The City of Rogers, historically known for its "quality of life" is located in the picturesque Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas. It is the Corporate home to three Fortune - 100 companies and counts tourism as one of its major industries. Its political structure is a Mayor-Council form of government.
The Consolidated Plan for the City of Rogers is an attempt to bring resources and need together in a coordinated housing and community development work plan. It's Action Plan features ma self-liquidating lease/purchase housing program and certain public improvements valued at $262,000 to serve principally elderly and low income needs.
Two public hearings were held following notice in the local newspaper.
Additionally, public comment was sought following completion of the draft
Consolidated Plan.
The City of Rogers, formally a retirement center and tourism destination,
is now the most economic vibrant community within a MSA recently deemed the 8th
fastest growing area of the country by the Bureau of Census. Present population
is estimated at 32,000 plus approximately 5000 newly arrived Hispanics in
pursuit of our near zero unemployment rate. Family median income is $33,000.
The high growth profile, above, has brought about accelerated multi-family development, high rents, over utilized infrastructure, finite developable land/ premium priced, et.al. At the same time, private developers are concentrating on the high end market -- to the exclusion of affordable housing. Likewise, the quasi-governmental Water and Sewer Commission is thought to be eight years behind the growth curve.
The Consolidated Plan identifies the chief housing need as single-family accommodations for the fastest growing segment of our population -- the minimum wage-earning family. Such identification echoes the findings of Vision 2015, a 1994-1995 community-wide goals study which expressed a preference for single-family housing as opposed to multi- family by finding "a strong correlation between the health and utility of our city and the strength and pride of home ownership."
1990 Census data indicated the 24,690 citizens of Rogers were housed in 9,734 dwellings of which 1/3 were rental units. Subsequent and sudden immigration including approximately 5,000 undocumented Hispanics has placed great strain on available stock.
The result of the above has been premium land prices, proliferation of multi-family construction (due chiefly to finite developable land), overcrowding, high rental rates and move-in deposits, etc. Surprisingly, and according to Vision 2015, the private developer/builder has abandoned the "affordable" single-family market segment "because of lack of profitability" in favor of the high-end market.
The Consolidated Plan identified the greatest challenge to be transitional housing. The typical situation is the single male seeking our large/active jobs market. Once employed, he pursues permanent and traditional housing. Presently, the City's chief homeless provider has an 18-bed capacity. Augmentation is by similar private facilities in abutting communities.
Public housing service is provided on a county wide basis by the Siloam Springs Housing Authority. It has identified approximately 35 Rogers families who qualify for Section 8. However, it has had little success in surfacing owners of rental property willing to participate in the program.
Known previously as a retirement center, it comes as no surprise that elderly housing is a need. The City has dealt with the problem.
Studies have disclosed no organizational impediments to the development of affordable housing. The culprit is land cost in this high growth environment. Please note that City efforts to fill the market void (see IV, following) caused by abdication of the private sector (see Affordable Housing Needs, above, and Vision 2015, page 32, which is a part of the Consolidated Plan) due to "unprofitability" has been met with defiance by those same builders.
The City is presently preparing an analysis of impediments to fair housing choice.
Pre - 1978 constructed homes number approximately 2,810 units. It is the "best guess" of the City's Inspection Services that approximately 25% have some lead-based paint hazard. Further, that 75% are occupied by low, very low, and extremely low income residents. As the reconstructed Inspection Department becomes active we shall start to isolate.
Citywide basic service needs are believed to be 8 years behind the growth
curve. Infrastructure suffers from capacity problems and deferred maintenance.
Reinvestment in low income areas is economically infeasible due to policies,
particularly on the part of the independent Water Utility, geared toward new
development; ie, infrastructure put in place by the Developer and dedicated for
public maintenance.
Growth has been significant and sudden. Predictably, the chief challenge is the provision of affordable housing. Community development objectives center on relieving overburdened facilities and the elimination of low income residential conditions that are economic and health detriments.
The City anticipates increasing the supply of affordable housing by actual construction of affordable units (please recall market abdication by private sector) and use of a lease/purchase acquisition tool ( census data indicated a large portion of our citizens falling below FMI could, however, amortize reasonable debt. The suspected impediment, down payment, was confirmed by a statistical survey) See methodology at Action Plan.
Homeless assistance capabilities are being increased from 18 to 70 and funded by private donations. Such expansion is being made possible by the City's participation in a wastewater collection system serving the above facility. (see non-housing priorities below)
Wastewater collection system serves 47 low/moderate residents plus Souls Harbor Homeless Shelter. See discussion at Key Projects.
Transportation for Elderly, Disabled, and low income residents service is demand response type. First year ridership was 38,151.
Public Improvements:
The City of Rogers is a 2nd year Entitlement City receiving approximately
$260,000 annually. Obviously, to significantly impact its goals, leverage is an
important tool.
The key housing projects our lease/purchase program. Funding is a locally placed self- liquidating bond issue. Initially, City will construct 55 locally designed/built homes and lease to a bank qualified applicant at market rate. The lease amount will service the locally placed issue, above, and provide a "Down payment Reserve." In approximately two years, accumulated funds in the Reserve will be sufficient to permit mortgage financing. The proceeds from the leasee's mortgage will "liquidate" his/her draw on the bond issue.
A key Community Development project is the 2nd Street Wastewater Collection project. The City's $106,000 investment is leveraging a $177,000 participation by the reluctant quasi-governmental Water and Sewer Commission and thus lifting a Health Department imposed building monitorium.; The beneficiaries are 47 low to moderate property owners. The Health benefits are unquantifiable, but immense. Also, the route, dictated by a gravity system, will open approximately 400 building sites for this land restricted /high growth area. Further, this system will serve Souls Harbor, a private homeless shelter, this permitting funded expansion improvements.
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.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
