Incorporated in 1686, the City of Waterbury is the fourth largest City in Connecticut, and is geographically located in the west central portion of the State. It is centrally located between its three larger urban areas (Bridgeport, New Haven & Hartford), and is within two hours from New York City and Boston. Waterbury is the metropolitan center for a thirteen town region referred to as the Central Naugatuck Valley Region (CNVR). The CNVR has a population of approximately 250,000 (Waterbury's population is approximately 109,000).
Waterbury, like many other manufacturing cities and towns throughout the east coast who thrived during the mid 1950s, requires a transition from its heritage of mass production to today's light manufacturing and service orientated economy. The City finds itself struggling to maintain its old housing stock, commercial buildings, and infrastructure which has slowly deteriorated since the post war era. The need for outside funding during this transition period is imperative. As an entitlement community, the City receives a predetermined amount of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds. This year, the City received $2,879,000 in CDBG, $811,000 in HOME and $95,000 in ESG funding. Gratefully, Waterbury accepts this funding, but the City's needs greatly outweighs its resources. As a result, this funding is spread thinly across the board (social services, housing, school & park improvements, road & sidewalk improvements, handicap accessibility, demolition, and economic development) to be used in addressing the severest of conditions. Fortunately, HUD offers a Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program, which allows communities to draw-down funds from HUD with a promise to repay those funds. The City applied for and received a 13 million dollar allocation of Section 108 Loan funds for economic development. It is this funding that the City has been using and will continue to use to make the transition into today's economy by bringing in new businesses and helping its existing businesses to adapt. It is the anticipated revenues from this new economy that will allow the City to move from only addressing the severest of conditions to reviving the entire City.
The lead agency who coordinated and prepared the Consolidated Housing and Community Development Five Year Plan and its Annual Plan was the City of Waterbury, Office of Community Development (CD). A wide variety of information was used by CD in the plan's preparation.
The following is a list of reports which were used as a base: "The City of Waterbury, Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy" (CHAS), the "Community Vision for Waterbury" report, the "Report of the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team of the American Institute of Architects", the "Workforce Development Plan" from the Regional Workforce Development Board, and the "Comprehensive Grant Program" report from the Waterbury Housing Authority.
In addition to the information from these reports, a Consolidated Plan Coalition was created. This coalition of 70 members included social service providers, neighborhood groups, nonprofit housing providers, low income and homeless advocacy groups, public housing tenants, municipal departments and private businesses. Each coalition member prepared a questionnaire prioritizing, in their opinion, the needs of the City. The coalition met on two occasions. The first was to review questionnaire results, and the second to review the Consolidated Plan draft.
Public hearings were held on December 15, 1994 and March 9, 1995. The purpose of the December public hearing was to give citizens the opportunity to comment on the needs of the City. The generalized results of this meeting were included in the Consolidated Plan draft. The March public hearing was held to allow residents to comment on the proposed final draft of the Consolidated Plan.
Finally, the Consolidated Plan was approved by the City of Waterbury's City
Plan Commission, Board of Finance, and Board of Aldermen.
Once the Brass Capitol of the World, Waterbury is home to a diversified manufacturing community. With the largest Enterprise Zone in Connecticut and a market labor force of well over 100,000 people, dominant local industries are engaging in such business activity as the production of electrical fittings, specialty chemicals, electronics, parts and assembly, plastic parts molding, screw and fastener production, metal hose manufacturing, protective coatings and metal plating, apparel, paper products, publishing, eyelet machine products, screw machine products, and cosmetic container production and finishing. Banking, Medical Services and Government are the top employers. Additionally, the region has experienced significant growth in the service, finance, insurance, and real estate industries.
Waterbury has approximately 902 acres of municipal parks and two 18-hole golf courses. Its Municipal Stadium accommodates 8,000 fans. The Waterbury Symphony, Ballet, Chorale, Civic Theater, and Opera are examples of the many organizations and guilds representing the arts in Waterbury. The Mattatuck Museum is the only museum that focuses on Connecticut's artistic heritage and local history. It features three centuries of displays, artistic works from John Trumbull and Alexander Calder, and active programs for the public.
Waterbury's population of approximately 109,000 has a median family income
of $49,100. Forty-Seven percent of the households are low/mod income (with
total household income at or below 80% of median income). The majority of
minority concentration and highest unemployment fall within the City's low/mod
income area.
Waterbury, like many other manufacturing cities and towns throughout the east coast who thrived during the mid 1950s, requires transition from its heritage of mass production to today's light manufacturing and service orientated economy. The City finds itself struggling to maintain its old housing stock, commercial buildings, and infrastructure which has slowly deteriorated since the post war era.
Waterbury's housing stock includes 47,205 units, with 16,484 units built prior to 1939. Census data, local observation, prior community renewal studies and reports on lead based paint hazard all indicate that the oldest housing stock is located in the central areas of the City and is in the greatest need of improvement. The influx of so many new units and then the sharp decline in their pricing negatively impacted the market appeal and rental rates of the older housing. The reduced occupancy and rent levels of these units, subsequently reduces the landlord's ability to maintain them, especially because of their age and inherent high maintenance. In the worst cases, these older triple-deckers and six-plexes are becoming abandoned. The net impact is an unsuitable living environment in the city's older neighborhoods where the deteriorated structures become a blighting influence on other properties. These are the areas that are predominantly low/mod income areas.
Within the total stock of rental housing, the City has estimated 15% of the inventory is likely to be sub- standard, that is approximately 3,800 units. It has been further estimated that 75% of the sub-standard rental units are suitable for rehab. That suggests a rehab requirement of 2,850 units and a demolition requirement of 950 units. In the owner-occupied category, the incidence of sub-standard conditions is less and is estimated at 5%, about 1,135 units. In the owner-occupied category, 90% of units are considered suitable for rehab. That suggests a rehab requirement of about 1,020 units and a demolition requirement of about 115 units.
Waterbury's housing inventory is comprised of 47,205 units, with 21,515 being owner- occupied. The overall vacancy rate is about 8.6% . Of the rental inventory, over 27% is assisted housing of one form or other. Of the assisted inventory, 2,220 units are for the elderly and 4,370 units are for families. Of the 24,164 units identified as rentals, there were 2,159 vacant and available for rent, almost 9%. There were 21,515 units identified as owner units and 356 were vacant for sale, about 1.7%. Additionally there were 1,526 units vacant but not on the market.
Waterbury's housing inventory is generally affordable and the vacancy rate is adequate. In fact, in recent years it has been a buyer's market. A survey of advertised rentals indicated Waterbury rents to be generally affordable to households with an income above 65% of median and the range of rents indicated that there were units available which would be affordable to persons lower on the income scale. Prices for single family dwellings have been on the decline, with a recent median sales price of about $88,000 and many of the houses for sale in Waterbury would be within reach of households earning above 50% of the median family income. The problem of excessive cost burden of housing is prevalent in the lowest income categories, below 50% of the median family income.
There are certain sub-populations within a city that can generate special housing needs. Among these are homeless persons, persons in potential danger of becoming homeless, and persons with a wide array of disabilities, including frailty, mental illness, developmental disability, physical disability and AIDS.
The City of Waterbury has estimated the population in these special categories utilizing information provided in HUD's CHAS Databook and Workbook as well as input from social service agencies dealing directly with these special populations. The homeless population was estimated at 128, which was made up of 14 families including 38 persons, plus 13 youth, and 77 adults. Most of these people were sheltered in various accommodations, but 7 were estimated as unsheltered. The population considered under potential threat of homelessness were renter households with incomes below 30% of median and with housing cost burdens above 50% of their income. The CHAS Databook statistics indicated this involved 2,868 households.
Special Needs Populations: Non-homeless households with potential need for supportive services wereestimated as follows: Frail Elderly (571), Severe Mental Illness (75), Developmentally Disabled (83), Physically Disabled (3,877), and Persons with AIDS (25).
The City of Waterbury's Public Housing Authority (WHA) owns and operates about 300 elderly rental units and about 620 family rental units. WHA needs to improve its public housing units (interior remodelling, mechanical upgrading, lead based paint abatement, site improvements) as well as enhancing its management and operating capacity.
Other Assisted Housing: There are numerous units of privately owned rental housing which have been developed or financed with assistance from state and federal housing programs. The inventory of assisted housing consists of family or elderly complexes. The projects with subsidy were considered to accommodate the lower income group. 1,896 of the units listed in the assisted housing inventory are privately owned properties which have filed applications with U. S. Dept. HUD for participation in the "Affordable Housing Preservation Program". Thes are properties which have the opportunity to prepay their HUD mortgage. Considering the large inventory of such units and the status of the local rental market, it is not clear that prepayment would lead to less affordable rents. Additionally, it has been reported that new loans imposed on such projects as a result of "preservation" have forced tenant rental rates up and caused unforeseen relocation of moderate income tenants.
A barrier to maintaining affordable housing and preserving a suitable living environment is the fiscal restrictions of the municipality which limits code enforcement personnel and leads to inspection and enforcement on a complaint basis rather than on a maintenance and prevention program. These same fiscal limitations cause the municipality to rely on limited grant programs for clearance of condemned structures, whose continuing presence deters neighbors from maintaining and investing in their own properties.
In some older deteriorating neighborhoods, the problem of dilapidated structures is rampant, requirements associated with historic preservation impedes cost effective rehabilitation and/or the elimination of those structures which are evidently infeasible to rehabilitate.
Environmental requirements for removal of lead based paint hazards and asbestos are also proving costly to the extent of jeopardizing financial feasibility of continued operation or rehabilitation of older housing stock. These special costs of older housing impact the ability to maintain stable older neighborhoods. Special reference to the problem is made in the Governor's Task Force Report on Neighborhood Revitalization.
Another federal mandate that impedes restoration of deteriorated structures, specifically non-housing structures, throughout the city is the requirement to pay "Davis-Bacon" wages on federally assisted projects over $2,000. This requirement complicates the bidding process and raises the project cost.
Front end capital costs to package a project can be considered a financial barriers to the full participation by nonprofits in affordable housing development. Costs for site options, architect fees, loan packaging fees, environmental testing, market studies, title search, appraisal, legal, permit fees and so on can run to the tens of thousands and discourage nonprofit ventures from proceeding.
Local newspaper accounts have reported problems and conflicts between the elderly and younger, disabled tenants in the same building. This suggests that the policy at HUD which allows various categories of handicapped and disabled persons, regardless of age, to rent at designated elderly housing projects may be having a negative affect on the suitable living environment there.
In 1995, the City of Waterbury revised its Fair Housing plan. The plan empowers the City's Fair Housing/Affirmative Action Officer to implement, monitor and maintain the fair housing and affirmative action laws and provisions of the City of Waterbury and the State of Connecticut. The Fair Housing/ Affirmative Action Officer works closely with other city departments, public and private agencies, organizations and institutions on issues that relate to fair housing. The plan's goal is to remove impediments through providing information, counseling, referrals and barrier assessment to fair housing choice (Fair housing choice is defined as the ability of persons, regardless of race, color, handicap, familial status or national origin, of similar income levels to have available to them the same housing choices).
There are a total of 47,205 housing units in the City of Waterbury. 82% of these units were built prior to 1980 and 59% were built prior to 1960. Based on dates of construction and national statistics, it is estimated that 13,914 rental units occupied by low/mod income families contain lead-based paint, and 1,620 owner-occupied units housing low/mod income families contain lead-based paint. The City of Waterbury, Health Department, conducts a Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to screen children under 6 years old for elevated levels of lead in their blood. Recently, 37% of the total population under 6 years old, was screened. Of those screened, 58% (2,169) had elevated blood levels. Based on the results of screening and complaints to the Health department's code enforcement unit, Census Tracts #3502, #3504, and #3508 are the highest priority locations for lead abatement, and fall within the low/mod area.
The Citizen Participation process and the Neighborhood Task Force under the "Visions" project both emphasized certain high priority improvement needs. Priorities were given to neighborhood improvement, economic development and social services. Specifically, the top nine activities in order were: demolition, crime prevention, small business financing, youth services, housing code enforcement, health services, substance abuse services, downpayment assistance, and employment training. The Education Task Force in the "Visions" project also suggested improved school maintenance and increased after-school programs. Parks, neighborhood centers, street improvements, sidewalk improvements, lighting and beautification were generally noted as medium level priorities.
The Office of Community Development conducted a pre-submission consultation which provided an opportunity for various housing and service providers to identify and discuss needs and priorities in the community. The proposed plan document will be circulated to these same agencies and other interested parties for comment prior to finalization and submission to HUD. The final plan document itself serves as a coordinating device by providing participants with information on related programs and scheduled future activities.
With respect to intergovernmental coordination, the City of Waterbury
participates in a regional Council of Elected Officials which enables elected
officials from thirteen communities to exchange ideas and address mutual
concerns and inter-jurisdictional issues. The Office of Community Development
also participates in state and national organizations focused on housing and
development in order to remain informed on developments at state and federal
levels. The staff also has working relationships with other levels of
government involved in these activities as a result of participation in grant
programs funded by those sources.
To provide decent housing, foster a suitable living environment, and expand the economic opportunity in the City of Waterbury, benefiting principally low/mod income persons.
The number of existing housing units in the City of Waterbury is adequate, therefore the City will target housing finance programs using HOME and CDBG funds to housing loan and grant programs which will focus on rehabilitation. The targeted type structure is the "triple- decker" and the emphasis of programs will be assistance to owner-occupants. In particular, the programs will be geared to rehab the vacant but redeemable structures in a neighborhood and to facilitate their purchase by first time home owners in the low/mod income bracket. To maintain housing quality and continued affordability, covenants limiting capital gains, requiring owner-occupancy and requiring code compliance will be placed on the land records to run with the property. Features in the local housing market which guide program development are the presence of numerous "triple-decker" houses in the inner-city neighborhoods which are vacant or under occupied and suitable for rehabilitation. Many of these are bank owned or subject to City foreclosure. The housing inventory generally is adequate and new construction is typically not financially feasible outside the single family category without subsidy. The City plans to utilize these features by formulating a strategy which will acquire, rehab and resell the vacant triple-deckers to first time home owners. The rehab and owner occupancy will help to stabilize the neighborhoods and the non-owner units in the building will become available to meet needs of low income renters. So, while priority is on ownership, for each owner assisted, there will be two standard rental units made available to low income households.
The financial resources available to the City through the programs covered by this plan - CDBG, HOME and ESG - are too limited and uncertain to make a commitment for rental subsidies to individual households in the very low income group financially feasible. The City expects to continue to address the needs of the lowest income households through public housing, HUD Section 8 rental subsidies and welfare assistance, with some potential addition to the inventory restricted to these groups by nonprofit community housing development organizations. Economic development and social service programs are intended to help households in this category improve their economic condition as the best means to reduce the cost burden of their housing.
The WHA also manages and monitors about 1,270 section 8 certificates and vouchers. In the Waterbury Housing Authority Comprehensive Grant Program, the WHA plans to improve public housing units, management and operations during the planning period. Physical improvements include site improvements, lead based paint abatement, interior remodelling and upgrading of mechanical components and systems. The WHA will also need to fund general administration, maintenance of non-dwelling facilities and miscellaneous activities and costs. Additionally, management improvement objectives include vacancy reduction, corrective response to HQS inspections, staff professional development, correct PHMAP deficiencies, retain A & E services to assure quality control on capital projects, supervise and monitor units under section 8 certificates.
Economic development, neighborhood improvement, and social services were the top rated priority needs in the non-housing category. The fact that Waterbury housing was generally noted as affordable, but still presented a cost burden for many low income families argues for programs which will upgrade the economic standing of the lowest income groups. The social needs of this income group are also significant and agencies which address those needs require revenues from a strong tax base or contributions from a thriving business community to maintain service levels.
The strategic approach which the City of Waterbury anticipates is to focus on the economic development of the City and the expansion of economic opportunity for the low income segment of the community as the prerequisite to fulfillment of the other identified needs. Economic development will include urban redevelopment to enhance the tax base and add new jobs. The strategy to promote economic development is a diversified range of redevelopment, promotional and financial assistance programs linked to work force education, training and placement. Programs are not limited to the funds available from the sources covered by this plan. The City has significant state and municipally funded activities underway to foster economic development. These include the Brass Mills Center Mall project and the Home Depot redevelopment of Market Square, plus continued marketing of development sites available in municipal industrial parks.
Economic development will also include financial assistance to local business and to attract new businesses. Funds available include both State and CDBG sources. The CDBG funds, including Section 108 loans, will be geared to projects which provide specific opportunity to low income persons and represent the possibility to raise income levels in the lowest bracket. Another component of economic development will be downtown revitalization. Overall, the economic development effort will be conducted in consultation with social service providers and programs that address the educational, job training, day care and other support services by low income persons to take advantage of job opportunities. Based on the funds available over the five year planning period, the goal for these programs is the creation or retention of at least 415 jobs, which will be specifically available to low income persons.
A second aspect of the strategic plan is neighborhood improvement. The City recognizes that good neighborhoods are essential to a suitable living environment. The neighborhood setting is important to instill community pride and maintain interest in upkeep of individual structures. Attractive neighborhoods are also a key feature of the City image and supportive of economic development in providing an appealing location for business and a labor force as well as stable tax base.
Particular activities which the City will employ to implement the neighborhood improvement strategy will include:
Long term objectives are to clear 75 blighted structures and complete housing code inspection of 2,000 of the "triple-deckers" in the low/mod designated areas of the city. At the end of the planning period, the City expects to have completed about six miles of street improvements and maintained them in a general state of cleanliness. Significant improvements should be accomplished at about 10 of the principal public facilities in the neighborhoods and more comprehensive long range neighborhood plans should be complete for 10 of the low/mod designated target areas.
The principal support for nonprofit and public social services in Waterbury will continue to be from non-CDBG sources. These include state and federal grants direct to nonprofits and to other public agencies, the municipal budget and the local charitable community, in particular the United Way. The strategy for the consolidated plan will be to continue limited support, within the 15% cap, to agencies and programs which benefit the low income community and targeted neighborhoods of the CDBG program. Long term objective is to assist clients and their families to participate independently in the housing and economic mainstream.
The City of Waterbury's Welfare Department will be the principal safety net for persons in jeopardy of becoming homeless due to economic conditions. This department provides case-worker support to counsel households and individuals and administer income maintenance programs that assist low-income families to avoid homelessness. The welfare department's efforts are supplemented by local nonprofit social service providers, in particular those which address problems of substance abuse and family problems which can be a precursor to homelessness.
The outreach to the homeless is primarily conducted by nonprofit charitable organizations and church groups. The City has an inventory of 243 beds in emergency shelters, plus several group homes for persons with special needs and transitional housing for persons recovering from substance abuse. This is an adequate number of emergency shelter beds for the homeless, but agencies which operate those shelters require financial assistance to maintain the service. The local Salvation Army and St. Vincent DePaul Society are the principal agencies operating homeless shelters. The local planning strategy use its ESG funds to support such agencies and coordinate CDBG social service support to prevent households or individuals in jeopardy from becoming homeless and to assist those in that condition to re-enter society's mainstream. The established network of agencies is relied upon to reach out and provide the homeless with food, temporary shelter, referrals, counseling, training and support to reenter the social mainstream and to live independently in permanent housing. Assessment of the homeless needs may be conducted in certain special areas such as substance abuse, family problems or health by these agencies.
Additionally, the City will use a portion of its funds, within the 15% social services cap to address certain special needs, among these are elderly day care, child day care, senior centers, HIV/AIDS counseling, senior transportation, food bank support. These supportive activities assist persons with special needs in their continued independent living. Transitional housing or permanent supportive housing represents a small component of the low/mod housing need and will be left to specialty state agencies and nonprofit sponsors who specialize in such areas. Housing for such persons has been available through group homes developed and operated by contractors to State Mental Health Department and through HUD section 8 housing.
A problem area has risen, resulting in an unsettling mix of the elderly and the"special needs" non-elderly. The local strategy in this matter would be to support revisions to HUD property management guidelines that would eliminate this incompatible dual use of section 8 elderly facilities. The City has also been supportive of applications for congregate care facilities for the frail elderly.
The basic anti-poverty strategy in Waterbury is to maintain a safety net of support for the poor, develop housing and employment opportunities and provide support service and training to enable the poor to take advantage of those opportunities.
The businesses assisted with funds under the City's Economic Development Program are required to demonstrate employment opportunity for low income persons. In tandem with its economic base development effort, the City participates in the job training and employment program and linkage activities of the Work Force Connection and the anti-poverty programs funded by various sources and administered by NOW, Inc. The City's administers a variety of income maintenance programs and provides case-worker support to poverty level households and referral services to appropriate supportive service agencies and programs. The City's Board of Education operates a GED program to provide high school drop outs and others the opportunity to complete a high school education.
Resources available within the City of Waterbury include federal, state and local funds. Among the federal funds are CDBG, HOME, ESG, Section 108, Section 8, Public Housing, Department of Defense, Older Americans Act, and Lead-based paint. State funds include Department of Revenue Services, Department of Community and Economic Development, Department of Social Services, and Hazardous Materials. Local funds include United Way, Waterbury Foundation, and public, private and nonprofit initiatives.
The City of Waterbury, Office of Community Development is responsible for
the coordination and implementation of the strategic plan. CD will enlist the
aid of other City departments, nonprofit agencies, and neighborhood groups to
carry out specific projects.
The City of Waterbury will undertake its annual plan by using its allocation of $3,785,000 for the following projects: (the City will also use Section 108 funds for its Economic Development activities)
Demolition and Neighborhood Improvements will be completed within the low/mod income area of the City. Social Services, Handicap Accessibility, Housing, Economic Development and Emergency Relocation will primarily benefit low/mod income individuals city-wide.
Based on resources available and allocated to housing, the annual objective is to renovate a total of about 70 units, 350 units over the five year planning period. Over the planning period, the families benefiting from this activity are anticipated to be about 115 moderate income owner occupants, about 200 low income renters and about 35 extremely low income renters.
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 in addition: a table provides information about the project(s).
