The City of Conway, Arkansas is the county seat of Faulkner County. It is approximately 30 miles north of Little Rock, the centrally located capital of the state. Conway is an educational center with three colleges and public and private elementary and secondary schools which are recognized for their excellence. Conway's proximity to Little Rock, location on the Arkansas River, on the Union Pacific Railroad and on Interstate 40 at the intersection with several other highways, and a thriving industrial sector help fuel the rapid growth of the city evidenced by the many new businesses, homes, apartments and duplexes.
The City of Conway Consolidated Plan offers a plan for providing a solid framework upon which future housing and community development may grow and prosper. It includes a One- Year Action Plan for spending approximately $350,000 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds on the upgrading of streets and drainage to improve low to moderate income neighborhood infrastructure.
Two public hearings were held to gain public input prior to final
development of the Consolidated Plan. One was held in City Hall and the other
was held in a church in a low to moderate income neighborhood. Significant
efforts were made to publicize the meetings and encourage interested individuals
to attend. After development of the plan, another public hearing was held to
present the plan and copies of the plan were made available to citizens for 30
days for public review and comment.
According to the 1990 census, the City of Conway had a population of 26,481,
an increase of approximately 30% over the 1980 population. Estimates early in
1994 indicated a further growth to a population of about 33,000. Due to the
presence of the colleges and the healthy economy of the area, this population
has a higher education level and income than is the norm in Arkansas.
This rapidly growing population has spurred the construction of many new dwelling units over that period of time. Unfortunately, the pressure of growth has pushed the cost of dwelling units up and made it more difficult to construct affordable housing. The renovation of streets and drainage in older parts of town and changes in the Zoning Ordinance are resulting in the construction of more affordable housing.
The primary need is for lower cost housing as the average construction cost in Conway for a new house has, in recent years, surpassed $100,000. This is a function of land cost and the increasing size of the average new home being built.
The City of Conway had 10,139 housing units in 1990. Of these, 5,196 were owner units and 4,185 were renter units. The homeowner vacancy rate in Conway was 1.9%. The rental vacancy rate was 8.3%. The figures from the 1990 census for rental vacancy rate are thought to be inflated as the census was taken during the spring break for the three colleges and many units appear to have been counted as vacant, when in fact, the students living in those units were away for the break.
According to the 1990 census, only 87 owner occupied and 116 renter occupied household units in Conway were substandard. According to information gathered by the Community Action Program of Central Arkansas, the number of substandard units is much higher than the number shown by the census.
The overwhelming majority of the new housing built in the last few years in Conway is beyond the price range of the lower-income households. The great demand for rental units has increased the cost of those units. Fortunately, many rental units continue to be built, helping to somewhat limit the increase.
Information on cost burdened households in the 1990 census (those paying more than 30% of their gross monthly income for housing costs) indicates that Conway had 1,681 households that were cost burdened and 1,144 households that were severely cost burdened (paying more than 50% of their income for housing costs).
Bethlehem House, in Conway, has the capacity to house a maximum of three families who are homeless. In 1993, they received 155 requests for shelter from families representing 529 individuals. Of those requests, 14 families with 42 individuals were housed. In 1993, there were also 342 individuals not in families who requested shelter. Of that number, 57 were housed and 285 could not be accommodated.
Community Action Program of Central Arkansas (CAPCA) has an average of 31 referrals per week of individuals and families with the threat of eviction and in need of assistance to prevent them from becoming homeless.
The City of Conway's Housing Authority (the Housing Authority) has 154 public housing units. Of these, 74 are for families and 80 are for the elderly. Private landlords are involved in housing in Conway through the use of 158 certificates and of 54 vouchers. Tenant based assistance is available for 100 families through the HOME program.
As of November 9, 1993, the Housing Authority had 416 applications on their waiting list for public housing and Section 8 housing. The total number of elderly households in need of supportive housing is 452.
Haven House has the capacity to house eight abused children with plans to house three more. They have 17 households with abused children in need of supportive housing.
Counseling Associates offers eight beds for the mentally ill and has recently completed a 20 unit apartment complex for the mentally ill. They have two applicants with severe mental illness in need of supportive housing.
No capacity exists to assist abused women, but a new organization has formed to fulfill this need.
Autumn Manor, a HUD subsidized low-rent housing project for elderly, disabled and handicapped individuals has all of its 41 units full.
Independent Living Services, Inc. provides residential and in home support services to people with developmental disabilities. They own or operate an 18 unit apartment complex and three group homes with a total of 28 units and manage a 10 bed intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded. Their current waiting list is 31 people.
In consultation with the Department of Human Services, it is estimated that there are 682 physically disabled households in need of supportive housing.
Community Services has eight applicants with alcohol and/or drug addiction in need of supportive housing.
Fort Smith Fights AIDS has identified eight applicants with AIDS and related diseases in need of supportive housing.
The City of Conway has carefully examined its public policies and those of other impacting entities to determine if any of them are negatively affecting the cost of housing or the incentives to develop, maintain or improve affordable housing. It has been found that none of these public policies are having a negative effect.
The City of Conway certifies that it will complete an analysis of the impediments to fair housing choice.
Based on information furnished by the Housing Authority, it is estimated that the City of Conway has 25 housing units which are occupied by low-, very low- and extremely low- income residents that contain lead-based paint hazards as defined in section 1004 of Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992.
No other issues have been identified.
The City of Conway has identified a high priority non-housing community development need for improvement of streets and drainage facilities in low to moderate income areas in Conway.
Conway will continue efforts to improve communication and communication
systems with public and assisted housing providers; private, governmental,
health and service agencies and by taking whatever actions are deemed necessary.
All very low- and extremely low income renters and homeowners and low income homeowners with cost burdens greater than 30% or 50% have been given a medium priority due to need. Other low income households have been given a low priority due to their higher income level, which allows more opportunity for purchase of homes through their own resources.
The older parts of Conway are primarily low lying lands which are poorly drained. Over time, one of the problems most articulated by the citizenry has been that of inadequate drainage. This has led to related problems caused by high ground water. These include health problems, accelerated deterioration of houses which are in too close contact with the ground and problems with construction and maintenance of the roads serving these neighborhoods. The identified high priority need is to provide adequate drainage and streets in low to moderate income neighborhoods. This will provide the physical framework on which long lived neighborhoods may be built.
Conway is currently pursuing a strategy of providing new jobs as an anti-poverty measure. The continuing growth of the city and of industry and commerce indicate success in creating jobs. Unemployment continues to be high, apparently as a result of the immigration of people attracted by the growth and seeking jobs.
The primary Federal resources to be utilized are funds provided by three HUD programs. These include CDBG, HOME and Emergency Shelter Grant funds. Other sources of public resources include those of the City of Conway, the Housing Authority, Community Action Program for Central Arkansas, Community Services, the Faulkner County Area Agency on Aging and the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.
Private resources will be utilized through the efforts of Bethlehem House, Haven House, Autumn Manor, Counseling Associates and Independent Living. All these organizations are partially dependent upon private fund raising and other resources of the private sector.
Conway will continue efforts to improve communication and communication
systems with public and assisted housing providers; private, governmental,
health and service agencies and by taking whatever actions are deemed necessary.
In order to provide a better environment for affordable housing and for reasons already described in the section on Priority Non-Housing Community Development Priorities, Conway will use its CDBG grant in 1995 to improve infrastructure in the eligible areas in the city through improvements of streets and drainage.
All the 1995 projects are located in low to moderate income neighborhoods and involve streets and/or drainage which serve that neighborhood, rather than through streets.
The City Engineer at the City Street Department and the Finance Department of the City of Conway will be the lead agencies in the CDBG projects.
Goals for the first year include renovating streets and drainage in low to moderate income neighborhoods to provide the necessary physical infrastructure upon which healthy, stable neighborhoods may be built; providing housing assistance and renovation of housing through the HOME program and providing assistance to the homeless through the ESG program.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest and unemployment levels.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects.
Mr. Perry Faulkner
Program Coordinator
1201 Oak Street
Conway, AR 72032
PH: (501) 450-6110
Fax: (501) 450-6109
