According to the U.S. Census, the City's population increased from 38,951 in 1980 to 41,967 in 1990. Its largest minority population is Hispanic, totaling 23,310 persons. In 1980, Perth Amboy's African American population was 3,004 and by 1990, this population had increased to 3,400 persons. The largest decline in population was in the City's White population which was 19,911 persons in 1980 and 14,723 persons in 1990.
The Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD) is the lead agency for the City's Consolidated Plan's five year strategy and its annual plan. OECD reviews the State's Consolidated Plan to ensure that the City's plan and programs are consistent with the State's plan. Because of the similarities between the City's and Woodbridge Township's public facilities and rehabilitation programs, these two localities have had ongoing discussions on ways to coordinate their housing and public facility efforts. The City will continue to provide funding to nonprofit organizations that carry out public service activities for the City and will provide these organizations with technical assistance to help them improve their delivery of public and housing services.
For Fiscal Year 1995 alone, the City received a total of $1,350,000.00 in formula grants from HUD's Community Development Block Grant program and HOME program. The City also has an additional $214,760.00 in program income and other funds, which are available to implement the City's Action Plan, which includes such activities, as playground and recreation improvements, housing rehabilitation grants up to $3,000.00 for lower income households.
The City's Consolidated Plan was discussed at two public hearings . At the
first meeting, the City's housing and community development needs were addressed
and citizens were asked for their input on the City's performance in carrying
out its various housing and community development programs. At the second
meeting, the City discussed how it proposed to use its most recent annual CDBG
and HOME grants. Notifications in English and Spanish of these hearings were
simultaneously published in the three City newspapers and handouts about the
Consolidated Plan, including the plan's timetable and a list of eligible
activities were also made available to the public.
The City of Perth Amboy is only 4.78 square miles in areas and contains only a few small areas of vacant land available for housing development. Most of the City's land is developed. The few exceptions are comprised of large industrialized tracts with buildings needing to be demolished, land needing to be cleared, soil needing to be tested for contamination and cleaned before any development can take place.
The City's unemployment rate continued to increase from 5.7% in 1988 to
16.0% in 1992. However, in 1993 the City's unemployment rate did drop to 14.2%.
Perth Amboy's median family income (MFI) is $32,701. There are 3,512 City
households designated as extremely low-income, which is defined as an income
anywhere from zero to 30% of the City's MFI. The City also has 2,587
households designated as low-income, which is defined as an income anywhere from
31% to 50% of the City's MFI . The City has 1,457 moderate-income households
with incomes ranging from 51% to 80% of the City's MFI and 1,601 middle-income
City households with incomes from 51% to 80% of MFI.
U.S. Census data show that 7.5% of the City's total occupied housing is substandard. Also, Perth Amboy has experienced an increase in illegal housing conversion, a situation that exists throughout the City and contributes to a serious problem of housing overcrowding with 16% of all renters and 4.8% of all owners living in overcrowded conditions. None of the City's housing stock is available to serve persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. HIV/AIDS persons receive medical care at the Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy. The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities address the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless individuals and also aid the City's homeless in making the transition to permanent housing and independent living. Both of these organizations are expanding exiting shelters and are creating new emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities.
The City states that it has a shortage of affordable housing for low income families and especially for its very low income families, who generally reside in substandard and overcrowded units. Due to excessive rents, the majority of the City's low income households are cost burdened, and more low interest mortgage assistance programs are needed for these households. Seventy-eight percent of the City's extremely low-income households are subject to overcrowding and/or reside in units with severe physical defects. They are also more likely to pay in excess of 30% of their income for housing. For the low-income City household, there is a slight improvement in the numbers. Fifty-six percent of the low-income households have some type of housing problems. Within this low- income category, 84% of the large related renter households are faced with housing problems, with 76% of low-income renter households are cost burdened and pay in excess of 30% of their household income for housing costs and utilities.
A 9-year environmental moratorium imposed by the State prevented any new housing construction from taking place within 60% of the City. This moratorium resulted in an estimated construction delay of more than 1,000 housing units. Further, the City states that 11% of its 65 and over population receives some type of public assistance. Since public assistance is a minimal amount of income that usually stays fixed at the same amount, many elderly find it difficult to pay their mortgages/rents and other housing related costs. Such costs include housing rehabilitation expenses.
Additionally, portions of the City ?s small family renters have incomes below 51% and are in need of some form of housing assistance. In 1990, the average value of a home was $130,269, substantially up from the 1980 average value of $41,700. The increase in housing costs over the past 10 years is also reflected in the City's median rent, which in 1980 was $256, and by 1990 had risen to $486.
While the cost of buying a home in Perth Amboy has jumped by more than 300% between 1980-1990, the median family income has increased by only 8.9% during this same 10- year period. Thus, the City has lost ground in the area of affordable housing and this loss has made it virtually impossible for a majority of lower income households to obtain decent and affordable housing.
The City indicates that 14 persons were counted as residing in homeless shelters with no homeless persons counted as visible on City streets. When compared to the City's total population of 41,967, the City's homeless represents a very small segment of the City's population. Of the total of 14 homeless, 2% suffer from severe mental illness only, 62% suffer from alcohol/other drug abuse only, 15% suffer from severe mental illness and alcohol/drug abuse and 2% are victims of domestic violence, 7% have an AIDS/related illness and 12% other.
The City operates a total of 754 units of public housing, located at six different project sites. The physical condition of these units ranges from fair to excellent. The units' revitalization needs include the creation of accessible units for the disabled, removal of asbestos, replacement of bathrooms and boilers and in some cases, public housing projects need to undergo major reconstruction. The Perth Amboy Housing Authority receives HUD funds to undertake rehabilitation and reconstruction of its housing which includes the correction of plumbing, heating, electrical and structural problems. Authority residents attend training sessions, drug counseling and other related activities to better prepare them for assuming responsibility for improving their economic well being.
The names of 398 households are currently on the Authority's Section 8 waiting list which was last open to new households on March 12, l991. The percentage of households meeting one or more of the Federal preferences for admission to rental assistance program is 84%.
The City's lack of affordable housing is attributable to primarily the following five factors: (1) a 9-year State moratorium, which prohibited new housing structures from connecting sanitary sewer lines; (2) housing violations of the City's building codes; (3) the large number of substandard units; (4) the lack of available land, and (5) poor economic conditions.
The City certifies that it will affirmatively further fair housing and has placed fair housing counseling as one of its priority needs, assigning $50,000 as the estimated amount needed to meet this particular need.
The number of pre-1940 housing units in the City that are occupied by low income households is 3,613. The City estimates that 2,890 of those units contain lead-based paint. Additionally, of the 2,534 units built between 1940 and 1959 that are occupied by low income households, 1,774 of them contain lead-based paint. Of the 3,006 units built between 1960 and 1979 that are occupied by low income households, 1,503 of these units are affected by lead-based paint. In 1994, 889 children were screened for lead paint poisoning and of that number, 187 children were found to have lead poisoning. Health officials also tested 124 housing structures and found that total, 95 housing structures contained lead-based paint.
The City has established the improvement of its parks and/or recreation facilities, sidewalks and streets as high priority needs. The City also cites senior and youth /child care services, code enforcement and crime awareness as its other high priority needs and estimates that $5 million is needed to meet these priority needs.
The City's Office of Economic and Community Development has developed a
network of public and private agencies in carrying out its public service
activities. These agencies include Catholic Charities, Puerto Rican Association
for Human Development, Housing Authority, Senior Citizens Resource Center, Youth
and Disabled Recreation Programs and the Planned Parenthood League of Middlesex
County.
The City has established a number of priorities focusing on public and infrastructure improvements, public services, economic development, historic preservation and affordable housing for extremely low income families. The City estimates that $61.3 million is needed to address these priorities.
The City cities three categories of housing priorities which focus on large related renter households with incomes from 0-50% of the City's median family income, on the elderly and small related households also with incomes from 0-50% of MFI, and on existing homeowners and first-time homeowners of very low income. Over the next five years, the City's objective is to provide assistance to these three priority groups in the form of rental assistance, housing rehabilitation, new construction of additional public housing and home ownership programs.
The City will also continue to support the efforts of community-based religious and other nonprofit organizations in meeting the needs of the homeless and other special needs populations. For example, the Housing Development Corporation will provide $3,000 grants to elderly and/or handicapped persons to help them make their homes barrier free. Additionally, the Mental Health Center of the Raritan Bay Medical Center will provide supportive housing counseling and referral serves to persons with mental illness and who require supportive housing.
The City has identified public facilities, infrastructure improvements, public service and crime reduction as priority needs. Further, the City names economic development as a immmediate priority and will focus on improving the appearance of its Central Business District to entice more shoppers and businesses into that area. Also, as part of its economic development efforts, the City will continue to fund its Economic Development Specialist's position. The duties of this position are to provide technical assistance to businesses who want to participate in the City's Urban Enterprise Zone and to individuals applying to the State's Small Business Administration and to local banks for business start- up loans.
The Middlesex County Economic Opportunities Corporation has a Multi-Service Center and a Head Start Center located in Perth Amboy. The Multi-Service Center assists the City in its efforts in reducing the number of households with incomes below the poverty line through employment assistance, while the Head Start Center provides employment assisted households with day care services. The unemployment office in Perth Amboy also operates a Job Services Office that helps low-income households find employment.
The Housing Authority is the primary agency for providing affordable housing for households below the poverty line and does so through the variety of programs. Catholic Charities also contributes to the City's effort in meeting the housing needs of low income families. This organization has created 25 new Single Room Occupancy housing units and also administers eight studio apartments, two one bedroom units and a two-bedroom apartment as permanent housing for the homeless. Additionally, Catholic Charities also provides some transitional housing for the homeless.
Perth Amboy receives an annual Community Development Block Grant of $988,000
and a HOME grant of $362,000. Moreover, the City has approximately $214,760 in
so-called "other" funds and program income in support of its annual
plan. The City also names a number of programs that are available for the
housing activities covered in its annual plan. These programs include Section
8, Public Housing Development, Mortgage Assistance, and the Comprehensive Grant
and Improvement Assistance.
The City's annual plan cites a wide range of housing and community development activities. The following are examples of those activities.
| $24,500
| For Recreation and Playground Improvements;
| $89,500
| For Sidewalk and Curb Reconstruction;
| $43,650
| For Youth Social and Counseling Services;
| $33,872
| For Hispanic Mi Escuelita Day Care;
| $23,280
| For Hispanic Social Support Services;
| $11,640
| For Hispanic Senior Citizens;
| $50,000
| For Residential Loan Program;
| $82,000
| For Housing Development Corporation;
| $ 5,000
| For Exterior Paint Program;
| $27,000
| For Business District Facade Improvements.
| |
Most of the activities cited in the Annual Plan are designated for low-income areas.
The City's lead agency for implementing its annual plan is the Office of Economic and Community Development. This office is supported by the Perth Amboy Housing Authority, the Department of Human Services and the Housing Development Corporation.
The City plans to increase its supply of affordable and decent housing for low income households through residential rehabilitation, an exterior paint program, and conversion of an office building into rental units for the elderly. In addition, the City will provide funds to a Community Housing Development Organization in support of affordable housing for low income families. The City estimates that these housing activities will benefit 68 of the City's low income and elderly 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; in addition: a table provides information about the project(s).
MAP 6 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects, as described in the table under MAP 5.
