Covering 7 square miles, Baldwin Park, California, is located in San Gabriel Valley in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Historically, the city has been a bedroom community for working class families and has relied on adjacent communities for goods, services, and jobs. In the late 1970s, Baldwin Park became an active residential community.
For Fiscal Year 1995, the city of Baldwin Park expects to receive $3 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds.
To maximize public input during the development of the Consolidated Plan, the city conducted 11 public hearings at city hall. The January 12, 1995, hearing was specifically scheduled for nonprofit organizations as well as other public and private agencies. The city council also conducted a separate public hearing to determine the needs of the community.
After drafting the plan, Baldwin Park held a 30-day public comment period, advertising the comment period in the San Gabriel Tribune and La Opinion. On May 3, 1995, the city council approved the final Consolidated Plan.
In 1990 the city had a population of 69,330, a 37-percent increase from 1980. Of the total population, 70 percent are Hispanic; 15 percent are white; and 11 percent are Asian American. During the 1980s the housing stock increased by 2 percent per year, while the population increased by nearly 4 percent per year. Furthermore, the average household size grew from 3.5 persons to 4.1 persons, and the Asian-American population nearly tripled.
Baldwin Park's median family income (MFI) is 18 percent less than the Los Angeles County MFI and 9 percent less than the national MFI. Currently, 16 percent of the population live below the poverty level. The city has 5,033 very low-income (0-50 percent of MFI) households. Of these, 61 percent are renters, and nearly 80 percent of the renters are elderly. The city has 3,639 low-income (51-80 percent of MFI) households. Of these, 40 percent are renters. The city has 1,962 moderate-income (81-95 percent of MFI) households. Of these, nearly 70 percent are homeowners, and over 30 percent are renters.
Very low- and low-income renter households need rental assistance. Among very low-income households, the elderly and small families have the greatest cost burdens, paying more than 30 percent of their gross income for housing expenses. Among low-income households, large families (five or more persons) have the highest incidence of housing problems. Because of income limitations on Section 8 rental assistance, only very low-income households are eligible.
In 1990, 40 percent of the city's 17,179 housing units were rental units. The current average rent is $725 per month. Because most rental units have only two bedrooms and the average family size is 4.25 persons, overcrowded conditions may increase. Although an estimated 690 rental units are substandard, 621 are suitable for rehabilitation.
There are 9,988 owner-occupied units in Baldwin Park. The 1990 census reported that the median price of a home was $149,700. However, the current median price is estimated at $132,500. This decrease in price reflects a weak economy. Although an estimated 1,022 owner units are substandard, 910 are suitable for rehabilitation.
A recent survey counted 49 homeless persons in Baldwin Park. Of this figure, 32 persons were members of 8 homeless families, and 38 persons were living in emergency shelters. Lutheran Social Services serves homeless persons at its cold weather and family shelters located in Baldwin Park, while the YWCA serves battered women at its Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) shelter located in the city of Covina. In addition to shelter, these services provide meals, clothing, transportation, and counseling. Baldwin Park partially funds these two organizations through the CDBG program.
In 1987, the Baldwin Park Housing Authority built its first public housing development, Robert H. McNeill Manor, containing 12 one-bedroom units. The community has a long waiting list.
The authority administers Section 8 certificate, voucher, and moderate rehabilitation programs. Section 8 units are scattered throughout four cities, including Baldwin Park. Of the available 658 Section 8 units, 283 are leased in Baldwin Park. Another 286 housing units are subsidized through other programs.
The city's development fees are comparable to fees in other cities throughout the San Gabriel Valley, and manufactured housing is not discouraged. Although the city supports efforts to create affordable housing, insufficient vacant land, high construction costs, and high financing costs can prohibit affordable housing.
In June 1991 the Fair Housing Council of San Gabriel Valley, under the direction of the Baldwin Park Fair Housing Task Force, completed the city's Fair Housing Assessment. The assessment did not find any evidence of fair housing problems. However, the city needs to educate landlords about their responsibilities to tenants.
Baldwin Park has 12,636 units built before 1979, when residential use of lead-based paint was banned. Although nearly 3,618 households are low-income families with children under the age of 6, an unknown number of these families live in housing units built before 1979. Los Angeles County reports that eight cases of lead poisoning were documented in Baldwin Park between 1992 and 1993.
The city's lead-based paint hazards reduction plan includes: monitoring the data on lead-based paint, conducting a study on the feasibility of testing for lead-based paint hazards in housing units purchased through the Low Interest Residential Revolving Loan Program, and disseminating pamphlets to housing authority tenants, the elderly, the physically disabled, and the mass media. The education campaign will be implemented with assistance from the Baldwin Park Housing Authority, the Fair Housing Council of San Gabriel Valley, and the Service Center for Independent Living.
Baldwin Park's special needs populations include: 976 elderly persons, 141 frail elderly persons, 114 persons with severe mental illness, 414 developmentally disabled persons, 332 physically disabled persons, 1,740 persons with alcohol and/or other drug addictions, and 44 persons with HIV/AIDS.
Baldwin Park has established the following objectives:
Baldwin Park has assigned high priority to the following:
The city has assigned medium priority to the following:
Baldwin Park has assigned high priority to the following:
The city has assigned medium priority to the following:
The city is cooperating with the Baldwin Park Housing Authority to develop and implement a Family Self Sufficiency program for public housing residents. In addition, the city funds: the Baldwin Park Community Food Center; the Fair Housing Council of San Gabriel, which provides 1 month of free rent to families threatened with eviction; the YWCA-WINGS program, which assists battered women and their children; low-cost child-care programs; the Baldwin Park Housing Assistance to homeownersAuthority's rental subsidy programs; and the Commercial Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans for new businesses or expansion of existing businesses.
State and Federal resources include: the CDBG Low-Interest Residential Revolving Loan Program, Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Program, the California Community Mortgage Fund, the California Housing Finance Agency's financial packages for the development of affordable housing, Section 202 and 811 programs, Economic Development Administration Title IX Revolving Loan Program, Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program, and the Economic Development Initiative grant.
The city will cooperate with several nonprofit entities. Some of these organizations include: the Fair Housing Council of San Gabriel, the Baldwin Park Community Food Bank, and YWCA-WINGS. The city is also searching for an organization that will assist persons with substance abuse problems and persons with HIV/AIDS. Housing Opportunity for People with AIDS (HOPWA) funds will used to support the organization.
To expand homeownership opportunities, the city will cooperate with the State HOME Program, private lending institutions, and real estate professionals. Other resources vital to achieving this goal include: the Homeownership Opportunity for People Everywhere (HOPE 3) program, the Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods (BEGIN) Program, and Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). Citizen groups, such as the Neighborhood Watch, and other projects, such as the Citizen Academy Program, will be useful during the implementation of the Consolidated Plan.
The CDBG Advisory Committee developed and approved the objectives of the Consolidated Plan. The city will work to foster greater communication with various nonprofit and public organizations, especially those organizations that provide services for persons with substance abuse problems and persons with HIV/AIDS.
The CDBG Advisory Committee will review the Consolidated Plan on a quarterly basis. In addition to overseeing and conducting the CDBG neighborhood-community meetings, the committee also reviews grantee performance reports and advises the city council on CDBG program issues.
Baldwin Park has proposed to allocate funds to 31 projects for its 1995 Consolidated Plan, including:
Because low-income and minority residents are not concentrated in any specific section of the city, most projects are citywide.
Currently, the CDBG Program is administered by the Community Development Department. The Code Enforcement Program is administered through the Building Division. The Baldwin Park Redevelopment Agency and the Baldwin Park Local Development Corporation are administered through the Community Development Department.
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.
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.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within another of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).
