Cumberland County's planning jurisdiction for purposes of preparing the Consolidated Plan encompasses the entire unincorporated area of the County plus the following participating towns: Falcon, Godwin, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Stedman and Wade. As Cumberland County continues to grow, the demand for housing also grows. The County, being basically a military community, will see an increase in population over the next five years because of the closing of military bases in other areas and transfer of troops to the Cumberland County area. This summary offers County residents a quick overview of the County's needs assessment, strategic plan for addressing the needs over a five year period, and a one-year Action Plan for use of Fiscal year 1995 HUD funding.
The Action Plan provides for HUD Federal assistance in the following amounts:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program $3,330,000
HOME Investment Partnership Program 899,000
Total: $4,229,000
Other sources of assistance are integrated with this funding.
Hearings to explain the planning process and solicit needs and ideas for
housing and non-housing community development were held at ten locations
throughout the Community Development Block Grant County entitlement area in
October, November and December, 1994. A second set of hearings were held in
February and March to explain what was proposed in the five year strategy and
one year Action Plan. The document was placed in 18 locations throughout the
County for Citizen review and comment purposes.
Cumberland County's population is approximately 292,500 with an expected growth rate of 9 percent. The age of the County population is heavily influenced by Pope Air Force Base and Fort Bragg with an estimated population living on post of 32,320. The County is unique since it has an urban population (in total number of persons) with a rural tax base.
In 1990, there were 110,472 housing units with 52,801 owner-occupied, 38,699 renter occupied and 6,860 vacant. Of the occupied units, 66,583 are single family, 16,914 are multiple family and 682 are listed as other (Houseboats, railroad cars, campers and vans etc.
Caucasians comprise 63.5 percent (177,798) of the population while minorities comprise 36.5 percent (102,197) compared to 75.9 and 24.1 percent statewide.
Economic data shows Cumberland County with an average income of $18,593
compared to the State average of $20,280. Approximately 14 percent of the
County's population lives at or below the poverty level. The per-capita
income, at $12,923, is lower than the state average range of $13,013 - $19,519.
Though the County ranks as the 4th largest in population in the State, it has
the highest number of children (22,000 children) living in families below the
poverty level than any other county in the State.
In 1990, 9,910 or 10.8 percent of the housing units were occupied by large families with five or more persons per household. Single persons occupy 17,718 units or 19.4 percent while approximately 70 percent are occupied by families with less than 5 persons.
Cost burden statistics from 1990 indicate that 15,508 or 16.9 percent of occupied households are spending 30 to 49 percent of their income on housing while 8,576 or 9.4 percent commit more than 50 percent of household income on housing. Over 25 percent of the households therefor spend above the desired 30 percent of their income to maintain a roof over their head.
There are 13,545 housing units that fall below the median monthly mortgage payment of $665. Of units not mortgaged, the median payment is $200 with 4,645 units falling into this category, and the median rental payment is $406 per month , with 16,967 of 38,699 units falling below this figure. The last comprehensive survey on housing conditions indicated that 25 percent of the housing stock was considered to be substandard. At least 41 percent of the substandard units were classified as showing serious deterioration.
In 1994, there were 305 HIV positive cases and 237 AIDS cases. There is no shelter in Cumberland County.
There are 8,147 cases of individuals with developmental disabilities, including children and adults. Housing is extremely limited. The County has the 5th highest mentally disabled population in the state with 9,265 clients. Over 5,200 are considered severely mentally ill and an additional 3,079 have a schizophrenia disorder. Of these numbers, about 35 percent have substance abuse problems. Substance abuse treatments have been projected to double from the 421 cases handled in 1993-94.
Of the 17,988 housing units in the County, 19.7 percent are occupied by one or more persons 60 years or older. There are 13.9 percent of the units with persons 65 or older.
In 1993, existing home sales increased 6.9 percent, while new home sales , which make up a third of the market went up 31 percent. Part of this increase was due to a favorable mortgage climate, but the expansion of medical services at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and the $250 million medical center at Fort Bragg also contributed.
The median or moderate income level for a family of four in Cumberland County is $31,400, with low income at $25,000 and very-low income at $15,750. The market mean is $65,000 with a median value of $62,900 in 1990, which poses a challenge, especially for families at the low income end of the scale. Since some 25 percent of the housing stock is estimated to be substandard with 41 percent of that number considered seriously deteriorated, this further contributes to a lack of affordable housing. Due to a 25 year lapse in sewer extensions, many properties are now experiencing septic system problems. Needed sewer extensions will further add to the cost of the housing.
The greatest need for housing assistance is among the Renters/Large Family/Overcrowded category followed by Renter/Elderly/Cost Burdened greater than 30 percent and Renter/Small Family/Cost Burdened greater than 30 Percent.
In 1994, there were 858 homeless persons living in shelters and going to school. It is estimated that there may be as many as 2,542 homeless in Cumberland County at one time or another with 978 never receiving shelter. There are no real shelters in the County, thus requiring use of a hotel for a night. There is no real sustained help.
Major causes for homelessness are job loss (35 percent of homeless cases), and dysfunctional family relations such as divorce, domestic violence, and substance abuse or HIV/AIDS. The characteristics of the Cumberland County homeless are:
Currently there are no homeless facilities for men with children and only a limited number for women with children.
People needing assistance for substance abuse have a waiting period of approximately 118 days. There were 301 people on the waiting list in 1994.
HIV/AIDS cases are mostly served outside Cumberland County due to the lack of facilities in the County. There is no hospice or supportive housing despite Cumberland County having the 5th highest case load in the State.
There are 1,100 public housing units and a waiting list of over 1,700 applicants. The Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority also has 1,647 Section 8 housing units with a waiting list of over 700 applicants. The Authority does not expect to be adding any units over the next five year period but do expect to be rehabilitating existing units.
The highest category of risk for lead-based paint child poisoning/hazards
are homes which were built prior to 1978, when the Consumer Products Safety
Commission banned lead- based paint for residential purposes. There are 69,938
housing units or 68.8 percent of the housing units in the County which were
built prior to 1980.
The assignment of community development priority needs in Cumberland County was accomplished by compiling information from the 1990 Census, 2010 Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Cumberland County, the Cumberland County Planning Department- Community Assistance Section, Department of Social Services, Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority, The City of fayetteville Community Development Section and from Citizen Participation meetings held around the County in late 1994. The Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities that follow identify the objectives and priorities for the next five years.
From the data collected to form the objectives, it was determined that the highest priority was to develop housing strategies to diminish the number of substandard units and to increase the affordable housing stock in the County.
Among the housing issues it was determined that improvements in the infrastructure in the area of water and sewer extensions would be included in the high priority area. Barriers to achieving these goal were determined to include political considerations, the high incidence of 30 to 50 percent burdened families, zoning regulations, discrimination based on income, race, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, special needs populations, neighborhoods needing revitalization and/or reclamation, the increasing retirement/elderly population and the everpresent homeless population.
The second priority area was in public services including social, mental health and physical health services, elderly care, youth services and day care services. It was determined these services, while available, were not accessible to large areas of the County due to lack of adequate transportation, inefficiencies, lack of interagency coordination and long waiting lists in most areas of services. There is also a substantial need for subsidized day care facilities to better serve the very low and low income persons as they try to obtain skills training or higher paying jobs to work themselves out of poverty.
The third priority area was determined to include economic development and education. Barriers in this category include politically motivated decision making, a lack of vision with a great deal of consulting and very little implementation, and the problem of economic development not fostering the creation of higher paying, meaningful employment, plus the County relying on Fort Bragg/Pope AFB to bolster the local economy.
Funds made available to the County will be used in the priority area of housing and infrastructure. Affordable housing issues are to be addressed with the development of the Affordable Housing Coalition's homebuyer assistance with down payment, closing cost and gap financing and homebuyers training programs.
At least two satellite human service centers are to be provided in the County, one in Spring Lake and one in the eastern part of the county to provide a wide range of social, mental health and physical health services as well as youth services, services to the elderly and United Way programs. Contracting for private transportation providers will also be undertaken.
Specific objectives include rental assistance for overburdened families disbursed proportionately among the need categories. The production of new units, rehabilitation of old units and acquisition of existing units will be on a first come, first serve basis among the targeted income levels. Approximately 20 homes will be rehabilitated through loans and grants up to $30,000 each. Approximately 100 homes can receive minor repair loans or grants up to $5,000 through nonprofit participation. A community housing development organization will be selected to do the work.
To promote the deconcentration of public housing, residents could be provided information and classes held concerning homeownership and landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities. Community based organizations should be developed within public housing for effective change and leadership development. Self sufficiency programs can provide the opportunity for upward mobility and self determination.
A newly developed Alliance of coordinating public and private agencies and nonprofit organizations is providing a strong homeless prevention plan for low income families. To help prevent homelessness, the Alliance hopes to undertake the following services:
Coordination of nonprofits, public and private agencies, hospice, hospitals and churches will be undertaken to provide needed supportive services. More affordable housing is to be made available plus tenant based rental assistance for persons with special needs.
Provision for public facilities include the Coliseum, Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Building, Renovations to the Courthouse, five branch libraries, jail expansion, a Department of Social Services building, school construction and human resources centers. Also needed is recreation facility upgrades and the construction of three centers.
Infrastructure improvements include improvements to the landfill, McFayden Dam repair, storm water improvements, water and sewer extensions and improvements and maintenance of the street system.
Public service needs include senior citizen programs, youth programs, and Fayetteville Technical Community College assistance.
Three building types are to be targeted to reduce lead-based paint hazards:
The implementation of any program requiring rehabilitation or demolition of a structure in the above categories will require that policies and procedures be adopted and enforced to ensure that the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazards Reduction Act of 1992 is being adhered to.
Efforts are underway to bring private industry, nonprofit organizations,
public agencies and private financial support together to address concerns
identified in the Plan. Through a holistic approach, gaps in services should
begin to be filled.
The one year action plan identifies the proposed uses of the following funds:
Community Development Block Grant Program $2,431,000
HOME Investment Partnership Program 899,000
Local matching funds 115,714
Total: $3,445,714
Examples of major uses of funds are:
Housing activities: Homeownership assistance/gap financing $113,143 Housing rehabilitation 400,363 Community Housing Development Agency 154,114 Affordable housing (new) 342,857 Economic Development: Revolving loan fund 300,000 Public Facilities: Satellite human resource centers 500,000 Public Services: Jobs training (TIPS) 89,000 Human service transportation 80,000 Infrastructure: Spring Lake sanitary sewer 278,050 Godwin drainage project 175,000 Homeless: 300,000
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.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
