Jefferson County, Kentucky, is an urban county located on the Ohio River with Indiana on the northern bank of the river. Known for the Kentucky Derby, it also contains the Falls of the Ohio, a series of rocky rapids. These were the reason for the founding of the city of Louisville and the county along a major water transportation route. The county is still a stop along a major transportation route for air travel. United Parcel Service with it's international air hub is the largest employer. The city of Louisville is the largest in the county and receives Consolidated Plan funds separately.
To expand housing and economic opportunities for its lower income residents in 1995, Jefferson County will use $3.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (IX) program funds, $1 million in HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) program funds, $132,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds, and $218,900 in program income.
Jefferson County is currently developing Cornerstone 2020, a comprehensive plan involving a multiyear process. In the first year, 250 volunteers participated in the plan, and elements of Cornerstone 2020 will be incorporated into future consolidated plans.
The county consulted 51 agencies while drafting this Consolidated Plan, including: Federal, State, and local government agencies; nonprofit social service agencies; advocacy groups; and religious organizations.
A public hearing was held in February 1995. The hearing was publicized in
the press and announced in 700 letters sent to agencies and citizens. Several
persons discussed fair housing, youth activities, public facilities, and the
needs of persons with disabilities. No comments about the proposed plan were
received during the public comment period.
In 1990 the population of Jefferson County was 664,937. Excluding Louisville, the county had a total population of 395,780, which reflected an overall 2-percent gain. However, growth trends varied in different sections of the county. The western half of Jefferson County experienced a population decrease, while the eastern half experienced a 30-percent population increase. Of the population outside Louisville, 90 percent are white, and the remaining 10 percent are mostly African American.
The median family income (MFI) for the Louisville area is $33,179, which is very close to the national median. Households earning 0-50 percent of MFI are defined as very low- income by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Overall, 16 percent of county households living outside Louisville are very low-income, while 36 percent of households living within the city are very low-income. Another 15 percent of county residents are low-income, earning 51-80 percent of MFI, and 9 percent are moderate-income, earning 81-95 percent of MFI.
Among African-American households, 30 percent are very low-income, versus 14
percent of white households. Low-income households are concentrated in three
areas: along the county's western boundary near the Louisville city limits, in
the center of the county in Newburg, and in the county's southwestern tip.
If the naval ordnance facility in Jefferson County closes, 1,464 local jobs could be lost. Industrial parks, which offer employment opportunities for many lower income persons, are located in the south-central part of the county. In general, the county's employment base has shifted from manufacturing jobs to service and retail jobs.
There are 282,578 housing units in the county. Most new housing construction is expected to occur in the eastern half of the county, where housing costs are higher. Housing prices are expected to increase because airport and highway expansion will reduce the supply of vacant land.
During the 1980s, the county's number of housing units increased by 13 percent, which was slightly higher than the increase in the number of households. Of all housing units in Jefferson County, 50 percent were built after 1960, while 50 percent of all units in Louisville were built after 1947.
Owner-occupied units comprise 72 percent of the county's housing stock. Less than half of all African-American households own their homes, while about three-quarters of white households own their homes. In areas closest to the city, less than 30 percent of housing units are owner-occupied, while in eastern parts of the county, nearly 90 percent are owner-occupied.
Among very low-income households, almost two-thirds of renters and nearly half of homeowners experience severe cost burdens, paying more than 50 percent of their gross income for housing expenses. Among low-income households, 30 percent of renters and 17 percent of homeowners experience cost burdens, paying more than 30 percent of their gross income for housing expenses, while only 2 to 3 percent of these groups experience severe cost burdens. Elderly households and small households are most frequently represented in these income groups.
The Coalition for the Homeless maintains a computerized database of persons receiving emergency shelter. In 1993, 3,991 single adults used Jefferson County shelters, with 84 percent being men. Special needs facilities were used by the following numbers of persons:
Among homeless men, 55 percent were white, and 33 percent were African American. The majority were between 31 and 45 years old, and 43 percent had lived in Kentucky for at least 1 year.
In 1993, 758 homeless families used the shelters. This figure represented a total of 2,287 persons, with 64 percent being children. Approximately 33 percent of the families were white, and only 7 percent included teenage parents. Nearly half had not used a shelter previously, while one-third had used a shelter within the past year. In identifying the cause of their homelessness, 25 percent named overcrowding; 14 percent named abuse; and 10 percent named insufficient income. Nearly 1,000 youth were sheltered, with most of them being victims of physical, mental, or sexual abuse.
Jefferson County's Homeless Families Prevention Project coordinates agency efforts to provide emergency financial assistance, transitional housing, and intensive case management. Since 1988 the project has assisted over 12,000 families. The Eviction Prevention Program provides rental assistance to 289 families annually. The Louisville Tenant Association, the Community Action Agency, and the county Department of Human Services provide related services.
Jefferson County has 366 shelter beds for men, 48 beds for victims of domestic violence, 38 beds for women, and facilities for 35 youths and 87 families. Transitional housing is available for 136 single men, 34 single women, 110 families, and 10 youths. Permanent housing reserved for the homeless includes 173 units for individuals and 312 units for families.
The Housing Authority of Jefferson County (HAJC) owns and manages 242 public housing units, while the Housing Authority of Louisville has 5,925 units. These units are considered to be in good condition. Overall, 45 percent are efficiencies or have one bedroom, while 39 percent have three or more bedrooms.
HAJC also administers 2,590 tenant-based assistance units provided through the Federal Section 8 program. Approximately 12,000 families appear on the waiting list for this program. Of these families 4,500 are homeless or in substandard housing, pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing costs, or have been displaced from their homes. Another 122 assisted housing units are owned and managed by profit or nonprofit entities.
Jefferson County permits innovative residential development in subdivisions. The Coalition in Support of Community Residences believes that a Louisville ordinance restricts the placement of group homes, and the city is reviewing this ordinance.
A study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found that although African Americans represent 13 percent of Louisville's population, they receive less than 4 percent of the home mortgage loans. White loan applicants were denied less than 10 percent of the time, while African-American applicants were denied 25 percent of the time.
Organizations working on fair housing issues in Louisville include the Fair Housing Council of Louisville and the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, both funded under HUD's Private Enforcement Initiative.
During each of the past 3 years, about 140 county children have tested positive for lead poisoning. An estimated 62,877 units containing lead-based paint are occupied by low- income people.
Jefferson County has 45,067 persons with physical disabilities and 219 assisted housing units accessible to persons with disabilities.
Over 6,000 persons with serious mental illnesses live in the county. A survey of this population found that 10 percent had no permanent housing, while 25 percent lived in a home or apartment.
Problems facing the county include: a deteriorated housing stock, 3,258
homes without access to public water supplies, 39,772 homes without access to
public sewers, insufficient public services in some communities, architectural
barriers that restrict the mobility of persons with disabilities, and economic
development needs.
Through implementation of its Consolidated Plan, Jefferson County is seeking to increase the supply of affordable housing, to protect current affordable housing opportunities, and to promote homeownership.
The plan identifies the county's highest priority for assistance as small-family renter households with severe cost burdens and incomes under 80 percent of the area MFI.
Jefferson County's priority housing activities include:
The county's non-housing community development activities include:
In 1993 Jefferson County began a Young Families At Risk initiative. Currently the county is enacting a documented titled "Charting Our Future: Community Support for Young Families At Risk." This phase of the initiative will promote:
In addition to Federal entitlement funds, the county will have access to State funds and revenues from the county's general fund.
The county's Community Development Division, the lead agency for the plan,
coordinates closely with the city of Louisville, especially through the Homeless
Partnership. Other agencies working to implement the plan include: the Housing
Authority of Jefferson County; Louisville Water Company, a municipally owned
entity; Louisville East Community Development Corporation; Center for Women and
Families; Volunteers of America; St. John Center; Legal Aid Society; and Housing
Partnership Inc. of Greater Louisville.
Projects being implemented by Jefferson County during 1995 include:
Nearly all of the housing and public facility projects are targeted to specific areas, while the public services are available countywide.
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).
