The Lawrence 1995 Consolidated Plan constitutes a strategic vision for housing and community development for the city. This document summarizes the plan so that citizens in the community can have a quick overview of the housing and community development problems; the 3 year broad objectives and actions proposed to meet those goals; and specific projects for carrying out this strategy during 1995.
The Strategic Plan for the first year consists of the following 5 priorities:
Spending $3.711 million in CDBG, ESG, and HOME funds, the action plan consists of 32 projects which are distributed over the five priority areas. Although Education was deemed a priority, it is not supported through these funds.
The City of Lawrence held six public forums as part of their overall
consultation process with outreach to the public a primary goal of this overall
effort. Representatives of neighborhood groups, social service agencies, social
organizations, the business community, elected officials, government officials
at all levels and individual citizens have been an integral part of this
process. Building upon the "grass-roots" effort developed last hear
as part of the Enterprise Community planning process, the Consolidated Planning
effort this year has been a true citizen effort.
The City of Lawrence MA, with a population of 65,000, constitutes an area of
6.5 square miles. Lawrence is no longer a regional job center nor is it likely
to become one in the future. In the past most residents worked within city
limits, and according to the 1990 census for every resident who lives and works
in Lawrence, there are two who work outside the city. Given the dynamics of the
international labor market, it is likely that Lawrence will be a gateway city
for immigrants who come to the United States seeking opportunity. Over the past
20 years the City has become home to a large Hispanic population (official
census data indicates that in 1990 42% of the population was Hispanic). 27.5%of
Lawrence's population is at or below the poverty level and 43% of the City's
population has less than a high school education.
The immediate problems facing Lawrence is that the process of transition from a central retail and manufacturing center to an urban residential center has not been a smooth one. Given the extent of the City's distress and the limited resources available to address them, the City must focus its efforts in the short-term, i.e. over the nest 3 years on highly visible projects which result in observable "victories".
The loss of manufacturers and retailers has undermined the City's tax base. and strained the City's capacity to provide quality public services.
57.9% of the City's housing stock was built prior to 1950, and the population density in Lawrence is a very high 10,325 persons per square mile, a deterrent to the location and retention of middle-income families. 33% of the City's families receive less than 30% of the regional median family income (i.e. less than $14,512 per year for a family of four). 57% of all families who rent have some sort of housing problem. Most of the City's extremely low income households are living in subsidized housing or they are on the Lawrence Housing Authority waiting list. The City concluded that of the extremely low income families with housing problems, there are about 1700 families in need of assistance whose need is not being met at this time.
Lawrence is a small enough city in geographic area and in population that it makes sense to conceptualize it as a single economic entity. It follows that the housing strategy must attempt to reverse a fifteen hear trend of spreading decay which has now touched almost every neighborhood in the city. This is particularly the case given the already low rate of owner occupied residences in Lawrence and the percentage of homes owned by older residents. According to the 1990 census, 34% of the owner occupied units were owned by individuals who were 65 years of age or older. This suggests that many of the city's owner occupied units will be selling in the next 5 years. Given the fact that there has been a 40% decrease in assessed values city-wide over the past 5 years, one must anticipate the potential that blight can continue to spread once these properties come on the market.
High priorities are placed on individuals, with special needs for assessment/outreach, transitional housing and permanent supportive services. Median priorities are placed on all three categories for emergency shelters and permanent housing. The Homeless and Special need population indicate common distress on individuals, families, and other special needs. Currently, emergency shelters appear to be able to handle the demand for their services and permanent housing is available. Investment is targeted to entities addressing homeless needs where such entities are located. Currently, they are dispersed throughout the City with the primary location variable being the availability of low cost rent or ownership expense. Neighborhood residents have expressed the sentiment that they would like to see additional transitional housing located outside of the City in surrounding suburbs.
One of the major barriers the City faces in addressing its housing problems is its ability to expeditiously gain site control and clear title to properties. This is a legal and policy issue that should be solved without significant public funds and should free the market to make better and more housing options available more quickly. Lack of financing and capacity to undertake rehabilitation and neighborhood revitalization strategies has also been identified as a significant barrier to providing adequate affordable housing.
The City of Lawrence has the highest incidence of lead poisoning in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This one factor provides a revealing portrait into the obvious link between the income status of a family and the condition of the housing they reside in. Fully 86% of all housing in Lawrence was built prior to 1950 when the use or lead paint became prohibited. Due to the age of the housing stock, it is estimated the 21,433 units are contaminated with lead paint.
The growing concern in this category are houses with lead-based paint which is a major health danger for households with young children. This problem is particularly prevalent in high risk communities which have older housing stock. According to the MA Department of Public Health's 1993 Needs Assessment Report there were 21,443 housing units in Lawrence with lead paint (86%) and the number of children poisoned, as reported between July 1992 and June 1993 totaled 52 (based on 4,433 tested).
Public Safety, Economic Development, and Neighborhood Revitalization are important to providing improvement in lives of low-income residents of Lawrence. The primary non- housing community development need of the city is Public Safety. This goal has been expressed repeatedly in public meeting after public meeting. The perception that Lawrence is an unsafe community in which to live has profound effects on the economic life of the city and prospects for the community's revitalization. In order for the city to experience an improvement in its housing and business environment, it is essential that the perception and reality of crime (including arson) be reduced.
Although it is unlikely that the city will reemerge as a regional job center, it is essential to undertake efforts to retain and expand our job base. An important task over the next three years is to redefine our downtown area Essex Street area and nurture the neighborhood commercial districts.
The third priority need is to revitalize Lawrence's neighborhoods. Large
segments of the city are blighted with boarded up vacant buildings and empty
lots. There is a very real danger that this blight will spread to the more
stable areas of the city.
Lawrence cannot look to its past to envision a future. Instead the City must recognize that it will play a different role in the regional economy than it has in the past. Specifically, Lawrence is and will be a location where low to moderate income workers can afford to own homes or rent while working in a much larger geographic labor market.
Activities planned in Neighborhood Revitalization are:
Some activities planned in this category are:
public safety
economic development
The City of Lawrence does not have a formal, coordinated and comprehensive "anti-poverty strategy" stating the jurisdiction's goals, programs and policies for reducing the number of poverty level families in Lawrence. There are a number of city programs, however, which operate under the premise of mitigating the causes of poverty. In addition, there are numerous state and private efforts aimed at reducing the number of families living in poverty. Efforts are being undertaken to create such an entity.
The Community Development Department has been designated by the Mayor as the administrative agency responsible for the Consolidated Plan funds that are directly allocated to the City. Project managers for these funds have traditionally been designated to manage these funds consistent with the Program Statement adopted by the City.
Given the focus upon the need for increased coordination and capacity building at the neighborhood level, the relationship of the L/MEP to the Community Development Department, will need to be clarified. However, parts of this strategy are already evolving and there is strong involvement by the Mayor and the executive Director of the Community Development Department in the development of the L/MEP.
The Consolidated Plan has assisted the City in pulling together those social
service agencies providing services to the homeless.
The One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed uses of $3.711 million dollars from CDBG, ESG, and HOME program funds for 38 projects. Most of the projects are in low-and moderate-income areas and minority concentration areas, especially in the inner city. Activities undertaken will include both physical improvements and social activities.
Some planned projects are:
The City of Lawrence Community Development Department is the coordinating agency for the Consolidated Plan activities.
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).
MAP 6 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point.
Morella J. Lombardi
Community Development Director
225 Essex Street
Lawrence, MA 01840
Phone: (508) 794-5891
Fax: (508) 683-4894
