The Consolidated Plan includes a one year action plan utilizing $788,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. These funds will be spent on housing rehabilitation, public works, public service and administration /planning.
The Consolidated Plan process began with a series of three public meetings
during October 1994 to solicit citizen input in the preparation of the plan.
Two forms of media were used to notify the public, newspaper advertisements and
a thirty second cable television advertisement. The city published a public
notice in the Bossier Press on November 11, 1994 to notify the public
that the draft Consolidated Plan was available for a 30-day comment period. The
City Council passed on November 15, 1994 a resolution supporting the
Consolidated Plan.
Located in northwest Louisiana, Bossier City is a city of 52,725 persons. Bossier City is part of the Shreveport, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area consisting of 38 square miles. In 1990, 41,817 persons were white, 9,521 were black, 1,387 were Hispanic or other race. The median age of the population was 29.8.
The number of housing units increased by 6 percent, from 17,967 in 1980 to
19,032 in 1990. The average value of an owner-occupied unit in 1990 was $64,200
and the average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom unit was $301.00. Median Family
Income (MFI) of $29,709 was below the national (MFI) of $35,939.
The 1990 Census found that there were:
Among the homeowners that live in housing in need of repair there are 2,899 households below poverty level. The median price house is $58,200, and the median gross rent is $292.00. There has been a tremendous growth in the suburbs of the city due to the movement of people from Shreveport to Bossier City. This is due to the reduced crime problems and a property tax 50% lower of only 27.27 mils. New housing permits issued since 1993 average per year $26.2 million with an average new home costing $84,500.
The demand for affordable and safe housing in inner city neighborhoods is overwhelming to very low-income homeowners as shown by the request for housing rehabilitation assistance. Most of the homeowner applicants are elderly persons with a Social Security income between $400 and $600 per month.
There is a growing demand from renters to purchase single family housing. Many of the 8,112 renter-occupied households with income of an average of $20,788 will not qualify to purchase a home until these incomes increase. The primary housing need in Bossier City is for owner rehabilitation of substandard housing. The most cited request for housing assistance is for repairs to roofs, plumbing, electrical and heating/ air conditioning systems. The second concern is the overall state of dilapidation and disinvestment found throughout the inner city neighborhoods. This is an area of concern that the city will focus on for overall revitalization of older inner city and adjoining neighborhoods.
The increase in employment opportunities and the associated increase has resulted in an increased demand for housing. In the early 1990's this demand was filled by the excess of supply of housing remaining from the 1980's. As this inventory has been eliminated, Bossier City now has a tight market characterized by heavy demand for housing, particularly multi-family units. Single-family construction has increased but very few multi-family heavy units were added from 1988 to 1993.
Statistics compiled by the Shreveport-Bossier Multiple Listing Services, reported that the total dollar volume for housing sales increased 17.1% between 1992 and 1993; the number of home sales has grown 8% in 1994; the average selling price of a home increased 8.5% in 1995 from 1994.
Bossier City simply does not have the money to address the needs of all low-income homeowners. Those with incomes at or below 50% of the median also are unable to borrow a substantial amount for repair cost from a bank.
The census found that 21% of Bossier City's 10,922 owner-occupied housing units paid an average of $589 in housing cost, 21% of total income. Even more cost burdens are the 8,092 renter-occupied housing units. The average renter paid $376 per month or 26.6% of total income.
Extremely low-income and very low-income households today face a housing crisis in Bossier City. Many pay more than half of their income for housing. Building costs basically preclude new construction of affordable housing for very low-income and low-income families. Rehabilitation of existing housing remains a high need to keep units affordable for households at these income levels.
There are no emergency shelters in the City of Bossier. Surveys have shown that due to the proximity to Shreveport, there is adequate space in the Shreveport Shelters to accommodate the homeless needs of Bossier City.
There is the Johnny Gray Jones Youth Shelter that accommodates 15 people and the STEPS Shelters that is accessible for 24 hours only to alcoholics needing shelter.
Bossier City intends to address homelessness with the Shreveport-Bossier Coalition for the Homeless that has joined in 1994 to coordinate homeless services.
The Bossier City Housing Authority has 497 units of public housing. The 1995 CIAP 5-year plan includes modernization of the Hamilton Road and Central Park Projects. The total number of housing units in Bossier City is composed of 171 one-bedroom, 152 two-bedroom, 136 three-bedroom and 38 four bedroom units. The Bossier Parish Police Jury administers 562 Section 8 vouchers and/or certificates.
Housing specifically for persons with AIDS is not currently available in Bossier City, although supporting services are provided by local agencies.
Public policies do not appear to adversely impact housing affordability in Bossier City. 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. The availability of federal funds and regulatory barriers could impede the Plan's process.
The city's Permit and Code Enforcement Departments continues to make amendments to the Building Ordinances to help builders and developers streamline development standards.
The city has performed a review of impediments to fair housing and will prepare an action plan in 1995.
The Community Development Department is the designated Fair Housing Agency. The city's analysis of fair housing has shown that the properties within Bossier City offer a wide variety of choices to people of all races and income ranges. There were no signs of any fragmented fair housing violations that the city could determine.
According to the 1990 census there are 10,600 units built prior to 1978 that may have lead-based paint within them. The overall goal of the city will be to eliminate the lead-based paint wherever CDBG funds are used. The city will continue to train its rehabilitation personnel in the area of lead-based paint hazards and reduction techniques.
In the planning process for the Consolidated Plan, the following community development needs were identified by citizens and other agencies. These are:
The needs of the Consolidated Plan will be coordinated through the Community Development Department. Various service agencies will coordinate the needs of the elderly and disabled. The coordination of nonprofit agencies will provide the supportive housing and service needs.
Bossier City's older inner city revitalization efforts will only be
addressed by development of a partnership within the community to address the
needs of downtown development. The implementation of the cities new downtown
master plan anticipates the city closely working with local banks, developers,
churches, casinos, nonprofit organizations, and other governmental agencies.
Bossier City's five year strategic plan outlines five local objectives:
The city's housing and community development objectives are aimed at the principal of addressing the needs of low and moderate income families.
The strategy of the city over the next five years will be to:
The city believes that rehabilitation of existing owner-occupied housing is a high priority. Rehabilitation and preservation of the housing in the community is vital to preserving the current stock of low cost affordable housing and to overall neighborhood revitalization and preservation. To expand affordable housing opportunities for low-income families, Bossier City plans to:
For Community Development, the 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 the following:
The city will help assist in the reduction of the number of households with incomes below the poverty line with activities funded by CDBG for housing, community development, public services and economic development.
Bossier City, in cooperation with other agencies and for profit and nonprofit groups, will work for the reduction of the poverty status that exists in some areas of the city, either by programs that the city manages directly or has an influence on.
Financial resources will come from primarily the Community Development Block Grant and other federal programs. The city anticipates federal funds such as Section 8, Public Housing, Emergency Shelter Grant funds and other available state funds.
The Bossier City Community Development Department is the lead agency for the Consolidated Plan. The Community Development Department will administer the CDBG grant for the city and manage the housing rehabilitation and code enforcement branches. The primary goal of the lead agency will be to plan, assist, and develop housing programs administered by the city, coordination of the housing programs available through the parish, and the housing authority and other public and private entities.
City departments such as Public Works, Public Utilities and Parks and Recreation will serve as project managers for non-housing programs of the city.
The city staff will continue to participate in forums and seminars related
to issues involving housing and homelessness.
The One-year Action Plan outlines the proposed uses of $ 788,000 for FY1995 allocation of CDBG funds. The lead agency for the administration and implementation of the projects and activities will be the City of Bossier City Community Development Department. Action Plan activities will be in the areas of housing rehabilitation, public works, public service and planning/administration.
Bossier City has identified six (6) target areas in which most of the residents have incomes below 80 percent of median income. Census Tracts 102, 103, 104, 106.02, 107 and 108.01 are those areas primarily in the older sectionsof the city. The Housing Rehabilitation Program is a city-wide program available to families that meet the eligibility requirements of the program.
The city's Community Development Department will act as the lead agent for the housing rehabilitation programs and code enforcement. Public infrastructure improvements will have the Parks and Recreation Department, Public Works and Public Utilities Department. Public service programs will be administered by the appropriate city department; the business training program is by subrecipient, Louisiana Tech University.
Bossier City's housing and community development projects are expected to directly benefit 25 households directly for the housing rehabilitation program. Public infrastructure improvements will directly benefit 200 households with improved waterline pressure. The community development activities will also have area neighborhood and community wide benefits with the park development projects. Planned public service activities will provide direct benefits to 250 youths and approximately 7,500 youth in the Fire Prevention Program.
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.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Pam Glorioso
Community Development Director
Box 5337
Bossier City, LA 71171
(318) 741-8560
