U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development



CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

Fort Pierce, the St. Lucie County seat of government, lies 230 miles south of Jacksonville and 58 miles north of West Palm Beach, along Florida's east coast. The city is located in the heart of Florida's Treasure Coast, an area comprised of St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee Counties. Fort Pierce-St. Lucie County, has historically been an agricultural area and derives much of its income from citrus crops, tomatoes, winter vegetables, light industry, construction, tourism, and commercial fishing for income.

Action Plan

The City of Fort Pierce Consolidated Plan encompass a strategic vision for housing and community development in the city. It includes a One-Year Action Plan for spending approximately $1.076 million of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and program income funds in 1995. These funds will primarily be spent on housing and infrastructure improvements in the predominately low-income areas of the city.

Citizen Participation

The City's Community Development Division was responsible for initiating formal consultation with public and private organizations and individuals concerned with various aspects of the Consolidated Plan. The Community Development Division is the agency that administers all HUD programs for the City of Fort Pierce, with the exception of public housing, therefore, it was designated as the lead agency in this process. As part of this process, the Community Development Division utilized the services of it's Citizen Advisory Committee and consulted with representatives of many neighborhoods, public housing residents, the State Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, the County Health Department, the County Planning Department and other social service providers. Two public hearings were held after being publicized in the local newspapers. Before the second hearing, and for a 30 day period, copies of a draft Consolidated Plan were available for public inspection and comment. The plan was approved by the City Commission on August 9, 1995.

MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

The City of Fort Pierce is located in St. Lucie County. According to the 1990 Census, the population of Fort Pierce was 36,830, up 9 percent from 1980. However, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River Counties along with the City of Port St. Lucie, grew at an astronomical rate when compared to the City of Fort Pierce. The fastest growing group in the city are those in the 0-9 and 25-34 age group. The majority of the City of Fort Pierce population was white (63 percent), 32 percent black, and 5 percent Hispanic.

In 1990 median family income (MFI) was $33,540, but by 1994 it had risen to $38,700. Sixty-six percent of all households in Fort Pierce were low-and moderate-income (incomes below 80 percent of MFI) in 1990. Fifty-six percent of the 5,543 very low-income households in Fort Pierce were headed by blacks. Black households, which constitute 32 percent of all households in Fort Pierce, are over-represented among all very low-income households.

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.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Conditions

Professional Services, wholesale and retail trade, employ almost half of the residents in Fort Pierce. Agriculture and business services each employ about 10 percent of the working residents of Fort Pierce. Unemployment levels in Fort Pierce have remained at or above double digits levels for the past several years, with the 1990 Census reporting a civilian unemployment rate of 12.5 percent.

Housing Needs

Two critical housing needs are identified in the Consolidated Plan: increasing the affordability of housing and rehabilitating the existing housing stock. To address affordable housing needs, rental and down payment assistance is needed to reduce cost burdens. To address housing quality/condition problems, funds are needed to help low-income persons maintain and repair their homes.

Of very low income owner households (incomes 50 percent or less) elderly owners have the greatest housing need. Among renter households in the same category, large related renters have the greatest need.

Housing Market Conditions

Fort Pierce had a total of 17,250 dwelling units in 1990, 88 percent occupied permanently and 18 percent that are either for rent, sale or pending rental or sale. About 36 percent of the vacant units are held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. Of the occupied units, 53 percent were owner-occupied and 47% were rental units. About 10 percent ((1,125) of housing units in Fort pierce were classified as substandard in 1990. Approximately 90 percent (1,550) units were suitable for rehabilitation.

Affordable Housing Needs

Much of the single family housing units in the city is beyond the price range of lower-income households. There has been very little multi-family housing construction in Fort Pierce in recent years, that has resulted in decreased vacancy rates and higher rent payments. Contract rent changed approximately 115 percent between the years 1980-1990, an average increase of 11.5 percent per year. There are no scheduled multi-family construction planned for the near future and rents are likely to increase.

Households with incomes at or below 50 percent of MFI (39 percent of all households) have the greatest housing cost burdens. Owner's need rehabilitation assistance and low income first time homebuyers need assistance with downpayment assistance, home maintenance training and credit counseling.

Homeless Needs

During a count in 1990, it was estimated that 328 individuals were homeless in the City of Fort Pierce, 288 in emergency shelters, 15 in shelters for abused women, and 25 visibly unsheltered.

Fort Pierce has 156 emergency shelter beds. Sixteen percent are available to single male adults. Fifty-percent are devoted to single adult with substance abuse problems, and 32 percent are beds for families, single women, youth or domestic violence victims. Ten agencies offer transitional housing for homeless persons. The majority of transitional programs are geared specifically toward special needs populations such as individuals with substance abuse, and mental illness. A critical need exists for permanent supportive housing for homeless and non-homeless with special needs, such as persons with disabilities, persons with AIDS/HIV and the frail elderly.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

Fort Pierce has over 850 public housing units and provide an additional 749 Section 8 certificates. Roughly 24 units in the Housing Authority inventory were identified for comprehensive improvements. Two received lead paint abatement and the remaining 22 were scheduled for improvements under the Comprehensive Modernization Program. Phase I of the program (Parkland Court), was completed in March 1995, and involved the installation of central air conditioning, an irrigation system and enlarged residential units through the extension of exterior walls. The vacancy rate for public housing was less than one percent in early 1995, and 274 persons are on the public housing waiting list. Among public housing units, bedrooms sizes are broken down in the following manner: 41 percent are efficiencies and one bedroom units, 18 percent are two-bedroom, and 41 percent are three or more bedroom units.

The Section 8 waiting list consisted of 242 persons. Among Section 8 units 5 percent are efficiencies, 12.5 percent one bedroom, 52 percent two bedroom, 24 percent three bedroom and 11 percent four bedrooms. As of early 1995, the jurisdiction had no unused rental vouchers or certificates and no vacant units. No Section 8 units are expected to be lost from the assisted housing inventory.

Service providers for special needs populations indicated the following needs, in addition to affordable housing:

Barriers to Affordable Housing

Lack of affordable housing is one of the most critical housing problems in the City of Fort Pierce. Studies have been conducted of local tax policies, land use, zoning ordinances, and impact fees assessment and have found that these practices passed no barriers to affordable housing development. Building fees have remained the same since 1988, the Utilities Authority has eliminated its impact fees and redevelopment credits are offered for new units that replaces units demolished at the same location.

Fair Housing

The City affirmatively furthers fair housing. A study of Impediments of Analysis to Fair Housing Choice is being conducted. The City will undertake appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified through that analysis and maintain records reflecting that analysis and actions in this regard.

Lead-Based Paint

Of the 17,250 housing units in the City of Fort Pierce, 63 percent were constructed before 1980, when lead-based paint was still in use. Of the units built before 1980, over 35 percent were occupied by extremely low, very low and low-income households. The Fort Pierce Housing Authority completed comprehensive testing of all 850 public housing units. Evidence of lead-based paint was identified at 10 developments in 14 different sites. Five units and two day care centers have undergone extensive abatement. There were no reports of lead poisoning in the city.

Community Development Needs

The City of Fort Pierce usually has a high unemployment rate due in part to having a large segment of its citizens employed in the service and citrus industries. Community development needs include gainful employment for the at-risk population, self-sufficiency programs, affordable child care, crime awareness programs, affordable and accessible transportation, and infrastructure improvements. Developing the skills of low-income persons to meet the changing technologies will remain an important long-term need.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

Housing problems in Fort Pierce are primarily related to low income and an aging housing stock. Housing priorities and strategies reflect these conditions. Housing objectives focus on the supply of affordable housing. Community development objectives are to revitalize commercial and residential areas, remove blight in the northwest area of the city, and provide economic development opportunities for low and moderate income citizens. There is need for commercial-industrial rehabilitation, to repair and renovate buildings that have deteriorated over time, there is also need for commercial-industrial improvements downtown. The city has only one industrial park, therefore, the need is there for additional industrial parks and micro-business.

Housing Priorities

Priorities for affordable housing include providing assistance to renter households by increasing both the supply of standard affordable housing, promoting homeownership opportunities by providing homebuyers assistance and by increasing the supply of affordable units available for purchase, continuing to assist existing homeowners to maintain their properties by providing financial assistance for the rehabilitation of substandard units.

Priorities for homeless alleviation include providing emergency and transitional shelters and services with the acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction of both shelters and transitional housing for homeless persons not capable of independent living, and providing support services to persons at risk of homelessness.

The priority for non-homeless persons with special needs is the provision of assistance to existing support facilities and services for the frail elderly, persons with AIDS/HIV and other persons with special needs.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

Priorities for economic development activities include providing training and support services to residents of the predominately low-income area of the city, and offering loans to micro-enterprises.

Priorities for other community development activities include infrastructure improvements (rehabilitation, resurfacing, reconstruction and new construction of streets with curb/gutter installations, repairs to bridges and the sewer and drainage systems), public facilities improvements (parks, recreation, and youth centers) and public services provision.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Fort Pierce's Anti-Poverty Strategy is focused on the very low-income renter and owner households. Provision of services will be in the form of housing rehabilitation assistance for low-income homeowners and downpayment assistance through the use of State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds. A number of social service organizations administer programs such as Head Start, after school programs, programs for the elderly, and job training and self-sufficiency programs for public housing residents and homeownership counseling.

Housing and Community Development Resources

Within the City of Fort Pierce the primary Federal resources include CDBG and Section 8. Resources from the State include the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program. Local resources include Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) funded by Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation and the City of Fort Pierce.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

The City of Fort Pierce is responsible for the Consolidated Plan activities, but a variety of public and private organizations are involved in administering plan components. These agencies will work closely with all of the housing providers involved in the implementation of and consistency with this Plan.

The City of Fort Pierce feels that it has developed a network of government agencies, non-profits, and private organizations to carry out its Consolidated Plan, it also noted some gaps in the delivery of services. Efforts to eliminate barriers to affordable housing have been addressed in the implementation of public policies that makes affordable housing obtainable.

MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.

ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

The City of Fort Pierce One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of approximately $1.076 million in CDBG funds which includes program income, will be spent on an array of housing and infrastructure needs as follows:

Locations

All projects in the One-Year Plan are dedicated to targeted residential areas. Funds allocated to these areas are spent mostly on public improvements as suggested by the Communitywide Council. In addition SHIP funds will be administered by the Community Development Division to assist very low-moderate income households with downpayment assistance and rehabilitation.

Housing Goals

Using Fiscal Year 1995 as it's base year, the City estimates it will assist 16 homeowners rehabilitate their homes, seven households perform emergency repairs to their homes, five senior citizens secure their homes, and provide vouchers to 56 households to paint their homes in order to comply with City code requirements. This will be accomplished by using CDBG funds.

During Fiscal Year 1995 the City will also utilize it's SHIP Program funds to provide downpayment with closing cost assistance to 15 households in order that they may purchase a home. Seven households will be assisted with rehabilitation. It is estimated that during the next five years, the City will utilize it's CDBG and SHIP allocations to assisted a combined household of 550-600 units with downpayment assistance and closing costs, rehabilitation assistance, emergency repairs, paint and Senior Citizen Security. This will average between 110-120 units per year.

To comment on Fort Pierce's Consolidated Plan, please contact:

Ms. Mazella Smith
Community Development Coordinator
Post Office Box 1480
Fort Pierce, FL 33454
(407) 460-2200

U.S. HUD contact: Sybil Grissett, CPD Representative

Return to Florida's Consolidated Plans