The Town of Barnstable's Five Year Consolidated Plan commencing on it's fiscal year 1996, commits not less than 70% of the CDBG funds for activities that benefit primarily low to moderate income persons. The Plan projects benefiting proposed low to moderate income geographic areas will be represented by low-moderate income census block groups as identified in the 1990 US Census of Population. The town designated a Commercial Area Improvement District in 1980 to spur reinvestment within downtown Hyannis, and in 1995 the State approved two Economic Opportunity Areas (EOA's).
This Consolidated Plan includes application for CDBG funding in the amount
of $2,000,000 over five years, and includes anticipated HUD Section 108 loan
guarantee funds of $500,000.
The 1990 year-round population of the town was 40,958, excluding a seasonal
population of 27,080. Projected year round population to the year 2010 is
estimated to increase 26%, to 51,684. While the economic base of the town has
expanded rapidly in the past two decades, residential development has outpaced
the town's ability to provide year-round employment for it's residents. The
unemployment rate as of January, 1995 stood at 9.6%, and in April of 1995 6.6%
, thus reflecting seasonal shifts in employment for the area. Median family
income for the Barnstable-Yarmouth MSA was $39,600, while a five person family
was classified as low income at $40,500.
In seeking to expand its economic base, the Town of Barnstable has advantages that include the town's status as a regional employment, retail and service center. A strong tourism base, access to commuter transportation and quality of life are additional assets. The town, however, lacks a traditional resource base for manufacturing opportunities. A minor exception to this is the presence of fishing and aquaculture (cranberries) industries. Further development is hampered by transportation and infrastructure shortcomings, so that a priority is the encouragement of innovative and diverse industries, such as telecommunications and electronic information companies.
In the past twenty years, the number of potential employees living in the Town of Barnstable has grown faster than the number of additional jobs. Unemployment fluctuates seasonally, so the annual rate is more than 3 percent higher than the state average of 9 percent.
Priorities include the promotion of "shoulder seasons" (spring and
fall) for tourism, transportation improvements to facilitate the movement of
goods and services, protection of traditional industries (natural resource-based
and tourism), and development of educational programs which address the manpower
needs of critical industries. In addition, the streamlining of permitting
process for new businesses is being sought through the goals, policies and
strategies in the local comprehensive plan and the designation of "activity
centers" for economic development opportunities.
Community Facilities Funding: CDBG, CRA (Housing Authority funds), private sector. The priority of Public/Neighborhood Facilities improvements will be given to the Hyannis Economic Opportunity Areas, the Commercial Area Revitalization District (C.A.R.D) and low-moderate income block groups as defined by the 1990 U.S. Census of Population.
Improve/rehabilitate special needs facilities (e.g. for the homeless, the children of low/moderate income households, the elderly, the handicapped, battered women and their children). Daycare/Eldercare Facilities - provide assistance to improve existing and to create new facilities that deliver programs such as Headstart and early childhood intervention to help curb child abuse and allow single parents to be employable. Provide for senior daycare facilities. Improve Neighborhood and Recreational facilities and projects that allow for the continuation of, or the expansion of, recreational activities for residents in the community. Also, improve the neighborhood's park and beach facilities.
Removal of architectural barriers within public buildings and facilities to meet access requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Historic Preservation and Community Character (Section 7.0) of the LCP sets forth a series of goals and policies that addresses the design and esthetic values to be incorporated in development, redevelopment and revitalization efforts. The primary focus is to reflect historic values in all building and site development activities.
Promote neighborhood and commercial redevelopment consistent with the historic development patterns and architecture of the Town of Barnstable through design review of all CDBG and town funded activities
Funding: CDBG, Town of Barnstable Social Service Grants, private sector
The Town has identified short/long term needs and target populations in need of public services within prior CDBG Strategic Plan efforts, the Local Comprehensive Planning process and through the public participation process with small working groups. [Funding: CDBG, Town of Barnstable Social Service Grants.]
The focus of Public Services will be to provide efficient delivery of services to the clientele by utilizing all potential resources and agencies, including transportation to these services. The Town will promote cooperative program proposals that coordinate service to:
Employment Training - Programs that utilize existing resources within the community to provide career counseling, ESL training and basic job skills for under employed or unemployed persons. Also, activities that provide innovative means for the disadvantaged to enter the workforce.
Homeless - Services that coordinate the support services for homeless individuals and families (i.e. legal, medical, counseling, child care). Also, activities that provide employment training and job apprenticeship or work programs for dislocated persons
Child Care - Activities that increase the capacity of affordable and flexible daycare. Also, the need for daycare associated with agencies to remove impediments to accessing necessary services.
Recreation - Projects/programs that increase or improve recreational facilities throughout the community (i.e. parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, athletic fields)
Capital Facilities and Infrastructure of the Local Comprehensive Plan has summarized the findings to date of the Wastewater Facilities Plan and the Barnstable Yarmouth Transportation Study (BYTS) as well as other facility needs. [Funding: CDBG, Town of Barnstable, user fees, other federal and state grants].
Roadway Improvements - Design and construction activities that improve safety and/or level-of-service on the major thoroughfare system, including intersection improvements, storm drainage and signalization.
Transit Facilities - Shuttle busses, intra-town bus services, bus shelters, remote parking facilities and signage. The Town, in cooperation with the business community, has identified the need for creating new employment and business opportunities for the residents of the community within the Economic Development section of the Local Comprehensive Plan (see section 3.0 of Barnstable local comprehensive plan) and the Hyannis Vision Plan. The necessity to provide new employment opportunities coincides with the need for a highly skilled and employable labor force. [Funding through CDBG, Section 108 Loan Guarantees, other grant programs, town funds (CIP) and private matching funds or bank contributions.]
Pedestrian Facilities - Walkways and sidewalks located within a designated Activity Center, or linkages between activity centers for the needs of children, the handicapped or the elderly.
Pollution Abatement Facilities - Public sanitary sewer or upgrades to Title 5 standards for low-moderate income individuals or neighborhoods, Economic Opportunity Areas (EOA) and impacted coastal areas. Improvements to parking facilities in support of the Hyannis C.A.R.D district and BYTS short and long range transportation study - provide additional site, parking spaces as well as improvements to make existing parking facilities more aesthetically pleasing and accessible to the public. The goal is to provide and manage an efficient system that can better utilize existing parking through better signage and pedestrian access.
The Town, in cooperation with the business community, has identified the need for creating new employment and business opportunities for the residents of the community within the Economic Development element of the Local Comprehensive Plan (see section 3.0 of Barnstable local comprehensive plan) and the Hyannis Vision Plan. The necessity to provide new employment opportunities coincides with the need for a highly skilled and employable labor force. These activities would be funded through CDBG, Section 108 Loan Guarantees, Town special tax incentives and private matching funds or bank contributions.
Business Improvement District (BID)- creation of Business Improvement Districts to enable the packaging of the most appropriate set of facilities and services to further the goals of this plan. Focus will be on the rehabilitation of both the exterior and interior of existing structures for commercial and industrial businesses within the C.A.R.D area and EOA areas to prevent slum and blight conditions.
Micro-loan Program - Establish a revolving loan fund to provide start up assistance to new small businesses and working capital or purchase equipment for the expansion of existing businesses.
Job Training - Continue to expand activities that focus on providing low and moderate income people with the basic skills required for employment in target industries. Also provide the means for upgrading or improving their skills once employed.
The Town of Barnstable feels that the most effective anti-poverty strategy will entail efforts by the local economic development functions to coordinate financial and manpower resources toward a more diversified economic base. The basic economic sector is tourism, which fuels the myriad non-basic sector consisting of local servicing of that industry. However, the cyclical and service oriented character of the tourism economy lends the area to economic ups and downs, and resultant social problems. In order to reverse this dynamic, the Town of Barnstable pursues the attraction of a base growth industry which will provide year-round employment at livable wage.
Several means of establishing an effective community development program have been documented in the Local Comprehensive Plan, and include the following:
Economic Development takes advantage of the Massachusetts Economic Development Incentive Program, Tax Increment Financing, special tax incentives and the newly created Business Improvement District legislation.
Local organizations which contribute to realizing the financial resources of the above programs:
Barnstable's Housing Needs Assessment has established that there is an adequate supply of housing to meet residential needs, but that this surplus of housing is priced beyond the means of most households within the town. For 1990, the median value of owner occupied dwellings was $160,000, while the median rental was $575. Almost one-third of Barnstable homeowners today pay more than 30 percent of gross income for housing, and 57 percent of renters exceed that threshold which is considered the limit for a safe financial burden (HUD policy). Forty percent of the community falls below low-to-moderate-income levels which are used to define the threshold of housing affordability. The affordability gap in Barnstable often is widest for the disabled, those on public assistance, the elderly, minorities and the unemployed
According to the 1990 Census, Barnstable had 23,377 housing units of which 16,601 were occupied . Of the occupied units, 11,764 (71 percent) were owner-occupied and 4,837 (29 percent) were renter occupied. Vacant units totaled 7,679 with a rental vacancy rate of 11.4%. According to the 1990 Census, of 23,377 housing units, .3% lacked complete plumbing facilities and 1.1% lacked complete kitchen facilities.
The town conforms to the Massachusetts State Building Code in determining standard and substandard dwelling units. Today only 3.85 percent of the town's housing stock is guaranteed to remain "affordable" , through various local, state and federal programs. Nine different programs ensure that 771 units will remain affordable. The town hopes to increase its affordable housing stock to 6 percent by the year 2000 and up to 10 percent by the year 2015. A 10% goal has been established by the regional planning commission by the year 2000, which would translate into Barnstable providing 1,142 additional units of affordable housing.
The Town of Barnstable has worked with the Barnstable County HOME Consortium, as a member, in developing the CHAS (Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy), and has, through the Local Comprehensive Planning process (see Section 5.0 of the Barnstable Local Comprehensive Plan), identified short and long term housing needs: [Funding: CDBG, HOME and private sector]. The Federal HOME program will provide up to $750,000 annually for tenant/homeowner assistance and rehabilitation shared by a consortium of Cape Cod towns. Funds from the CDBG and local banks via the Community Reinvestment Act will also contribute to resources.
Town owned lands will be used for the development of affordable housing through the town's housing authority. Four sites have been permitted, enabling the potential development of 70 units of affordable housing. The town is also seeking permit facilitation and abatement of fees in an effort to expedite affordable housing proposals.
Barriers to making housing affordable include the real estate market and low vacancy rates. The strength of the local economy makes it difficult for organizations charged with providing such housing to locate units at prices which can be covered at subsidy. Also, in a tight real estate market, the number of assistance applications is increased beyond existing resources.
Pursuant to the Town of Barnstable Local Comprehensive Plan:
Goal 1 is to promote provision of fair, decent and safe affordable housing, for rental or purchase, which meets the present and future needs of the low-to-moderate income residents (incomes less than 80% of the county median income) of Barnstable.
Goal 2 challenges the Town to raise it's affordable housing stock to 10% of the year-round units which are permanently affordable, with an effort to achieve 6% by the year 2000.
Goal 3 ensures the decentralization of affordable housing throughout the Town of Barnstable.
Goal 4 is to develop and implement an affordable housing action plan that addresses the Goals, Policies and Strategies of this the Plan housing element through the following key actions:
The town assists in providing affordable rental units coordinated through the Barnstable Housing Authority, and provides assistance to first time home buyers through down payment and/or closing cost assistance. The town accesses other programs (e.g. CRA, RTC, FDIC) to leverage CDBG funding. Support is provided in the development of low- moderate housing, particularly senior housing units in the village activity centers and consistent with the Local Comprehensive Plan (LCP). The town provides support in the development of the Barnstable Housing Authority's program for developing their vacant parcels to create more affordable housing.
A neighborhood reinvestment program has been established that provides loans
and assistance to older residential neighborhoods within the Commercial Area
Improvement District (C.A.R.D.) and the designated low-moderate income areas..
This program will direct funding towards correcting code problems, making energy
efficiency improvements, adding and/or upgrading infrastructure including
overall aesthetic and neighborhood improvements
The Town of Barnstable has designated the Planning Department, through the Town Manager, as the Lead Agency to coordinate and manage the Consolidated Five Year Plan and Annual Program. The Planning Department has been involved for over five years in the coordination of State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds through the Executive Office of Community Development (EOCD), and was the logical choice to continue grant management once the town became an entitlement community in 1993.
Since March of 1995 the Town of Barnstable has held regular hearings and
working sessions with numerous community organizations and interest groups in
order to refine the priority programs earmarked for funding allocations.
Beginning with an overview of proposals for expenditures, the process moved to a
final proposal in April of 1995. The final plan was approved in June of 1995.
Gateway Revitalization Initiative; Cost-$10,000; Lead Agency-HAEDC
Develop a streetscape plan for both Barnstable Road and Center Street, Hyannis, by focusing on plantings and an eye toward an overall look for the important corridor. A portion of the actual plantings and their installation as well as street improvements are included in the grant.
Summerside Center; Cost-$42,700; Lead Agency-Housing Assistance Corporation
To provide needed improvements to the Summerside Center emergency shelter for homeless families. There is to be an expansion of 5 of their units to accommodate larger families (one of those units to be handicapped accessible). In addition, the meeting room would be expanded.
Transition to Independent Living (TIL); Cost-$41,300; Lead Agency-Independence House
This request is to provide needed improvements to a transitional living facility for battered women and sexual assault survivors and their children. The improvements would include repairs associated with termite damage, upgrades and conversion of the heating system from electric to gas.
Courtyard Children's Center; Cost-$55,000; Lead Agency-Founders Court
This project provides the Founders Courtyard affordable housing development an on-site daycare facility. The funds would complete the construction of the daycare area and provide outdoor play equipment for 23 preschool children.
STEPS Program; Cost-$19,000; Lead Agency-Cape Cod Community College
This funding will expand a program that would utilize the expertise of the Barnstable Schools, Cape Cod literacy Council and the Cape Cod Community College Adult Learning Center. 45 students will be trained in an intermediate level computer course. Sixteen English as a Second Language students would receive instruction in the English language and all 61 students would receive career counseling.
Safe and Sound; Cost-$36,800; Lead Agency-Cape Cod Child Development
This request is for the CCCD to provide an on-site child care program at the Independence House on Bassett Lane in Hyannis. This program would be used by the children of women seeking emergency help.
Senior Center; Cost-$150,000; Lead Agency-Town of Barnstable Senior Services
This project will provide for design and construction of a Senior Center located at the former Hinckley's site in Hyannis. The existing building is to be remodeled to accommodate senior citizen programs, meetings and office space.
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; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).
David Palmer
PH: (508) 790-6296
