The City of Joliet is an urban community located Southwest of the City of Chicago within Will County. Joliet's Consolidated Plan discusses the major concerns of housing condition and affordability, as well as the need for improved infrastructure and explains the creative local programs formed to address these needs through Federal, local and private partnerships.
The City of Joliet presents a plan using $1,637,955 in HOME and CDBG funds for such housing and community development programs as housing preservation and rehab, homeownership assistance, housing acquisition for renovation, rental housing construction, infrastructure improvements, code enforcement and an innovative local YouthBuild program.
The Consolidated Plan was prepared by the City of Joliet Community and
Economic Development Department, with assistance from various local housing
providers. Citizen input on the plan was solicited throughout the process and
citizen participation was specifically solicited at two public hearings. One
hearing occurred during the creation of the plan and another was held during the
program year.
The total population for Joliet increased almost 7% during the 1980 to 1990 period. Population figures went from 77,956 in 1980 to 83,186 in 1990. The total percentages of all groups in the population is White, 74%; Black,17%; Hispanic, 8%; Asian & Pacific Islanders, 1% and Native American 1%.
By Federal standards, 48% of the households in Joliet are low income
(earning less than 80% of median family income). The HUD-adjusted Median Family
Income in 1989 was $45,164.
The City of Joliet has housing needs typical to other aging Midwest, rust-belt communities which are experiencing rapid, localizing growth. Generally, the City's older housing stock on the east and near west side is run down and in substandard condition. These neighborhoods, which contain the bulk of the City's affordable housing stock, were abandoned and properties allowed to drift into a state of disrepair. At the same time, there has been phenomenal growth in new high-end housing construction on the west side.
The primary housing problem for existing low income homeowners is lack of funds for home maintenance and repair. The aging housing stock in the City, 28.3% of which was built before World War II, exacerbates affordability problems as low income households lack resources required to rehabilitate and maintain their homes. One of Joliet's great need is that of affordable single family homeownership opportunities.
The affordability problem is also particularly acute for low income elderly persons. Twenty percent of all homeowners and over 25% of elderly homeowners experience moderate to severe housing affordability problems.
In addition to homeowner needs, census figures indicate that 33% of housing units built before 1940 are occupied by low income renters. There are approximately 10,000 rental units in Joliet and they are inspected on a three year rotation. Of the 3,300 units inspected annually, the majority of them have code violations.
Regarding cost burden, extremely low income (0-30% MFI) homeowners and elderly homeowners experience the most significant problems. Over 69% of the homeowners within these categories have housing problems and experience cost burdens of greater than 30% of their income. Almost half of all elderly renters have housing problems, and an equal percentage have cost burdens that exceed 30% of their income.
The City of Joliet has approximately 21,310 homeowner units and 22,370 rental units. The vacancy rate of homes which are safe, decent and affordable to low income households is 1.3%. A 5% vacancy rate is generally regarded as a level that allows for reasonable housing choice.
Given Joliet's experience of substandard housing and low vacancy rates for low income families and elderly residents, affordable housing priority needs include the following:
The Daybreak Shelter served 1,027 homeless individuals between July, 1993 and June, 1994. According to statistics compiled by the Daybreak Shelter, over 498 of the 2,023 estimated homeless individuals are members of families. That figure shows a marked increase from the 1992 statistics gathered from the same shelter that show 36% of those served were family members.
The needs of homeless families and homeless individuals include: shelter, decent and affordable housing, adequate income to sustain housing, job training, ongoing needs assessment, counseling, public benefits programs, long term employment opportunities, outpatient mental health services and outpatient substance abuse assistance.
Outreach assessment, emergency shelters, transitional shelters and permanent supportive housing are all designated as priority homeless needs.
Joliet has a total of 1,099 conventional public housing units and 718 Section 8 Housing Program units. The adjusted vacancy rate for conventional public housing units is .09%. There are no vacant Section 8 units. Needs identified by the Housing Authority include site improvements for 5 separate public housing locations to improve living environments for residents. This includes the need to renovate 22 units and to resurface parking facilities and alleyways and provide exterior lighting at some locations.
While building codes, zoning ordinances, land use controls and tax structures can negatively influence the provision of affordable housing, Joliet is not experiencing adverse impacts in these areas. The City of Joliet offers affordable housing programs to counter the primary barriers of high housing costs and poor conditions of available units.
13,861 of Joliet's units were built prior to 1979 when lead based paint was still in use. Of those, 10,400 are at risk of containing lead based paint. 5,156 of these units are estimated to be occupied by low income households. According to the Will County Health Department, Joliet had 73 reported cases of lead poisoning in 1993.
Joliet's priority community development needs include infrastructure
improvements for flood drains, streets, and sewers. Youth services to promote
economic self sufficiency of low income youth is also a priority.
The City of Joliet's primary housing and community development objectives include safe and decent affordable housing through homeownership and code compliance, suitable living environments through infrastructure improvements in designated areas and expansion of economic opportunities through job training and education.
Joliet's housing priorities are to increase the supply of affordable housing for first time homebuyers, help existing owners to maintain safe and decent housing and increase housing options for elderly renters. Priorities for the homeless include further support for a homeless Continuum of Care and support for homeless prevention through relieving excess housing costs, rehabilitating dilapidated units and offering assistance to low income homebuyers.
The City of Joliet's priorities for non-housing community development needs are to create suitable living environments through infrastructure improvements to streets, sewers, and flood drainage systems, as well as to provide economic opportunities to residents through job training and education programs like the YouthBuild program.
Many low income persons suffer from lack of marketable job skills, making it difficult to obtain gainful employment. The City of Joliet's goal is to identify and support programs that are aimed at employment training and education. The City of Joliet continues to work with local agencies to implement the YouthBuild program. The goal of this program is to prepare each participant for post-program job placement and a permanent position in the work force.
The primary Federal resources include CDBG and HOME. Local programs and state programs include the City of Joliet YouthBuild program, the Housing Preservation Loan program in partnership with First Midwest Bank and 1st National Bank of Joliet, the Amerifed Homestead program and the Illinois Housing Development Authority Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The City of Joliet works cooperatively with the Illinois Housing Development
Authority (IHDA) to obtain financing for new housing construction. IHDA's
Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund provides below market rate loans and
grants for affordable housing. The City also coordinates with Will County in
assessing local housing needs and coordinating service delivery. In addition,
Joliet has designated Senior Services of Will County to act as its Community
Development Housing Organization which is sponsoring a rental housing conversion
project for senior citizens using HOME funds.
The City of Joliet's One Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of approximately $1,637,955 in CDBG and HOME funds, in addition to program income. These funds will be used for housing and community development activities, including:
While some of the housing rehab programs are available to residents throughout the city, the Direct Homeownership Assistance program, YouthBuild, the senior rental housing conversion project, code enforcement and infrastructure improvements are targeted to residents of low and moderate income areas.
The City of Joliet Neighborhood Services Division will act as the lead agency for the administration of activities applied for under the Consolidated Plan. The Neighborhood Services Division will coordinate with private, non-profit and public entities in the administration of funds for these activities.
Joliet's Housing goals include the rehabilitation of 45 single family units, the completion of 15 emergency repairs for single family units, the provision of homeownership assistance to 16 low income homebuyers, the rehabilitation of 5 homestead properties and the rehabilitation of 17 rental units for use as low income senior housing.
To illustrate projects and target areas covered in Joliet's Consolidated Plan, attached are the following:
MAP 1 City of Joliet showing points of interest;
MAP 2 City of Joliet showing points of interest and low/mod areas;
MAP 3 City showing low/mod areas and areas of minority concentrations;
MAP 4 City showing low/mod areas and unemployment;
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Bob Listner
Neighborhood Services Director
PH: (815)740-2453.
