decent housing". This lack of resources is responsible for a large percent of the total living in substandard housing conditions. It is a particular problem for minorities, the elderly and those with large families. Programs need to be developed which will enable these populations to upgrade existing housing; to provide additional Section 8 assistance, and to increase the rental options and develop affordable ownership opportunities. The lack of Public Housing is a particular problem which should be addressed.
The 1990 Census shows that 22.55% of all households within the Consortium had an elderly head. This is 30,933 out of a total of 137,184 households. Of the households which fall into this group, 82.92% were owners of the units and constituted 24.98% of all owner- occupied units. The remaining 17.08% were renters, which constitutes 15.48% of all rental units.
The 1990 Census shows that 9.56% of all households in the consortium had a female head. This is 13,108 out of a total of 137,184 households. Of the households which fall into this group, a disproportionate number were minority (non-white). The Census data indicated that about 26% of the consortium families were in the low/lower income category. This translates to the consortium having approximately 35,420 low/lower income households. The data also indicated that 1.4% of all occupied housing units were overcrowded. Vacant units (8,387) comprised 5.77% of all units in 1990.
There is a critical unmet need for affordable housing for low and very low income families and those families that are presently cost burdened. While other factors such as lack of CHDO and CDC infrastructure and lack of community/private involvement serve as impediments, cost is, and will remain, the greatest impediment to affordable housing within the Jefferson County Community Development Consortium.
Jefferson County's Continuum of Care strategy includes the development of partnerships with the City of Birmingham, United Way of Central Alabama, and Metropolitan Birmingham Services for the Homeless (MBSH), which is a coalition of area homeless service providers. These partnerships are proving essential toward the efficient delivery of services to homeless persons in Jefferson County over the next several years. While technically Bessemer and Birmingham as Entitlement cities are not part of the Jefferson County Consortium, the homeless problem transcends geographic boundaries and will be treated as a whole.
A survey of the Jefferson County homeless population was conducted by the University of Alabama/Birmingham Department of Sociology. The number of homeless persons found on the streets and in shelters during the survey totaled over 1400. It was estimated that at least 1225 homeless persons were missed because they were staying in places inaccessible to census takers. Based on those projections, it is expected that at least 2629 persons would be found homeless on any given night in Jefferson County
In Jefferson County there are more than 30 emergency, intermediate, and transitional homeless shelters providing services to over 1000 people on a given day. In addition, over 300 individuals in jails, hospitals, and youth facilities would have no where to go if discharged
There are four Public Housing Authorities within the Jefferson County Consortium area. As of March 1995, there were 950 occupied conventional PHA units and 103 vacant units for a total of 1,062 units. The vacant units are those being rehabilitated as part of a modernization effort or in preparation for new tenants.
All of the PHA's within the Jefferson County Community Development Consortium have been active in efforts to upgrade existing units. These improvements include a wide variety of items, such as lead abatement, accessibility, weatherization and general rehabilitation.
There are 422 Section 8 units in the four PHA's. There are currently estimated to be 3,768 units within Jefferson County which are HUD assisted under the 202 Direct Loan Elderly Program, the 241/221 BMR Supplemental Loan Program, the 221 (D)(3) MKT Rate Loan Program, the (D) 4 Loan Program, and the 236 (J)(1) Program.
Jefferson County has studied their tax policies, land use controls, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, building codes, building fees and charges and found that these practices did not pose significant barriers to affordable housing developments. Jefferson County will continue to work with the institutional structure, including private industry, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions, through which it will carry out the affordable and supportive housing strategy to eliminate gaps and to strengthen, coordinate, and integrate the institutions and delivery systems.
Jefferson County has actively pursued close relationships with private industry, nonprofit organizations, and public institutions. The County currently has contracts with a number of nonprofit housing and homeless providers. There have been efforts to develop comprehensive housing development organizations and CDCs, which will have the capacity to develop affordable housing on an on-going basis in conjunction with public and private lenders.
In order to meet Federal Fair Housing requirements and to provide citizens with housing counseling services, Jefferson County funds the Fair Housing Counseling Office out of the Jefferson County Housing Authority. There is a continuing need for housing counseling for low and moderate income persons, and the following services are currently provided by the Fair Housing Counseling office: Home ownership, Money management, Fair housing, Home management, Delinquency counseling, Equity conversion, Pre-rental occupancy, and information and referral. During the first six month period of 1995, the Housing Counseling office served approximately 400 families. The County will continue to assist in the provision of fair housing counseling for the low and moderate income persons in the Jefferson County Consortium.
Jefferson County estimates that 45,990 housing units within the Community Development Consortium contain lead. This figure was derived by using the 1990 Census Data for Jefferson County. Certain assumptions were used to derive this projection:
The Alabama Department of Health maintained data on the number of children
who have been poisoned by lead based paint as a total of 295 cases for Jefferson
County including the cities of Bessemer and Birmingham. Census data indicates
that areas of higher concentrations tend to be in the areas of a high
concentration of both minority and/or low income persons.
To accomplish HUD's overall goals of providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities , Jefferson County will work through a collaborative process to establish a unified vision of community development actions. The Consolidated Plan offers the County 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. 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, sewers, and sidewalks. Public Facilities improvements will include Senior Centers, Youth Centers, Programs for the Elderly and Handicapped, Child Care Facilities, and general Parks and Recreation Improvements. Public Service activities include Senior Services, Handicapped Services, Youth Activities, Employment Training, and Fair Housing Counseling. Economic Development program will continue to help maintain and create jobs for low and moderate income persons.
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.
Investment in non-housing community development needs in Jefferson County is necessarily geographically dispersed. The Urban County is a large land area with many small pockets of low and moderate income persons, unlike the larger central cities where lower income populations may tend to be concentrated in one area.
Jefferson County seeks to equitably distribute its funds in non-housing community development needs throughout the Jefferson County Consortium. Higher priority is given to projects that not only address the need but that also serve to equitably invest funds geographically.
Jefferson County will undertake to coordinate activities which improve or alter the living situation of persons whose incomes are below the poverty level and/or contribute to the reduction in the number of persons living in poverty. Targeted areas for concentration include:
Public Resources:
Jefferson County anticipates receiving a FY 1995 CDBG Grant of $3,011,000. Program income from loan payback on economic development loans and on housing rehabilitation loans will total $400,000. Total funds expected to be available under the CDBG program are $3,411,000. Jefferson County anticipates receiving $129,000 as an ESG Entitlement and $128,000 competitively through the State of Alabama for a total of $257,000.
Jefferson County anticipates receiving approximately $996,000 in HOME funds for the fiscal year. This figure will be matched by a projected $250,000 in locally generated matching funds for a total of $1,246,000. These funds are proposed for use on a variety of housing programs including the First Time Home Buyers Program, 203K Program and Comprehensive Housing Development Organization (CHDO) funding.
The County will encourage and support the efforts by Consortium PHAs to apply for and receive assistance under the Section 8 Program, Consortium PHAs currently receive 1,636 Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers. This equates to Approximately $5,000,000.
Private Resources:
Local banks have, over the last few years, become interested in making financing available to provide affordable housing to low and lower income households.
Anticipated resources are as follows:
| HOME First Time Home Buyers Program - | $750,000 |
| HOME CHDO Activities - | $150,000 |
| CDBG HomeWorks Program - | $200,000 |
Jefferson County has consulted with adjacent units of local government and area agencies to discuss projects which cross jurisdictional boundaries and to prevent duplication of services and facilities throughout the area, The County works with officials at the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission. The County has also provided input to the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs on existing needs within the County which might be addressed in the State Consolidated Plan.
The County works with the City of Birmingham and the Birmingham Metropolitan Development Board on issues regarding economic development. The County has coordinated infrastructure development, health center planning, and economic development with both the City of Birmingham and the City of Bessemer.
Jefferson County will seek to coordinate and support applications for
funding during the 5 year period of the Consolidated Plan by other entities
under programs for which other entities are eligible applicants.
The Jefferson County One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of funds totaling $4,344,000, which includes CDBG $3,219,000, HOME $996,000, and ESG $129.000. The Plan includes summary lists of housing and non-housing projects and programs as follows:
Housing Programs
Most of the projects in the One-Year Action Plan are dedicated to targeted residential areas. Housing rehabilitation and the homeownership projects are implemented in scattered sites throughout the target areas. The Public Facilities and Public Service activities are county- wide throughout the Consortium area in the interest of being equitable and fair to all the 30 municipalities who are part of the Consortium
Jefferson County's housing goals will include continuing housing rehabilitation program with rehab and deferred loans to low income homeowners. Using the HOME program efforts will be made to encourage homeownership opportunities for low income families and to relieve cost burden as is possible. Housing Counseling will continue to be an integral part of housing programs.
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.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 6 depicts Neighborhood Segments and proposed HUD funded projects.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Jim Fenstermaker, Director
Community Planning and Development
PH: (205) 325-5761
