Leavenworth, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City, is not a typical bedroom community. The commuter load is balanced, with an equal number of people leaving Leavenworth and commuting to Leavenworth for work. The city has five significant employment centers, including: Fort Leavenworth, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States Penitentiary, Hallmark-Select Products, and the Corrections Corporation of America.
Leavenworth will have $483,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in 1995 to implement its Consolidated Plan, including rehabilitation of single-family housing, renovation of at least one closed building for use as rental housing, and demolition of unsafe structures.
The city used every possible means at its disposal to inform its citizens about the availability of CDBG funds and the process of the Consolidated Plan. On December 14, 1994, the Community Development Advisory Board held a hearing to identify unmet needs of low-income people in the community. The second scheduled public hearing was held on March 13, 1995, to discuss the final draft of the Consolidated Plan. Before this hearing the draft Consolidated Plan was made publicly available in both executive summary and full forms. The plan was available at the Leavenworth Public Library, the City Clerk's office, and the Leavenworth Public Housing Authority. Citizens, agencies, and interested parties were asked to express their views and comments at all stages of the Consolidated Plan submission process.
All written comments received were responded to within 15 days or were
incorporated into the final draft of the Consolidated Plan. The final draft was
then reviewed by the Community Development Advisory Board on April 10, 1995, and
submitted to the City Commission for adoption on April 25. The final plan was
submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on May
1, 1995.
Leavenworth has a total population of 38,495, of which 77 percent are white,
15 percent are African American, 5 percent are Hispanic, 2 percent are Asian
American or Pacific Islander, and less than 1 percent are Native American. In
1990 Leavenworth had 11,435 households. Of this figure, 2,570 households were
very low income (earning 0-50 percent of the median family income [MFI]); 2,317
were low income (51-80 percent of MFI); and 1,198 were moderate income (81-95
percent of MFI).
HUD defines housing problems as overcrowding, physical deficiency, or a housing cost burden of more than 30 percent of income. Seventy percent of very low-income renters and 58 percent of very low-income homeowners in Leavenworth have housing problems. Among low-income households, 26 percent of renters and 25 percent of homeowners have housing problems. Among moderate-income households, 9 percent of renters and 17 percent of homeowners have housing problems.
In 1990 Leavenworth had 11,475 occupied housing units, of which 52 percent were owner occupied and 48 percent were rental units. Among rental units more than half had three or more bedrooms and 24 percent had two bedrooms. Among owner-occupied units, 67 percent had three or more bedrooms and 28 percent had two bedrooms. Any property that does not comply with one or more housing codes is considered substandard; there were 1,280 substandard units in 1990. Approximately 15 to 20 homes are demolished each year, but about 100 new residential construction permits are issued each year as well.
Many of Leavenworth's very low-income households experience high cost burdens. For example, 69 percent of renters and 58 percent of homeowners in this income group have cost burdens that exceed 30 percent of their income. In addition, 37 percent of very low-income renters and 29 percent of very low-income homeowners have cost burdens greater than 50 percent of their income.
Conditions are somewhat better for low-income households. In this income group, 22 percent of renters and 24 percent of homeowners have cost burdens greater than 30 percent of their income and less than 1 percent of renters and 3 percent of homeowners have cost burdens greater than 50 percent of their income.
Although the 1990 census showed that Leavenworth did not have a homeless population, a one-night survey did reveal one family as homeless. Leavenworth has one emergency shelter for temporary housing of battered women and children. This facility has the capacity to handle a combination of 16 adults and children. Overnight shelter is provided through a voucher system by the Salvation Army.
Catholic Social Services (CSS) and the Leavenworth County Assistance Corporation also provide food and housing vouchers to homeless people and families.
Because Leavenworth has four major penal complexes in and next to it, the city's social services network has more than 90 years of experience dealing with people who arrive in the city without any means of support. CSS typically counsels about eight homeless people or families per month and works with the Salvation Army on all homeless family cases.
Leavenworth has 1,006 assisted households, of which 254 are receiving Section 8 rental assistance. The Leavenworth Public Housing Authority projects a need for 200 single-family, rent-assisted housing units. The city has a waiting list of more than 200 families, with the average wait being 1 year. A proposal to convert the Cody Motor Hotel in downtown Leavenworth to 40 housing units for the elderly will fulfill a considerable amount of the demand for apartments for the elderly.
Leavenworth has used reasonable means to regulate development and housing construction codes. There are no growth-limit policies or restrictive-zoning practices that affect the return on residential investment.
Leavenworth will affirmatively further fair housing practices by conducting an analysis of impediments to fair housing choice within the jurisdiction, taking appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified through that analysis, and maintaining records reflecting that analysis and any subsequent actions.
Because lead-based paint hazards present an immediate risk for children, the city will undertake a three-step process to abate lead-based paint when it is suspected. The first step is to test structures built before 1980 to determine whether lead-based paint is present. The second step will be to inform the tenants and occupants of the structure of the hazards of lead-based paint and potential for lead poisoning. As part of this step, the city will require that any children under age 7 be tested for elevated blood lead levels. The third step in the process is to abate the lead-based paint.
Through this three-step program, the city hopes to promote comprehensive public health awareness, educate and inform the public of the potential for lead-based paint poisoning in the community, and coordinate public and private efforts to reduce lead-based paint hazards to protect preschool-age children.
The city will focus primarily on eliminating blight and fostering
rehabilitation of housing, economic development and redevelopment, housing
affordability, and support for nonprofit agencies that serve the special needs
of homeless and low-income people. The city has identified several high-priority
community development needs, including: health services; water, street, and
sidewalk improvements; transportation services; employment training; crime
awareness activities; fair housing counseling; residential and non-residential
historic preservation; and commercial and industrial rehabilitation and
infrastructure.
Leavenworth has established the following housing priorities:
Leavenworth has established the following community development priorities:
The four cornerstones of Leavenworth's anti-poverty strategy are:
CDBG is the only formula grant provided to Leavenworth annually. Over the next 5 years, Leavenworth expects to receive $2.6 million to undertake the projects and activities identified in its strategic plan. The city anticipates it will receive a total allocation of about $7 million in tax credit-type investments that should produce 144 family housing units and 70 to 80 rental units for the elderly. The city hopes that its resources will result in 30 new homebuyer opportunities or $1.2 million in private investments for first mortgages. The source of these funds is the Housing Trust Fund that receives revenues from repaid liens, mortgages, assessments, administration proceeds from other grants, rents, and allocations of monies from other city funds.
Leavenworth will continue to participate in various aspects of the HOME Investment Partnership Program administered by the State of Kansas. The city plans to rehabilitate 40 homes during the next 5 years with $600,000 in total program funds and will attempt to establish a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) or work with an existing CHDO to continue rehabilitation of rental property. The city anticipates a 50-50 matching share to upgrade an additional 200 rental units over the next 5 years.
The city has provided industrial revenue and tax increment bond financing to establish new and expanding businesses and industries. The city offers a tax abatement program to new and expanding industries that do not desire to use either of the bond programs. The use of these public programs is intended to improve economic conditions.
The city's Community Development Department is responsible for all projects funded in whole or in part with CDBG funds. It also administers all blight removal, rehabilitation, and development and redevelopment programs.
CSS, which is responsible for all housing counseling and referral
activities, is the city's first point of contact for housing disputes related to
landlord-tenant relations, utilities, homelessness, and associated problems. The
St. Vincent Clinic provides outpatient medical services and refers patients for
more intensive care through a prearranged commitment from doctors, hospitals,
dentists, and specialists to serve the needs of the working poor -- those who do
not have insurance and are not covered by Medicare.
Leavenworth will allocate the following funds to its key projects:
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).
