Pinellas County, Florida, is a highly urbanized county located on Florida's west central coast. The County had a population in 1990 of 851,659. At over 3,000 persons per square mile, it is the most densely populated county in the state. The population of the Consortium is approximately 639,232. Much of the land in Pinellas County has already been developed, and build-out is expected to occur shortly after the turn of the century. While Pinellas County has long been known for its tourist trade, services and light manufacturing are strong and fast-growing sectors of the local economy.
The Pinellas County Consortium's Consolidated Plan is a five-year plan for meeting identified housing needs, revitalizing distressed neighborhoods, and assisting persons with special needs. Within this plan a one-year Action Plan specifies how community development funds will be used in member jurisdictions. All told, the Consortium plans to expend $8,579,000 in Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and Emergency Shelter Grant funds during the coming year. This money will fund activities such as housing construction and rehabilitation, neighborhood revitalization, and special needs assistance programs.
Each member of the Consortium has its own Citizen Participation plan that it
follows to ensure that the maximum amount of citizen participation is achieved
in the planning and review process. Consortium members make both the proposed
Consolidated Plan and the individual Action Plan activities available for
viewing by the public prior to adoption. Each jurisdiction uses public hearings
and public notices in local newspapers as part of their citizen participation
plan. Pinellas County, Clearwater, and Largo also make extensive use of citizen
and merchant committees as part of the consolidated planning process.
Pinellas County is located on the central gulf coast of Florida, across Tampa Bay from the City of Tampa. The estimated 1995 population of Pinellas County is 884,520, and for the Consortium, 639,232. Pinellas County experienced a rapid increase in population during the period 1960 to 1990, which has slowed somewhat in the past five years. While Pinellas County has historically been home to a large elderly population, the median age of the County has been decreasing over the past several years. The median age of Pinellas County was 42.1 years in 1990, down from 48.6 years in 1970.
One of the reasons for the decrease in median age has been the expansion of the service economy in Pinellas County, and the establishment of small, light- manufacturing centers. As businesses have moved their back-office operations from the industrial Northeast and Midwest of the United States to the South, younger families have followed to fill the jobs created by those moves.
In 1990, the median household income for Pinellas County was $26,296,
slightly above the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area
average of $26,036. Analysis reveals that household incomes are higher in the
northern half of the county than in the southern half. Home-ownership rates are
correspondingly higher in the northern part of the county compared with the
southern half. In 1990, 69% of Pinellas County households owned the dwelling
they occupied, while 31% rented. Within the Consortium, 72% of households owned
and 28% rented their dwelling.
While Pinellas County has experienced very rapid growth for nearly three decades, that trend is slowing. Still, the County can expect a significant increase in population during the coming five years. As previously mentioned, a good part of this increase will be younger families seeking employment in the services and manufacturing sector of the local economy. In addition, Pinellas County has historically enjoyed relatively low unemployment rates, making it attractive to persons living in the distressed manufacturing areas of the northern United States. In 1993, the unemployment rate in Pinellas County was 6.1%. When the figures from 1994 are compiled, they are expected to show an unemployment rate of about 5%. The warmer climate and lower taxes of the area also contribute to the migration of businesses and families to the county.
There is a need for access to affordable housing. While much of the existing housing stock is affordable for most persons, there is a significant segment of the Consortium population that cannot afford most homes offered for sale. There are many reasons for this, but biggest among them is the inability for low- and very low-income households to save enough money for required down payments and closing costs.
Another area of concern is the projected inability of available rental units to keep pace with the demand for such units. There is little vacant land left for development within Pinellas County, and only a small portion of it is suitable for the construction of large apartment complexes. Progress in this area will require extensive parcel redevelopment.
In 1990, there were over 300,000 housing units in Pinellas County, up significantly from fewer than 20,000 in 1950. In 1990, 70% of all housing units were ownership units. Eleven percent of all housing units in 1990 were mobile homes.
The cost of existing housing in Pinellas County has been stable for several years. There is a large supply of existing housing available for under $100,000. In contrast, prices for new housing have risen dramatically. Most new single family homes sell for over $130,000. Pinellas County apartment rent averages $441 for one-bedroom units and $491 for two-bedroom units.
Available data show that there will continue to be an increasing need for affordable housing throughout the Consortium. This is particularly true for lower income households that cannot afford the newer housing being constructed. Additionally, most vacant land will not be developed as multi-family rental units, even though the demand for affordable rental units will continue to increase throughout the end of the decade.
There is also a need in some concentrated low-income areas for extensive rehabilitation of existing substandard housing. Other needed assistance includes the subsidization of down payment and closing costs associated with purchasing a home for those families unable to save for them on their own.
It is estimated that there are, at any one time, approximately 1,637 homeless persons in Pinellas County. Seventy-five percent are single individuals, but a full 25% are members of homeless families. Approximately 3% of homeless persons are under 18 years of age. Nearly 50% of all Pinellas County homeless persons suffer from drug or alcohol dependency, and 32% have a severe mental illness.
Of the over 1,400 beds available to homeless persons in Pinellas County, fewer than 500 are in emergency shelters. Also, there is a great need for additional services for those persons considered to be chronically homeless. While many emergency and transitional shelters offer counseling and agency referrals, more resources are needed in this area,
Based on the 1995 Annual Homeless Survey, and the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Homeless Forum held in Pinellas County, the Pinellas County Homeless Coalition has identified the following as the county's greatest unmet needs.
There are 2,397 public housing beds located within Pinellas County, of which 1,461 are located within the Consortium. The Consortium public housing units are operated by the Pinellas County Housing Authority, the Clearwater Housing Authority, and the Tarpon Spring Housing Authority. None of the authorities are designated by HUD as troubled, although the Tarpon Springs authority has been struggling to cope with high vacancy rates and deteriorating surroundings. The Tarpon Springs authority has been under new management since 1994, and is working with HUD to improve conditions at its properties.
There are several agencies that provide assisted housing to special needs persons in Pinellas County. These special needs persons include those that are elderly, developmentally disabled, physically disabled, have substance abuse and mental illness problems, have HIV/AIDS, and those that are fleeing domestic violence. These groups are a needs priority as many of the listed conditions are conducive to homelessness.
The local governments within the Consortium have examined their regulations and policies pertaining to land development to determine if there are any unnecessary barriers to affordable housing contained within them. The local governments agree that such things as setback requirements, minimum parking space allotments, and concurrency requirements do add some cost to new housing. However, changes to such regulations may very likely have adverse long-term effects, and the desirability of such changes is dubious at this time. Still, consolidation and coordination of policies, ordinances, and regulations may provide some relief to housing developers while still maintaining safeguards ensuring decent, well-built units. Consortium members have plans in place which call for the continued review of housing-related policies and regulations.
The Consortium has certified in the Consolidated Plan that it will conduct an analysis to identify impediments to fair housing and will take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any identified impediments. The Consortium is currently working on its Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choices as the identification part of this requirement.
Lead-based paint hazards are confined to older houses within the Consortium, as the used of leaded paint in new residential construction was banned in 1980. As a result, lead-based paint hazards are most prevalent in housing occupied by low- to moderate- income households. There is a significant level of lead poisoning within the Consortium. In 1994, the rate of lead poisoning in Pinellas County among children tested was 13.5%, nearly 50% higher than the national incidence rate of 8.9%. Much of the older housing at risk for lead paint is in St. Petersburg, which is outside the Consortium. However, there is a significant number of housing units - 26,572 rental units and 43,197 owners units - within the Consortium that may contain lead paint.
There are several neighborhoods within the Consortium's jurisdiction which are troubled in one way or another. Substandard housing, high crime rates, and deteriorated infrastructure combine in these neighborhoods to bring them to the brink of unlivability. These neighborhoods require a strong planning effort coupled with the coordination of both government and private resources to improve their overall quality.
All community development activities, and particularly those dealing with
neighborhood revitalization, require a coordination of effort among public and
private agencies to ensure the maximum use of available resources is achieved.
The Consortium members work closely with non-profit service agencies, lenders,
churches, State and Federal agencies, police agencies, residents, owners,
property managers, and builders and developers to realize community development
objectives.
The overall goal of the Consortium's consolidated plan is to develop livable communities through the provision of decent, affordable, and available housing, creating suitable living environments, expanding economic opportunities, and preventing and eliminating slums and blight. This goal will be met by addressing needs in the areas of housing, the homeless, special needs persons, and non- housing community development.
The primary objective of the housing element of the consolidated plan is to make available affordable and decent housing for low- and moderate-income households. In the non-housing community development area, the main focus to is combine infrastructure improvements, development of community associations, and available social services to revitalize distressed neighborhoods. For the homeless and special needs populations, efforts will be made to expand the number beds available in emergency and transitional housing, as well as expanding the assisted-living capacity of the Consortium.
The Consortium will seek to develop rental housing for low- and very-low income households, including the production of efficiency apartments for single persons and housing units for the elderly. At the same time, efforts will be made to preserve existing affordable rental units rehabilitation and modernization. The Consortium will work toward the expansion of home ownership opportunities for low- and moderate income persons through direct assistance, information and support programs, and rehabilitation and construction. Preservation of existing affordable owner-occupied housing units will be through rehabilitation and replacement. The Consortium will also seek to ensure that affordable housing lost to redevelopment or deterioration is replaced to the extent possible. This may include using innovative alternatives to existing housing - such as SRO's and cooperatives - as well as the establishment of an information system to track the housing inventory.
The Consortium members will each make non-housing community development efforts in their jurisdictions. Consortium members will take the lead role in working to revitalize distressed neighborhoods. These revitalization activities will include development of active community associations, crime reduction, infrastructure improvements, and economic development.
Pinellas County has several government and private agencies which work to reduce the level of poverty within the County. These agencies focus on the three keys to improving mobility among the poor: education, opportunity, and viability. Through educational institutions such as community colleges and technical schools, persons can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in today's job market. Other agencies provide referrals and job-seeking skills to give persons the opportunity to obtain meaningful employment. Lastly, subsidized child care makes full-time employment a viable option for single parents that would otherwise be unable to work.
A variety of federal, state, local, and private resources serve the citizens of the Consortium. Federal sources of assistance include the Community Development Block Grant, the Emergency Shelter Grant, the HOME Initiatives Partnership Program, Section 8, and public housing. State sources include the State Housing Initiatives Program, the Community Services Block Grant, and services through state agencies such as the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and the Department of Elder Affairs. Local governments, through social action funding, health services, community policing, code enforcement, and planning also provide significant resources to the community development. Many private institutions provide services to special needs person and households, as well as capital for community and home improvements. The Housing Finance Agency of Pinellas County provides low-interest mortgages for first-time buyers using revenue generated by bond issues.
The strategic plan portion of the consolidated plan was developed through a
joint effort of Pinellas County, the City of Clearwater, and the City of Largo.
Through various committees, input was also received from other cooperating
municipalities throughout the Consortium. Pinellas County, Clearwater, and
Largo will be responsible for overseeing the activities implementing the
strategic plan, with the participation of several non-profit, private, and
municipal agencies. The Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County will also
participate through the provision of low-interest mortgages.
Pinellas County, Largo, Clearwater, and the Consortium as a whole have each developed one- year Action Plans to implement the consolidated plan. These plans have been consolidated for the purpose of this summary.
The Consortium's Action Plans will use approximately $8.5 million in CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds to pursue housing, non-housing, and special needs activities. These activities include:
Rehabilitation activities take place throughout the jurisdiction, with concentrated activities in target areas to support neighborhood revitalization programs. Activities geared toward the elimination of slums and blight will take place in the business districts of the cities of Pinellas Park, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, and Gulfport. Neighborhood revitalization efforts will located in designated target areas within the Consortium. Other housing activities, as well as homeless and special needs projects, will take place at scattered sites throughout the Consortium.
Housing goals for Pinellas County during the coming year include increasing the amount of available housing by 85 units through acquisition, rehabilitation, and construction; providing homebuyer assistance to 176 households; undertaking activities that will prevent homelessness for 400 households; and, providing emergency and transitional housing for over 1,500 persons.
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 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).
