In the last century, Wichita has grown from a wide-open cattle town of the 1870s into a major Midwest manufacturing city with more than 300,000 people. It is the largest city and the major center of commerce in Kansas. During the 1930s, Wichita became home to the aircraft manufacturing industry; Boeing, Cessna, Beech, Learjet, and others set up production in the city.
Wichita plans over 100 projects totaling $6,882,800 in the upcoming year. These funds will come primarily from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG), and Home Investment Partnerships (HOME). They will be used for such projects as housing rehabilitation and low-interest loans for low-income households, renovation of a homeless shelter, homelessness prevention, operation of temporary shelters for battered women, and health services.
City staff prepared a list of preliminary needs from source documents. The Department of Finance, lead agency for preparation of the plan, mailed that list to more than 120 community agencies asking for their help in prioritizing needs. A notice was placed in the Wichita Eagle and in a weekly minority-owned newspaper to advise citizens of the availability of the list of preliminary needs and to solicit their comments.
On November 8, 1994, the city held a public hearing to solicit public comments on priority needs. While developing the Consolidated Plan, the city consulted a number of sources regarding quantitative information to support the identified needs. Wichita held another hearing on March 7, 1995 to receive comments on the draft plan. Copies of the plan are available for public review at branch libraries. A public notice that summarized the contents was published in the Wichita Eagle.
The population of Wichita in 1990 was 304,011. The white population made up 82 percent of the total, African American 11 percent, Hispanic 5 percent, Asian or Pacific Islander 3 percent, and American Indian 1 percent. Wichita's African-American, Asian, and American- Indian population increased 9,178 between 1980 and 1990, accounting for 37 percent of the total increase. The Hispanic population increased by 5,795 during the same time.
Wichita had 123,249 households in 1990. The average household size was 2.4 persons, a decrease from the 1980 average size of 2.5.
Median household income in Wichita was $28,024. Citywide, 9.5 percent of families were below the poverty level, but poverty was much more prevalent among certain groups. Thirty-four percent of all female-headed families, 31 percent of blacks, 26 percent of Asians, 24 percent of Americans Indians, 15 percent of Hispanics, and 14 percent of elderly were below the poverty level.
Instability of aircraft industry employment has caused large population fluctuations in Wichita. Throughout the 1960s, aircraft manufacturing increased. In 1970, Boeing suffered major losses in sales and thus employment, which was reflected by a population decline of nearly 20,000. Yet, attempts to diversify the local employment base have been only marginally successful, and the aircraft industry remains the largest employer. The city is located in the center of the wheat belt, and oil and gas producing areas. Wichita has also become a regional health care center with five major hospitals that continue to expand.
Household characteristics and current housing needs in Wichita are not expected to change substantially within the next 5 years. Modest population growth is forecast and a corresponding modest demand for additional housing is anticipated. A 9-year projection suggests that the population will grow approximately 0.65 percent per year. This translates into an annual demand for about 1,000 additional housing units.
In 1990, Wichita's housing stock consisted of 135,069 units. Of these, 14 percent were built before 1940. The decade that had the largest housing gain was between 1950 and 1960, when 25 percent of the housing stock was built. From 1980 to 1990, 18,449 units (16 percent) were added.
The median home value was $56,000 in 1990, up from $40,800 in 1980. One-third of units fell in the $40,000 - $59,999 range, and another 22 percent in the $60,000 - $79,999 range. Houses are generally of lower value in the center of the city, with prices increasing outward from the center. Contract median rents in the last decade increased by 50 percent, from $199 to $299.
Wichita has a total of 135,069 units of which 123,249 are occupied. The 72,630 owner- occupied units made up 59 percent of all occupied units, leaving 41 percent renter- occupied. The overall 8.8 percent vacancy rate was 9 percent, but the rate was 14 percent among rental units.
Affordable housing needs have been assessed by income level. Forty-three percent of Wichita households are considered to have low- or moderate-incomes. Twenty-seven percent of households have housing problems consisting of one or more of the following: severe cost burden caused by spending over half of income for housing, lacking complete kitchen or bathroom, or overcrowding.
As expected, the incidence of housing problems decreases as income goes up. Extremely low-income households (incomes less than 31 percent of median family income in the area, or MFI) make up 13 percent of Wichita households, 79 percent of them have housing problems. Very low-income households (incomes from 31 to 50 percent of MFI) are another 11 percent of the city's households. Sixty percent of them have housing problems. Almost one-third of low-income households (51 to 80 percent of MFI) have housing problems. Low- income households constitute 19 percent of the population. Only 16 percent of moderate income households (81 to 95 percent of MFI) have housing problems. Moderate-income households make up only 9 percent of the city's households. In every income group, renters are more likely to have problems than are owners.
Because minority groups have income levels typically less than median, a disproportionate number of minority households are experiencing housing problems.
Wichita has an affordable housing program for low-income people that is available to residents in all public housing developments. The city has provided $200,000 towards the total of a $3 million program to provide interest buy downs, and down payment and closing cost assistance for low-income home buyers.
Estimates of the actual number of homeless in Wichita vary widely, but a single-night shelter count is not available. On any given night, there are an estimated 579 homeless individuals in shelter beds, on the streets, or in hotel/motel/paid care. The homeless population includes abused women and children, elderly poor, single men and women, persons with physical and mental disabilities, emotionally disturbed, substance and alcohol addicted, unemployed, families, children, and runaway youth. Fifty percent of Wichita's sheltered homeless are females, many of whom are single mothers caring for their children. The state of homelessness is seldom the result of a single isolated event, but rather developed from a series of social and economic circumstances.
Wichita has 11 facilities operating to help the homeless. The current inventory of emergency and transition beds is inadequate.
The Wichita Housing Authority currently administers 577 conventional public housing units consisting of 226 elderly/disabled and 351 single family, scattered homes. The physical condition of all properties is above average. Section 8 certificates and vouchers serve 1,429 households, and there are 50 Section 202 units. A total of 4,985 names are on the Housing Authority's waiting list.
Wichita's zoning ordinance permits small-sized lots, encourages cost-saving cluster developments, and does not regulate house size. The city uses the Uniform Building Code and Minimum Housing Code Book. It charges moderate fees for building permits, but does not have fees for external infrastructure such as streets and parks. Public policies are routinely monitored to determine where affordability inspired changes can be made.
New State legislation now permits local governments to rebate property taxes in designated revitalization areas. The city recently hired a Development Coordinator to ensure a speedy processing of development applications and a cooperative spirit between city and businesses. In addition, a proposal to develop public-private partnerships for neighborhood parks is under discussion.
The jurisdiction will affirmatively further fair housing, prepare an analysis of impediments, and maintain records pertaining to carrying out this certification.
Approximately 84,000 of Wichita's dwelling units contain lead-based paint. An estimated 90 percent of homes built before 1940 have lead-based paint and about 62 percent of homes built between 1960 and 1979 have lead-based paint. It is estimated that 37,000 low- and moderate-income households live in homes with lead-based paint. The Wichita Housing Authority (WHA) has alerted public housing tenants of the dangers of ingesting lead-based paint. WHA has established a lead abatement program for all affected WHA units.
The Wichita-Sedgwick County Health Department provides free screening tests for the general public, especially targeting women, infants, and children in the WIC program. The department circulates information regarding the health risks and has established a lead poisoning committee to monitor the public's health as it relates to this hazard.
Non-housing community needs include not only physical needs such as public facilities and infrastructure, but also ongoing service needs such as community health care and operation of neighborhood and community centers. Completion of all the higher priority programs would cost an estimated $9,195,016. Among the community development needs identified as high priority in the Consolidated Plan process are:
Overall, Wichita wants to provide affordable housing opportunities for buyers and renters -- particularly low- and very low-income households. It also hopes to provide more transitional housing to the homeless.
Renters. High priority is given to renters with smaller-sizedhouseholds and with very low- incomes. Renters in overcrowded housing are also considered a high-priority need. The city will meet the needs of renters with the following major programs over the next 3 to 5 years: HOME, Supportive Housing, Shelter Plus Care, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Section 202, Section 811, Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy, Rental Vouchers and Certificates, Home Share and Hope for the Elderly, Public Housing Comprehensive Grant, Public Housing Development, and Family Self-Sufficiency.
Owners. The highest priority for owner households is assistance to low-income owners. Physical defects and overcrowded units also have high priority. To meet owners' needs, the city will use funds from HOME, Hope 3, CDBG, Federal Home Loan Bank Board, Mortgage Revenue Bonds, Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, and the Federal National Mortgage Association.
Homeless. Highest priorities of homeless housing needs are to provide both transitional and permanent housing for families and individuals, including those with special needs from physical and mental disabilities or substance abuse. To meet those needs, the major programs to be used over the next 3 to 5 years include using the following funds: Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), McKinney Act Funding, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Shelter Plus Care, and Focused Housing Vouchers.
Wichita plans to focus non-housing community development activities on crime reduction, youth services, neighborhood revitalization, employment, and redevelopment and investment.
Those non-housing community development projects that the city has identified as high priority include community policing, youth services and programs, youth training and employment, programs to assist youth and families, code enforcement activities, business expansion and retention, assistance for victims of domestic violence, safety and security programs, small business development, downtown redevelopment, and reinvestment incentives.
Wichita provides a number of programs designed to integrate social services and housing activities for households living in poverty. They include such programs as a well-child clinic, a summer day camp for children, handicapped transportation, home health care, housing repairs and rehabilitation loans and grants, low-income public housing and Section 8 housing, low-interest energy loans, and training and employment programs.
For one group of individuals, barriers to financial and personal independence include such things as lack of training in an occupation that can provide adequate wages, lack of transportation, inability to afford or find adequate child care, lack of job search and retention skills, and illiteracy. For this group of low-income residents, the core of self-sufficiency is employment. The Wichita Human Services Department operates the Job Training Partnership Act program for a six-county area. The department assists participants to identify and access community services to address the barriers.
A second group of households below the poverty line are those for whom self-sufficiency through employment is not realistic because of the severity of barriers. These people are on fixed incomes, welfare cash grants, Social Security, disability payments, and retirement. Barriers for this group include acute and chronic health problems, mental health needs, physical and mental disabilities, unsafe and unsanitary living conditions, and high rent.
To help overcome these barriers, the city has a variety of loan and grant programs for homeowners and landlords to make their dwellings more energy efficient and therefore reduce gas and electric bills. The Human Services Department has funding to assist a few low-income residents with rent and utility bills. The city also funds a collaboration between the public and private sectors to rehabilitate substandard housing for the city and offer these units for homeownership opportunities to low- and moderate-income families.
Federal funding sources will be supplemented by a number of lending institutions and other public/private partnerships. Four community housing development organizations have begun providing housing improvements in specific neighborhoods.
The Finance Department provides oversight and management of the Consolidated Plan and the CDBG program. The CDBG activities will be carried out by city departments and service agencies. City staff, service agencies, and community housing development organizations will implement the Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) program. The Human Service Department and service agencies will implement the Emergency Shelter Grant programs. The city's Human Services Department will continue to have responsibility for Section 8 Certificates, Section Vouchers, Public Housing Development, Public Housing Comprehensive Grant, Shelter Plus Care, and Family Self-Sufficiency.
Wichita will conduct the following activities designed to enhance coordination between public and assisted housing providers and public and private health and service agencies:
In determining priority needs for One-Year Action Plan funding, the City Council stipulated that programs for which funding was requested had to address at least one of the high or medium community needs. Examples of key projects are:
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).
