Westfield'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 3 year broad objectives and actions proposed to meet those goals; and specific projects for carrying out this strategy during 1995.
Activities are concentrated in the areas of job training, development and retention, increasing homeownership to stabilize neighborhoods, improvement of parks, buildings where services are delivered, and downtown infrastructure, and essential public services including health, nutrition, day care, education, and substance abuse prevention.
The City of Westfield conducted two public hearings during the development
of the Comprehensive Plan. The initial public hearing held on March 20, 1995,
was conducted for the purpose of obtaining views of citizens on housing and
community development needs. A second public hearing was held on May 2, 1995,
for the purpose of reviewing program performance, in addition to reviewing the
proposed Consolidated Plan. Copies of the draft plan were made available for
review and interested parties were invited to submit written comments.
Westfield is a relatively small city having a population of 38,372 with a
median income ($33,489) higher than that of Hampden County ($31,000) as a whole.
The majority (97%) of the population is white; 14% is elderly, and 30% of the
households are low or very low income. Westfield's housing stock is dominated
by owner-occupied single family homes in residential areas which are primarily
suburban in character. There is a central downtown area which contains some
concentration of low income households.
Westfield's housing stock is dominated by owner-occupied single family homes located in residential areas which are suburban in character. After the relatively high growth period of the 1980's, housing development slowed considerably for several years and has only recently picked up some. About 11 subdivisions are currently in various stages of the planning process. Several are targeting moderate income, first-time homebuyers but in general single family home prices in Westfield are above average for the region.
There has been little or no rental housing development in Westfield or elsewhere in surrounding communities. Few lower cost ownership alternatives such as condominiums have been developed to a significant degree. According to the 1990 Census, there are only 418 condominium units in Westfield. County data reports 35 condominium sales in 1994, with a median sales price of $85,000.
Analysis of census tract data for Westfield shows that two areas have concentrations of lower income individuals, as defined as more than 10%. Two other areas, 15,4% and 13.9% of the population have incomes below the poverty level. We are aware that for some of our neighboring cities, concentrations of 50% are evident in particular neighborhoods and we are using a very low threshold to define an area of concentration. The total minority population of Westfield is only 4% of total population and minorities are not concentrated in any particular neighborhood or census tracts.
The majority of Westfield's rental housing stock is in good physical condition, there has been increasing deterioration, particularly in the central downtown area. This is a result of two economic factors. The inflation of the 1980's boom real estate market left many property owners with high debt levels and operating costs. The more recent prolonged general recession throughout New England has seriously eroded household incomes. This results in a significant housing affordability gap; one manifestation of which is deferred maintenance and increasing deterioration of rental housing, especially the older rental housing prevalent in the downtown area. As this Plan was being written, a local bank foreclosed on the owner of more than 30 units in several buildings in central downtown locations. Only partially occupied, these buildings have been badly neglected. While the City has utilized CDBG, and HOME funds for rehabilitation in the downtown area, unmet need remains.
The Census also reports 1618 Westfield households paying more than 35% of income for rent. Of these, 413 (25%) were elderly households. 64% of very low income households in Westfield pay more than 50% of their income for rent. Minorities make up 3% of Westfield's population and they do not represent a disproportionate share of the households in need of rental housing based on cost burden.
The Samaritan Inn is Westfield's primary facility for homeless individuals and the statistics reported dramatically illustrate both the extent of homelessness and the depth of the economic recession. During the period from May 1993 to May 1994, the Samaritan Inn provided emergency shelter to 250 people. In the 10 months since then, the Inn has sheltered 650 people. It has been reported that the biggest reason for this increase is simple unemployment, the long term effect of the continued recession. Now serving an average of 50 people a night, the Samaritan Inn has grown into one of the largest singles shelter in the region.
Homeless families in Westfield are generally referred out of the city. The only family shelter in Westfield is New Beginnings which has four rooms (10) beds for women and their children who are seeking shelter from domestic violence.
All of those who work with homeless families cite the difficulty in finding appropriate, affordable permanent housing, especially because of the scarcity of rental subsidy assistance. Families are referred to local housing authorities and HAP for placement on the waiting list for subsidized housing, but the lists are lengthy even for those who qualify for first preference because they are homeless.
The precise extent of demand for rental housing is difficult to determine. Population trends between 1980 and 1990 indicate expanding growth in new household formation and a reduction in the average number of persons per household. Significant production of new rental housing at more affordable rents is unlikely given current reluctance to finance such ventures and the lack of federal and state housing subsidies or other resources.
It is difficult for a lower income household to access rental assistance which is administered in Westfield by two agencies, the Westfield Housing Authority, and HAP, Inc.
(Hampden Hampshire Housing Partnership). Rental assistance waiting lists are currently closed. There are 313 families on the WHA's Section 8 waiting list, including 81 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. There are 61 Westfield households on HAP's regional waiting list, all of whom qualify for a preference because they are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Minority families are represented on both of these waiting lists but not in numbers which represent a disproportionally greater need for rental assistance among these groups.
The Westfield Housing Authority currently administers a total of 326 rental assistance units (140 Section 8 Certificates, 68 Section 8 Vouchers, 63 project-based State MRVP units, and 55 mobile MRVP units. HAP, Inc. administers rental assistance throughout Hampden and Hampdshire counties and units are not designated for a particular community within the region. Currently HAP has 135 units underlease in Westfield.
The City of Westfield recently joined with the cities of Springfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee and the Hampdon Hampshire Housing Partnership to secure a $3 million grant from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address lead-based paint hazards in the four cities. HUD funds are being matched by local CDBG and HOME funds. The program, which will be administered in Westfield by HAP, Inc., will abate lead-based paint hazards in approximately 300 units (30 in Westfield) occupied or to be occupied by lower-income families with children under seven years of age. Community education activities will also be carried out to increase public awareness of the hazards of lead-based paint.
Westfield has pledged $30,000 in CDBG funds over two years to this program. These funds will be used to cover 15%of the direct costs of actual abatement activities in Westfield units. The Westfield CD Director is a member of the project's Steering committee which provides overall policy direction and oversight.
The number of children at risk of lead poisoning is outlined in the grant proposal. The two target census track neighborhoods in downtown Westfield have a total of 938 children under age seven. 96% and 83% respectively of the dwelling units for the two census tracks were built before 1978. 70% and 54% respectively were built prior to 1940.
Data from the Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training indicates that after rising throughout the 1980's, total employment in Westfield declined from a high of 16,688 in 1989 to 13, 943 in 1992. The greatest loss was in the manufacturing sector. Only the service sector increased a relatively minor amount.
Despite statistically lower unemployment compared to the surrounding area, the loss of manufacturing jobs and the presence of over 1,000 individuals officially listed as unemployed are evidence of the need for creation and retention of jobs for low and moderate income residents. The trend toward service employment indicates that there is a need for the development of jobs in higher paying technical and manufacturing fields.
Job development must be complemented by ongoing job training opportunities and programs to increase the skill levels of the work force. While the City population's level of educational attainment is about average for the region, about 20% of the adult population have not completed high school (1990 census).
There is a need for continued concentration of activities in the downtown core area in order to improve commercial viability and support economic development. In addition to plans for the redevelopment of specific parcels, the City needs to continue to address the condition of its sidewalks, associated utilities, building facades, and open spaces in the downtown area.
There is also the need for capital expenditure to improve and modernize neighborhood recreational facilities, parks, and properties used by agencies to deliver human services.
The Department of Community Development will be the lead agency responsible
for overall management and coordination of the programs and services provided
under this Plan. It will administer the funds received by the City under the
CDBG, HOME, and other programs. In addition the Department will be directly
responsible for the administration of programs dealing with rental housing
preservation and production, housing improvement, and facilitating
homeownership. The Department will be responsible for selection of projects,
committing and assembling resources, and monitoring the production and
rehabilitation process. The Department will be assisted by contracted services
from HAP, Inc., a regional housing partnership. The Department will also
coordinate the involvement of other city departments such as Planning, Building,
and Health in activities necessary to carry out the strategy such as code
enforcement and land use regulation.
Westfield is not eligible for formula grants for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), or Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). The primary resource Westfield can reasonably expect to be available to carry out this plan in the upcoming years is the federally-funded CDBG program. At this time, the continued availability of these resources depends on actions proposed by the Congress and others at the federal level.
Whenever possible, CDBG funds will continue to be used to leverage funds from other sources. Housing rehabilitation programs, for example, are structured to encourage financial investment by owners and banks. CDBG funds are also used to provide a match for state or other federal funds. For example, Westfield's allocation of $30,000 in CDBG funds leveraged an additional $165,000 in funds to be made available over the next three years to abate lead-based paint hazards in priority housing in Westfield.
Westfield will actively support efforts by the Westfield Housing Authority, the Greater Westfield Committee for the Homeless, Hampden Hampshire Housing Partnership, and other nonprofit housing and service agencies to access both state and federal funds to achieve housing and community development goals.
The City will continue to pursue a comprehensive strategy to address the major housing needs. The strategy will serve a number of overall objectives, including:
Activities which will be carried out in order to meet housing needs will include:
The City will utilize a portion or its CDBG budget each year to address non-housing community development needs, and will support activities and applications of provider agencies in order to maximize resources available to address those needs. The strategy will serve a number of overall objectives, including:
Westfield's anti-poverty strategy is integrally related to its economic and community development strategies. The City's goals are to increase economic activity, create and retain job opportunities, particularly in the traditional manufacturing and technology sectors. The City's housing efforts (rehabilitation, lead hazard abatement, affordable homeownership, etc.) are aimed at making sure that appropriate, safe, and affordable housing is available for families and individuals who work or wish to work in Westfield.
As a relatively small city, Westfield must coordinate its efforts to address
housing, community development, and economic development strategies with those
of other communities in the region.
The City's one year action plan has been developed in response to the needs and five year strategy. The primary source for financial support of specific projects and activities is CDBG funds. The City is not a HOME entitlement community and the City does not intend to undertake any float funded activities. Activities supporting economic development goals are to be concentrated in the downtown area. Since Westfield is a relatively small city, however, most housing services and other community development activities are intended to be available to residents throughout the City.
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 describes information about the project(s).
MAP 6 depicts Neighborhood Segments and streets and proposed HUD funded projects.
