U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development

CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

Situated on the Ohio River in Kentucky, the city of Henderson is considered part of the metropolitan statistical area of its neighbor, Evansville, Indiana. Henderson has historically been a significant riverport for Ohio River traffic, particularly for the shipping of tobacco. Now Henderson benefits from its own industrial/manufacturing base and the employers in Evansville. This strength has allowed the city to build on a solid and stable foundation in order to meet the needs of its residents during inflationary times.

Action Plan

The Consolidated Plan for the city of Henderson has a budget of $377,982 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Citizen Participation

As the lead agency, Henderson's Community Development Department collaborated with numerous housing and social service providers, including the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Harbor House Christian Center, Audubon Area Community Service, Henderson Christian Community Outreach, Henderson Housing Authority, Green River Comprehensive Care, Green River Area Development District, West Home for Girls, and the Chaney House.

Elements of the Consolidated Plan were developed with active citizen participation. The complete plan was published for public review and summarized in the local Gleaner. Copies were made available at the public library, city hall, and other locations.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Henderson had a 1990 population of 25,945, a modest 4.5-percent increase since 1980. African Americans, the only significant minority population in the city, constituted 10.5 percent of the population.

Between 1980 and 1990, two population trends emerged in Henderson. Persons living below the poverty level constituted 12.6 percent of the city's population in 1980, and grew to 16.7 percent by 1990. The percentage of the elderly in Henderson increased from 15.8 percent to 18 percent.

More than half of all Henderson households are low to middle income, with 33.7 percent falling into the low-income category and 16.9 percent in the middle-income category. More than half of all African-American households were low income compared with 32 percent of white households. Most low-income households -- again predominantly African American -- were located in the north central portion of the city, which includes Kimmel Park, and in the Gabe/Fagan neighborhoods, which have been characterized as slum and blight areas.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Conditions

Commercially, Henderson has been able to maintain a small but viable central business district. This is somewhat unusual for suburban communities, but the main shopping malls are in Evansville and the travel involved means that smaller, service-oriented concerns have been able to maintain their client base.

Housing Market Conditions

Henderson's housing stock contained 11,355 housing units, of which 10,548 were occupied. Mobile homes constituted 9 percent of the city's housing stock. There was a decrease in the percentage of homeowners, from 58.2 percent in 1980 to 54.1 percent in 1990. Correspondingly, there was an increase in renter-occupied housing, from 36.3 percent in 1980 to 38.8 percent in 1990. The overall vacancy rate increased from 5.5 percent in 1980 to 7.1 percent in 1990.

The city's building code office confirmed a 20-percent increase in requests for building permits in 1994 for new homes under $50,000. The pace of multifamily rental housing also accelerated with the completion of a 120-unit low-income complex.

In 1980 one of every four housing units in the city was less than 10 years old. By 1990 this had fallen to 1 of every 6 units, resulting in approximately 2,200 housing units that required rehabilitation. This means there was a high demand for all rental units, including substandard units, with little incentive for rehabilitation.

Affordable Housing Needs

Housing problems refer to cost burden and/or overcrowding. Of the 2,014 extremely low-income households (0-30 percent of median family income [MFI]), approximately two-thirds experienced housing problems. Renter households had a higher percentage of problems than did owners, but minority households had generally the same level of problems as any household in this income category.

The 1990 census categorized 1,528 households with low incomes (31-50 percent of MFI) and almost half of those experienced housing problems. Again renters were hard hit, but large related households (more than five members) and elderly households fared the worst (72.5 percent and 69.6 percent, respectively). Although 81 percent of African-American renter households reported problems, the percentage of African-American owner households with housing problems was the same as all households.

Less than 1,800 households in Henderson qualified as moderate income (51-80 percent of MFI), but they had vastly fewer housing concerns. Citywide, 17 percent reported problems.

Homeless Needs

The city of Henderson has estimated that there were 95 homeless individuals within its jurisdiction, 69 individuals and 14 families. Almost one-third were victims of domestic violence, 7.2 percent had alcohol and drug abuse problems, 3.6 percent had AIDS, 2.7 percent had severe mental illness, and 2.7 percent had severe mental illness combined with substance abuse.

Harbor House offers limited services to males with alcohol and/or drug abuse problems. The next closest providers are in Evansville, 15 miles to the north, or Owensboro, Kentucky, 35 miles to the east. Services for homeless persons in Henderson are greatly needed.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

The Housing Authority of Henderson administered 431 public housing units, of which 237 were efficiency and one-bedroom units, 101 were two-bedroom units, and 93 had three or more bedrooms. All of these units were occupied. The Housing Authority also managed 609 Section 8 certificates and vouchers (562 certificates and 47 vouchers), consisting of 240 one-bedroom units, 263 two-bedroom units, 104 three-bedroom units, and 2 four-bedroom units. All of the certificates and vouchers were used. There were 163 on the waiting list.

An additional 366 units of privately owned and managed units within the city received Section 8 assistance: 8 efficiencies, 160 one-bedroom units, 126 two-bedroom units, 64 three-bedroom units, and 8 four-bedroom units.

Lead-Based Paint

In 1995 an estimated 48.6 percent of the city's housing stock contained lead-based paint. The city of Henderson has implemented a lead-based paint hazard reduction program for all homes to be rehabilitated utilizing CDBG and HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds. This program notifies residents of the hazards of lead-based paint and suggests blood screening for children under age 7. The city is working with lead-based paint testing organizations to identify possible program options and costs.

Other Issues

For those in the special needs population, supportive housing units were limited. Two nursing home facilities provided care to 163 elderly residents, and 12 of the 126 apartments in the Redbank Towers were set aside for non-elderly persons with disabilities. Harbor House provided services to 16 men with substance abuse problems and Green River Comprehensive Care managed 2 facilities, totalling 20 one-bedroom apartments and an 8-resident group home for the mentally disabled. There were no services available for persons with HIV/AIDS.

Community Development Needs

The Consolidated Plan provides an opportunity to focus on the citywide requirements to address solid waste mandates, including landfill closure and recycling, and also storm water system changes.

Coordination

The city of Henderson's Community Development Department was responsible for the development of the Consolidated Plan.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Vision for Change

Henderson seeks to upgrade its neighborhoods through rehabilitation of existing housing as well as providing a holistic approach to addressing the community's problems of livability.

Housing Priorities

The Consolidated Plan for the city of Henderson identified the following housing priorities:

Increase the supply of standard, affordable housing by acquiring and/or rehabilitating existing housing units.

Provide rental assistance to alleviate rental cost burden experienced by low-income families and individuals.

Address the needs of homeless individuals and families with children, and prevent low-income individuals and families with children from becoming homeless.

Nonhousing Community Development Priorities

The Consolidated Plan for Henderson identified the following short-term community development priorities:

Improved neighborhood environments through enhanced public safety.

Infrastructure improvements in conjunction with housing activities.

Antipoverty Strategy

The city offers a two-pronged approach to the reduction in the numbers of persons with incomes below the poverty line. The first approach is an ongoing effort to stimulate economic development within the community. Previous efforts have resulted in the creation of new entry-level manufacturing jobs and a commitment to create 1,200 additional employment opportunities. These successful economic development activities are the result of collaboration between the city's Economic Development Council and the Henderson Chamber of Commerce.

The second approach includes pursuing all identified public assistance programs that can be utilized to supplement incomes and/or living conditions of persons living in poverty within Henderson.

Housing and Community Development Resources

The primary funding sources for Consolidated Plan activities are CDBG, HOME, and Section 8 funding. Henderson does not receive any funds from the State of Kentucky except for Federal funds administered through the State. It also does not use any private funds, except for services or donations from local nonprofit service providers and churches such as the St. Vincent dePaul Society.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

Henderson's Community Development Department, which is responsible for implementing the Consolidated Plan, works in collaboration with:

The Henderson Housing Authority, which administers the city's public housing program and the Section 8 program.

The Audubon Area Community Services, Inc., which manages the various energy assistance programs and the Stuart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance program.

The Salvation Army and other social service providers, which provide assistance programs for utility payments, short-term housing, and food.

ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

Description of Key Projects

The projects identified in the Consolidated Plan for Henderson are:

Acquisition of properties on Fifth Street to address slum and blight conditions and relocate six families into decent, safe, and sanitary living conditions ($110,000).

Increased police protection in areas where low- and moderate-income families live ($55,000).

Rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing in the Second Street area ($148,000).

Housing Goals

Henderson seeks to rehabilitate 50 housing units for low-income households.

Maps

MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.

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).

To comment on Henderson's Consolidated Plan, please contact John Talbert, Community Development Director, at 502-831-2211.

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