The City of Alexandria is located in the Central portion of Louisiana, with a population of 49,188. Alexandria lives up to its "Crossroads" name with the addition of Interstate 49, connecting North and south Louisiana, and U.S. Highways 71, 165, 167, 1, 12 and 28, which make it one of the most accessible cities in the South. In the mid 1980's, recessions in the oil and gas industries resulted in a decline in local employment and population. Alexandria also faced the closing of England Air Force Base. The first critical year after the base closure passed with a surprising increase in sales tax collections, building permits, residential construction, jobs and other positive economic indicators.

Alexandria's Consolidated Plan describes the housing and community development needs and priorities. It establishes a comprehensive 5-year strategy for addressing these needs using Federal and other resources. This document summarizes the plan so that citizens in the community can have a quick overview of the housing and community development problems; the 5-year broad objectives and actions proposed to meet those goals; and specific projects for carrying out this strategy during 1995.

Action Plan

The Consolidated Plan includes a one year action plan to spend $1,124,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and $409,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds in 1995. These funds will be spent on housing rehabilitation, code enforcement, public works projects, public service projects and administration/planning.

Citizen Participation

The principle mechanism for achieving citizen involvement in the development of the Consolidated Plan was through a Citizen's Advisory Committee. This committee is comprised of fifteen (15) members which includes two representatives from each of the five CDBG Target Neighborhoods and one representative for the elderly, youth, disabled, persons with HIV/AIDS, and homeless. This Committee solicited comments from persons within their neighborhood or persons they represent concerning their needs, provided information on public hearings and meetings, and conducted public hearings and focus group meetings to obtain public input. The Committee then met to discuss the information obtained by each member and to decide on the activities to recommend for the CDBG and HOME programs.

Seven public hearings were held within the target neighborhoods, public housing and revitalization neighborhoods. Consultation with many different public and private agencies and departments provided additional information regarding needs and services available. Copies of the proposed Consolidated Plan were made available at five locations for public review and comments. An additional public hearing was held during the comment period to receive comments on the proposed plan.

Alexandria's economy showed substantial growth in 1994, and local business experts expect the growth to continue as new projects begin full scale construction. Over the past two years there were more jobs, more retail sales tax revenues and more construction. After several years of decline, the civilian labor force employment grew in Rapides Parish by 1,700 jobs between November 1993 and November 1994. The number of Alexandria building permits for new homes increased by 12% and construction values in the parish increased more than 33%.

The median family income (MFI) for Alexandria is $25,048 for a family of four persons. Forty-six percent (46%) of all persons have incomes below the poverty level. Forty-nine (49.14%) percent are African-American, Forty-nine percent are white (48.96%), and 1.90% were of other ethnic origin. Both Whites and Blacks lost population between 1980 and 1990. The 1990 Census also reported that the City had 1,890 fewer children 17 years of age and under than the 1980 Census count. Other population shifts included an 11% increase in the number of persons over the age 64 which brings the elderly population to 14%, a 10% increase in the number of one-persons households, and 19% increase in the number of female headed households.

Conditions

According to "Alexandria 2010", a comprehensive land use plan, Alexandria's housing stock reflected considerable age overall. Approximately 11,655 or 57.3% of the total housing units were constructed prior to 1960. As of 1990, 3,452 or 17% of the housing units were over 50 years of age and only 4.7% were less than 10 years of age. The decay of the City's Urban housing can also be linked to the movement of the City population, whose economic standing cause them to migrate out to the new subdivisions in outlying areas. As a result of the migration, urban areas have become the concentration of older, rental housing that is primary now occupied by the elderly and lower income residents.

Housing Needs

1. Housing Market Conditions

   According to the 1990 Census, the median value of housing in Alexandria was $54,000 and the median income rents was $233. Market rents have remained somewhat constant since 1987. Forty-three percent of the households in Alexandria are renters and Fifty-seven percent are owner occupied households. There is a shortage of available standard rental property. Vacancy rates was estimated by the Board of Realtors to be less than 1%. There are no apartment units and very few single family units available. The areas with a high percentage of low income households are typically the neighborhoods which are deteriorating. They are older areas of the city with a high percentage of rental units, substandard housing units, vacant units and crime.

2. Affordable Housing Needs

   Extremely low-income (0 to 30 percent of MFI) and very low-income (31 to 50 percent of MFI) households today face a housing crisis in Alexandria. Seventy-four of the very low income renters pay more than 30% of their income for housing and of this number 66% pay more than 50% of their income for housing. Forty-eight percent of the extremely low income owners pay more than 30% of their income for housing and 52% pay more than 50%. The greatest need of renters within this category is rental subsidies and an adequate supply of standard quality rental housing. Among homeowners, housing rehabilitation is the greatest housing need.

   Almost half of low income households (51 to 80 percent of MFI) report housing problems. The highest percentages of problems are reported by elderly renters (58%), small family renters (55%), large family renters (57%), and other rental households (59%). Low income households are most in need of rehabilitation assistance and first-time homebuyer assistance.

   Thirty-one percent of moderate income households (81 to 95 percent of MFI) report housing problems. The greatest housing needs of renters within this income is an adequate supply of standard quality rental housing and homebuyer assistance.

3. Homeless Needs

   According to a "point-in-time" survey of homeless there are 82 sheltered homeless and four unsheltered homeless in Alexandria at any given time. There is one emergency homeless shelter, Salvation Army, which provided shelter to 2,033 homeless in 1994. Two transitional housing homeless shelters provided assistance to 168 homeless women with children and 190 homeless men. There is a need for transitional housing for homeless intact families and a day shelter.

4. Public and Assisted Housing Needs

   The Alexandria Housing Authority currently has 772 housing units. The oldest development has been completely modernized and improvement to two other developments are approximately 65% complete. An additional 50 units will be completed with Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program funds in the 1995 year. Approximately 90% of the units are two or more bedroom units. The PHA has modified units to comply with Section 504 requirements for handicapped. They currently have 36 handicapped/elderly units and three hearing/vision impaired units. Housing through Section 8 Assistance includes 187 Vouchers, 445 Certificates, and 74 Moderate Rehab program units currently under ACC contract. The total number of other assisted units in Alexandria includes 110 units of Section 202 elderly housing, 90 units of Section 8 project based assisted housing which includes 12 elderly units, and 60 elderly non-subsidized units affordable to low income. One housing facility for persons with AIDS/HIV that will house 8 persons is currently under renovation.

5. Barriers to Affordable Housing

   There are no court orders, consent decrees, or HUD sanctions that will affect the city's housing goals during the term of the Consolidated Plan. There are presently no building codes that affect affordable housing. However, there is a zoning ordinance considered to be a barrier to affordable housing which restricts the placement of manufactured housing to mobile home parks. Alexandria implemented a mobile home overlay district and procedure for designation to remove this barrier.

6. Fair Housing

   The City will prepare a review of impediments to fair housing and an action plan in FY 1995.

7. Lead-Based Paint

   A total 15,078 of Alexandria's housing units were built prior to 1979. Lead-Based Paint (LBP) Hazards Technical Assistance Bulletin, states that 62% (+/- 10%) will test positive for lead paint. Based on these percentages an estimated 9,348 housing units contain lead-based paint. This is 51% of the City's entire housing stock. Of the 2,149 units built before 1940, those with the highest probability of containing LBP, 71 percent or 1,527 are occupied by very low or other low income households. The very lowest income renters are at the greatest risk of living in a unit with LBP hazard. Preliminary testing for blood-lead levels in children was conducted by the State of LA Office of Public Health. More extensive testing began in 1994.

Community Development Needs

Community development needs relate to activities that complement affordable housing efforts. These activities involve upgrading and preserving older neighborhoods where the majority of the city's affordable housing stock is located. These neighborhoods are characterized by aging housing stock, aging infrastructure and parks and deteriorated vacant housing.

Coordination

The City's Community Development Department will function as the lead agency for overall coordination of all programs and funds received from the CDBG, HOME and LA Emergency Shelter (ESGP) Grant Programs. To address the overall needs, the Consolidated Plan was developed with input from various sources, including nonprofit organizations and public and private institutions. Many housing programs have been implemented by the City in coordination with neighborhood groups, city departments, lenders, businesses, landlords, churches and individuals. Organizations involved include Alexandria Public Housing Authority, LA Department of Social Services-Community Services, LA Rehabilitation Services, LA Housing Finance Agency, Kisatchie-Delta Regional Planning and Development District, England Authority, State Office of Public Health Region VI, and various nonprofit agencies.

Vision for Change -- Overall Goals

The City of Alexandria's strategic plan covers the five year period from May 1, 1995 through April 30, 2000. The strategy will address the following four (4) categories of need: affordable housing, homelessness, other special needs, and non-housing community development plan.

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

Objective 1 - To increase the supply of standard affordable housing and reduce the number of dilapidated units.

Objective 2 - To provide transitional homeless shelter for intact families, expand outreach assessment, prevent low income from becoming homeless, and enhance supportive services.

Applications for ESGP funds to provide a homeless transitional shelter for intact families will be given priority. The City will support the Cenla Coalition to Prevent Homelessness efforts to provide assessment of individual homeless needs. In addition, the City will support the efforts of several nonprofit agencies to prevent homelessness and enhance the supportive services available to homeless families and individuals.

Objective 3 - To support applications from nonprofits that will provide supportive housing facilities or services to persons with special needs.

The City will support applications for the development of community homes and other housing facilities with support services that will provide independent living for all categories of disabled residents, elderly, persons with alcohol or other drug addiction and person with AIDS/HIV.

Objective 4 - To improve the infrastructures in low and moderate income areas.

Housing Priorities

1. To increase the supply of standard affordable housing through the rehabilitation of existing housing units.

   Approximately 2 million dollars of CDBG funds and $500,000 of HOME funds will be used to renovate 135 owner occupied housing units and $500,000 of HOME funds to renovate approximately 30 owner occupied units over the next five years; approximately $500,000 of HOME funds will be used to renovate 30 rental units.

2. To promote affordable homeownership opportunities.

   CDBG funds in the amount of $125,000 will be used to purchase approximately 12 units to be sold to low income homebuyers. $150,000 of CDBG funds will be used for homebuyer training for approximately 500 persons.

3. To encourage and promote affordable standard rental housing opportunities.

   Approximately 935 low income households will receive rental assistance through Vouchers and 2,225 through certificates and 370 through moderate rehab programs over the five year period. The PHA will receive $1,331,353 each year for five years to renovate 50 rental housing units per year through the Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program.

4. To provide code enforcement in deteriorating neighborhoods and reduce the number of vacant substandard units that are a blighting influence within the City.

   Approximately $400,000 of CDBG funds will be used to demolish about 100 dilapidated units.

5. To assist in providing transitional homeless shelters to needed homeless groups.

   The City will also spend $134,473 of LA Emergency Shelter Grant Funds for the renovation of a structure to be used as a homeless shelter for persons with AIDS/HIV and other terminal illnesses.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

The City's non-housing community development strategy is to focus on activities that complement affordable housing efforts. This means improving lower income areas of the city where the affordable housing stock is located to help these areas remain strong and viable urban neighborhoods. Approaches include:

Providing recreational opportunities for residents of lower income neighborhoods. The City will use $50,000 of CDBG funds to construct a park on 15th and Monroe. Additional funds from the city's capital outlay will be used to upgrade other parks within low income areas. In addition, CDBG funds in the amount of $55,000 will be used to provide the operation of the Southeast Boys & Girls Club.

Provide Improvements to the infrastructure such as; flood drain, street, and gas line replacement. Approximately $5,000,000 of City Capital funds will be used for this category over the next five years.

Provide economic development activities to help create jobs, or to assist lower income residents with starting their own business. CDBG economic development funds in the amount of $40,000 will be used to provide a Micro Enterprise Loan Program for low income persons and $20,246 of CDBG funds will be used for an Entrepreneurial Training Program to provide assistance to low income persons who want to start a business. Approximately $80,000 of CDBG funds will be used over the next 5 years to provide assistance to small and minority contractors in obtaining necessary insurance to participate in the housing rehabilitation programs.

The strategy for human services is to address the needs of the city's lower income neighborhoods. Activities would include housing counseling services and meeting the basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter) of those threatened with homelessness.

Community policing, including police-homeowner activities and the Safe Streets Now program have also been implemented.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

The City will help reduce the number of households with incomes below the poverty line with activities funded by CDBG and HOME for housing, community development, public services, and economic development.

Housing and Community Development Resources

Resources available to implement this 5-year plan include anticipated Federal CDBG funding of approximately 1 million a year, HOME funds of approximately $400,000 per year, Louisiana Emergency Shelter Grant Program, Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, Section 8 Rental Voucher and Certificate Programs, Section 202 elderly funds, Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program, various other grants from the State of Louisiana, other public agencies, Shepherd Ministries, Inc., Habitat for Humanity, First Commerce Community Development Corporation, and local financial institutions.

Coordination

The City's Community Development Department will function as the lead agency for overall coordination of all programs and funds received from the CDBG, HOME, LA Emergency Shelter Grant Program and the administration of the Consolidated Plan. This department will follow the citizen participation plan. The community development strategy was developed with input from various sources, including nonprofit organizations and public/private institutions. Efforts have been made to form and develop public/private partnerships and to provide assistance to low income persons. Many housing program have been implemented by the City in coordination with neighborhood groups, city departments, lenders, businesses, landlords, churches and individuals. This department will continue to solicit information concerning services and activities available to low income and provide technical assistance to those agencies seeking funding to provide housing or services for persons identified in the plan.

The following nonprofit agencies will work in cooperation with the City of Alexandria to administer various programs: Budget Management Services of Shepherd Ministries, Inc., Northwestern State University Small Business Development Center, Boys & Girls Club of Central Louisiana, Inc., First Commerce Community Development Corporation, and Maison de Coeur of Shepherd Ministries, Inc.

The City views monitoring as an ongoing process involving continuous communication and evaluation. Such a process involves frequent telephone contact, written communication, analysis of reports, audits and periodic meetings. The goal of monitoring will be to identify deficiencies and promote corrections to improve and reinforce performance. Deficiencies will be corrected through discussion, negotiation or technical assistance.

The one year action plan outlines the proposed uses of the $1,124,000 of CDBG funds and the $409,000 of HOME funds allocated to the City for the 1995 program year.

1. Housing Rehabilitation Deferred Payment Loans for owner occupied single family residential structures. This program provides funds up to $18,000 to low income homeowners to bring their home up to City Property Standards. The location of these projects will be within the 5 designated CDBG target neighborhoods. The Community Development Department is the implementing agency. $440,300 of CDBG funds will be used to renovate approximately 20 housing units.
2. Code Enforcement and Clearance within CDBG target neighborhoods and demolition and clearance of vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated structures citywide. $130,000 of CDBG funds will be used to demolish approximately 25 units and require owners to bring an additional 25 units up to code standards. The Community Development Department is the implementing agency.
3. Monroe Street Mini Park will provide recreation for the low income target neighborhood North Alexandria. CDBG funds in the amount of $50,000 will be used for the acquisition and construction. The Community Development Department is the implementing agency.
4. The Small Contractor Loan Program will assist small and minority contractors to participate in the bidding process with CDBG and HOME programs. Contractors must live within the City of Alexandria. $30,000 of CDBG funds will be used and the Community Development Department is the implementing agency.
5. The continuation of the Southeast Boys & Girls Club operation will be funded with CDBG funds in the amount of $55,000. This club provides a year round program for approximately 200 youths ages 6-12 from low income families within target neighborhoods. This club is located at 4020 Aaron Street. The implementing agency is the Boys & Girls Club of Central Louisiana.
6. The Homebuyer Training Program is a program that provides 12 hours of course instruction and individual counseling of clients throughout the homebuying process. Participants must be low income residents of the City of Alexandria. $55,500 of CDBG funds will be used and Budget Management Services of Shepherd Ministries, Inc. will be the implementing agency.

7. The Homebuyer Assistance Program will provide downpayment and closing cost assistance for low income first time homebuyers. This assistance will be in the form of a second mortgage and the buyer must be able to qualify for a conventional mortgage. Low income first time homebuyers who are residents of Alexandria and who are graduates of the Homebuyer Training Program will be eligible. CDBG funds in the amount of $50,000 will be used and Budget Management Services and the City of Alexandria will be the implementing agencies.

8. CDBG funds will be provided to the Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit agency, to purchase a building that will be used to provide services, rehabilitation, training, and employment for blind and visually impaired individuals in Alexandria. An additional 15 jobs is estimated to be created the second year of operation at this site through subcontract opportunities with local businesses. The project is proposed to be located at 2401 Broadway Avenue and $100,000 of CDBG funds will be used. The Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired will be the implementing agency.

9. The Rental Housing Rehabilitation Deferred Payment Loan Program will provide up to 80% of the cost to renovate property up to city code standards to rental property owners for property located within a designated revitalization neighborhood. The property owner will be required to pay 20% of the cost and must agree to rent to only low income tenants. Approximately 20 units will be renovated with $306,750 of HOME funds. The Community Development Department is the implementing agency.

10. The Micro Enterprise Loan Program will provide low income business owners who graduate form the Entrepreneurial Training Program up to $2,500 to be used for start up cost for new businesses or expansion of existing businesses. The owner and the business must be located within the City of Alexandria. Program income from the CDBG economic development program will provide $40,000 for approximately 10 business owners. Budget Management Services of Shepherd Ministries, Inc. will be the implementing agency.

11. The Entrepreneurial Training Program will assist low income individuals in developing a business plan and starting a new business. Course instruction and individual counseling will assist through the development of the plan, the loan application process, and provide follow up counseling for one year after receiving a loan. Program income from the CDBG economic development program will provide $20,000 to provide training to approximately 30 business owners. NSU Small Business Development Center will be the implementing agency.

Maps

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, and proposed HUD funded projects; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).

Mrs. Brenda Ray
Director
Community Planning and
Development Department
PH: (318) 449-5072