Macon is a central Georgia city of a little over 100,000 persons. Its Consolidated Plan addresses economic and social problems from a family perspective and makes recommendations focusing on the development and expansion of social programs with a holistic, family-centered approach. Macon's problems have mirrored national problems which have decreased family well-being over the years. Conditions have resulted in an inter-generational dependence on the welfare system as a source of income and medical care. The city's approach is that families should receive support to remain intact or to be reunited whenever possible.
For the first year of the Consolidated Plan, the city of Macon is requesting $2,438,030 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $938,000 in HOME funds, and $86,000 from the Emergency Shelter Grant program. The bulk of Federal funds will be spent on housing programs.
A public notice invited citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties to present their input into Macon's Consolidated Plan on May 15, 1995. Another public notice invited nonprofit agencies interested in receiving CDBG funds to a pre-funding conference held in November 30, 1994. All meetings were open to public participation. Survey sheets for citizens' input on priority needs were distributed, and citizens, as well as all other agencies where meetings were held, were asked to complete the survey and return it after the hearing.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
The 1990 census showed the population of Macon to be 106,610. Of the total, 52.2 percent are African American, 46.5 percent are white, and only 1.3 percent are from other minority groups.
In 1993 the average annual unemployment rate for Bibb County (in which Macon is located) was 6.1 percent compared to 5.8 percent for the State of Georgia, and 6.8 percent for the Nation. Labor force statistics by race showed that unemployment rates were 3.1 percent for whites and 11 percent for African Americans. Minorities, women, and youth have considerably higher unemployment rates than white males.
Per capita income for Bibb county in 1992 was $18,959. This was less than the national average, but above State and southeastern averages. Median household income for Bibb County in 1990 was $25,813 and for the State it was $29,021.
Census figures reveal that 19.2 percent of the population of Bibb County lived below the poverty level in 1989 ($12,674 for a family of four), compared with 14.6 percent for the State as a whole. Over 19 percent of the population aged 65 years and older lived below poverty in Bibb County, as did 41.1 percent of all female-headed households.
Macon is home to 41,227 households. 71 percent of which have income from wages and salaries. The remainder have income from self-employment, Social Security, public assistance, and retirement. The largest employer is Robins Air Force Base which is located 18 miles south of the city.
The city has a total of 45,499 housing units, 41,175 of them are occupied. Of these, about half are owner occupied and half are renter occupied. Elderly persons head 35 percent of the 21,315 homeowner households. Among these elderly homeowners, 20 percent own or occupy housing that is in need of repair, and almost all of them have incomes at or below 80 percent of the median. Four out of five of them have incomes below 51 percent of median.
Macon had 23,230 rental housing units in 1990 -- 20,730 of which were occupied. This resulted in a vacancy rate just under 11 percent. The census also reported that 35 percent of Macon's 19,912 renter households had incomes at or below 30 percent of median. Of the 7,044 renters with incomes below 30 percent of median, 77 percent lived in housing that needed repair.
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.
The 1990 census found that almost one-third of Macon's 41,227 occupied housing units are in need of repair. Of these:
Among the non-elderly homeowners that live in housing in need of repair, 25 percent have incomes below 31 percent of median and 18 percent have incomes between 31 and 50 percent of median. Many of these housing units need major repairs to the building envelope; structural members; or to the electrical, plumbing, and heating systems to modernize them and bring them into compliance with all local codes. Typically the costs would run between $25,000 and $30,000 per housing unit. If lead paint must be abated, the cost of completely rehabilitating privately-owned houses jumps to $35,000 to $40,000.
The demand for affordable and safe housing in inner-city neighborhoods is overwhelming to very low-income homeowners as shown by requests for home repair assistance. Most of the homeowner applicants are elderly persons with Social Security incomes between $400 and $600 per month.
There is a growing demand from low- and moderate-income renters and others to purchase single-family housing. The 7,044 renter households with incomes below 31 percent of median probably will not qualify to purchase a house until their incomes increase. Meanwhile, 77 percent of them live in housing that needs repair, but three-fourths pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing, and half pay more than 50 percent of their income toward housing costs.
As could be expected, there is a large demand for quality, affordable rental housing in Macon, particularly among persons with incomes under 31 percent of median. Unfortunately, debt service alone on high-quality rental housing frequently exceeds 30 percent of the income of very low-income renters.
Macon simply does not have the money to address the needs of all low-income homeowners, particularly those with incomes below 50 percent of the median who are unable to borrow a substantial portion of the repair cost from a bank.
The census found that 29 percent of Macon's 41,227 households paid more than 30 percent of their income toward housing costs. Twenty of the 29 percent were renters and 9 percent were owners.
Even more cost burdened were the 13 percent of Macon's households that paid more than 50 percent of their income toward housing costs. Ten of 13 percent were renters and 3 percent were owners.
Macon has many inner-city housing needs and problems. The overall state of dilapidation and disinvestment found throughout many inner-city neighborhoods is of primary concern to the city. Therefore, Macon's strategic plan for housing will center on housing activities that can lead to the overall revitalization of inner-city and adjoining neighborhoods.
As many as 5,000 households in Macon may be at risk of homelessness in a given year. Persons most threatened with homelessness include:
Macon's homelessness problem is not just confined to single persons in the downtown area. It also pervades single-parent families where children have no permanent residence.
A 1990 study estimated that there were 210 homeless people in downtown Macon, based on occupied shelter beds and a systematic, late night street survey. Detailed interviews of 100 of the 210 homeless found that the overwhelming majority were between 30 to 59 years of age and 91 percent were male. Fifty-one percent were African American, 48 percent were Caucasian, and 1 percent were of other minorities. The average length of homelessness was 2 years but the median for homelessness was 1 year. Twenty-three percent had been previously homeless. The five major causes for homelessness among those surveyed were mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse, lack of supportive family relationships, lack of employment, and health-care related issues.
Macon intends to address homelessness by improving the coordination among organizations and agencies delivering services and reducing the number of homeless persons living on the streets and under bridges.
The Macon Housing Authority (MHA) has 2,239 units of public housing. It also administers 1,750 Section 8 vouchers and/or certificates. The 1995 5-year plan includes modernization of Anthony Homes public housing. The total cost of modernization is approximately $8 million to be spread over three years. Modernization work is also scheduled for Oglethorpe Homes to complete some lead-based paint abatement.
MHA's Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan requires MHA to maintain separate waiting lists for handicapped units. In March of 1995, there were 62 units that were designated as handicapped accessible. The current 5-year plan includes funds for an additional 18 handicapped units.
Although Federal funds are vital to the city's affordable housing, regulations attached to the Federal programs often present obstacles to the city's affordable housing efforts. The city needs additional Federal funding in order to provide decent, safe, and affordable housing to very low-income residents -- many of whom are elderly and live on Social Security incomes of $400 to $600 per month.
The biggest local barriers to inner-city investment and revitalization are drugs and crime. Blight caused by vacant dilapidated houses, overgrown lots, ineffective code enforcement, and an ineffective judicial system are other major barriers. Locally adopted building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical codes make it difficult to obtain a permit to repair or partially replace a system without having to bring the entire system up to current code. Water and sewer tap fees also add to the cost of inner-city development. Work on some of the needs such as more and better code enforcement and the need to focus money on micro-neighborhoods has already begun.
Metro Fair Housing Services conducted a study on race discrimination in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta and Macon as part of a national study funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This study showed that, "overall, the incidence of housing discrimination was estimated at 56 percent for black renters; 50 percent for Hispanic renters; 59 percent for black homeowners; and 56 percent for Hispanic homebuyers." One of the questions asked by prospective renters was how many apartments were available. The response to this question exposed the most blatant form of discrimination. A white or majority tester was told of several apartments that he/she could choose and the African-American tester was told that nothing was available. Macon ranked worst among 25 cities in the study in this category. In fact, HUD researchers estimate that an African-American person or couple looking for an apartment in Macon has an almost 60 percent chance of encountering unfair treatment at least once at this stage of the apartment search process.
The Federal Reserve conducted a study in 1991 which showed that African Americans in Macon/Warner Robins were turned down by banks for loans 27 percent of the time compared to 14 percent for white applicants.
Nevertheless, Metro Fair Housing is not aware of any housing discrimination suit against the jurisdiction. The majority of housing discrimination complaints have been in the rental area.
According to the 1990 census, 5,808 housing units in Macon were built before 1940, and therefore are most likely to have serious lead paint problems. The city has only limited Federal funding it can use to address housing and neighborhood revitalization problems. Given the current level of Federal funding, and the large number of houses needing basic repairs, Macon cannot afford an aggressive lead-based paint abatement, encasement, and/or encapsulation program in privately-owned housing.
According to data provided by the Macon/Bibb County District Public Health Department of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, 1,358 children under the age of 6 were tested for lead poisoning in Macon/Bibb County during 1994. The Health Department, following CDC guidelines, performed initial "finger stick" screening tests on the 1,358 children. As a result, 286 or 21 percent of the children were discovered to have lead level readings greater than 10 micrograms/dL. Children who fell into this category were tested a second time. None of these children required medical treatment and none were required to move from their homes.
In a survey on priority needs for 1995 Consolidated Plan, the following community development needs were identified by citizens and other agencies that were present in the meeting. These are:
Macon is striving toward a family-centered system that is comprehensive, preventive, family driven, integrated, developmental, flexible, sensitive to race, culture, gender, and disabilities, and outcome oriented. The following are Macon's community development goals and priorities:
The city believes that increasing homeownership in inner-city neighborhoods, will serve as a catalyst for private reinvestment. To expand affordable housing opportunities for low-income families Macon plans to:
Macon also seeks to have a city/county where the rates of unemployment, inactivity, and underemployment are reduced by at least 2 percent.
Of the $2,138,000 in CDBG funds that the city will receive, approximately $250,000 will assist nonprofit agencies that deal with problems that contribute to poverty such as low-income, lack of transportation, lack of child care, low self esteem, and lack of job training. More than $1 million of CDBG funds will directly assist low-income homeowners and renters obtain decent, safe, and affordable housing. HOME funds of $938,000 and Emergency Shelter Grants of $86,000 of will assist 40 first-time homebuyers and almost 100 homeless individuals.
Macon will continue to look to the Macon Housing Authority as the major source of quality and affordable housing for very low-income renters. While the city will continue to look for ways to make quality, affordable, and privately owned housing available to renters, the success of the plan will also depend on the availability of private sector financing.
The resources made available through the city, the Middle Georgia Consortium, the Macon Economic Development Council, and the Small Business Administration will provide for the implementation of most of the economic development strategies planned throughout the next 3 years. The primary funding sources for public facilities are the city's General Fund, a Section 108 loan, and CDBG. Funding for public improvements and public services will come from CDBG, with some funds coming from the General Fund. Funding for youth services in Macon comes mostly from public funds with some private nonprofit sources. Three Federal funding sources for the elderly are the Title 3 Older Americans Act, CDBG, and Social Service Block Grants that support nutrition, transportation, adult day care and homemaker services for seniors. Most services for the disabled are funded through the Home- and Community-based Waiver and the Mental Retardation Waiver Plan of the Medicaid Program.
Economic development strategies will be coordinated primarily through partnerships between the city of Macon, the Middle Georgia Consortium, the Small Business Administration, and the Macon Economic Development Council. All of the public parks and recreational facilities within Macon and Bibb County are operated through the city's Park and Recreation Department. Macon will continue to work with the Junior City Council to ensure that the youth of Macon and Bibb County have their needs addressed. Macon's services network for the elderly and disabled is comprised primarily of governmental and nonprofit agencies that provide supportive housing and services.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 6 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded pojects within another of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s).
Macon has allocated CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds for FY 1995 for 28 projects, including:
Macon has identified 11 target areas in which most of the residents have incomes below 80 percent of median: Bellevue, Cherokee Heights, East Macon, Intown, Lynmore Estates, Montpelier, Pleasant Hill, South Macon, Tindall Heights, Unionville, and Village Green.
