Greenville is a city of 50,000 people located on the banks of the Tar River on North Carolina's coastal plain. It is the county seat of Pitt County and the home of Eastern Carolina University (ECU), which dominates the economy and housing market. The rapidly growing city also serves as a regional commercial and medical center.
In its consolidated plan, Greenville describes a five year strategy for addressing housing and community development needs, with a heavy emphasis on meeting housing needs. For the first year of the plan, the city programs $878,000 of Community Development Block Grant entitlement funds. Greenville will focus its resources on rehabilitating affordable housing occupied by low income people and providing assistance to shelters and transitional housing for the homeless and people with special needs.
Greenville solicited input from local nonprofit organizations and government
agencies interested in the general issues of community development and
affordable housing. Public hearings were held on May 10 and June 5, 1995.
These hearings were advertised by the local media and through churches in low
income neighborhoods. The city also solicited written comments.
Eastern Carolina University dominates Greenville's economy and housing market. Faculty, staff, students and dependents account for 35% of the city's population. More than 11% of the population lives in group quarters. The state average for group quarters residents is 3.4%. Nonfamily households comprise 47% of all households. The median income in Greenville is 25.5 years compared to a statewide median of 33.1 years.
Other major players in the local economy are Glaxo-Wellcome, Proctor and Gamble, Yale Materials and the University Medical Center of Eastern Carolina.
Greenville's median family income of $35,300 is near the middle of incomes for North Carolina's 12 metropolitan areas. 9582 of the city's 16878 households in 1990 had incomes below 80% of the local median income.
Greenville's minority population of 36% exceeds the statewide figure of 24.5% The breakdown is:
Minority and low income populations are generally concentrated in the western part of the city.
Greenville's population increased 25.8% between 1980 and 1990. The
university expects enrollment to increase 18% by the year 2000, so rapid growth
is likely to continue.
Due to rapid growth and new construction to accommodate population increases, much of Greenville's housing stock is in good condition. Over half the housing was built within the last 20 years. Only 4122 houses were built before 1960. The city estimates that 5% of its housing stock is substandard.
Substandard housing is concentrated in minority neighborhoods. African-Americans occupy 80% of all substandard houses and 90% of all substandard dwellings are in neighborhoods that are 85%+ African-American.
Just as African-Americans are over represented in substandard housing, they are under represented as homeowners. 77% of homeowners are white. 21% are minority. The average value of a white owned home is $73,000. The average value of a minority owned home is $53,000, which is in the lowest quartile of housing values.
Much of Greenville's housing market is driven by demand from ECU students. Students compete with low income, permanent residents for affordable housing and they tend to bid up rents. The local housing authority has difficulty using its full Section 8 allocation because students are willing and able to pay more than fair market rents for low end housing.
The growth of the university is causing a shift in the housing market from owner occupied housing to multifamily rental. In 1980, 47% of the housing stock was rental. In 1990, 58% was. The anticipated growth of ECU will continue this trend and further increase pressure on affordable housing.
City planners estimate that 3200 additional affordable housing units are needed to meet current demand. Some of this can be met through rehabilitation.
There are 7,554 households in Greenville with incomes below 80% of the local median income. Of these 5,188 have incomes below 50% of the local median.
Affordability problems are especially acute for renters with incomes below 30% of the median. 77% of people in this category are overcrowded.
51% of low income renters have housing problems and 47% spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Among low income homeowners, 30% have housing costs that exceed 30% of their income and 32% have other housing problems.
Planners identify the following needs:
Greenville has one homeless shelter with 13 transitional apartments. In addition, the Pitt County Family Violence Center provides temporary services for battered women.
The U.S. census estimates there are 79 homeless people in Greenville, but this estimate is probably low. Mental health officials and homeless providers agree there is an "invisible" homeless population that is impossible to estimate.
During 1994, the Greenville Community Homeless shelter served 956 unduplicated clients. Of these, 30% were transient, 80% were African-American and 60% were families.
The city has no estimate of people in danger of becoming homeless. This population includes people living temporarily with relatives, in halfway houses and those with illnesses who will lack a place to live when released from supervised care.
The city needs additional shelter space and transitional facilities and services.
The HIV/AIDS population in Pitt County on June 30, 1993, was 273. By April 1995, 269 new cases were reported. Aside from the Regional Medical Center, which is not a housing facility, there was shelter for only three AIDS victims in Greenville and this was only for those who could live independently. The medical center attracts HIV positive people to Greenville. The need for housing facilities will grow.
Mental health workers estimate a need for supervised boarding facilities for at least 50 mentally ill people. Current housing is far too expensive for their clients.
The Council on Aging, which provides meals to 380 people per day, sees a need for more supportive housing for low income elderly but has no estimate of the need. Elderly residents also have transportation problems.
The Greenville Housing Authority manages 714 conventional public housing units and 514 Section 8 rental assistance units. They currently have a waiting list of 1288 people in need of housing assistance.
In a five-year plan, the housing authority identified $4,000,000 worth of rehabilitation and modernization needs for its conventional public housing. They also see an immediate need to deal with drug use and sales in public housing communities.
Cost of land and demand for housing from ECU students are major barriers or developing housing that will remain affordable. City subdivision standards have also increased development costs.
City planners estimate that 8,000 housing units have lead-based paint present. These units are more likely to be occupied by low income renters and owners. Low income people may inhabit 60% of lead tainted units.
Of 140 children tested for lead during a six month period in 1992-93, 12 had elevated levels of lead in their blood. Environmental health officials expect that more cases will be found as the community becomes more aware of the dangers of lead in the environment.
Greenville's nonhousing needs include:
The city identifies decent, affordable housing as its major need. The vision for change is largely limited to this area. Voter approval of a housing bond issue demonstrates Greenville's commitment to progress in this area.
Greenville's plan establishes the following housing priorities:
SHORT TERM
MID TERM
LONG TERM
As a long term goal, Greenville would provide economic development funds for projects that create jobs for low income households and increase economic opportunities for low income communities.
Greenville's plan addresses poverty indirectly by providing rehabilitation and homeownership assistance to low and very low income residents. Economic development activities are left to a later date.
Greenville relies on annual Community Development Block Grants and local housing bond funds to carry out it plan. The city also intends to apply for HOME funds from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency.
The Community Development Division of Greenville's Planning and Community
Development Department is responsible for administering and coordinating
Greenville's housing and community development efforts.
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 the West Greenville target area
