The City of Clifton's housing needs and needs for supportive services are described in this document. It describes Clifton's estimated housing needs and needs for supportive services for a five year period. Data generally is derived from the US Census unless otherwise noted. Also included is the action plan for the ensuing one year period, Fiscal Year 1995, the Clifton Year 21 of the CDBG program. HUD funding is allocated at $1,983,000. Clifton's HUD grant funds are limited to the Community Development Block Grant only. The city does not receive funds from other programs that are required to be tabulated in the Consolidated Plan document. However the City is supportive of programs complimentary to the city's efforts to maintain a strong and viable community.
The City of Clifton, New Jersey, is located at the juncture of the Garden State Parkway and Route 3. Clifton is a city of approximately 70, 000 residents that contains many diverse neighborhoods . The City has a mix of land uses including commercial, office, industrial and institutional uses in addition to residential. Generally, the older neighborhoods and associated housing stock and businesses represent the less affluent areas of the city. The areas are largely located in the northeastern portion of the city and are bordered by the Passaic River, Paterson, Passaic, and other areas of Clifton.
The city had a 1990 population of 71,742, a decrease of 4% from the 1980 population of 74,388. Concurrently the household population has decreased from 73,466 in 1980 to 70,790 in 1990, or 4% as well. During this period, the white, non Hispanic population decreased 11% from 71,487 to 63,396 while all other populations increased significantly. The white population now accounts for 88% of the overall population, down from 96% in 1980. The fastest growing minority group is Native American at 336% followed by Hispanic at 207%, Asian and Pacific Islanders at 195%, other (non Hispanic) at 112% and Blacks at 106%.
The greatest concentration of low and moderate income residents under the CDBG definition of up to 50% and 80% of median respectively, are found in the older neighborhoods, predominantly in the northeastern portion of the city. This is readily apparent in reviewing the CDBG eligible block groups spatially displayed. The percent of low and moderate income persons in the 20 eligible block groups ranges from 33.8 to 78.4.
The City of Clifton has a total year-round housing stock of 29,999 units of which only 958 or 3% are vacant. The occupied units include 11,301 renter units (38%) and 17,660 owner units (59%). The overall characteristics of occupied units are 4,920 with no or one bedroom (17%), 9,907 two bedroom units (34%), and 14,214 three or more bedroom units (49%).
The age characteristics of the city's housing stock are: 9,611 units predate 1940 (35%), 6,826 units date from 1940 to 1959 (25%), and 11,314 units date from 1960 to the present. The older units tend to be concentrated in the low and moderate income areas. Due to their age and the limited financial means of their owners, these units frequently require work to correct substandard conditions. There are few if any units in the city that are beyond rehabilitation.
Though the city does not have any housing for special populations under its jurisdiction, there are at least two housing developments which specifically serve the elderly population within the city limits: Evergreen Manor and Daughters of Miriam. The city has been supportive of these private efforts to provide housing for populations with special needs by providing various forms of assistance. For instance, the city recently assisted the Daughters of Miriam with CDBG funds for renovation of existing elevators. The city will continue to evaluate assistance requests from these private housing providers and support their efforts as appropriate.
The city defines areas of low income populations as synonymous with CDBG eligible block groups. The CDBG eligible block groups tend to be concentrated in the older areas of the city generally east of Van Houten Avenue and Broad Street.
There are no public housing or assisted housing units in the city that are under the jurisdiction of the city. However, the city has supported assisted housing by others including the Evergreen Manor development of 202 units of section 202 housing. The city is currently supporting an additional application for 202 housing by a local not-for-profit for 125 units.
The city's homeless housing facilities include units at two locations. St. Peter's Haven provides 2 units for emergency housing for homeless families, at their location on Clifton Avenue. This housing is short term and is intended as stop gap shelter for families or individuals in need. The city is also the site of the recently constructed Catherine A. Rowe Commons on Trenton Avenue and East 9th Street. This housing development has 20 apartments that will house approximately 80 individuals. It is not anticipated that these individuals will be from Clifton but rather from the larger surrounding area.
Building codes are set by the state and the municipality has no jurisdiction over these. However, building codes are typically set to ensure a basic health and safety standard which the city feels is important and therefore the city generally supports state building codes. There are no specific land use controls, zoning ordinances, or growth limits or policies that restrict the opportunities to develop, maintain or improve affordable housing. There are no special tax policies, fees or charges instituted to discourage affordable housing. On the contrary, the city has been diligent in pursuing programs to ensure the continued viability of its housing stock.
The city's institutional structure for carrying out its housing and community development plan varies with the component of the plan. Generally, the capital improvement plan is implemented through contracts let by the city to private contractors. The City thereby retains control through the legal provisions of the construction contract documents.
City staff carry out other portions of the plan. The code enforcement program, and administration of the Clifton Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) are responsibilities of city staff. However, as in the capital improvement program the city does not actually undertake construction itself. The city and homeowners work together in selecting contractors, and the city retains control of the home improvement projects by enforcing construction documents and controlling payments.
The public services program is administered through a mixture of city and outside contractors. Outside contractors are used to provide specialized services for qualifying sectors of the local population while city staff provide complimentary services. Local service providers include services for the city as a component of a wide range of services.
Administration of the program is provided by city staff, while planning services are provided by an outside consulting firm.
The city makes every attempt to cooperate with state and local governments in developing and submitting its plan. However the city is not contractually bound to any other governmental entity in securing funds or in implementing programs.
Notwithstanding this apparent gap in opportunity to cooperate with other governmental entities, the city does have some creative intergovernmental programs which are complimentary to or supportive of the city's housing and community development plan.
For instance, the city uses vehicles provided by the county to deliver food purchased by the county and then packaged and delivered by city employees to elderly citizens. These same citizens are assisted with transportation to doctors and shopping.
The city's coordinated code enforcement and improvement assistance program is also designed to preserve neighborhoods by maintaining a strong affordable housing stock. This program is designed to identify code violations and follow up with enforcement activities. In addition, the program assists low and moderate income families find suitable funding for improvements.
The public services program is intended to assist the needy population where ever it resides, though it is expected to be largely concentrated in the CDBG income eligible neighborhoods. This program is actually a group of complimentary efforts to address the needs of children and working parents, handicapped citizens, the elderly and individuals with emotional problems.
The city's resources for carrying out its housing and community development plan are primarily those available through the CDBG program. CDBG program funds are utilized to hire staff, pay for services provided by subrecipients (typically largely staff costs), and fund capital improvements.
To supplement the city's use of federal funds, the city provides certain staff services and facilities necessary for the implementation of the program. Staff services primarily include engineering, financial and administration. The city also provides office space and office equipment. Though the city does recoup a percentage of its overhead on the program, it does not recoup all its expenses.
The city does not have publicly owned housing units. Its housing assistance program is comprised of rental assistance through Section 8 certificates and vouchers, and housing improvement assistance for income qualifying homeowners. In the latest Grantee Performance Report (GPR) in 1993, the city completed 25 units of single family and 8 units of multifamily housing rehabilitation. This was almost identical to the planned number of 26 single family units and 8 multifamily units. The city plans to continue residential rehabilitation at this level.
The Section 8 program consists of 279 certificates and vouchers. Of these 189 certificates and 41 vouchers and 27 moderate rehabilitation certificates existed prior to 1995. In the 1995 calendar year an additional 22 Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) certificates and vouchers have been obtained.
Clifton's indigenous homeless population is thought to be relatively insignificant. It has been estimated at approximately 2 families. However with the introduction of the Paterson Coalition for the Homeless shelter, the number of homeless has been increased with the influx of persons from outside the city.
Clifton has historically provided a net of programs and services to assist those in need as a preventive policy for citizens at risk of becoming homeless or falling into welfare. For instance the city assists many residents with its Section 8 certificates and vouchers. The city also offers assistance in home improvements to income eligible residents. The meals on wheels program provides sustenance to the needy. And perhaps most importantly, the city's program to provide day care scholarships helps parents stay in the work force and off public assistance or worse becoming homeless due to an inability to meet bills.
St. Peter's Haven provides temporary shelter and assistance to homeless families. The Paterson Coalition for the Homeless provides more extensive housing options. Passaic County Department of Social Services provides counseling and financial services.
The city's community development strategy in using CDBG funds is to achieve two goals: to stabilize and improve those areas of the city with the most need as defined by the CDBG eligible block groups, and to assist those individual citizen "clientele" in need as defined by HUD low and moderate income limits where ever they reside within the community.
Area benefit activities include the public facilities and improvement projects which bring new or renovated parks, streets, sidewalks, firehouses and so forth to income qualifying areas. Other area benefit activities include code enforcement and related housing improvement assistance. These activities (though technically housing is related to income qualifying clientele, most referrals come from code enforcement activities in income qualifying areas) account for approximately 60% of the current budget.
Benefits to income qualifying clientele are largely comprised of public services which account for approximately 20% of the CDBG grant allocation in the current year. The administration and planning expenditures which total another 20% of the CDBG budget are not specifically earmarked for either community development goal.
The city has identified no barriers to affordable housing in its zoning or other regulations or policies under its control. Through the city's Comprehensive Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), the city actively participates in upgrading and thereby preserving the existing affordable housing stock.
The city does not have any public housing under its jurisdiction and therefore does not have programs for public housing residents.
The city's CHIP program includes an automatic evaluation for lead based paint hazards and a required amelioration plan should any hazards exist. In this fashion the city has exerted control over any CDBG income qualifying persons seeking assistance with home improvements.
The city's antipoverty strategy consists of providing a package of programs designed to assist residents with financial needs. These are described above under section d. homelessness.
The city has not identified any gaps in its institutional structure that are impediments to carrying out its strategy for addressing its priority needs. However the city remains vigilant for possible areas of improvement.
The city does not have any public housing under its jurisdiction. The homeless housing recently completed by the Paterson Coalition for the Homeless is not under the jurisdiction of the city nor is senior housing provided under the auspices of the Daughters of Miriam.
Clifton's proposed action plan for 1995 includes provision of funds for public facilities and improvements, code enforcement and housing activities, public services and administration and planning.
Capital improvements are largely focused on street improvements and are budgeted at $877,000. Under this program the city plans to replace sidewalks and associated street fixtures on Main Avenue and in Botany Village. Both areas are central to significant low and moderate income populations in the city. Both areas have significant amounts of deteriorated sidewalks and street fixtures which need to be replaced for safety and neighborhood stability concerns. Organizations in both areas have been contacted and are supportive of this commitment of CDBG funds. Funding required for these projects is $532,000 and $200,000 respectively.
Additionally the city proposes a city wide street improvement program. This program would allow funding in income eligible areas for smaller projects such as individual street trees, lighting, benches, trash receptacles, etc. as necessary. These types of improvement typically do not warrant separate activities as the scale of project is limited. The funding proposed for this activity is $75,000.
The city provides a code enforcement program which is staffed by city employees. The purpose of the program is to identify city building code violations in income eligible neighborhoods. Those individuals who are income eligible and in need of financial assistance are referred to the city's Comprehensive Housing Improvement Program (CHIP). This program is budgeted at $85,000.
The city's CHIP program provides loans for home improvements to low and moderate income residents. Many of these residents are referred to CHIP through the code enforcement program. The CHIP program is funded at $200,000 for single family rehabilitation and $25,000 for multi family rehabilitation. The city plans to complete 26 units of single family rehabilitations and 6 units of multi family rehabilitations. The multi family units are primarily two family homes and occasionally three family homes.
The public services category of activities is the most diversified of city services. Within this grouping are services for the elderly and for the handicapped, day care for children, and mental health services for needy families. It also provides crime prevention services to help secure low and moderate income neighborhoods. This program provides direct assistance to individuals and families. It is funded near the program cap at $400,000 which includes $112,000 for crime prevention, $188,500 for the senior citizen and handicapped outreach program, $12,000 for the United Association for Handicapped Citizens programs, $18,000 for the Clifton Mental Health services, $55,000 for the Boys and Girls Club after school day care program, and $14,000 for the seniors after school program.
Administration and planning is also funded near its cap at $396,000. This category has grown significantly in recently years with the inclusion of an indirect cost line to recapture city overhead expenses. This item is proposed at $89,000. In the current year an economic development position has been proposed in the general administration category to help attract businesses to the city and fill vacant properties with job generating enterprises. This category also includes funds for CDBG program administration and is funded at $182,000.
In addition this activity provides for citizen participation and fair housing assistance through two city employees. These programs are funded at $50,000 and $40,000 respectively.
The city proposes to provide a continuing range of services to assist citizens at risk of becoming homeless and those who may already be homeless. The city directly or indirectly provides a meals on wheels program, mental health counseling, and child care.
The city proposes to continue with its code enforcement program and Clifton Housing Improvement Program to identify improvement needs in the city's housing stock, and to provide assistance to CDBG income qualifying residents undertaking repairs. Through this program not only are safety concerns addressed but the overall community benefits from a continued high level of quality housing stock.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
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 depicts Neighborhood Segments and proposed HUD funded projects.
