The city of Kannapolis is located about 22 miles northeast of Charlotte in western North Carolina. Kannapolis sits astride a county line with parts of the city in two counties, Rowan and Cabarrus. Kannapolis has a population of 29,696.
Kannapolis describes its housing and community development needs and priorities as well as a 5-year strategy for addressing these issues in its Consolidated Plan. For the plan's first year, Kannapolis is requesting $673,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program funds. This money will be used to finance the four housing and community development activities planned for Fiscal Year 1995.
Kannapolis consulted with Rowan and Cabarrus counties, the Rowan County and the city of Concord housing agencies, various county departments, and local non-profit housing and service providers in preparing the Consolidated Plan.
The city conducted two public hearings to collect citizen comments during
the plan's development. A third hearing also was held prior to publishing the
final plan. A 30-day comment period provided the public with an opportunity to
review and comment on the plan as well.
Kannapolis was incorporated as a city in the mid-1980s to help meet the needs of developed but unincorporated areas on both sides of the Rowan-Cabarrus county line.
The 1990 census showed a racial/ethnic breakdown among Kannapolis's 29,696 residents as:
Of the 12,087 households in Kannapolis, 54 percent had annual incomes of 80 percent or less of the median family income (MFI) for the area. Census data showed the following percentages of low- and moderate-income households:
When Kannapolis was incorporated in the 1980s it inherited many of the unmet infrastructure needs of the unincorporated areas of Rowan and Cabarrus counties that were put under its jurisdiction. Some of these needs included neighborhoods that lacked paved streets and water and sewer lines.
The primary housing needs are rehabilitation of existing lower-income rental housing and provision for more rental assistance through Section 8 vouchers or certificates to cost-burdened very low-income renters. There is also a need to build more public housing units and housing for the elderly through HUD's Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) program.
In 1990 the housing stock of Kannapolis consisted of 12,717 year-round units, 12,018 of which were occupied -- 4,384 by renters and 7,634 by owners. Of the 699 vacant units, 311 were for rent and 67 for sale.
Fair market rents set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Kannapolis are $385 for one-bedroom units and $453 for three-bedroom units. For these rents to be affordable at 30 percent of income, annual household income would need to be at least $15,400 and $18,120, respectively. Except for efficiency units (0 bedrooms), the 33 percent of Kannapolis households who are very low-income would not be able to pay fair market rents without excess cost burden.
Almost 25 percent of rental units and 10 percent of owner-occupied units are substandard. Rehabilitation is considered feasible for 95 percent and 99 percent of these units, respectively.
Of Kannapolis' 1,914 very low-income households (those earning 0-30 percent of MFI), 57 percent are considered cost burdened because they pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing. Thirty percent are severely cost burdened because they pay more than 50 percent. Of 2,048 very low-income households in the next higher income range (30-50 percent of MFI), 34 percent are cost burdened, and 9 percent are severely cost burdened in terms of housing costs.
Facilities and services for the homeless are provided through the Cabarrus County Task Force on Homelessness. In 1992 the task force conducted two surveys that estimated Kannapolis' homeless population to be 20 persons: 15 members of five families and 5 individual adults.
The area's emergency shelter is operated by the Salvation Army in the nearby city of Concord for men only. The shelter is open at night only during the winter. The 1992 surveys found homeless individuals living with family or friends, in vehicles or abandoned buildings, or on the streets.
Homeless subpopulations with special needs are estimated as follows:
Two housing agencies previously served the city of Kannapolis. The Rowan County Housing Authority served the part of the city that lies within Rowan County. This agency operated two public housing communities with a total of 100 units within the corporate limits of Kannapolis. The Rowan County agency also provided rental assistance with 22 Section 8 certificates and vouchers within the city. The agency had waiting lists of 79 applicants for public housing and 177 for Section 8 rental assistance.
The Concord Housing Authority served the part of Kannapolis situated within Cabarrus County. This agency's activity within the city was limited to 77 units of Section 8 housing certificates and vouchers.
In the past year Kannapolis was successful in lobbying for a special legislative act to permit the Rowan County Housing Authority to serve both parts of the city. Representatives from the city and the Rowan County Housing Authority have signed an agreement authorizing the agency to serve as the public housing agency for the entire city.
Kannapolis also has 276 units of project-based Section 8 assisted housing in 3 developments and 10 units of Section 202 housing for the elderly.
Kannapolis has no policies that have any significant effect upon the cost of housing or upon the incentives to develop, maintain, or improve affordable housing. The exceptions are regulations essential for at least minimum public health, safety, and welfare, or those necessary to provide essential property service.
Kannapolis has no policies that would contribute to the concentration of racial or ethnic minorities in a particular area and the city will continue to affirm fair housing practices.
Approximately 22 percent of the housing constructed in Kannapolis through 1979 is at risk for lead-based paint hazards. Of these units 31 percent are occupied by very low-income renters. In tests conducted by the Cabarrus County Health Department between January 1991 and August 1993, two Kannapolis children had elevated blood-lead levels.
Kannapolis' current lead-based paint policy calls for housing to be rehabilitated through Federal loan and grant programs.
There are also housing and supportive needs for the elderly; persons with mental disabilities or illnesses; persons with physical disabilities; substance abusers; and victims of domestic violence. The needs of each group are similar for affordable and accessible housing, but differ somewhat in the requirements for supportive services.
The non-homeless, special-needs population requiring supportive housing includes:
The principal non-housing needs are unmet street, sewer, and water needs.
Before the city's incorporation in the mid-1980s, there was no local government
to address the growing needs of the unincorporated areas of two adjoining
counties. Kannapolis' first CDBG plan was developed in 1986-1987. Since then,
many backlogged water, sewer, and street improvements have been implemented in
eligible areas with Federal funds.
Strategic objectives for community development for the city of Kannapolis include:
Housing priorities for the 5-year Consolidated Plan are to:
Priorities for homelessness include:
Kannapolis' primary community development strategies are to continue working on needed street, water, and sewer improvements in low- and moderate-income areas. Work to be accomplished over the next 5 years includes:
Kannapolis is not directly involved in any anti-poverty programs. However, the city actively promotes economic growth and diversification through its strategic planning efforts, provision of public infrastructure, and support of the Kannapolis Economic Development Corporation.
The financial resources to carry out the 5-year plan include CDBG funding and a variety of Federal and State programs.
Public housing renovations will be accomplished with approximately $5 million in HUD major rehabilitation funds granted to the Rowan County Housing Authority. The agency plans to apply for funding as it becomes available to develop additional units of public housing.
Kannapolis also has a wide array of organizational resources that contribute positively to its community development efforts. These include the non-profit Cabarrus County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, and the Salisbury-Rowan Community Service Council. Cooperating entities also include the Cabarrus County Department of Aging and the Cabarrus County Homeless Task Force.
The Community Development Department of the city of Kannapolis is the lead agency for the coordination and implementation of the Consolidated Plan. The city will institute the following measures for projects and activities directly under its control:
Kannapolis plans to use its $673,000 in CDBG funds for four activities that address specific housing and community development needs for the 1995-1996 program year. The allocations are as follows:
Upcoming development activities planned for this program year include the following:
The street and sewer-line improvement activities in this year's Action Plan will take place in CDBG-eligible lower income neighborhoods in Kannapolis. Housing rehabilitation work will be undertaken at those sites whose applications are selected for assistance.
Housing activities included in this year's Action Plan are expected to result in 10 rehabilitated housing units. Planned street and sewer improvement activities are projected to benefit 100 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 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).
