Farmington Hills is in Oakland County, Michigan, about 20 miles northwest of Detroit. A suburban city, Farmington Hills is bordered on the south by Livonia, on the north by West Bloomfield, and on the east by Southfield. As of July 1993, the city's population was 78,038.
In its Consolidated Plan, Farmington Hills describes its housing and community development needs, defining a 5-year strategy to address those needs using Federal and other resources. For the first year of the plan, the city is requesting $451,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, which will finance five housing and community development activities planned for Fiscal Year 1995.
In January 1995, Farmington Hills began developing its Consolidated Plan by sending a letter to interested community organizations and publishing a notice in the Farmington Observer asking for public participation. At a hearing held on January 25, 1996 the Consolidated Plan was explained, and public comments about housing and community development needs were solicited. A followup meeting was held on February 8.
A preliminary plan was drafted based on input from these two meetings. On
April 6, 1995, a summary of the draft plan was published in the newspaper, and
an ensuing 30-day public comment period was announced. On April 24 the city
council held another public hearing, which was televised citywide on a local
cable television network. On May 8 a summary of the final Consolidated Plan was
published in the newspaper, and the plan was submitted to the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on May 15.
A northwestern suburb of Detroit, Farmington Hills is an affluent community. The city's median family income (MFI) is $63,101, versus a $50,980 MFI for Oakland County and a $40,961 MFI for the Detroit Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Of the city's 29,236 households, 26 percent earn less than 80 percent of MFI. Census data show the following levels of low- and moderate-income households:
Farmington Hills is mostly white. Minorities constitute only 7 percent of
the population.
Farmington Hills has approximately 19,000 housing units that are more than 20 years old. The housing stock is aging and needs to be maintained. Because of the high costs of housing and rent, more affordable housing or housing assistance is needed. A large portion of the population is cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of gross income for housing expenses.
The 1990 census reported that the city's housing stock consisted of 31,171 year-round units, including 19,174 owner-occupied units, 10,060 rental units, and 1,937 vacant units.
Farmington Hills covers 33.4 square miles. The city is nearly 85 percent developed, with little land available for residential development. In-fill development -- placing new housing on scattered vacant lots in older parts of the city -- is a growing trend that depends on the affordability of land and the availability of streets, storm drains, and sewer and water lines.
Housing is expensive. Rental rates range between $400 and $1,500 per month, with the median contract rent being $598. Most owner-occupied housing costs between $65,000 and $300,000. In 1990 the average price of a home was $145,900.
Overall, housing prices have increased substantially. In 1960 a three-bedroom ranch home cost $35,000. In 1985 the same house cost $70,000, and in 1990 it cost $125,000. This price escalation has discouraged many first-time buyers from purchasing a home.
An estimated 350 owner-occupied houses (1.4 percent) and 140 rental units (1.2 percent) are substandard, meaning that the unit does not comply with housing code requirements. However, most of these units are suitable for rehabilitation.
A large proportion of lower income households is cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of their gross income for housing expenses, including utilities. Some are severely cost-burdened, paying more than 50 percent for housing expenses.
Of the city's 968 very low-income renter households, 70 percent are cost-burdened, and 59 percent are severely cost-burdened. Of 805 low-income renter households, 83 percent are cost-burdened, and 48 percent are severely cost-burdened. Even among the 1,377 moderate-income renter households, 69 percent are cost-burdened, and 14 percent are severely cost-burdened.
In 1990 a year-long study conducted by the Oakland County Task Force on Homelessness and Affordable Housing found that only 13 of the 1,605 homeless persons who were assisted identified Farmington Hills as their last place of residence.
Although the city does not have any permanent homeless shelter, the Michigan National Bank Corporation, in cooperation with the South Oakland Shelter, provides temporary assistance for up to 30 homeless persons for a 7-day period. Assistance may include: overnight shelter; bagged lunches; and transportation to employment, job searches, social service offices, or the South Oakland Shelter. Referrals are made to the Salvation Army and Neighborhood House in Farmington Hills and to the South Oakland Shelter outside Farmington Hills. The Salvation Army offers motel rooms for the night, a warming center, and referrals.
Farmington Hills does not have any public housing.
The following conditions create barriers to affordable lower income housing:
Although minority populations constitute 7 percent of the population, minorities are not concentrated in any specific section of the city.
In 1990 Farmington Hills completed a fair housing analysis. Because minority populations are dispersed throughout the city, Farmington Hills concluded that real estate sales and lending practices are based upon marketability and profitability, meaning that, if a buyer can afford a house, then a real estate company will sell it, and a lending institution will finance it.
Based on the age of the housing stock, an estimated 13,854 owner-occupied and 5,530 rental units could potentially contain lead-based paint. However, because the majority of these units are well-maintained, they are unlikely to contain hazards, such as paint chips.
The Oakland County Health Department has not documented any cases of lead poisoning in Farmington Hills. All households inquiring about the city's housing rehabilitation program are provided with information about potential hazards. Houses are surveyed and inspected for potential lead-based paint problems whenever an application for rehabilitation assistance is filed. No contaminated units have been found.
Housing and supportive needs exist for the elderly, persons with mental disabilities or mental illness, persons with physical disabilities, substance abusers, and victims of domestic violence. Although each group generally has similar needs, such as affordable and accessible housing, the groups differ somewhat in the mix of supportive services they need.
The following estimated populations have special supportive housing needs:
The city annually reviews the community's non-housing needs in its capital improvement plan, which monitors improvements such as storm drains, street lighting, street paving, and sidewalks. A significant portion of each year's CDBG funding will be allocated to eligible neighborhoods for these projects. Capital improvements will be coordinated with a housing rehabilitation program that helps to revitalize and preserve a particular lower income neighborhood.
Neighborhood revitalization efforts are being enacted in the Southeast
Quadrant, the oldest section of the city. At the request of the Olde
Town/Meadowbrook Heights Homeowners Association, the Grand River Avenue Corridor
has been studied and targeted for a comprehensive revitalization effort.
The objectives of the city's housing and non-housing programs include:
The city's housing priorities are:
The main non-housing priority is to continue planned neighborhood revitalization work in the Grand River Corridor. This area includes the city's oldest housing stock and is bounded by the city's highest concentration of low- and moderate-income households.
Economic redevelopment is needed in the city's older commercial and industrial areas to prevent further deterioration. The Farmington Hills Economic Development Corporation will sponsor economic activities, funded through other sources, to complement development work in the Grand River Corridor.
The population living below the poverty line includes 340 families, 147 female-headed households, and 572 senior citizens. To assist these residents, the city will:
The financial resources needed to implement the 5-year plan include $451,000 in CDBG funds, which will be received this year. Farmington Hills anticipates that similar levels of HUD community development and housing funds will be available during the remaining 4 years of the 5-year plan. Other funding available to help the city implement its strategic plan includes Federal and State programs.
The Farmington Hills City Council is responsible for reviewing and approving the city's housing policies. The city manager, who directs the Department of Planning and Community Development, is responsible for coordinating and administering these policies. The Community Development Office administers the CDBG and Housing Rehabilitation programs, while the Building Division ensures compliance with housing and building codes.
Farmington Hills will rely on the resources and assistance of governmental
agencies as well as non-profit, for-profit, and private agencies to help with the
implementation of the Consolidated Plan. An Interagency Council networks the
community's service providers, including the Salvation Army and Neighborhood
House. A Human Services Task Force meets to explore outstanding needs in the
community.
For the 1995 program year, Farmington Hills will use $636,000 in CDBG, surplus, and program income funds to implement five activities that address specific housing and community development needs. The activities will be funded as follows:
The 1995 Action Plan's street improvement projects are located in the Grand River Corridor neighborhood revitalization area. These capital improvement projects will benefit all residents in the designated area. The housing rehabilitation program will be offered citywide to qualifying lower income households.
The housing rehabilitation program will assist an estimated 30 to 40 households.
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 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 8 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).
Mr. Richard A. Lampi, Coordinator
Community Development
City of Farmington Hills
31555 11 Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
Phone: 810-766-7436
