The city of Independence, founded in 1826, served as the starting point for the Oregon, California, and Santa Fe Trails. The city grew and thrived around the constant influx of pioneers, mavericks, and mountain men on their way west to the gold fields of Oregon and California.
Today, Independence is the county seat of Jackson County, Missouri, and encompasses 79 square miles abutting the eastern edge of Kansas City. The northwestern part of the city consists of older neighborhoods built between the 1830s and 1940s. The central and eastern portions of the city comprise a series of six land annexations from Jackson County that occurred between 1956 and 1979. This Consolidated Plan focuses primarily on the needs of Independence's older sections.
For the first year of the Consolidated Plan, Independence proposes to use $1.1 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and $448,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds.
The city of Independence designated the Housing and Community Services Division of its Community Development Department as the lead agency for preparing its Consolidated Plan. To identify and coordinate needs and strategies, division staff met with representatives of the Housing Authority of Independence, the Greater Independence Housing Coalition, the Capital Improvements Program, numerous social service agencies and organizations that provide housing and related services, local realtors, lending institutions, area businesses, and neighborhood groups and individuals.
The city held its first public hearing on community needs in January 1995.
Two months later, a second hearing was held to allow the public to comment on
the draft Consolidated Plan. Citizen comments were incorporated into the
Consolidated Plan.
The population of Independence experienced virtually no growth during the 1980s. During this period, the older, western portions of the city experienced a population decline, while the eastern side increased in number. The population of Independence is not expected to change significantly over the next 5 years.
In 1990 minorities composed only 5 percent of the total city population. However, even though the total population grew by less than 1 percent between 1980 and 1990, the city's minority population more than doubled. By the year 2010, it is expected that minority groups will compose 10 percent of the total population. According to 1990 data, the white population composed 95 percent of the total, and Hispanics accounted for 2 percent. The remainder consisted of non-Hispanic African Americans (1.4 percent), Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (0.9 percent), and Native Americans (0.6 percent).
The Independence economy is characterized by a stable level of household
income and employment. Neither of these major indicators has experienced
significant change since 1990. However, employment opportunities within the city
are growing. From 1980 to 1990, employment within the city increased by 9.8
percent, with the largest growth in the retail and service sectors. This trend
is expected to continue through the next two decades. Although the industrial
sector has experienced layoffs, Independence has absorbed this loss through new
company growth and has maintained a stable economy.
Cutbacks in the defense industry and layoffs by area automobile manufacturers have made the future uncertain for blue-collar workers, and their ability to afford decent and safe housing insecure. Of the 33,323 owner-occupied households in Independence, 16 percent have very low incomes (50 percent or less of the area median family income (MFI)). Renter households total 14,749, of which 40 percent have very low incomes.
Among Independence's very low-income renter households, the most common housing problem is cost burden. As many as 72 percent of very low-income renter households pay more than 30 percent of their income in rent; 36 percent have rent burdens exceeding half their income. Small families are the largest group afflicted by cost burdens, followed by the elderly. Of the 5,173 very low-income owner households in Independence, nearly half are experiencing housing problems, primarily high cost burdens. Elderly owners are the most affected group.
Independence has a total of 3,787 low-income (earning 51-80 percent of MFI) renter households, of which 20 percent are experiencing housing problems. As with the very low-income renter families, small family households have the greatest incidence of problems in this category. As many as 42 percent of the small family households have housing problems, followed by 9 percent of the large families and 4 percent of the elderly. Again, excessive rent burden predominates. Nineteen percent of low-income homeowners have housing problems; elderly homeowners comprise 44 percent of the affected households.
Independence has a total of 48,165 housing units, of which 69 percent are owner-occupied and 31 percent are renter-occupied. According to a 1993 survey, approximately one-third of owner-occupied units and two in every five rental units were in need of rehabilitation. Independence's rental vacancy rate in 1990 was approximately 11 percent; however, fewer than 2 percent of owner-occupancy units were for sale.
The 1990 median value of owner-occupied area homes was $56,000, up from $37,700 in 1980. Median contract rent also has risen substantially, from $168 per month for a two-bedroom apartment in 1980 to $311 for a similar unit in 1990. By 1993, contract rents in multifamily communities in Independence had increased another 11 percent to $346 per month.
While the eastern portion of Independence contains large, single-family properties in suburban subdivisions, the western portion is representative of older, traditional urban settlement patterns. It contains older, moderate- to high-density single-family residential neighborhoods, spotted with older single-family structures converted to multifamily use as well as low-rise multifamily structures. The center of the city contains typical postwar single-family subdivisions.
Most of the housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals are located in the aging western and west-central sections of Independence. However, many of these housing units are substandard and do not meet current city codes.
Several proposals for development have been discussed with the city of Independence, and at least one major property owner has contracted with a land development consultant for the preparation of a major development plan. Overall, however, the city does not expect significant changes in the availability or affordability of housing in the next 5 years.
As noted above, a continuing need exists to maintain the city's housing stock. Currently, the city's Owner Occupied Program has 36 individuals on a waiting list for rehabilitation assistance. The city's Rental Rehabilitation Program has a waiting list of 13 projects, representing a total of 93 units.
Shelters within the city, which can serve 74 persons per night, are routinely full and must turn away many individuals and families. The number of unsheltered homeless could not be estimated.
Independence has several social service agencies that provide supportive housing services for the homeless and the near homeless. The four shelters are:
In addition to these shelters, the Community Services League (CSL) offers numerous programs designed to assist those who need to attain and keep affordable housing. During 1994, CSL served 7,229 households and 19,391 individuals.
Overall, these social service agencies reported that the three major homeless needs are the need for transitional housing after shelter, affordable housing after transitional housing, and additional assisted housing (Section 8).
In addition, there is anecdotal evidence of a growing number of the "hidden" homeless, who lack shelter of their own but have been able to stay temporarily with friends or relatives.
The Independence Housing Authority administers three public housing facilities within the city. Hocker Heights, a family complex, has a total of 143 units. Southview Manor (144 units) and Pleasant Heights (249 units) are both complexes for the elderly and persons with disabilities. As of January 1995, there were 19 people on the waiting list for family public housing and 26 elderly or persons with disabilities waiting for public housing. Two-bedroom units are in particular demand, with slightly more than half of the families on waiting lists requesting these units. The majority of elderly and persons with disabilities on the public housing list want studio apartments. In 1994, 22 percent of Independence's family public housing units were vacant, compared to less than 4 percent of units for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
There are several project-based Section 8 housing units in Independence. These are Olde Oak Tree Apartments with 125 units, Noland Towers with 126 units, and Heritage House with 33 units. As of January 1994, the Independence Housing Authority had a total of 631 Section 8 tenant-based certificates and vouchers. The waiting list for Section 8 certificates and vouchers totals 75, with 40 percent of the people requiring two-bedroom units and almost one-third needing units with one bedroom.
In addition, Independence has approximately 1,600 other federally subsidized housing units, most of which are two- and three-bedroom units.
Approximately 70 percent of the city's present housing stock was built before lead paint was banned for residential use in 1978. As much as 97 percent of this potentially lead-contaminated stock is occupied by low-income households.
In January 1994, the county began holding Child Health Conferences, at which children were screened for lead. To date, 244 children have been screened in eastern Jackson County; 4 children living in Independence were found to have elevated blood-lead levels.
In 1980 Independence had 599 individuals residing in group quarters, such as nursing homes, shelters, or prisons. Ten years later, this special needs population increased by 72 percent to 1,028 individuals. Of this resident population, 71 percent reside in nursing homes.
There are no housing or related services specifically for persons with
HIV/AIDS. However, if an individual has been certified as having a disability
due to these conditions, he or she is eligible to occupy units at two of the
Public Housing Authority's housing facilities.
Over the next 5 years, the city of Independence will meet its community development needs through partnerships with public and private agencies, organizations, and businesses. This will be a coordinated and cooperative effort that will address a broad spectrum of housing and non-housing community development needs. The city has established the following primary housing needs:
High priority was given to address very low-income, small- and large-family renter households with cost burdens greater than 30 percent of income. In this income category, this priority also was assigned to address small and elderly renter-occupied houses with physical defects as well as owner-occupied houses with physical defects. Physically deficient units occupied by elderly low- and moderate-income renters and low-income homeowners also received high priority.
Among homeless needs, high priority was given to providing families, individuals, and persons with special needs with emergency and transitional shelters and permanent housing.
The city is in the process of developing an economic development strategy to help meet community needs in this area. The strategy will include business development, job creation, and job training. Other community development priorities are infrastructure improvements; public services that assist with affordable child care, youth programs, senior citizen services, public transportation, substance abuse services, child abuse services, community policing, and crime awareness; and two public facilities, one for recreational purposes and one for medical clinics and offices in northwest Independence.
Of all these needs, the city has placed high priority on improving transportation services and providing employment training throughout the community. In addition, the city has placed high priority on providing code enforcement activities.
The city of Independence's goal is to reduce poverty by 5 percent during the next 5 years and to support and encourage other agencies to work toward the reduction of poverty. The city coordinates its affordable housing programs with social service agencies involved in providing housing services to very low-income populations and to those living below the poverty line. In addition, the city will endeavor to expand employment opportunities and job training through business development for those living in or threatened with poverty.
The city of Independence will continue to provide monetary and technical assistance to help social service agencies develop transitional housing in Independence and to provide supportive services to the homeless and at-risk homeless. Financial assistance will be provided through CDBG funds as well as through State of Missouri-administered Emergency Shelter Grant and Homeless Challenge Grant funds.
The Community Development Department's Housing and Community Services
Division is charged with coordinating the activities involved in the
implementation of the Consolidated Plan. Community Development staff will work
closely with all providers of housing and other community development services
in the community. In particular, the city will coordinate with the Independence
Housing Authority and all other housing and housing service providers to further
the availability of affordable housing for very low- and low-income families and
individuals. The city will continue to meet regularly with the Neighborhood
Revitalization Steering Committee, which is composed of members of the
Independence business community, social service providers, and residents, and
will continue to seek and encourage public and private partnerships to meet its
community development needs.
For Fiscal Year 1995, the main CDBG activities will consist of housing rehabilitation, infrastructure improvements, and non-residential historic preservation activities. Funding for key citywide initiatives planned for the first year of the Consolidated Plan includes:
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 projects within another of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 9 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).
