The City of Vista's 1995 Consolidated Plan, prepared in coordination with the County of San Diego, constitutes a strategic vision and community development in the city. This document summarized the plan so that the citizens in the community can have a quick overview of Vista's housing and community development problems; the 5-year broad goals, strategies, and actions proposed to deal with those problems; and specific projects for carrying out this strategy during 1995.

Action Plan

The Consolidated Plan also includes an action plan that takes into consideration an application for funds under three different HUD formula programs totalling $2,239,000: the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) - $1,226,000; the annual Redevelopment 20% Set-Aside for Housing - $800,000: and HOME Investments Partnership Program - $213,000..

Citizen Participation

The community has developed a citizen participation plan with standards that provide for the involvement of concerned citizens, open and free access, adequate and timely information, submission of views and proposals for continued citizen participation throughout the program. Three public meeting regarding the City of Vista's Consolidated Plan/Annual CDBG submittal were held. All were advertised in the local newspaper.

Copies of the plan are available in the City of Vista Community Development offices and at libraries, community centers, schools, or any public place accessible to low and moderate income persons affected by the plan.

Located in the northwestern portion of San Diego county, Vista is a city comprising 17.6 square miles and has a population of 71,872 persons. The largest minority concentration is Hispanic, representing some 17,804 persons or 24.8% of the population, followed by 3,201 Afro-Americans or 4.5%, 2,853 Asian or Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) or 4.0. Other (non- Hispanic) minorities accounting for 7,846 persons or 11.% of the population. In 1992, 11.7% of Vista's households were below the poverty level of $14,350 per year. Vista's median family income for 1994 was $31,850, significantly lower than the San Diego MSA 1995 Median Family Income of $45,400.

Vista is one of four cities in San Diego County that gained jobs since 1990, rising in employment from 20,847 to 22,483, a 3.8% gain.

Conditions

The city has 25,371 occupied housing units, of which 13,669 are owner-occupied and 11,702 are renter occupied. Low income households represent fifty-three percent of the renter households or 6,216 units. According to the 1990 census, 18.6% of these units are overcrowded. Of the total housing stock either occupied or available for rent or sale, 2,025 need rehabilitation and 215 are not suitable for rehabilitation.

There are 15 mobilehome rental parks in Vista, four tenant-owned parks and one City- owned park. In the past two years, The City has assisted two tenant groups in the purchase of their parks and other residents in rental parks have expressed interest in buying to keep their rents stable.

Housing Market Conditions

Median sales price for new housing is $183,000 and for resale $175,000. The California Association of Realtors estimates that only 21% of all households in the San Diego region could afford to purchase a median priced home, thus emphasizing the need for more subsidized housing programs.

The market and housing stock inventory reflects that Vista has 873 renter occupied units, 1,022 owner occupied and 95 vacant units needing rehabilitation. The City contracts with the County for the housing rehabilitation program and has designated $150,000 in redevelopment funds for the last three years and plans to commit additional Redevelopment 20% Set-Aside funds. Currently, there are within Vista 96 occupied rental units, 111 owner occupied, 4 vacant and 4 for-sale units not suitable for rehabilitation.

Affordable Housing Needs

Approximately 500 households are on the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program waiting lists to be eligible to participate in a Housing Authority self-sufficiency program.

The renter affordability gap, as defined by those low-income renter households experiencing a cost burden or severe cost burden and the large number of households on the Section 8 rental/voucher program, shows a need for programs providing affordable rents and rental assistance. Fifty-three percent of the renter households (6,216) in the City of Vista are low income and of this total, 4,202 households are very low income.

Homeless Needs

Approximately 295 homeless persons reside in the community, of which 260 are unsheltered. In addition 50 homeless families live in Vista. The city in conjunction with other municipalities and the County of San Diego have begun a series of meeting to find a site and funding for a regional homeless shelter.

Fair Housing

The city contracts with Heartland Human Relations for its air housing program. The agency, which reports quarterly to the city, has performed education seminars for realtors and landlords, conducted periodic testing, assists complainants, and works with lenders.

Vision for Change

The purpose of the strategic plan is to bring needs and resources together in a coordinated housing and community development strategy.

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

CDBG and other private and public funds will be leveraged to underwrite the housing and community development objectives of the five year strategy. Objectives include improvements and modifications to provide access for public facilities, services, or housing for low-income persons. These objectives include neighborhood revitalization, a winter homeless shelter, modifications to city facilities for the handicapped, rehabilitation of residential property for low/moderate-income housing, rental assistance for very low-income families, and housing for persons with AIDS.

Housing objectives include assisting very low-,very low- and low-income renters of all family categories to address housing problems, including housing cost burden. Some of the projects to be undertaken to help renters are:

1. Involvement in a consortium consisting of the County of San Diego and the Cities of Encinitas and Santee to receive an entitlement amount of HOME funds for a tenant-based rental subsidy program.
2. Maintain affordable rents for low-income families in the City-owned Sycamore Creek Mobile Home Park.
3. Development of a 68-unit North County Housing Foundation project with aid from the Redevelopment 20% low-income housing fund.
4. Continue to contract with the County of San Diego Housing Authority to administer the Section 8 Certificate/voucher program.
5. Development of a senior citizen housing project through the use of 20% set-aside funds and private investment.

The following activities will address the needs of owners with incomes 31-80% of the median:

1. Continue to contract with the County of San Diego Housing Authority for a residential rehabilitation program.
2. The City has joined a consortium comprised of the County and several cities to administer Mortgage Credit Certificates to provide qualified first-time home buyers with a credit worth 20%of the annual interest paid on their home mortgage.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

Implementation of the strategic plan requires a close working relationship with other governmental and private agencies such as the County of San Diego, the cities of Santee and Encinitas, and the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program. In addition, the City will rely on partnerships with nonprofit housing developers and service providers. The service providers will provide input on whether the program is successfully meeting identified needs or the special needs of the populations they serve. Also, the City will work with for-profit developers and nonprofit organizations to provide affordable housing.

Description of Key Projects

A total of 29 projects have been identified under the 1995 Annual Action Funding Plan. As it is not possible to address all the needs of the low-income and special needs of Vista's population for housing and services, the following activities priority needs are the focus of resources for the 1995/96 CDBG program:

• Vista Townsite Park Completion--continue development of a 4.5 acre park in an area of high concentration of low-income, minority residents;

• ADA modifications for city facilities--provide federally mandated handicap access to all municipal facilities;

• Cedar Road Project--assistance to market 68 affordable rental units; Neighborhood revitalization in designated low income areas--needs that may be addressed are sidewalks, drainage systems, street improvements and other infrastructure projects;

• Neighborhood revitalization in HUD-Designated low income areas; and

• Continued funding of social service groups addressing aged, youth, health and other needs of the very low income residents.

Maps

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, minority concentration levels, and proposed HUD funded projects; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).