The City of Pompano Beach, incorporated in 1947, is located in southeast Florida along the Atlantic Ocean Coast, ten (10) miles north of the City of Ft. Lauderdale. Well known for its beaches, race track and commercial development, Pompano Beach attracts thousands of tourist each year who enjoy the laid back "southern" environment in the heart of a major metropolitan area stretching from Miami to Palm Beach.
The City of Pompano Beach's Consolidated Plan was formulated to maximize community/neighborhood development via the use of $1.6 million of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program funds for the advancement of affordable housing and commercial revitalization in the City's N.W. Redevelopment Area.
The City of Pompano Beach's current CDBG Citizen Participation Program has
been in place since the inception of the CDBG Program in the City. The Plan is
structured through an Advisory Committee of nine citizens of the City who are
appointed by the City Commission. This Committee convenes Public Hearings to
receive input from residents of the City on housing and community development
needs, development of proposed activities to fund with annual CDBG funds,
program amendments sand program performance. These Public Hearings are
publicized ten days prior to the hearing via media announcements and
advertisements. The Citizens's Participation Plan has been further expanded to
conform with the requirements of 24 CFR 91.105 which emphasizes: the
encouragement of participation by persons of low and moderate income levels who
are residents of slum and blighted areas in which funds are proposed to be used;
increased awareness of the availability of program information for review by the
public; provision of technical assistance to very low, low and poverty income
groups in the development of a Request for Proposal (RFP) under the consolidated
submission; the increase of Public Hearings from 3 to 4; bilingual services to
meet the needs of the changing make-up of the neighborhood; more timely response
to written complaints and grievances; and an awareness of any Plan amendments.
This Plan was approved by the City Commission on July 25, 1995.
The make up of the City's permanent population based on 1990 Census Data was 72,411, an increase of almost 20,000 persons since the 1980 Census. This figure changes during the winter months when tourist arrive from the North, swelling the City's population by an additional 18,184 residents along the beach and in other retirement community in the City. The largest increases in the permanent population within the City has been white (10%) and African American (15%). There has been a continuing trend toward in-migration of retirees which has been occurring since 1970. The percentage of prime working ages of 20 to 44 years has been increased from 23.5% to 35.5% of the population.
The median family income in 1990 was $35,559 with per capita income in the
City at $17,382. When household incomes were compared in relation with the
City's median income level, 66.7% of all Black households and 55.8% of all
Hispanic households we shown to have income below $25,000, while only 37% of
white households have income levels below $25,000. Although there is some
minority representation in all thirteen (13) census tracts within the City,
ninety-five (95) percent of the Black population is concentrated in five (%)
census tracts. This area is defined as the N.W. Redevelopment Target Area.
Other minorities are spread out more evenly throughout the City.
While surrounding growth was evident in South Florida in 1990, the City of Pompano Beach experienced a stabilization of population compared to that of the 70's. Fortunately in the early 80's the City positioned itself for success by annexing 3,000 acres of land with 2,000 of these acres being reserved for industrial development. With three railroads nearby and accessibility to this industrial corridor, major corporations have expressed a keen interest in the City of Pompano Beach.
Historically the City's prime economy has been tourism and tourist oriented facilities and services continue to be an important segment of the City's economy. With industry and tourism as the prime industry, there are three (3) major employers, as major employment generates for the City - retail trade, services and construction. As in any rapidly growing economy, the construction industry always plays a key role as it responds to the demands for housing, commercial and manufacturing facilities. The unemployment rate for the City is 7.6% compared to 11.0% for the N.W. Redevelopment Target Area. This is a major concern within the City.
The City of Pompano Beach identified two critical housing needs in the City's Consolidated Plan: (1) rehabilitation of the existing housing stock, which involves some demolition, but replacement of substandard units and (2) increasing the availability of affordable single family units. The City of Pompano Beach has a glut of multifamily rental units and the citizenry, especially those very low, low and moderate income households living within the N.W. Redevelopment Area, have said "No More! We want affordable single family housing units."
There are 6,428 very low and low income renters in the City and of that number 5,274 have some type of housing problem. Of these households, 1,741 have a severe housing cost burden wherein they pay greater than 50% of their income for housing. Funds are needed to help reduce this cost burden. By comparison, very low and low income homeowners are experiencing the same cost burden problems.
Older homes through the City continue to deteriorate. The lack of income in lower and some middle income households for general maintenance and up-keep of properties contributes to this problems. Census Data from 1990 indicates that 48% of these households are in the very low to moderate income category, subsequently causing some of these individuals to abandon their home as they are uninhabitable. Funds are needed for the rehabilitation and/or repair of these structures.
Housing for the unsheltered homeless continues to be a major problem and funds are needed for transitional as well as permanent housing units for these individuals.
A review of the 1990 Census Data shows a decrease in the total housing units in the City for a total of 42,719. Of these total units, 11, 961 are rental units; 20,505 are owner occupied units. Of these, twenty-four percent, 10,253 are vacant rental units or units for sale. The vacancy rate increased from 1980 to 1990 by four percent. The primary dwelling continues to be multifamily units caused by the City's coastal location and the strong condominium market. There were however, 1,739 building permits issued for the period from 1988 to 1993, primarily for repair/rehab of single and multifamily units. Two hundred twenty-seven permits were issued for demolition thus a net of 1,512 permits being issued. There are 1,304 substandard housing units in the City with the majority of them located in the heavily minority concentrated areas.
The majority of new construction in the City has been concentrated in those census tracts with the heaviest minority concentration. In 1991 and 1992, 55 certificates of occupancy were issued. Due to the availability of vast areas of vacant land, the City's designated N.W. Redevelopment Area is prime for new affordable single family units. No new multifamily construction is planned for the area and rents are likely to continue to rise. Affordable single family homeownership options are needed along with rehabilitation assistance. At 30% of income, mortgage payments for the very and low income households can be exorbitant, thus these individuals can not afford to maintain residences or mortgages without some form of subsidy.
The Homeless Coalition of Broward County conducted a 24 hour survey of the County's homeless population on February 23, 1995. The survey shows that there are 5,106 homeless persons in the County and 852 of those are in the City of Pompano Beach for approximately 16.69% of the County's homeless. Four hundred eighty-eight of those persons are what is considered unsheltered homeless. With support agencies catering to women with children, the adult male member of the family unit is usually left to fend for himself, joining the ranks of the alcohol and drug abusers and AID and HIV related homeless.
The homeless population and subpopulation have the following characteristics:
Only one (1) agency within the City offers transitional housing for families with children. Other agencies offer food, clothing and daytime facilities, and substance abuse counseling. The increase in the number of AIDS and HIV related diseases has caused a critical shortage of support services for these individuals. A critical need also exists for permanent supportive housing, especially for family units and the frail elderly within the City.
The Housing Authority of the City of Pompano Beach operates three (3) subsidized housing complexes within the City and a Section 8 Voucher and Certificate Program, with approximately 1,000 housing units receiving some type of federal assistance. Calls into the PHA average twenty-five or more a day in addition to walk-ins stopping by to inquire about the availability of housing. A waiting list of six (6) months to six (6) years consists of two hundred or more persons ar all times and includes primarily single parents. Funds were received in the early 1990 work on 127 public housing units as a majority of them are in disrepair. Additional funds are needed to make some os these units handicapped accessible. Of the 277 Section 8 unit certificates in the City, ninety-four (94) are reserved for the elderly, handicapped and the disabled.
Section 8 Vouchers are also in demand within the City as it allows residents to spend more than thirty (30) percent of their income for rent if their apartment rent exceeds Fair Market Rental Rates. The Housing Authority has indicated that they will be requesting an additional fifty (50) vouchers per year over he next five years. For all Public Housing units, supply is not keeping pace with demand and the overall need for three bedroom and larger units is rising.
Golden Acres, an assisted housing program for migrant laborers was completed in 1989. This development currently houses 176 units, but demand is there for additional units. There is a waiting list of 334 persons, with 277 of those persons needing two bedroom and larger units. The wait here can average one (1) to four (4) years, even longer. No Public Housing units will be lost from the assisted housing inventory.
The City of Pompano Beach also houses twenty-seven (27) group home facilities under wither Adult Congregate Living Facilities (ACLF), Children, Youth and Families Facilities (CYF) and Long Term Residential Care Facilities (LTRC). These facilities house a cumulative of 2,465 beds and serve special needs groups ranging from the elderly and frail, mental, physical or developmentally challenged to persons with AIDS.
In Pompano Beach, as is the case in other cities across the country, affordable housing is the most critical issue facing everyday citizens. Statistics have shown that in communities where stable housing markets exists, crime rates are down and viable neighborhoods are in place. The following public policies are possible barriers to affordable housing in the City of Pompano Beach: Right-Of-Way requirement at 50' for street pavings; City fees; setback and parking requirements in a new development; concurrency requirements and property insurance. These policies are continually under review by the City to monitor their impact on affordable housing.
There are no current court orders, consent decrees, or HUD imposed sanctions that affect the provision of fair housing remedies within the City of Pompano Beach.
There have been twenty-five (25) reported cases of lead-paint poisoning among children in the City of Pompano Beach over the last three (3) years. Based on the addresses of the reported cases, it is estimated that 58% of the cases are lower income households residing in rental units that were built pre 1978.
It is the mission of the City of Pompano Beach to continue to improve the
living conditions of its low/moderate income residents by continuously
developing and assessing and upgrading its housing and non-housing programs so
that we may provide decent, standard, affordable housing, as well as, a decent
and safe community with viable economic development activities to further the
quality of life for these residents.
Through the use of the Citizen's Participation Plan process, the residents of the City of Pompano Beach have identified housing and community development needs based on their level of priority within the City. These priorities are: infrastructure improvements; affordable housing; economic development and public services. These high priorities will be scheduled to be funded and completed in the target area during the next five (5) years based on funds availability. Completion of these activities will revitalize residential and neighborhood commercial areas, remove blight and provide economic development opportunities for low and moderate income residents.
Infrastructure improvement priorities include street pavings, sewer improvements and installation of sidewalks.
Affordable housing priorities include increasing the supply of affordable housing and reducing housing cost burdens for low income households, homeownership opportunities and assistance in the homeless shelter efforts.
Economic Development Priorities include affordable loans for existing and start-up businesses which should enable local residents to obtain jobs within the neighborhood and further the cause of new business development.
Public service priorities after the implementation of the above will result in a reduction in crime in the neighborhood, improved code enforcement and involvement of youth in the community.
The City of Pompano Beach will consider all households with incomes less than 30% of Broward County's median income to be below the poverty line for residents who reside in the City. There are approximately 3,946 households within the City who meet this criteria. The City will continue to coordinate its housing programs to integrate the County's Social Service Division so that families at poverty level can obtain job training skills; coordinate with the local PHA to start a self-sufficiency program; and the encouragement of greater economic development opportunities in the City to assist in the creation of jobs for low and moderate income families.
The primary resource for the detailed Housing and Community Development strategies are Federal - CDBG and Public Housing Comprehensive Grant Program; State - SHIIP, HOME, SAIL and Predevelopment Trust funds and City - TIF funds through the CRA.
The City of Pompano Beach's Planning and Growth Management Department consists of six divisions of which the Community Development Division is one component. This Division is responsible for the design, development and implementation of Federal and State grant programs for housing and community development. The City's Community Development Division will be the lead agency in carrying out the affordable and supportive housing strategy. The Housing Authority of the City of Pompano Beach will be responsible for carrying out the section 8 Voucher and Certificate program. The Minority Business Council, a non-profit organization will assist in carrying out the City's First Time Homebuyers Program. Additionally, he City has developed a relationship with several local lending institutions for financial support in carrying out its affordable housing strategy. Efforts will continue to eliminate barriers to affordable housing.
Coordination of services for the homeless will be on the County level with Broward County government and for the non-homeless special needs population through the City and County government.
In assessing the capacity of the above described institutional structure
which will carry out the City's PLAN, the City finds that the structure has the
capacity, experience, knowledge and ability to assure program success.
The City of Pompano Beach's One Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of approximately $1.4 million in CDBG funds which includes program income, in a variety of the following activities:
The City of Pompano Beach has designated the N.W. Redevelopment Area as the target area for the expenditure of these funds.
The City of Pompano Beach over the next five (5) years, will accomplish the following objectives in the area of affordable housing:
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; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).
