New Castle County is the northernmost and most populous of Delaware's three counties. It is bordered on the east by the Delaware River, with Pennsylvania to its north and Maryland to the west. The county includes Wilmington, Delaware's largest city. With a 1990 population of 447,550, New Castle County contained over two-thirds of the state's people. The area was colonized in 1638 when the New Sweden Company built Fort Christina on the site of what is now Wilmington. The Dutch from New Netherlands, led by Peter Stuyvesant, captured the colony in 1655. It was then seized by the British in 1664 and administered as part of Pennsylvania until Delaware was granted its own legislature in 1704.
The entitlement community for the Consolidated Plan for New Castle County includes all of the county except the city of Wilmington. Twelve municipalities participate in New Castle County's CDBG program; two of these, the city of Newark and the town of Elsmere, administer their own CDBG programs on a pass-through basis. The city of Wilmington will develop its own Consolidated Plan.
For the first year of its Consolidated Plan, New Castle County requested $2,801,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $866,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funding, and a $102,000 Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG). This money will be used to finance the 66 housing, community development, and service activities planned for Fiscal Year 1995-1996.
New Castle County's Department of Community Development and Housing held five geographically dispersed neighborhood meetings to explain the Consolidated Plan and to gather input from citizens. The meetings were held at locations conducive to the involvement of lower-income people in January, February, and March 1995.
A 30-day public comment period began March 20 with copies of the draft plan made available to the public at libraries, government buildings, and local agencies. A public hearing was held on April 5, and the final Consolidated Plan was adopted by New Castle County Resolution on May 8, 1995. There will be a public hearing in mid-August to review a draft of the annual performance report on implementation of the Consolidated Plan.
New Castle County is only about 18 miles southwest of downtown Philadelphia and Wilmington's outer suburbs meet Philly's suburbs in between. The county is located on the Northeast Corridor's main highway (Interstate 95) and rail (Washington-to-New York Amtrak and freight) routes. Since the American Revolution northern Delaware has been an industrial center, first for DuPont's gunpowder mills to supply the Colonial Army and later for a variety of chemical industries. The northern part of New Castle County is urbanized. With the exception of the city of Wilmington, growth has been rapid for much of this century.
Median family income (MFI) for the Consolidated Plan area was $45,216 in 1990, compared to the $31,140 median income for Wilmington: $43,474 for the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA); $40,252 for Delaware; and $35,959 for the Nation. Though New Castle County has a higher MFI than the surrounding areas, it is also home to a significant number of low- and moderate-income persons and households.
Of the 164,104 households in New Castle County in 1994, over 34 percent had annual incomes that are 80 percent or less of MFI. Analysis of census data indicates the following levels of low- and moderate-income households:
Racial/ethnic subpopulations among New Castle County's 441,946 residents as reported in the 1990 Census, include:
From 1980 to 1990 all these subpopulations expanded. However, on a percentage basis Asian/Pacific Islander (up 142 percent) and Hispanic (up 66 percent) populations increased at faster rates than did either black (up 20 percent) or white (6 percent) residents.
Affordable housing is a major need of low- and moderate-income households. An obvious but important fact is that the lower the household income, the more difficult the housing problems likely to face that household.
New Castle County had 180,011 year-round housing units in 1990. There were 164,161 units occupied; 52,121 (32 percent) by renters and 112,040 (68 percent) by owners. Of the 15,850 vacant units, 4,214 were for rent and 2,237 were for sale.
As measured by building permits, annual housing production in New Castle County peaked at 5,302 in 1988. Production fell and by 1991 was down to 2,567 units a year. Housing production stabilized at about 2,500 units a year in 1993 and 1994. However, unlike single- family units, construction of multifamily housing did not rebound in 1991. In fact, no multifamily units were produced in 1993, compared to 1,176 units in 1988.
In 1994 the average contract rent was $550 a month, and the average gross rent (including utilities) was $611 a month. New Castle County's average 1994 contract rents by unit size for non-subsidized units and HUD fair market rents (FMRs) were:
Average Contract
Unit Size Rents HUD FMRs
A large proportion of lower-income households are "cost burdened," paying more than 30 percent of their gross income for their housing including utilities. Some are "severely cost- burdened," paying more than 50 percent of their income for housing expenses.
Of New Castle County's 15,953 very low-income (0-30 percent MFI) households, 71 percent are cost burdened by paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing, and 49 percent are severely cost burdened because they must spend more than 50 percent of their income for housing. In this income bracket 61 percent of households are renters.
Of 14,741 slightly better off but still very low income households with 31 to 50 percent of MFI, 54 percent are cost burdened and 18 percent are severely cost burdened. In this income group 49 percent of households are renters. Elderly households were less likely than other households to have housing problems.
Only 41 percent of other low-income households (51 to 80 percent MFI) were renters. One third of households in this range have a serious housing problem with an excess cost burden for housing incurred by 30 percent of these persons.
There were 68 homeless persons in New Castle County (outside of Wilmington), according to a January 25, 1995, one-night estimate by the University of Delaware. This included 57 persons in 18 families with children, and 11 adults (18 or older) who were not in families. All were served by emergency shelters.
For the county as a whole, including Wilmington, the same study estimated that there were 738 homeless persons.
Interviews of homeless persons in New Castle County living in shelters show the following general characteristics of this population:
From 1990 to 1993 the number of homeless persons served by 10 nonprofit service providers dropped almost 25 percent, from 2,465 to 1,871. Since homeless persons may be sheltered at multiple sites during the year, an estimated 17 percent of the homeless count may be duplicates.
The Newark Housing Authority has 98 units of public housing in two small projects and two scattered sites. The authority also administers a Section 8 rental assistance program with 144 certificates, 41 vouchers, and 90 moderate rehabilitation contracts.
The New Castle County Department of Community Development and Housing administers a Section 8 rental assistance program with 1,354 certificates, 195 vouchers, and 108 moderate rehabilitation contracts. The waiting list in April 1995 included 1,861 applicants.
There are also 21 other affordable housing projects in New Castle County subsidized under other assistance programs including Section 202 housing for the elderly.
Barriers to affordable housing include:
The New Castle County Department of Community Development and Housing is in the process of soliciting proposals for a fair housing analysis. The purpose of the analysis will be to assure that the department is in compliance with any and all Federal, State, and local fair housing laws, ordinances, and regulations.
Based on the age of housing an estimated 28,427 housing units occupied by lower-income renters contain lead-based paint. In addition, lead-based paint is present in about 24,390 units occupied by lower-income homeowners as well.
There are also housing and supportive needs for the elderly, mentally disabled, mentally ill, physically disabled, substance abusers, and victims of domestic violence. These individuals all need affordable and accessible housing with different levels of support services.
New Castle County's nonhousing community development needs include:
For its 5-year strategic plan, New Castle County has established three general priorities:
Housing goals related to the above priorities are to:
Community development objectives to support the general goals of the 5-year plan are to:
Upgrade and support public facilities. A food bank, senior centers, youth centers, street improvements, parks and recreational facilities, and neighborhood facilities will be funded over the next year.
Support and promote economic development and job training activities. The Community Development and Housing (CD&H) department has, in the past, deferred economic development activities to quasi-county agencies and neighborhood organizations. CH&D now realizes that it must take a more prominent and aggressive role in this economic development. It plans to make use of more flexible approaches now permitted under CDBG regulations.
Fund and support public service activities which address community needs. CDBG regulations allow use of up to 15 percent of CDBG funds for public service activities; the county will continue to make liberal use of this allowance.
Increase the involvement of nonprofit, foundation, and private section resources in community development activities. CD&H recognizes that it must be more proactive in the pursuit of resources to meet the priority housing needs of New Castle County.
In November 1994 as part of its effort to develop an antipoverty strategy, CD&H hosted a countywide forum held by the First State Action Agency, a statewide antipoverty agency. The purpose of the forum was to assess the needs of impoverished households and communities in New Castle County. Thirty-two needs were identified. These needs ranged from parenting education and money management skills training to teen pregnancy prevention to building self-esteem.
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program will also be an important element in this strategy. FSS has an initial goal to enroll 92 families in its program over the next year to with subsequent plans to seek funding to enroll an additional 100 participants.
The financial resources to carry out the 5-year plan include funds from CDBG, ESG, and HOME and a variety of other Federal and State programs.
New Castle County also has a wide array of other organizational resources that contribute to its development efforts. These include regular budget funding of $500,000 a year from New Castle County for the downpayment or Settlement Help program. The city of Newark will use $327,000 in CDBG funds for homeless assistance and other efforts to support housing. The Delaware Community Investment Corporation is a consortium of banks which makes below-market-rate loans for low-income housing and small businesses.
The Delaware State Housing Authority and the University of Delaware have a joint initiative to develop a strong housing delivery system for the State.
As the lead agency in New Castle County, the Department of Community Development and Housing will carry out the strategic plan cooperatively with other governmental agencies and affiliates, social service providers, financial institutions, and community-based organizations. One of the key components will be the relationship established and maintained with various CDBG subrecipients. This year nearly 30 subrecipients, ranging from community centers to community housing development organizations, will carry out programs in the plan.
For the program year 1995-1996, New Castle County plans to use $4,469,000 in CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds along with program income and monies unused in prior CDBG years for 66 activities to address specific housing, community development, and human services needs.
For housing, the allocation is $2,723,723. Major activities include:
For public facilities the allocation is $122,956 for seven projects, mostly rehabilitation or handicapped accessibility work at community and recreation centers. Another $73,700 is planned for two sidewalk improvement projects.
For parks, $96,240 is budgeted for improvement to four parks.
Economic development activities are to receive $91,260 including $75,000 for three micro- enterprise loan funds.
For homeless facilities, the allocation is $160,544. Five shelters will each receive $25,500 for assistance for operating expenses. Other projects include smaller sums for renovations and improvements.
The allocation for public services is $407,770. This will be distributed to 22 projects to purchase equipment, provide services, clean up neighborhoods, and help pay for a police substation. A sampling includes:
Activities included in this Action Plan will be concentrated in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods or will serve such households from a central location.
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 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, 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).
