Wilmington is strategically located at the midpoint of the Boston to Washington megalopolis. It is located along Interstate 95, which links it directly to the national interstate system. Aside from the accessibility to the interstate system, the City is accessible by other means of transportation - air, water and passenger and freight rail service. Additionally, the Port of Wilmington provides a direct sea link to national and international trade opportunities. It was designated as an Enterprise Community.
The City of Wilmington's Consolidated Plan was prepared with efforts to make it and its residents more economically competitive and independent. In an effort to keep up with the "Changing World" perceived by the City, it proposes to address the following questions: what to adjust; how to adjust; when to adjust; where to adjust; why to adjust; and who to adjust. By addressing these questions, the City seeks to ensure that the future of Wilmington is full; not just of survival experiences, but experiences of positive growth and development for its people, businesses, industries and communities.
During the summer of 1994 when the City was applying for the Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community designation, it learned of the upcoming Consolidated Plan requirements. The format for citizen participation was very similar, therefore the City used its documentation to meet those requirements. In addition, the City sponsored several meetings designed to solicit input about housing related needs, as well as suggestions for strategies that should be followed to address the needs. Over thirty non-profit and government agencies attended the various meetings and public hearings held by the City of Wilmington.
The City created a Overall Economic Development Plan committee, which
consists of Wilmington residents, to oversee community development activities.
In keeping with that focus, the information complied for the plan was submitted
to the committee for further input and analysis, prioritization and selection of
policies, programs and projects for implementation.
The City of Wilmington has identified itself as the "Chemical Capital of the World" with two multinational chemical company headquarters located there (DuPont and Hercules). The City sits in the middle of one of the largest economic markets in the world. It is well connected to the nation and the world by major rail, motor vehicle, water, and air based transportation links. Due to its water base link, it is a major gateway for importation of fruit from South America.
Despite its national and international linkages, area residents have lost significant numbers of jobs in the manufacturing industry, as well as the wholesale and retail industries. While the DuPont Company is the largest employer in the City, it is undergoing a restructuring plan which will result in a lost of 3,000 jobs in Delaware. Additionally, General Motors has announced plans to close its Newport assembly plant, which will result in a loss of 3,500 high paying manufacturing jobs. Notwithstanding the job losses, the City's economy is transforming into a service oriented industry dominated by financial institutions. Most recently, some of the nation's largest financial institutions have relocated to the City.
The City's does not expect any significant changes in its housing needs between 1990 and year 2000, since its public policies are not expected to change. While no significant change is anticipated, the city has witnessed an increase in lower income families moving into the area. This steady increase results in greater need for support services and affordable housing.
Despite the above anticipation, the 1990 Census indicates that, of the 6,093 household in Wilmington having incomes between 0 and 30 percent of median family income (MFI), 70 percent were renters and 30 percent were owners. Of the 4,069 households in Wilmington having incomes between 30 to 50 percent of MFI, 54 percent were renters and 46 percent owners. Of the 5,233 households in Wilmington having incomes between 51 and 80 percent of the MFI, 46 percent were renters and 54 percent were owners. Of the 2,398 households in Wilmington having incomes between 81 to 95 percent of the MFI, 17 percent were renters and 59 percent were owners.
For Section 8 housing, the Wilmington Housing Authority reported that 1,642 persons in March of 1994 were on a waiting list and 1,267 persons were on the waiting list for public housing units. Approximately 75 percent of those on the waiting list have a Federal Preference for admission to rental assistance programs, for both Public Housing and Section 8.
According to the 1990 Census, the City had 32,693 dwelling units, of which 15,179 units or 46 percent were owner occupied, 13,377 units or 41 percent were renter occupied, and 4,137 units or 13 percent were vacant. From 1989 to 1992, the number of houses sold dropped from 834 units to 577 units. The decrease is estimated at 31 percent, which is due partially to adjustments in inflation.
The recent softening of the housing market, especially for rentals, should have a small positive affect on the availability of adequately sized and affordable housing.
The 1990 Census statistics noted in the above section on Housing Needs indicates that once family household incomes reach the level of 51 percent and above the median family income in Wilmington, the likelihood of becoming homeowners is realized. Conversely, this also indicates that a significant number of family households with incomes 50 percent or below the median family income level can not afford their own homes, but more likely rental units.
Wilmington possesses five census tracts where 50 percent of the residents have an annual household income which lies between zero and 50 percent of the median income for all households in the metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Further, the City has 60 percent of its household population with incomes between the 50 to 80 percent of the median household income for the MSA. Correlating the 1990 Census statistics above, a significant number of households can not afford housing.
Given the lack of buildable land and the relatively low wages of City residents, it is not likely that the market will supply additional new rental units that would be priced for lower income households. Increases in rents have been lower than the rate of inflation. The homebuying market has been relatively soft as well. Housing prices have remained stable and sale prices in the target area seldom exceed $60,000. From a study conducted, the demand for single family housing is likely to rise as the year 2000 approaches, and the city concluded that this is a good time to promote and enhance their first-time homebuyer programs.
The City currently suffers from homeless problems which include individuals and families with children in both sheltered and unsheltered environments. According to the Center for Community Development at the University of Delaware, most sheltered homeless persons surveyed in 1986 indicated that their homelessness resulted from their inability to find affordable housing. There is little information on the unsheltered homeless population in the City.
The City notes their pool of extremely low and low income families, who are unemployed, are in the most danger of becoming homeless. Given this, the City proposes that these families will be the focus of their efforts. They propose to distribute benefits to those persons in direct proportion to the percentage that their subgroups represent on an income basis (i.e. extremely low income households are 40 percent (6,093/15,395) of all households whose incomes are less than 81 percent for the area median income).
The City's public housing is provided by the Wilmington Housing Authority. It also administers and recertifies public housing and Section 8 programs. There are 2,576 public housing units, 561 Section 8 Existing Certificate program units, 117 Existing Certificate Voucher Program units, and 41 units in the WHA Moderate Rehabilitation Program in the City. There are a number of other assisted housing programs to help residents secure affordable and liveable housing. Other public programs include, but are not limited to, Section 202 Supportive Housing for Elderly, Section 811 Supportive Housing for the Disabled, Housing Development Fund, Home Fix-Up Program, and Wilmington Housing Partnership. Private programs include, but are not limited to, Community Housing, Inc., Habitat for Humanity, and Inter-Neighborhood Foundation.
The City identifies four public policies that contribute to the barriers to affordable housing. Those include: existing zoning in the city which limits density, permit processing that is time-consuming and fees that add cost to new developments, State and City real estate transfer fees add to the cost of buying a home, and limited flexibility in building and housing code requirements for retro-fitting existing structures and historic preservation standards for rehabilitation activities.
The City has earmarked Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to promote fair housing opportunities to low and moderate income residents, prepare a Fair Housing Plan, counsel clients, monitor low income rental commitments.
With the age of a significant number of houses, lead-based paint is a current problem for the city. The city currently addresses the issue of lead-based paint during the course of housing rehabilitation activities. Lead-based paint identified is either removed or remedied. The Wilmington Housing Authority has over the past years done extensive renovations and has eliminated such incidence within its units.
An assessment of the problem reveals that most of the incidence occur in the City's Westside neighborhoods. The city is working with the State of Delaware to apply for Lead- Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program funding administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Should funding be awarded, the City plans to apply. In the interim, the Wilmington's Department of Licenses and Inspections has made lead paint detection inspections one of its "systematic" initiatives in the low and moderate income area.
The City plans to maintain the poorest households in some level of decent safe and sanitary housing; while trying to move the most stable families in subsidized rental units to a homeownership status. They plan to build inter-program linkages that conform to their "upward mobility" logan, where they will work with the local housing authority and employers to ensure a rational, targeted flow of effort and coherent integration of activity.
The City has built into their plan a comprehensive approach of coordinating
talents and experiences extending from other city departments, state
departments, and other public and private entities. They propose independent
and cooperative support from such entities as the Wilmington 2000, a private
non-profit organization comprised of private and public officials in Wilmington,
the Wilmingtonians, is a non-profit organizations serving the Overall Economic
Development program, the Wilmington Community Development Partnership comprising
of the University of Delaware and the City of Wilmington, a host of community
development corporations, as well as other non-profit and for-profit entities.
The City of Wilmington has labeled the Vision of Planning Environment as the New World, where the World is Changing. Encompassing their primary theme, "Develop Where Development has Traditionally Occurred -- Deter Urban Sprawl" the City's prime location for continued growth and development are around roads, hospitals, housing, businesses, industries, railroad tracks, and a myriad of other key economic and community development sites.
The City indicates that partnerships must be developed between it, non-profit and for-profit organizations to supplement economic development activities. Its overall housing mission is to support and work cooperatively with efforts to provide a wide range of housing opportunities which complement an enhance the vitality of their neighborhoods, downtown, and waterfront resources.
The City's five year strategy is to:
The City's housing priorities are designed to promote the availability of affordable housing primarily for extremely, low and moderate income residents and address issues of affordability, spatial distribution, substandardness, overcrowding, and homelessness. The City proposes that its efforts will affect the housing market by lowering the cost of quality housing, expanding the supply of housing, or promoting the independence of its residents.
The City proposes several housing related projects, which include:
Homeownership - Acquisition, Homebuyers Assistance Programs involving downpayment assistance, City Mortgage Insurance, low-interest financing, investigations on low purchase cost for first-time homebuyers, lease purchase programs, and counseling;Rehabilitation - financial assistance to low and moderate income homeowners, emergency rehabilitation assistance to low income homeowners, removal of lead- based paint, assistance for rental properties, and pre-rental inspections for affordable and subsidized housing;
Rental Assistance - expanded subsidy authorization on existing subsidized housing and support the Rental Security Deposit program.
New Housing Development - Investigate lowering the cost of new housing development by giving priority to affordable housing development and related construction processes, lower the cost by offering construction cost subsidies for both for-sale and rental housing, lower cost for by offering non-recourse loans for marketing, architectural, engineering, and other soft costs, particularly for non-profit and small and disadvantaged business enterprises.
Support Facilities and Services - Counseling for first-time homebuyers, support development of additional housing opportunities to address those suffering from chemical dependence, Family Self-Sufficiency programs, development of transitional and/or service housing opportunities, and expand the development of housing development communities.
For this area, the approach is to move the City into a competitive city" stance including a mix of resources. The mission is to develop a city that is attractive to residents, businesses, tourists, and industries.
The City proposes several non-housing related projects, which include:
Economic Development - General Port Operations, Commercial-Industrial Rehabilitation--Port Improvement Projects, General Economic Development Projects (undecided), Micro-business Enterprise Program--Loan Guarantees and Entrepreneurial Training, Small Business Lending, Disadvantage Business Enterprise Procurement Program, and Enterprise Technical Assistance Center;Infrastructure - Environmental Cleanup of Potential Development Sites (Brownfields), Water and Sewer Improvements, Street Improvements, and Supportive Communities - Transportation Center;
Public Facilities - Public Works-Service Delivery, General and Community Public Facility Improvements, Supportive Communities-Information Infrastructure, and Improvements to Parks and Recreational Facilities;
Public Services - Transportation/Traffic Control, Fire Protection Services, Police Services, Crime Prevention and Awareness, Employment and Training, Health Service-Education and Training, Strong Families-Non-Profit Coordination/Family Support Center, Homelessness Shelter Hot Line, Pre-Trial Support/Counseling/Housing, Municipal Court Services, Parks Management and Programs, Substance Abuse Services, Senior Services, Tenant/Landlord Counseling, and Youth Services;
Other Community Development Needs - Code Enforcement-General Management, Program Delivery, Boarding and Demolition; and Planning and Management Services.
Wilmington's strategy focuses on linking unemployed and underemployed individuals to employment. To assist individuals get to work, the City worked with the Wilmington Metropolitan Area Planning Council to make sure that public transportation is available for citizens to work at sites where and when employment opportunities are available. Additionally, the City's Personnel and Planning Departments worked with the State's Department of Labor to link employers with target area unemployed persons, provide job training, and provide the linkage between the private sector and the non-profit training organizations that special in working with the target area residences.
The City of Wilmington receives and administers the following federal and community development related resources directly:
Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership, Emergency Shelter Grant, Section 8 New Construction/Substantial Rehabilitation, Urban Development Action Grants (UDAG) Repayments, Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community, Economic Development Administration, and Department of Justice.
The City also receives funds from the Delaware General Funds and Housing Development Fund. The city is also the recipient of several other local and private funding sources, which can help advance its housing and community development objectives.
To carry out the Strategic Plan, the City proposes several coordination efforts with other city departments and those within the State of Delaware, local non-profits and for-profit organizations.
The City proposes the following activities to enhance coordination efforts:
The city has earmarked an estimated $5,021,072 in funding sources to carry out its Consolidated Plan. Among its 69 proposed projects, they include, but not limited to, acquisition, down payment assistance, rehabilitation, code enforcement, public facilities and improvement, economic development, public services through child care, youth and senior service centers, projects to benefit the needs of handicapped persons,
The plan covers a geographic area consisting of approximately 10 square miles and covering all the HUD identified low and moderate income census tracts and blocks. The rationale for choosing these areas, where most of the residents earn less than the area's median income, is supported by a development theory and practice: concentrate and leverage funds in places where investments could yield profitable returns and where development needs are greatest. These locations also reflect the transitional nature of current development activities and the intent to employ "technology transfer" on a domestic local level.
The City Department of Real Estate and Housing had the lead responsibility for coordinating the planning process, however the task was shared by the City Department of Planning, which carried out the consultation and citizen participation activities.
Expanding economic opportunities is the highest priority for the city and providing a suitable place to live and decent housing is a primary subcomponent of expanding economic opportunities. The City also proposes to do housing counseling to enable low and moderate income renters become homeowners. As part of the City's "technology transfer" which includes increased homeownership, it proposes to make people aware of the "how to do's" of their societal systems that permit them to achieve effective use of resources and come to recognize their own ability to use these resources to meet their wants and needs.
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.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Ms. Jane C. W. Vincent,
Director
Department of Real Estate and Housing
PH: (302) 571-4140
