The City of Hawthorne, California was incorporated in 1922 and is located in Los Angeles County, 12 miles southwest of the City of Los Angeles. The primary employers in the region produce oil and gas and manufacture aircraft.
The Consolidated Plan's FY 95-96 Funding Plan is organized into eight categories. The City's 1995-96 CDBG allocation is $1,750,626 with an additional $344,160 anticipated to be received in program income.
A public meeting was held at the Memorial Center on March 16, 1995 (and
advertised widely), but was not attended by any citizens. To supplement these
efforts, questionnaires were developed and mailed to local service agencies
requesting their recommendations and input on housing and community development
needs. One reply was received. Announcements regarding the Plan were made and
questionnaires were made available during the months of March and April. The
staff received a few responses and no additional questionnaires were received by
the second Public Hearing held on May 22, 1995. In order to expand opportunities
for citizen comment, the City Council conducted two public hearings on the
proposed Plan on May 8th and May 22nd. No resident made a comment on the
proposed Plan.
According to the State Department of Finance (Series E-5), the City's population as of January 1994 was 74,438. The housing supply included a total of 29,460 dwelling units with 8,352 consisting of single-family detached units. This means that 28% of Hawthorne's entire housing is comprised of single family homes.
During the past decade the City added about 14,900 persons to the total
population, a gain of 26.4%. The Hispanic population is largest group in
Hawthorne. The Black population experienced the largest percentage increase
between 1980 and 1990.
Although the problems encountered by the City's population, especially the very low and low income households, are very serious they may be understated due to conditions that have changed since 1990. For example, real income gains have been very low since 1990. In addition, the unemployment rates throughout southern California have been relatively high during most of the past five years. Also some families may no longer be receiving unemployment benefits. These income and economic conditions may have made the overpaying and overcrowding problems encountered by the very low and low income households even worse than they were in 1990.
The City conducted a study of housing demand and found that 66% of the total housing supply is owner occupied. Most of the owner occupied units consist of single family detached homes and mobile homes. There are an estimated 20,000 renter occupied units. But the renter occupied units are not comprised exclusively of multifamily apartment buildings. For example, 34% of all single family homes are renter occupied. This probably is indicative of a high demand for such homes by large renter families.
The definition of substandard is units which do not meet or exceed the Section 8 Existing Housing Quality Standards or local building codes whichever are stricter. Suitable for rehabilitation is defined as having the potential for providing safe, sound, and decent housing, conforming to safe building practices and City zoning regulations after maximum available benefits under the City's housing rehabilitation programs have been used for rehabilitation. The definition of suitable for rehabilitation also includes any substandard unit which can be rehabilitated to a standard condition at a economically feasible cost. According to the City's current Housing Element, there are 855 rental units requiring rehabilitation. Additionally, there are 645 owner units requiring rehabilitation.
The Southern California Association of Governments has not yet prepared projections of housing needs for the coming five years (1994-99) for individual jurisdictions. According to SCAG's projections for the past five-year period, Hawthorne's housing needs suggested a need for 4,977 new housing units.
The increase in renter households will result from new housing that is actually constructed. However, in all cases, the City's new construction in the area of rental housing is intended to alleviate the cost burden of current resident households. In absolute terms, the quantified need of renter households is not anticipated to increase significantly form current levels existing as of April 1995. Moreover, because of the economic conditions in Southern California and changing migration patterns, it is unlikely that the housing demand/need over the coming five years will be on the order of magnitude suggested by SCAG.
Cost burden or overpayment is one of the major housing needs that must be discussed in the Consolidated Plan. This need is estimated on the basis of lower income households that spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Severe cost burdened is defined as 50% or more of income being spent on housing costs.
There are an estimate 8,862 lower income households, both owners and renters that are spending more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Financial assistance to reduce or eliminate overpaying is unavailable for owners. Assistance from the Section 8 program is available for renters.
There are an estimated 8,132 lower income renters that are cost burdened. About one half of the cost burdened households are allocating 30-50% of their income on housing costs and another one-half are paying more than 50% of their income on housing costs. The amount of Section 8 rental assistance available from HUD is insufficient to meet the needs of all cost burdened households.
The Extent of homelessness in Hawthorne is difficult to quantify. The 1990 Census provided counts of the sheltered and unsheltered homeless. According to the Census, there are zero persons in sheltered facilities and one person was found unsheltered (i.e., visible in the street). The present estimate is 20-25 unsheltered persons at a maximum.
The Hawthorne Housing Authority assists 401 families with Section 8 rental assistance certificates and vouchers. Additionally, 478 families are being assisted as portable transfers into Hawthorne, for a total of almost 900 assisted households. The City's project-based housing inventory includes 224 Section 236 assisted apartment units in three projects. Other assisted units are two 75-unit senior housing developments, and another 10 units developed privately under the City's density bonus policy. The City has no inventory of public housing units.
As of April, 1995, there are 789 families on the Section 8 waiting list. Almost all of the families on the waiting list meet federal preference criteria which includes occupants of substandard housing, families paying 50% or more of their income for housing, and involuntary displacement from their homes.
The City's Housing Element contains an analysis of potential and actual government constraints upon the improvement or development of housing for all income levels, including land use controls, building codes and their enforcement, fees and other exactions required of developers and local processing/permit procedures. City ordinances, statues, regulations and administrative procedures are regularly reviewed to determine whether the performance of the Housing and Community Development has made a finding that the City's Housing Elements is in compliance with State Housing Law.
The City has a Fair Housing Program designed to mitigate discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, handicap, gender or creed. To assist the City in providing these services, the City has an agreement with the Fair Housing Foundation of Long Beach. This agency investigates allegations of housing discrimination, educates the public as to their rights under the law, and provides assistance to persons seeking information on rental housing. This program contributes to ensuring that special needs population groups have access to housing opportunities.
The use of lead-based paints was banned in 1978. It has been estimated that 75% of all housing constructed prior to 1978 contain lead-based paint. Furthermore, the older the property, the more likely it has lead-based paint. Lead hazards are most severe in dilapidated older housing and the worse condition of the home, the greater the risk of lead exposure to children. It is estimated that there are about 6,500 very low income housing units that may contain lead-based paint.
There are a variety of community development needs that may be addressed by the use of CDBG funds. The need categories include public facilities; infrastructure improvements, public services; barrier removal to meet accessibility needs; historic preservation; economic development; other community development needs such as energy efficiency improvements; lead based paint/hazards and code enforcement and planning.
One of Hawthorne's most important needs is economic development. New
development in the City results from redevelopment activity and infill
development on scattered vacant lots. Commercial uses are located along major
arterials. Industrial uses exist around the airport and in the southwest corner
of the City. A key element of the economic development needs is to arrest
declining retail sales in the city by providing financial assistance to the
commercial and industrial sector. There is also a need to arrest the decline of
public areas by upgrading infrastructure, commercial rehabilitation, and
maintenance of vital public services.
The Strategic Plan consists of a five-year mid-range plan of action comprised of the following components:
The Section 8 rental assistance program will be applied to alleviate cost burdens experienced by very low and low income renter households. Funding is not available to subsidize the mortgage payments of cost burdened owner households. The City's housing rehabilitation program assists lower income owners and contributes to eliminating substandard and overcrowded conditions. Funding is not available for renter rehabilitation programs.
High priority was selected for all cost burdened renters in the 0-30% and 31-50% median income brackets. This priority reflects that Section 8 rental assistance is available for extremely low and very low income groups. This relative priority is based upon the assumption that the Section 8 rental assistance program (or a successor program) will be continued by HUD the next five years.
Low priority was selected for other (51-80% of median income) renter cost burdened households. The City will not expend funds for this purpose but will support other groups' efforts to address these needs.
Low priority was given to renter households residing in substandard housing because the City has not established a program to address this need. Low priority was given to overcrowded conditions experienced by renters because the City's housing rehabilitation program focuses on owner rehabilitation needs.
Medium priority was assigned to cost burdened owner households in all income groups because the City/Redevelopment Agency is considering implementation of a First-Time Homebuyer Program during the next five years as set-aside funds become available.
High priority was given to owner households living in substandard and overcrowded conditions. The City's homeowner rehabilitation program (funded by CDBG) contributes to meeting these needs.
The City's Strategic Plan includes several community development objectives. The first objective is to improve the following City infrastructure and services for the City's low and moderate income areas: water, sewage, and drainage services; streets and traffic; safety services; and open space and recreational facilities. The second priority is to prevent and/or eradicate the conditions that cause slums and blighted areas. The third priority is to assist in the preservation of existing employment opportunities and encourage the creation of new economic opportunities through revitalization of commercial areas. The fourth priority is to remove architectural barriers to persons with handicaps in public facilities. The fifth priority is to expand the use of conservation methods in public facilities and help educate the public as to the need for conservation and conservation techniques available.
The essential elements of the City's anti-poverty strategy are as follows:
For Fiscal Year 1995-96, the City will receive Community Development Block Grant funds in the amount of $1,750,000 with an $344,160 anticipated to be received in program income. Therefore, a total of $2,094,786 in funds are expected to be available during the program year. Other non-Federal resources which during the Fiscal Year would be applied to meeting housing and community development needs include the resources of the Hawthorne Redevelopment Agency. The City had planned to implement the Federal Home program in FY 94-95 sand 95-96. However, staffing limitations prevent the City from effectively implementing this program. In FY 95-96 the City will evaluate the options available for effectively implementing this program during the following program year.
There are three public agencies that play a significant role in the housing
delivery system in Hawthorne: Hawthorne Community Development Department;
Hawthorne Redevelopment Agency and the Hawthorne Housing Authority. Other
entities involved in the coordination of the Strategic Plan include private
industry such as builders, developers and contractors involved in the production
and rehabilitation of housing and non-profit housing organizations located in
southern California that have the capacity to carry out housing rehabilitation
and development.
The Consolidated Plan's FY 95-96 Funding Plan is organized into eight categories. the City's 1995-96 CDBG allocation is $1,750,626 with an additional $344,160 anticipated to be received in program income, for a total of $2,094,786 in funds expected to be available for the CDBG program.
The Action Plan covers a one-year period from July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996. The principal purpose of the Action Plan is to show how the CDBG funds will be expended during this time period in a way that addresses the City's priorities and local objectives.
The final program funding levels are as follows:
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).
