St. Louis County, Missouri, is the center of employment and population for the St. Louis metropolitan region. Adjoining the city of St. Louis, it has almost 1 million of the 2.5 million persons in the metropolitan statistical area. The county's growth rate has nearly leveled off after experiencing phenomenal growth in the 1950s and 1960s, when it benefited from an exodus of people from the city of St. Louis. During the 1980s, the population growth was only 2 percent, reflecting the fact that the majority of the county had been developed.
Municipalities throughout the county will use about $6 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $2 million in Home Investment Partnership (HOME) funds, and $200,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds to meet housing and community development needs during 1995.
The Department of Human Services in conjunction with the Planning Department held two public hearings on November 16, 1994. The first hearing was held to discuss and gather input from citizens and special interest groups. On January 24, 1995 the public was given the opportunity to view the draft of the Consolidated Plan and was given 30 days to comment on the plan. The draft was available to municipalities, citizen groups, libraries, and the general public. Notices of the two public hearings and a summary of the Consolidated Plan were published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and in the St. Louis American. Public notices were also posted in the St. Louis County Government Center.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
A trend that contributes to population loss in many areas is the aging of the population and declining household size. Though the largest age group are people in their 30s, the increase in the elderly population since 1980 has been significant. In 1980, 15 percent of the county citizens were age 60 and older. By 1990 that number had increased to almost 18 percent of the population. Single persons made up 25 percent and married couples 59 percent of the households in 1990.
The 1990 census shows a decrease in household size. This trend can be attributed to young households having fewer children, the increase of divorced and single-parent families, and the increasing number of empty-nest households of middle-aged or elderly couples.
Before 1950 the African-American population in the county was dispersed among several communities that developed around the turn of the century. School and residential segregation, however, had concentrated most of the area's African-American population in the City of St. Louis. The relaxation of some racial barriers in the 1960s led this population to move into county communities adjacent to St. Louis. More recently, the African-American population has moved north and west along major arterial roads. The most significant change for this population is its dispersion into the farthest north portions of the county. Other minority groups form only 3 percent of the county's population and are not significantly concentrated in any area.
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.
According to the 1990 census, St. Louis County ranked eighth in household income among all counties in the Nation with populations of more than 800,000. It is the most affluent county in the St. Louis metropolitan area and in Missouri, with a per capita income of $18,625. The 1990 Census also found that the unemployment rate among African Americans in the county was more than twice as high as the countywide unemployment rate of 4.5 percent. The 1990 St. Louis county unemployment rate of 11 percent among African Americans was somewhat less than the 1990 national rate of 12.6 percent.
Although the county's housing stock is generally in good condition, certain areas are deteriorating. In 1990, 67 percent of the housing stock was more than 20 years old. (Many of the existing units in St. Louis County were constructed in the 1960s.) As the housing stock ages, maintenance costs increase and those areas with homeowners unable to afford higher maintenance costs may begin to deteriorate.
The county has 360,773 households, of which 7 percent (25,689 households) have incomes between 0 and 30 percent of the area median family income (MFI). Of those in this lowest income group, 55 percent are renters and 45 percent are owners. The 1990 census indicates that about three-quarters of extremely low-income renters pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing and more than half (54 percent) pay in excess of 50 percent. While close to half of the households in the lowest income group are elderly, a smaller percentage of elderly households pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing. The most severely affected in the extremely low-income group with any housing problem are large-family renters, followed by small-family renters.
The patterns in housing and cost burden for nearly 30,000 households that fall into the very low-income group (31 to 50 percent of MFI) are consistent with the extremely low-income group. A higher percentage of nonelderly families than other household types have housing problems. Overcrowding affects primarily the large-renter households and only 2 percent of owners.
The 54,056 households in the low-income group (51 to 80 percent MFI) have a significantly lower percentage with housing problems. Less than 25 percent of elderly owner households encounter housing problems, but this group has a higher incidence of cost-burden among elderly renter households than other low-income groups. For larger related households, overcrowding is a greater problem than cost-burden, with 34 percent experiencing overcrowding and only 25 percent suffering cost-burden. Among owners, a higher percentage of nonelderly than elderly households have housing problems.
In 1990 St. Louis County had 381,990 housing units. Vacancy rates for 1990 were significantly higher than in 1980. In 1980, 6 percent of rental units were vacant, compared to almost 10 percent in 1990. From 1980 to 1990 the number of housing units in the county increased by 14 percent and the population only grew by 2 percent.
The majority (about three-quarters) of owner-occupied units in the county have three or more bedrooms and nearly half of rental units have two bedrooms. Of vacant units for sale, the largest category includes units with three or more bedrooms, followed by two bedrooms. Of vacant units for rent, most are two-bedroom units.
The median value of owner-occupied units in the county is $83,500. Newly constructed housing in the county is becoming increasingly expensive because the supply of developable land is dwindling, much of the remaining land is difficult to develop, St. Louis County is the desired location for many wealthier homebuyers in the region, and the metropolitan area's outlying counties generally have less stringent zoning and subdivision controls than those of local governments in the county.
Low-income municipalities adjoining the city of St. Louis are experiencing the same disinvestment patterns as certain portions of the inner city. Housing losses in these areas are partly due to demolition of deteriorated structures and of homes in highly noise-affected areas purchased by airport funds, in compliance with the airport noise mitigation program. During the 1990s, new housing construction growth continues to be greatest in the far western portions of the county, attracting many homebuyers seeking larger homes with more amenities.
Though the number of housing units has increased at a faster rate (14 percent) than the population (2 percent), St. Louis County does suffer from a lack of adequate and affordable housing stock that suits the needs of specific groups such as low-income renters and homebuyers in some cases.
According to a point-in-time count, there are 2,079 homeless persons in the county. St. Louis County has 11 emergency shelters in the county offering 249 beds. Most offer a limited stay of 90 days or less. Families, individuals, women, children, men, and youth all have at least 1 shelter out of the 11 to serve their needs.
In addition to emergency shelters, the county has several housing programs that are designed to help homeless individuals and families make the transition from chronic homelessness to self-sufficiency. These shelters offer services such as life skills training, job training, and counseling, and a stable residence for up to 2 years.
The county has 1,186 public housing units that are managed and controlled by different agents: the Housing Authority of St. Louis County manages 876 units; the Kirkwood Housing Authority manages 100 units, 95 of which are 1-bedroom units; and the Wellston Housing Authority controls 210 units, including more than 100 units with 3 or more bedrooms.
The Housing Authority has filed a demolition and disposition plan with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban and Development (HUD) for all 204 public housing units in the city of Kinloch. The authority plans to relocate tenants using both tenant-based and project-based Section 8 certificates. In addition, the Housing Authority plans to sell some of its single-family public housing units to tenants in the Meacham and Highview developments.
There are 800 households on waiting lists for Section 8 units with 4 or more bedrooms and 617 households seeking public housing units of this size. There are 4,796 people on the general public housing waiting list. In January 1991, the Housing Authority of St. Louis County closed both of its waiting lists to everyone except one-bedroom households. In September 1994, the Housing Authority waiting list was reopened to all households, but the Section 8 list remained closed.
An estimated 13,000 households in St. Louis County have at least 1 person with a developmental disability in need of support and services. Housing alternatives such as group homes, supported living, and supervised apartments for the mentally ill and persons with developmental disabilities are limited in the area.
There are some group homes with trained staff to assist deinstitutionalized persons with support services that aid in transition from inpatient care to independence in the community. Because of limited alternatives, mental patients are often placed in nursing homes. Many mental patients are placed in hospitals because there are inadequate support services in the community to assist them, even though hospitalization is less desirable and more expensive.
The growing number of elderly, combined with the continuing increase in life expectancy, will have a dramatic effect on service needs. Since elderly people often suffer deteriorating health and poverty, they may be prevented from living independently and fully participating in their communities. This group's needs include a demand for housing, special health care, and transportation services.
The housing needs of people with AIDS is a growing problem in the county--from 1983 to 1993, 1,173 cases of HIV/AIDS have been reported. A number of local agencies provide support to people with AIDS. This network includes a nonprofit organization called Doorways, which provides housing assistance to some 50 people in St. Louis City and County each month. Their services include rental subsidies of $100 to $200 and a landlord clearinghouse.
Affordable housing opportunities are not uniformly distributed throughout St. Louis County and its municipalities. While the location of affordable housing is determined in part by the geography and development history of the county and by market conditions, certain local jurisdictions place constraints that add to the cost of housing. Some small municipalities have no vacant land for new development and others have failed to accommodate assisted housing. Not all jurisdictions actively support HUD's guidelines for siting of assisted housing, which are aimed at dispersal and at ensuring access to public transportation, employment opportunities, and health and social services.
Among the 92 municipalities in St. Louis County, there are a wide range of zoning and subdivision ordinances. One municipality has a maximum density of two units per acre and does not have any zoning classification for multiple-family developments. Minimum lot sizes of 9,000 square feet or 7,500 square feet in other municipalities also affect housing costs. One municipality has a minimum home size of 2,400 square feet. Such regulations clearly exclude housing that is affordable to low- and moderate-income households.
Building codes are enacted and administered by individual municipalities. One municipality requires that new homes be at least 30 percent brick and another requires homes to be 50 percent brick for homes larger than 1,600 square feet. While brick is widely used, there are more affordable, structurally acceptable alternatives (for example, wood-frame construction with a small brick veneer).
Approximately 75 percent of residents of incorporated St. Louis County are subject to occupancy permit requirements that typically require that houses and apartments be inspected and brought into compliance with minimum housing codes upon each change of occupancy. In some communities this may also act as a barrier to affordable housing.
The Department of Human Services' Office of Community Development has contracted with the University of Missouri-St. Louis Public Policy Research Center to prepare a study covering the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County to identify impediments to fair housing choice. The study will provide a descriptive analysis of the current status of St. Louis County.
The county will develop an action plan and hold meetings with all the primary groups involved in fair housing, including the St. Louis City Community Development Agency, St. Louis County's Office of Community Development, the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency, the newly funded Fair Housing Council, the Housing Authority, lending institutions, housing providers, and representatives from the disabled community. The current schedule calls for the entire study process, including the action plan, to be completed during the last quarter of 1995.
Based on a review of the age of existing housing stock and household income, there are approximately 68,510 units occupied by very low- and low-income households that contain lead-based paint. To remedy this problem, the county will implement a lead-based hazard reduction program using grant funds from HUD. The proposed program will target low- and moderate-income private housing and focus on intermediate abatement and targeted community education.
The strategy will entail immediate hazard reduction, treatment of selected lead-based paint surfaces, in-place management, and periodic monitoring. The targeted community education strategy will focus on lead poisoning prevention education to the affected households and other households in the targeted areas. The county will also disseminate pamphlets and literature to people doing their own rehabilitation, homeowners, paint suppliers, building material stores, and the professional housing community.
A recent unforeseen occurrence had an impact on the availability of affordable housing in the county. The flood of 1993 destroyed or caused substantial damage to more than 1,000 homes in the county. Approximately 400 of these homes are being acquired and demolished as part of a floodplain management relocation program, resulting in a reduction in the number of affordable housing units and an increase in the need for affordable replacement housing. More than 95 percent of these homes had appraised values of less than the $83,500 median home value in the county.
St. Louis County is a maturing urban county that is increasingly required to address problems associated with an aging housing stock, aging population, and areas of deteriorating infrastructure. In ascertaining the revitalization needs of the county, two separate needs categories were analyzed. First, the needs of the 68-county municipalities that participate in the CDBG Program as subgrantees were identified. Second, the needs of unincorporated St. Louis County were determined.
In participating municipalities, the most frequently cited community development need is for street and sidewalk improvements. While infrastructure needs are second only to housing, there have not been adequate resources available from any source, including CDBG, to allow municipalities to undertake needed improvement projects. As a result, infrastructure improvements continue to be neglected. To a much lesser degree, municipal respondents noted the need for parks and recreation facilities and funds to make existing buildings handicapped accessible.
St. Louis County identified the needs of unincorporated areas by using census data, field work, citizen input, and technical assistance from other county departments. Several priority, nonhousing community development needs were identified:
To address the county's housing and community needs, the strategy will rely heavily on rehabilitation of existing units, both moderate and substantial rehabilitation, and the construction of new units, especially those with three or more bedrooms. In addition, very low-income renters will be targeted for rental assistance primarily through the county's Home Improvement Program. First-time homebuyers will be targeted to receive assistance in the form of a lease-purchase program, down payment/closing cost assistance, and programs that record the cost of development and reduce mortgage payments.
The major focus for the county, however, will be to continue funding for housing counseling assistance for every household displaced by the flood. New affordable units will be developed and offered to income-eligible flood victims.
As for nonhousing projects, the county will focus on street and sewer improvements. In addition, much of the funding will be used for activities such as public service programs, housing counseling, and economic development.
Priorities and strategies were developed based on a review of demographic data from the 1990 census, the Housing Authority's waiting lists, participating municipalities, and information gathered from public agencies, nonprofit organizations, community groups, private developers, and interested people involved in providing affordable housing and community development in the county.
St. Louis County will support new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of rental units, especially for low-income families. Moderate and substantial rehabilitation of existing multifamily rental units, and single-family detached units in nonimpacted communities and new construction of affordable units in all areas will be a priority during the next 3 years. Some of the objectives for addressing this priority include:
The county plans to continue and expand existing support facilities and services for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness, especially families. The county will continue to fund organizations that administer programs that help homeless or at-risk families and individuals attain self-sufficiency. Some of the objectives include:
St. Louis County will provide housing rehabilitation assistance for existing homeowners, primarily for very low-income and low-income households. The county has identified the need to preserve affordable older neighborhoods since much of the new housing is considerably more expensive. Housing rehabilitation assistance objectives include:
The county will offer rental assistance, especially to extremely low- and very low-income households. One of the major issues facing renter families is finding housing of suitable size for their needs. The county will continue the Section 8 existing program/housing voucher program to assist 150 additional households in paying their rent and utility costs.
The county will also foster the production of units and other assistance for first-time homebuyers, primarily for low-income households, through the following programs:
St. Louis County plans to expand the supply of accessible and affordable housing for people with developmental and physical disabilities in all income categories by providing funding and technical assistance to owners willing to make accessibility modifications to their existing structures.
The county has identified two community development priorities to focus on during the next 3 years. The first priority is to increase programming to address the needs of county youth. The county will provide recreational and job training opportunities for youth to equip them with positive work attitudes, skills, and habits necessary to succeed in the job market. The county will also provide substance abuse counseling, adult mentoring, recreation, summer camp, and educational programs for youth.
The second priority is to increase programming to address individuals with substance abuse problems, especially alcoholism. An estimated 83,000 people in the county have serious problems with alcohol and other drug abuse. The current system services only about 8,000 of these individuals and does not provide for basic services such as employment, day care, and housing that help people readjust their lives. The county plans to increase access to treatment and recovery services, as well as speed up coordination among addiction treatment and recovery programs and support services.
The county is committed to reducing the number of households with incomes below the poverty line by providing low-income families with the opportunity to attain the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary for them to become self-sufficient. The county works through its Housing Authority, Department of Human Services, and Economic Counsel, while allocating funding to nonprofit service providers committed to providing both affordable housing and support services to these families.
St. Louis County will provide support facilities and services for the homeless, especially families. The St. Louis County Housing Resources Commission will continue to be the primary funding source for providing services to the homeless in the county. One of the commission's priorities is to fund projects or programs that encourage self-sufficiency of participants and facilitate transition from dependency on subsidized housing. The county anticipates continuing funding to nonprofit and public self-sufficiency programs to reduce the number of individuals and families below the poverty level.
In addition to more than $9 million in entitlement grants, the county will have $67,000 from University City HIP loan repayments, $7,000 Ferguson HIP loan repayments, $13,000 neighborhood housing services loan repayments, $53,000 Webster Groves HIP loan repayments, and $3,000 Lemay rent payments.
As the Consolidated Plan process progressed, the county organized, hosted, and attended meetings involving various agencies and groups involved in providing housing and related community services to low-income people. Department heads will continue to meet regularly with the county executive and staff to keep information moving in all directions across departmental lines to ensure a coordinated effort when addressing the housing and community development needs of low-income residents.
The planning process is a collaborative effort between the Department of Planning and the Department of Human Resources, primarily through the Office of Community Development, and the Housing Authority of St. Louis County.
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 pojects 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; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s).
St. Louis County will use about $2 million of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to provide rebates to income-eligible homeowners who undertake approved, eligible rehabilitation activities to bring their houses up to code. Another $400,000 will be used for rehabilitation of residential structures through the Home Improvement Program. Municipalities will use $410,467 CDBG funds to remove architectural barriers to make buildings and streets more accessible to people with physical disabilities.
Street improvements are also high on the list for funds, with about $779,080 CDBG funds allocated for this activity. The flood of 1993 has made it necessary to use funds (about $46,896) to provide partial payment to those affected by the flood in Brentwood.
Parks and recreational facilities will receive about $80,000 in CDBG funds and emergency shelter providers will receive $276,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds. Municipalities will use about $231,829 in CDBG funds for various public service activities such as a housing counseling program, youth educational and recreational programs, and additional police protection. The county will use $1,311,000 to cover the administrative costs of implementing and monitoring the CDBG program.
The Department of Planning is the lead agency responsible for coordinating the Consolidated Plan process.
