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



CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

The City of Naples is the central city in Collier County and is located on the Gulf of Mexico at the southwestern tip of the Florida peninsula. With seven miles of beaches within the city limits, Naples has historically been a resort and retirement community surrounded by agricultural development and environmentally sensitive conservation areas. Countywide the major employment groups are services, retail sales, construction and agriculture.

Action plan

The City of Naples Consolidated Plan provides a strategic plan to address the housing, community and economic development needs of the city's low income residents.

Citizen Participation

The citizen participation process varied from surveys of area nonprofit organizations to meetings with neighborhood groups, nonprofit organizations, including the NAACP and the Collier County Banking Partnership among others, Collier County government, and public hearings with City Council.

The first draft of the Consolidated Plan was released in May 1995 with a public hearing held on June 7, 1995. A second draft was then prepared and released to the public for a 30 day public comment time period between June 14 and July 14, 1995. A second and final public hearing and adoption of the Consolidated Plan was held on August 2, 1995.

The City of Naples Planning Department administers the Community Development Block Grant program and coordinated the data gathering, research, public participation process, and preparation and implementation of the Consolidated Plan.

MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

The City of Naples and Collier County were among the fastest growing Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) in the country in the late 1980's. Between 1980 and 1990 the City's population increased 10.94% from 17,581 to 19,505. During this same time period, the County population increased from 85,971 to 152,099 or 76.92 percent.

The City's population is predominately white (94% in 1990) while the percentage of black residents declined from 6.3% in 1980 to 5.6% in 1990. Those residents who are of Hispanic origin increased from 1.5% to 2% of the city's total population between 1980 and 1990.

While the 1980 median age in the City was 57.4 years, the 1990 Census reported the median age increased to 60.6 years. Elderly residents aged 65 and older accounted for 42% of the 1990 population compared to 35.6% in 1980.

In 1995 the Naples MSA had the highest median income in the State of Florida at $44,700.00 for a family of four. According to the 1990 Census, the City's Per Capita Income was $41,358.00 while countywide the Per Capita Income was $21,386.00. However, the average wage and salary earnings per job during 1991 and 1992 was only $20,025.

Thirty three percent (32.97%) of all households in Naples were very low, low and moderate income in 1990 with incomes below 80% of the Median Family Income. Blacks and the elderly were disproportionately represented in the very low income category of incomes between 31 and 50 percent of Median Family Income. Census Tract 7 is the neighborhood where a substantial majority of the Black and Haitian families reside and where 77.81% of the residents are very low to moderate income

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

Lower paying service sector positions dominate the local economy along with wealthy retirees. The population, unemployment rates and the economy fluctuate depending upon the "season".

Housing Needs

The housing needs identified through the Consolidated Plan process include the need to provide more homeownership opportunities and the rehabilitation of existing dwelling units.

Very low income, large families have the greatest housing needs followed by minority groups and the elderly. These are the groups that tend to be cost burdened due to high rents or the cost of homeownership. According to the CHAS Databook, approximately 50% of all very low to moderate income renters and owners are cost burdened.

Housing Market Conditions

In 1990, there were 15,312 housing units with 9,815 units being occupied while 27% of all units vacant were held for seasonal or occasional use. Of the occupied units, 2,116 were rental units (21.6%) while 7,699 were owner occupied (78.4%).

The housing stock within the City of Naples is relatively new with the majority being built since 1960. According to the City's Planning Department records the 1995 housing stock increased by 32% over the 1980 Census count of 12,204. As of April 1995, the City Building Department's records reflect 16,115 housing units in the city limits.

Although the city is nearing buildout, multifamily and residential construction have continued at a steady pace. However, the cost of land within the city limits is exceptionally high due to a number of factors including a limited amount of vacant land and the proximity of residential property to the Gulf of Mexico, Naples Bay, Gordon River or one of the many canal systems.

The housing prices within the city limits are generally out of the reach of a typical, moderate income family's price range. While homes in the unincorporated areas of Collier County are available from $60,000.00 to $1,000,000.00, within the city limits the majority of single family homes or condos sells in the $200,000.to $1,000,000.00 range. Only 135 of the 15,312 housing units are considered substandard and this is due to overcrowded living conditions. The greatest overcrowding exists among large families who are very low income.

Affordable Housing Needs

The vast majority of the new housing built in the city is not affordable to very low and low income families. With only three neighborhoods were homes would sell between $55,000 to $125,000 there are limited opportunities for low and moderate income families to purchase homes within the city limits. In addition, many of these more moderately priced homes do not come on the market for resale.

Households with incomes below 50 percent of the Median Family Income (MFI) have the greatest housing cost burden. According to the CHAS databook, 63% of all renter and owner households having incomes of 50% of median or less are cost burdened. This problem is prevalent in large, small and elderly households.

There is a need to provide more affordable homeownership opportunities, downpayment assistance, rehabilitation and rental assistance.

Homeless Needs

Although little point in time data is available for this community, it is estimated that there are approximately 541 homeless individuals in Collier County. The vast majority of homeless are single adult males but there is a growing segment of women with children.

There is no data to indicate that any of these homeless are located within the city limits. All of the services that are available including shelters, nonprofit organizations, day labor pools, the health department and other resources are located outside the City of Naples.

There are approximately 200 beds available throughout unincorporated Collier County. These resources include St. Matthew's House, Immokalee Friendship House, Salvation Army Transitional Living Center, and the Shelter for Abused Women.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

There is no public housing in the city limits at the present time. The Collier County Housing Authority administers the Section 8 program and is responsible for 571 housing units in Farm Worker Village and Collier Village in Immokalee. The Housing Authority is in the process of establishing a Family Self-Sufficiency program for 25 families who currently receive Section 8 assistance or reside in a housing authority unit. On average there are approximately 300 families on the Section 8 waiting list.

There is one project based Section 8 complex within the city limits and this 70 unit complex is known as George Washington Carver Apartments. Within this same census tract is the new Jasmine Cay complex which provides 2 and 3 bedroom units to families earning between $12,000 and $29,000.

Barriers to Affordable Housing

Barriers which exist tend to be related to the high cost of land and the additional cost involved in complying with government programs such as FEMA which requires elevating dwelling units due to the potential for coastal flooding.

Through the SHIP program, the City of Naples and Collier County are required to review land use, zoning, subdivision regulations, building costs, impact fees and other issues which can be impediments to the development of affordable housing.

Fair Housing

The City of Naples will be conducting an analysis of impediments to fair housing as a requirement of the Consolidated Plan. The City has received only three or four inquiries about potential fair housing violations since 1990. The required analysis will determine the extent of any fair housing problems that may exist in the city limits.

Lead Based Paint

There have been no reported cases of lead based paint poisoning according to the Collier County Public Health Unit in the past four years. All children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years are tested when they come to the public health clinics.

Community Development Needs

Community Development needs include more employment opportunities and increased access to job training programs and adult education. In addition, more affordable child care and public transportation were identified as needs that must be addressed to improve the economic condition for the very low and low income residents. Within Census Tract 7, 866 of the 1,113 residents are very low to moderate income.

Other community development needs include improved street lighting, sidewalks and bikepaths, improvements to stormwater retention areas and other infrastructure improvements.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

Housing problems are generally related to economics and a lack of supply. Those individuals and families with the greatest housing problems are those very low income and working poor. Housing priorities focus on the need to create more housing opportunities for area residents.

Community development objectives involve the redevelopment of the downtown Naples area including Census Tract 7, economic development opportunities for very low to moderate income residents and infrastructure improvements

Housing Priorities

The housing priorities focus on providing more options for families through downpayment and closing cost assistance, rehabilitation programs, land acquisition efforts, development of a CDC or CHDO and rental assistance programs.

Nonhousing Community Development Priorities

The primary focus will be the establishment of a neighborhood task force for Census Tract 7 which will coordinate with the larger redevelopment efforts but ensure that the residential needs of the minority community are addressed. Other issues include an economic development component, infrastructure improvements and a facade loan program.

Antipoverty Strategy

The City Planning Department is working with the Collier County Housing Authority in the implementation of the Family Self Sufficiency program. In addition, the neighborhood revitalization plan for the Carver/River Park area (Census Tract 7) will include an antipoverty strategy. This strategy will also be coordinated with the Family Self Sufficiency program.

Housing and Community Development Resources

The only Federal resources currently available in the City are CDBG funds. The City has entered into an Interlocal Agreement with Collier County to administer State SHIP funds for both entities. Private programs to promote affordable housing include local lender's affordable housing programs and a range of nonprofit initiatives that range from Habitat for Humanity to providing for the homeless.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

The City's Planning Department is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Consolidated Plan. A number of private agencies and the County government have been included in this process. Although good communication exists between the City, County and many local nonprofits, gaps have been identified in the areas of homelessness, special needs housing, rental assistance, fair housing and the lack of a nonprofit housing development organization.

ONE YEAR ACTION PLAN

Description of Key Projects

The City has approximately $350,000 in CDBG funds and the main projects planned for 1995-96 include:

Locations

The vast majority of the CDBG resources are utilized within Census Tract 7. Some resources from the emergency repair program or downpayment/closing cost program will be provided to eligible residents in other areas of the city.

Lead Agencies

The City's Planning Department is the lead agency for the implementation for all CDBG programs.

Housing Goals

The housing goals in the Consolidated Plan included the completion of the Jasmine Cay rental complex (73 units completed 10/95); downpayment assistance to 6 families; rehabilitation of 10 single family homes; and public facility improvements in Census Tract 7 which will improve the quality of life for area residents.

To comment on Naple's Consolidated Plan, please contact:

Missy Mckim
Director, Community Development
735 8th Street South
Naples, FL 33940
(941-434-4626

U.S. HUD contact: Lugia Milanese, CPD Representative

Return to Florida's Consolidated Plans