Nashua's Consolidated Plan uses Federal, State, and local resources to alleviate housing problems, housing cost burdens, disinvestment, and homelessness. Many of these conditions are consequences of the recent fluctuations of the area's economy and less well paid, more transient work force. The Federal resource is $909,000 i n Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and an anticipated program income of $10,000. The city operates within a spending cap established by referendum vote. The spending cap is based on consumer price index growth in the prior 3 years.
Two public hearings were held during development of the plan, an early one to help identify needs and one to review the draft of the proposed plan. The plan was summarized in the newspaper, and it was available at City Hall and the public library. Comments at the final public hearing focused on the funding of specific projects. Using surveys and focus groups, the United Way assessed citizens about their needs and concerns in 1992 and again in 1994. This assessment plays an important role in the Consolidated Plan.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
The growth of the retail and service sectors since the late 1980s helped the region overcome its manufacturing losses. The Nashua/Manchester area now has the sixth highest retail sales per household of all metropolitan areas in the United States. This growth can be attributed to New Hampshire's lack of sales tax and Nashua's location along the border of Massachusetts. Retail jobs -- lower paid than those they replaced in manufacturing and part-time in many cases -- climbed from 6,652 in 1982 to 10,787 in 1992.
In 1990 the HUD median family income for Nashua was $49,100. Two-fifths of Hispanic households had incomes under 50 percent of the median family income, compared with one-fifth of white households. Only 11 percent of Asian households, but 27 percent of all African-American households also fit this category. Well over half of all white and Asian households have incomes at or over 95 percent of the median family income. Similarly, one-half of black households share this economic position, but only two-fifths of Hispanic households do.
The population of Nashua reached 79,662 in 1990, an increase of 17 percent from 1980. From 1980 to 1990 the proportion of persons over 65 in Nashua increased from just over 6 percent to 10 percent. The minority population doubled in that time, principally because of an increase in the Hispanic population. The Hispanic population, 2 percent of the total population, approaches 10 percent in some inner-city neighborhoods, however. African Americans, with 1,143 residents and Asians with 1,525 residents, comprise 1 percent each of the population.
No dramatic shifts in household composition occurred from 1980 to 1990. Single-person households showed small gains, reflecting an increase in elderly persons. The average family size increased slightly, a result of the in-migration of child-rearing households during most of the 1980s. Opinion surveys point out that the "quality of life" for raising families brought many to the city and southern New Hampshire.
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.
The supply, demand, and cost of housing in Nashua are closely aligned with regional economic conditions. Housing costs have declined about 30 percent overall from 1986-87 levels. This can be traced to overbuilding in the late 1980s while the job losses were occurring. Between 1986 and 1987, 2,636 units were built. By comparison only 10 percent as many units were built during 1990 and 1991.
Some 9,700 Nashua households, or 31 percent, reported having some housing problem (affordability, substandard conditions, and/or overcrowding) for the 1990 census. A higher proportion of renters reported problems (39 percent) than owners (26 percent), but the relative numbers of households are closer -- 5,100 to 4,600 respectively. Large families (65 percent) and elderly households (57 percent) who rent reported the highest rate of problems.
More housing or housing assistance than is currently available is also needed by people with special needs. There are 34 developmentally disabled people from Nashua on the waiting list of the Area Agency for Developmental Services and about 45 with sev ere mental illness as reported by Harbor Homes, Inc.
The Southern New Hampshire Services, in consultation with youth service agencies, finds a need for about 50 beds of short-term housing for youth, including independent youth fleeing domestic troubles and delinquent youth.
There are an estimated 17 persons infected with HIV in Nashua, but there is no housing with support services available. A local group applied for, but was not awarded, Federal funding, leaving a need unfulfilled.
In 1990, 58 percent of Nashua housing was owner-occupied and 42 percent was renter-occupied. The median value of single-family homes in Nashua was $111,000 in 1991, according to a National Association of Home Builders index. Condominiums are one of the weakest segments of the market, and one where there has been the highest rate of foreclosures.
Older, inner-city, multiunit rental housing comprises another weak market. The value of these units has dropped by more than half. That loss and vacancy rates over 11 percent led to a decline in rents between 1989 and 1990.
Declines in demand for condominiums and inner-city rental housing have begun to have an effect on housing affordability, providing access to more choices by lower income households. However, not all households are experiencing increased affordability.
Predictably, those of very low income had the highest proportion of households paying more than half of their income for housing. Fifty-four percent of renters with incomes below 30 percent of median paid more than 50 percent of income for rent; this w as highest among small renter households, which may reflect single parents with children. Elderly renters also had a higher rate of cost burden.
Only 3 percent of low-income renter households had a cost burden of more than 50 percent of median income, but 20 percent of nonelderly owners had a cost burden this high. This might be attributed to the decline in wages that has occurred during the recession, coupled with high mortgage payments on purchases made during the 1980s. Twenty-seven percent of renter households and 40 percent of owner households of moderate income had a cost burden of over 30 percent.
Nashua estimates that 180 of its residents are homeless. Most of these people stay in transitional housing. Unemployment and attendant problems have led to increased demand for shelter space and support services. These conditions are projected to conti nue and to put otherwise stable households in crisis. Shelter operators and service agencies are using public and, increasingly, private resources to provide housing stability for their clients.
A continuum of care in Nashua is provided through a network of public and private agencies, which operate in five fields of concentration: prevention, support services, emergency shelter, transitional housing, and permanent housing. These providers are signatories to a memorandum of understanding "designed to ensure the seamless provision of services within an integrated continuum of care with particular attention to the [homeless] individuals' holistic needs." The agreement includes such provisions as collaborative planning, a sharing of assessment information, and pledges of compliance with confidentiality laws and policies. Besides the mayor and relevant city agencies, alliance members include nonprofit providers such as the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, Nashua Pastoral Care Center, Rape and Assault Support Services, Greater Nashua Council on Alcoholism, Harbor Homes, and the American Red Cross.
The Nashua Housing Authority has 662 units of public housing, 32 units of which, or 4.8 percent, are fully accessible. It has no vacancies and maintains a waiting list of 695 applicants. The Housing Authority administers 693 Section 8 vouchers and cert ificates. The waiting list for Section 8 has 1,130 applicants. Although about one-half of federally assisted units in the city are earmarked for elderly persons, nonelderly households outnumber the elderly on the waiting list by at least 2 to 1. There are 1,400 assisted housing units such as multifamily rental housing for moderate-income families, and nursing home or intermediate care facilities.
Since its early days as a mill town and later as central city of a metropolitan area, Nashua has been the location of most affordable housing in a region of primarily agricultural communities. Although residents of the formerly agricultural towns no lo nger find their work there, the tendency has been to preserve the "character" of these areas, not to introduce affordable housing. The New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority's Housing Advisory Plan of 1989 notes that ". . . local land use strategies continue to present substantial barriers t o the delivery of affordable housing." The State CHAS recognized such barriers but saw no way to alleviate them, given the strength of home rule tradition and reliance on the property tax in shaping local land use policies.
There are no known constraints to the production of affordable rental or sale housing in Nashua. Since the mid-1980s, overlay zoning and the rezoning of a number of areas laid the groundwork for construction of more than 4,000 units of housing of vario us types and in various price ranges within the city.
While Nashua does not find that ethnic or racial group concentration is a problem, it does recognize the harm from housing discrimination. The Consolidated Plan cites a report of the Joint Advisory Panel of the National Association of Housing and Redev elopment Officials and the American Public Welfare Association, which found that limiting housing choices can limit mobility and reduce opportunities for self-sufficiency. As a basis for establishing priorities and allocating resources, Nashua supports ho using strategies that encourage a mix of occupancy by income and the availability of affordable housing throughout the city.
Lead abatement is required when the New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services finds children with blood-lead levels above 20 micrograms per deciliter, the point at which lead is believed to be dangerous. Parents of children whose blood levels fall within 15-19 micrograms are advised to identify potential sources of contamination and have regular blood screening for their children. There have been 34 referrals over the past 5 years, with 20 being referred to the city's Environmental Health Department in 1992 and 1993 for lead abatement. This reflects an increased awareness of the hazard. An analysis of occupancy statistics shows that lower income households are far more likely to occupy older housing units, where the lead-based paint is more prevalent and where faulty maintenance can cause the chipping and peeling that exacerbate the problem. Over 30 percent of low-income households live in units built before 1971.
The Consolidated Plan relies on the city's capital improvement plan and process to estimate nonhousing needs. Many community development needs traditionally have been the domain of the private sector (nonprofit organizations in particular) or other levels of government.
The plan lists projects to be completed over a 6-year period, the cycle for the capital improvement plan. Projects are listed in six broad categories: infrastructure improvement, public facilities, economic development, public service, accessibility ne eds, and elimination of slums and blight.
By the year 2000, Nashua's goal is to rank as a municipal leader, a city of quality and opportunity that values its citizenry. To achieve this status, Nashua will focus on improving city management and quality of life, marketing the city to businesses seeking to relocate, and fostering greater accomplishment in areas such as education, safety, and culture. Nashua's housing and community development strategy encourages similar goals when it addresses issues of infrastructure, housing conditions, neighbo rhood revitalization, economic development, and transportation.
Nashua's analysis of housing and community development produced an extensive list of findings that guided priorities in the Consolidated Plan. Some of these follow:
Nashua estimates that it needs $20 million to provide housing assistance to the following high-priority populations:
The city will undertake a variety of actions to meet the needs of these groups over the next 5 years. The deferred payment loan program for 10 single-family and 30 multifamily units will allow for rehabilitation and acquisition. It will focus on the el derly, people with lower incomes, and owner-occupants of one- to four-unit buildings.
By working with for-profit, public, and nonprofit organizations, the city will also increase by 105 units the amount of affordable rental housing. Assistance may include acquisition and rehabilitation of vacant buildings, and the division of small units into 2- or 3-bedroom units. Funding will be competitive to assure maximum public benefit.
Nashua also will spend $29.4 million assisting another priority group: homeless people and populations at risk of becoming homeless.
A broad coalition of groups and public agencies compiled Nashua's priorities for community development. Infrastructure improvements will highlight safety issues such as improving street lighting, repaving streets, rebuilding sidewalks and railroad brid ges, and removing asbestos.
Public facility needs include easing traffic congestion by expanding off-street parking in specific neighborhoods and downtown, and providing public transportation to those who are elderly or disabled. Building improvements or expansions are also plann ed for schools and fire stations, and health, neighborhood, youth, and child care facilities. A number of park or recreational projects are planned, such as developing a walkway along the river and underutilized land as parks or community gardens.
Public service projects will be drawn from the United Way Community Needs Assessment Update for 1994. The human care needs that the report cited as needing critical attention were economic/employment conditions, affordable medical care, substance abuse, and affordable day care for children and for the elderly.
The 1991 regional economic strategy recommended a number of projects that Nashua will implement for economic development. These include encouraging development of businesses that serve neighborhood needs; converting obsolete buildings to new uses; and promoting and marketing the social, economic, and cultural renaissance of the downtown.
Nashua plans a number of accessibility projects to eliminate architectural barriers, help develop and renovate facilities serving communities with special needs, support those programs, and install sidewalk ramps.
Nashua will carry out activities to eliminate slums and blighted areas by focusing both on a specific needy community -- the Temple/Spring/East Pearl area -- and on overall conditions. The city will monitor the Fire Marshall's building list and the housing code activities to determine where attention is needed.
The city's role in reducing poverty is limited to those factors over which the city has control:
The institutional structure to carry out the Consolidated Plan involves the Nashua Housing Authority, the Urban Programs Department, the city Welfare Department, the Planning Building Department, the Assessing Office, and at least two State agencies. O n the premise that public agencies must form partnerships with the private sector to achieve community objectives, Nashua's public agencies are allied with private lenders, developers, nonprofit sponsors, and an array of service providers. The Greater Nas hua Housing & Development Foundation is an example of an active partner. This community-based, private, nonprofit organization is controlled by a board of directors that includes representatives of the Housing Authority, city government, business interests, and social service orga nizations.
Another opportunity for cooperation occurred when the city granted a request from the French Hill neighborhood for $125,000 in seed money. This display of confidence prompted the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to commit to developing a Neighborh ood Housing Services Program in the neighborhood.
Public and private agencies in Nashua are increasing their capabilities in market analysis, pro formas, appraisal, acquisition, and underwriting. The Housing Authority has staff capacity for project management for new construction and substantial rehab ilitation. The city Urban Programs Department housing rehabilitation program can renovate 60 units a year.
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 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) depicted.
Using a Community Development Block Grant of $909,000 and anticipated program income of $10,000, Nashua proposes to undertake 19 projects, some of which have been mentioned above. Besides committing $30,000 for rehabilitation of six housing units in Fr
ench Hill and a range of housing improvement programs
to benefit 50 lower income renters and homeowners, the city has committed $47,000 to develop a community center and policing outpost in a low-income neighborhood; $5,000 to help Nashua
Soup Kitchen & Shelter develop transitional housing; and $30,000 on a plan to involve Hispanic families in clubs that provide a broad range of service needs. Projects will be carried out in downtown areas and inner-city target neighborhoods.
