Moline, Illinois, is one of the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois that straddle the Mississippi River. Past its heyday as an industrial center, Moline holds an aging population and an aging housing stock. The riverfront is still the focus for developme nt, but with retail and tourism income now in mind. Growing problems of poverty and homelessness are shared by the whole metropolitan area, and approached through metropolitan cooperation, even though this must take place across a State boundary.
Moline plans to approach its problems through continuing downtown development and housing rehabilitation within the city, as well as through specialized programs operating throughout the Quad Cities area that take on issues of fair housing, homelessness, crime, and recreation.
The Community Development Division of the city consulted on various housing and community development issues with 12 local non-profit and charitable organizations, and with various local governmental agencies, business groups, and statewide organizations during the period leading up to this Consolidated Plan.
The city of Moline held a public hearing on the Consolidated Plan at the Moline Public Library. Public notice was provided in local newspapers in English and Spanish. No members of the public attended.
Moline lost over 20,000 manufacturing jobs during the 1980s and saw a decline in population of about 6 percent between 1980 and 1990. Manufacturing provided 30 percent of all employment in 1980, but only 18 percent by 1990.
The median age of the Moline population increased from 31.2 years to 35.4 years during the decade. This was higher than the median age for the State of Illinois (33.0 years). Since the percentage of persons under 18 also was slightly higher than the state wide figure, this appeared to reflect a decrease in the number of adults in their middle years.
Only 6 percent of the city populations belongs to racial minorities, of whom about half are Hispanic and about one-third are African American. Three census tracts in the northwest of the city have a percentage of minority population above 9 percent; 2 of
these tracts are the only tracts with more than 25 percent of persons living in poverty. One of these tracts, the only one to experience a decline in household income during the 1980s, saw a drop of 37 percent in median household income.
Of the 19,235 housing units in Moline, about half were built before 1950 and one-third before 1939. Only 1,137 units were built after 1979. This may indicate need for repair due to deterioration, though not all older housing is substandard.
The National Association of Homebuilders rated the Quad Cities area among the top 25 most affordable housing markets in the Nation. The median value of an owner-occupied house in Moline in 1990 was $49,600. This represented an increase of less than 1 per cent from the same figure in 1980.
However, the median monthly mortgage payment increased by 37 percent from 1980 to 1990, and median monthly rents increased by 40 percent during the same period.
The overall vacancy rate for Moline is 5 percent, up from 3 percent in 1980; the rental vacancy rate is 6 percent.
Most owner-occupied houses (68 percent) in Moline have three or more bedrooms. Only 19 percent of rental units have three or more bedrooms, while 33 percent of rental units have one or fewer bedrooms.
An indicator of housing need is the expenditure of more than 30 percent of income for housing. By this test, the poorest households in Moline face severe needs. These very low-income households, with incomes of less than 30 percent of the median income for the city, pay substantially more than that standard. Almost half of all renters in this income category pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing, and 69 percent (886 households) pay more than 30 percent of their income. Three-fourths of a ll homeowners with similar low incomes pay more than 30 percent of their incomes for housing (480 households).
In the next income category, low-income (households with incomes between 30 percent and 50 percent of the median income for Moline), non-elderly households and households with two to four family members are most likely to be paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing. Almost half of large families in this income bracket are living in overcrowded conditions.
The programs for the homeless in Moline are operated by Project NOW, a community action agency. Project NOW has 3 facilities in Moline with a total of 6 units, and 8 facilities in Rock Island County, including those in Moline, which have 14 units availabl e. Project NOW also offers rental vouchers, whose number varies depending on funding.
During the month of January 1995, Project NOW provided emergency shelter to 28 persons, and vouchers for transitional housing for 41 persons.
The Moline Public Housing Authority owns 487 units of public housing, 303 of which are for elderly households. It also offers 218 units through the Federal Section 8 rental assistance program. Of these, 97 are for the elderly. In addition, the Authority administers 234 tenant-based certificates or vouchers. These are given to income-qualified households who then seek their own housing in the private market, with the program paying a share of the cost.
The Moline Public Housing Authority does not plan to eliminate any public housing units. The Authority estimates that needed improvements of its public housing units will cost $8,932,000 and it hopes to complete the improvements over 10 years.
The city finds that the two major barriers to affordable housing in Moline are the cost of new construction and the lack of financial ability to pay for rehabilitation of existing housing.
Moline notes concentrations of minority households correlating with poverty. A new organization, the Quad City Housing Bureau, will seek to enrich and expand affordable housing opportunities.
Lead-based paint was used commonly in residential units before 1978. The city estimates that there are 4,526 rental units and 6,827 homeowner-occupied units containing lead-based paint. Lead-based paint is considered a hazard mainly if it is likely to be inhaled or eaten by children.
All children entering day care or preschool in the county are tested for lead poisoning. The Rock Island County Health Department reported 88 children in Moline with dangerous levels of lead paint poisoning.
The Illinois Department of Aging estimates that about 750 elderly households in Moline are in need of supportive housing, about 250 of which are frail elderly.
There are no known facilities in the Quad City area that provide housing specifically for persons with AIDS. The Quad Cities AIDS Coalition estimates there are 1,400 persons with HIV or AIDS in the metropolitan area, and that about 10 percent of them h ave special housing needs.
Estimates of persons with disabilities by the Illinois-Iowa Independent Living Center include 2,506 with severe physical impairments and 1,097 with mild to severe mental retardation. There are a number of agencies serving persons with disabilities in the Moline area, but none of them provide housing.
Major non-housing community development needs include downtown redevelopment, improvements in public facilities, and other needs, all of which are responded to with specific actions in the One-Year Action Plan.
Moline has prepared a 5-year strategic plan to benefit low-income residents by providing safe and decent housing and economic opportunities.
The overall objectives of the city are mostly described in the categories listed below. In addition, city staff will provide seminars and direct assistance for homebuyers, and participate on the boards of several local housing agencies.
Housing priorities for homeowners include:
Housing priorities for renters include:
Priorities for assistance to the homeless include:
Project NOW also is exploring Federal funding for rehabilitation of one of its facilities for the homeless, for outreach and counseling, and for providing food and shelter.
Priorities for persons with special needs include modifying the homes of elderly persons and persons with disabilities to encourage continued independent living and providing rental assistance.
The city council, advised by the Citizen's Advisory Board on Urban Policy and others, has determined the following priorities for non-housing community development efforts:
Moline's primary anti-poverty strategy is the Moline Home Improvement Program, which reduces the number of households in poverty or likely to fall into poverty.
Moline will apply for and administer funds from the Community Development Block Grant program, assist the Public Housing Authority, encourage private developers and lenders to use available programs, and will generally act as a catalyst to all housing act ivity.
The city Community Development Division acts as lead agency for these activities. It coordinates its housing activities with other agencies and groups through membership in the Bi-State Regional Commission and the Quad Cities Housing Bureau. It also has
a close working relationship with Project NOW. The city's Home Improvement Program frequently involves coordination with local lenders. City staff regularly confer with staff of the neighboring city of Rock Island.
The focus of Moline's housing activities will be maintenance of the older housing stock, since newly constructed housing is not affordable to low-income residents.
During the 1995-1996 fiscal year, the city intends to continue the Moline Home Improvement Program, funded with CDBG funds of $325,210. In addition, the HOME housing rehabilitation program will be continued with $200,000 remaining from program funds from prior years.
The repayment of a $3 million loan to HUD for the Bass Street Redevelopment Plan will continue with a payment of $290,000 during this year. General program administration by the city will cost $188,840. Both these costs will be paid from CDBG funds.
The Economic Development Loan Fund will be recapitalized by the addition of $50,000. An elevator at City Hall and other modifications to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act will also total $50,000.
Several initiatives for assisting youth and reducing crime, each funded for $15,000 or less, are also planned.
The Moline Home Improvement Program, HOME program, and Economic Development Loan Fund are available throughout the city to qualified individuals, with a priority on census tracts with high poverty levels. The facilities improvements are at specific city-o wned buildings, and the youth programs are generally focused on neighborhoods in need.
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 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 projects 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; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).
