Waltham's 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 5 year broad objectives and actions proposed to meet those goals; and specific projects for carrying out this strategy during 1995.
Waltham expects to receive $1,315,000 in CDBG funds, $69,000
in program
income from previous CDBG projects, $282,902 in HOME Investment
Partnership
(HOME) program funds as their entitlement of the Brookline,
Newton, Waltham,
Watertown Consortium for administering HOME funds, and $50,000 in
Urban
Development Action Grant (UDAG) payback funds to implement its
Consolidated Plan
for FY 1995. The funds will be used primarily for Housing, and
to revitalize
downtown Waltham structures, streets, parks and playgrounds.
Waltham is an urban community with a population of 57,878 located along Route 128 and within nine miles of the City of Boston. It is a diverse city, from the high technology office hub along 128 to the older, dense downtown area along the Charles River. Due to its proximity to Boston and Route 128, Waltham has become largely developed with commercial and residential uses so there is little vacant land remaining. In this sense, Waltham is similar to its neighbors Watertown, Newton, and Lexington, and dissimilar to its neighbors Weston and Lincoln, which are outside the Route 128 belt and still very "suburban".
When Waltham was incorporated a town in 1738, the 145th in Massachusetts, it was an agricultural community. From roughly 1820 to 1884, when Waltham became a city, the town experienced rapid population growth. In 1920 the city established its first zoning ordinance to control development. Waltham's expansion from the industrial revolution meant increased development throughout the city to house new residents. The South Side was a congested factory and ethnic neighborhood. Other neighborhoods also appeared north of the river, developed on previous farmland. In the early 1950's when Route 128 was built, the large farms encircling the city gave way to high technology. Apartment complexes and new housing subdivisions were built in Central and North Waltham to accommodate new residents.
As a result of its history, Waltham's housing stock is
diverse. South
Waltham has an older housing stock, most of it wooden, multi-unit
structures on
smaller housing lots. On the other hand, North Waltham has
predominantly single
family homes and newer condominium complexes.
Elderly households constitute the largest percentage of the extremely low-income category. "Other" households and small related households are the next largest groups.
In the 0 to 30% MFI category, the elderly suffer the greatest cost burden and severe cost burden, and have the highest percentage of housing problems of all owners. Large related households suffer the greatest cost burden and severe cost burden, and have the highest percentage of housing problems of all renters. Sixty-six percent of large related renters are overcrowded. No owners are overcrowded.
In the 31 to 50% MFI category, elderly, small related, and "other" households are equally distributed, with large related households having the smallest representation. Small related households suffer the greatest cost burden and severe cost burden, and have the highest percentage of housing problems of all renters. The non-elderly suffer the greatest cost burden and severe cost burden, and have the highest percentage of housing problems of all owners. Fifty-eight percent of large related renters are overcrowded, and only four percent of owners are overcrowded.
"Other" households constitute the largest percentage of the low-income category, followed by small related and elderly households. "Other" households suffer the greatest cost burden of all low-income renters and owners, and have the highest percentage of housing problems. The elderly suffer the greatest severe cost burden of all low-income renters, while "other" households suffer the greatest severe cost burden of all low-income owners. Twenty-seven percent of large related renters are overcrowded. No owners are overcrowded.
"Other" households constitute the largest percentage of the moderate-income category, followed by small related and elderly households. Elderly suffer the greatest cost burden of all moderate-income renters, while "other" households suffer the greatest cost burden of all moderate-income owners. Small related renters and "other" owners suffer the greatest severe cost burden. No data is available on overcrowding for moderate-income households.
The City of Waltham's rental and owner housing markets offer the lowest rents and prices in the surrounding area. Waltham's average rent is $708, lower than all of the average rents of the four neighboring municipalities, for which information is available. Only Middlesex County's average rent is lower, at $681. Waltham's average value for a house is $201,288, lower than all the average values of the four municipalities and the County.
However, even though housing costs are less in Waltham than in the surrounding area, there is still an affordability problem because of a lower average. The average income for a family in Waltham is $44,867. Even with interest rates at a low of approximately 8% and assuming housing costs 30% of income, the average family can afford to purchase a $150,000 home. However, the average value of an owner occupied unit is $201,288. Thus there is a gap between what average incomes can purchase, and the majority of the homeowner unit supply.
The inability of young families to purchase homes places a strain on the rental market. This is reflected in the fact that the largest percentage (36%) of renters are in the 25 to 34 year age group. Sixty-five percent of this age group makes less than $50,000, making it difficult for the majority of these households to break into home ownership. These statistics demonstrate the opportunity for a home ownership program that targets the ability of the "home starter family" to purchase their first home.
Costs of rental housing is out of reach of many Waltham families. The affordability gap between fair market rents and rents that are affordable to very low-income families is quite large. The gap becomes larger as the unit size increases. The fair market rent for a three bedroom apartment in Waltham is $1,026. The affordable rent for a large, very low- income family is only $641. Therefore, large families have the toughest time finding affordable housing, and overcrowding often results.
The 1990 Federal Census has a figure of 80 homeless for the City of Waltham. From homeless counts done at homeless shelters and transitional housing facilities, social service agencies and the City of Waltham Planning and Housing Departments estimate that there are more than 95 homeless in Waltham.
There are 117 shelter beds within the City of Waltham. All of the homeless facilities are at capacity year around. Many times the shelters will have to set up additional cots or people have to be referred to other area shelters when the facilities are beyond capacity.
The non-profit organizations that run homeless shelters in Waltham say that their facilities in the last five years have remained at capacity and the length of stay has increased slightly, thus reducing the number of bed units year around, as shown on the graph.
The longer length of stay can be attributed to a change in state regulations. Six years ago, the maximum length of stay, as mandated by the State of Massachusetts, was 90 days. Homeless groups and their legal advocates challenged this in court and the courts overturned the maximum length of stay mandate; now homeless are able to stay in shelters until they can find permanent housing. A Bristol Family Transitional Housing official estimates that the average stay for homeless families is six months, at which time they move to a more permanent housing situation.
An official at the Bristol Lodge Shelter for Women says there is a need for greater bed capacity. There is also a need for an increase in staff. The Bristol Lodge Family Housing and Men's and Women's Shelters reports that 75% to 85% of the homeless are from Waltham, with the rest from communities such as Watertown, Newton, Boston, Woburn, and Lynn. Waltham has the only facility in the area and must serve the homeless from surrounding communities.
The needs for rehabilitation of public housing units can be broken down into two major categories The federal elderly public housing units are in good to excellent condition and will require periodic update of building systems reaching the end of their planned life expectancy. The state housing developments vary in condition from fair to excellent. The older, larger developments built in the 1940's and early 1950's will require the most modernization work. Those built in the 1980's and 1990's will require the least work.
The current five year plan under the Comprehensive Grant Program, funded by HUD and planned and administered by the WHA, calls for anticipated spending of between two and two and a half million dollars to address the physical and management needs of the Authority. The major renovation of the state developments is dependent upon a housing bond authorization funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the Executive Office of Communities and Development. The most recent capital improvement plan estimate for the state housing developments is 27 million dollars.
There is no current funding available to make large scale modifications for the disabled at state housing developments.
The City of Waltham zoning ordinance contains a section devoted to affordable housing (Article 9.0). This article applies to any proposed multi-family development of ten or more units that requires a special permit to exceed the Floor Area Ratio allowed by right in that district. If the Article applies to a proposed development, the City Council determines if the applicant must provide affordable housing on-site, off-site, or by paying a fee in lieu of dwelling units. Unfortunately, the poor housing market has discouraged developers from undertaking any large housing developments. Therefore, the affordable housing policy, which was adopted in 1991, has not yet been utilized. None of the other City of Waltham housing policies is considered excessive, exclusionary, or discriminatory.
According to the US Census, approximately 19,000 Waltham housing units were built before 1978, and therefore may contain lead-based paint. Of those, 11% (2,000 units) are extremely low-income, 10% (1,900 units) are very low-income, and 12% (2,300 units) are low-income. Given the City average of 2.4 persons per household, 14,880 low-income persons live in potentially lead-based paint contaminated households. In addition, 6.5%of the population are children under the age of six. Assuming an even proportion of children live in all low-come housing units, then approximately 970 children are potentially at risk of lead poisoning in low-income households.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were two cases of lead paint poisoning in 1989; seven cases in 1991; four cases in 1992; and six cases in 1993. Thirty-two percent of children were screened for lead poisoning in 1989; 38% in 1991; 68% in 1992; and 57% in 1993. Although local social service agencies do not screen for lead, they do refer parents who suspect they have a lead-poisoned child to their pediatrician of to a pediatrician at Waltham-Weston Hospital. It should be noted that 121 low-income units have been deleaded in the past 5 years through the City of Waltham's Community Development Block Grant Deferred Loan Program.
In the last year, 19 low-income units were through the CDBG Deferred Deleading Loan Program. The size, race, and low-income category of the families that will occupy those units are unknown.
Many public improvements in the City of Waltham have been funded with Community Development Block Grant funds. These public improvements have been made in CDBG Eligible Areas in the City. Eligible Areas are geographically defined areas where over 51% of the households are low income (under 80% of the median income). The Eligible Areas are in the south side and along the Main Street corridor. In some cases, where part of a project or project area may be outside the Target Area, surveys are done to ensure that over 51% of the households are low-income.
For the past twenty years street reconstruction has been a major component of the CDBG program. In the coming year other infrastructure improvements will be needed. The City will use CDBG funds and State grants to develop riverwalks along the Charles River and Grover Cronin site. The construction of a new parking structure will serve and be open to all of downtown. Within the next two years, CDBG funds will be used to design and construct a new playground adjacent to the Banks Elementary School on Main Street. This new playground will begin to meet the need for mini-parks in the center of Waltham.
No City-owned community facility, such as a civic center,
currently exists
in Waltham apart from the schools, library, and City offices. A
community
center would provide space for a variety of social, recreational,
and
educational events for residents of all ages.
Home ownership costs have narrowed housing options for the majority or Waltham residents, keeping them in rental units and keeping the demand high for the rental stock. This has squeezed the low and moderate income households by forcing them to pay more than they can afford or to make equally less desirable choices, like overcrowding. About half of Waltham's renters spend more than 30% of their gross income on housing. This means that about 5,000 renter households are currently experiencing a rent burden. Fifty percent of all low-income, large related renter households are overcrowded.
The geographic correlation of low-income areas and an aging rental housing indicates a need for deleading assistance, especially for families with children.
All of the social service providers have stated that demand for special needs rental housing is increasing.
The City recognizes the need to:
The City of Waltham has placed a high priority on supporting existing businesses and attracting new economic activity. Revitalization efforts focus on the City's downtown area characterized by vacant commercial property, discordant signs and unappealing storefronts resulting in reduced consumer activity and declining property values. A sense of blight pervades the downtown.
As part of an extensive planning process initiated in 1989 by the City, several basic needs have been identified as critical to fulfilling the City's commitment to revitalizing the downtown. Specifically, the City recognizes the need to:
While the City's economic development efforts are concentrated on the downtown area, there are several strategies being explored on a city wide level to improve employment opportunities and encourage private investment. Specifically, there is a need to develop programs to:
All of the programs funded through CDBG and HOME in the City of Waltham serve primarily low-income households. Waltham, however, strives to direct its funding towards programs that reduce the number of households living below the poverty line.
The only way for households to move out of poverty is to increase their income. Several social service agencies funded through CDBG, such as the Power Program and the Middlesex Human Service Agency (MHSA), enable families and individuals to work and /or increase their income through basic education, ESL classes, and life-skills training. The first-time homebuyers program funded through HOME enables low-income households to increase their wealth by acquiring equity in their new home. The rental rehabilitation programs funded through CDBG and HOME increase the number of affordable housing units in Waltham. Low-income households living in these units are then paying only 30% of their income on rent, which increases their disposable income.
The Planning Department administers the Community Development
Block Grant
Program. The PD works with several other City Departments and
non-profit
agencies CD projects. The Waltham Housing and Planning
Department will continue
to coordinate with the adjacent communities in the HOME
Consortium both in terms
of providing the lead community the appropriate monitoring
information, and in
coordinating applications, local matches, and other issues that
affect the
consortium communities of Brookline, Newton, Waltham, and
Watertown.
Waltham will use its CDBG, UDAG, and HOME funds to finance various activities including:
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 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).
