Built on land which rises steeply westward from the banks of the Hudson River to Capital Hill, Albany is the seat of New York State government. With a population of 101,000, the city has prospered from the stability provided by the diversity of its economic base. In addition to government, the City's largest industries are education, banking, and health care. Albany is the regional center for several banks, major manufacturing firms, and the extensive health care, education, and research facilities of the Albany Medical Center complex.
Albany's Consolidated Plan presents a strategic vision for housing and community development. It includes a One-Year Action Plan for spending approximately $7.5 million of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), program income, Emergency Shelter Grant and Enterprise Community grant funds in 1995. These funds will primarily be spent on housing and neighborhood livability activities.
The goal of the Consolidated Plan is to get neighborhoods to define for themselves what type of community they would like to become and then develop a realistic plan for making that vision happen. The neighborhoods will establish priorities and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will distribute its funds and design its programs based on the priorities established in the neighborhoods.
The production of Albany's first Consolidated Plan is a two year process. The current year is a transition year where key elements of the Consolidated Planning process are to be established. In this year the old CDBG allocation process remained largely intact, however, for the first time three citizens from each of each of the Neighborhood Strategic Areas (NSAs) worked with staff from DHCD to evaluate all grant applications. Also during this year Working Groups in Affordable Housing, Homelessness and Special Needs Housing, Economic Development and Youth and Family, were established. A Neighborhood Leadership Training program is planned and a Neighborhood Planning Group is to be established in each NSA. Once these Neighborhood Planning Groups are in place the City will complete its transition to Consolidated Planning.
Each Neighborhood Planning Group will develop a neighborhood vision which details its neighborhood's community development priorities. These neighborhood visions, the needs of the homeless and city wide concerns would be consolidated into one plan by a Neighborhood Planning Council which would consist of representatives from each Neighborhood Planning Group, the homeless, and agency staff. DHCD would endeavor to base its funding decisions on these neighborhood and citywide priorities identified.
Relation to The Enterprise Community, Economic Development Zone And Neighborhood Based Alliance:
This document is drawn largely from prior planning documents such as the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS), the Enterprise Community (EC) Application, and the Economic Development Zone (EDZ) Application with input from the Working Groups. However, next year's Consolidated Plan will be the result of this document being substantially reworked by the citizens who participate in the Neighborhood Planning Groups. It is envisioned that the Consolidated Plan will result in the close coordination of the Enterprise Community Initiative, the Economic Development Zone and the Neighborhood Based Alliance (NBA).
The EC will be governed by a steering committee which shall incorporate representation from each census tract that it covers. At the core of the EC is a neighborhood planning process, in which the affected neighborhoods will make strategic plans which the EC will then implement. It is envisioned that these plans will be developed by the Neighborhood Planning Groups established for the Consolidated Plan and that they will be the same as the neighborhood plans that will come out of the Consolidated Plan process.
The economic development plans for the Consolidated Plan, EC and EDZ are coextensive and will be implemented by the same City Departments. The economic development goals from the EC and the EDZ have been directly incorporated into this Consolidated Plan.
DHCD will establish Neighborhood Planning Groups (NPG's) in each of the NSA's, i.e., Arbor Hill, Capital Hill, North Albany, South End, and West Hill. These NPG's would be open to all community residents and DHCD would work to insure that they are representative of the community, especially of low and moderate income people. Residents of public housing will be encouraged to participate in the appropriate NPG. DHCD, in cooperation with the community based organizations that its funds, will provide technical assistance to the NPG's.
The Plans from each of the NPG's will then go to a Neighborhood Planning Group Council which will be composed of representatives of each of the NPG's, the homeless, and DHCD staff who will pull the neighborhood plans into one Consolidated Plan.
Then DHCD will send out Requests for Proposals or design in-house programs that specifically address the priorities that have been defined by the neighborhoods. The NPG's will review the RFP's before they go out. DHCD and the NPG's will evaluate those proposals and then DHCD will preliminarily choose the recipients for the funds. These recommendations will be reviewed by the NPG's and returned to DHCD for final decision. The funding decisions, as modified based on input from the NPG's would then be put out to a Public Hearing. These funding selections would then go to the Common Council for final approval.
Each year before the funding cycle begins, the NPG's would participate in
evaluating all the programs of each group that had received funds.
From its earliest decades, Albany benefitted economically and politically from its location at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. In 1797, it was named the capital of New York State and quickly developed into a transportation center for the northeast, developing its rivers and a system of turnpikes. When canal transportation was added, the Albany area was chosen as the terminus of the Erie Canal in 1825 and was also the headquarters of the New York Central Railroad, remaining a major railway intersection to this day.
Suburbanization of the Capital District has caused a small population decline in Albany. However, even though the population has remained at about 100,000 persons, the percentage of minorities and impoverished persons rose significantly while there was a decrease in white and middle income individuals. The poverty rate has increased from 17.5% in 1980 to 18.3% in 1990 despite an overall increase in incomes for Albany residents. More shockingly, the public assistance caseload more than doubled from 1988 to 1992.
Albany has a high level of racial concentration with four inner city census
tracts being over 50% minority; 45% of all minority persons live in these four
tracts. Albany's income concentration mirrors this racial distribution.
Poverty is largely limited to census tracts in the NSA's with significant
minority population. These tracts also have a high number of youths and
elderly. At 15.3%, the elderly are a relatively large part of Albany's
population but their numbers are not increasing. The Average Household size
continued to decline to a low of 2.17 persons per household in 1990.
While the City's population has declined slightly, that of the Capital region has increased. But the NSA's have not benefitted from economic growth in the region. Many of the neighborhoods have experienced reduced commercial activity accompanied by years of disinvestment. Vacant storefronts, unused warehouses, and commercial an industrial buildings either in need of rehabilitation or functionally obsolete for today's business uses can be found along Henry Johnson Boulevard, South Pearl Street, and Broadway. Where inner-city residents could once find stable employment at the local department store, factory, or brewery, residents now must go outside their neighborhood or even the city to find work as well as many basic goods and services. Low educational and skill levels compound the problem, making it difficult for enterprise neighborhood residents to access the thousands of jobs, most in the service sector, which have been created in the region.
The overriding housing need is for affordable home ownership. With only 38% of resident's being homeowners, the homeownership rate in the NSA's are the lowest in the City and far below the national average of 64% homeownership. A high percentage of homeownership does more than provide affordable housing, it stabilizes troubled neighborhoods by giving residents a larger stake in improving their community. However, the need is not just for new first time homebuyers. With 1400 substandard owner-occupied buildings, there is also a need to maintain the quality of the homes of existing low income owner-occupants.
While increased affordable homeownership will reduce the need for affordable, physically standard rental units, a large need for improved rental housing will still exist. While homeownership may be an option for Low (30-50% of median income) and Moderate (50- 80% median) income households, it will not provide for the needs of many very low income (0-30%) households. In 1990 there were 5,845 very low income households spending over 50% of income on housing ("severe cost burden"). At the same time, there were 6,100 substandard housing units in Albany, of which 4,700 are rental units, and 5,000 of which are located in the Neighborhood Strategy Areas. Since very low income households have the least money to spend on acquiring adequate housing it is likely that they have the worst housing, i.e., that 5,845 of the 6,100 substandard units are occupied by very low income individuals. Within the need for affordable rentals for very low income households these is a need for apartments for very large families needing four or more bedroom and SRO rooms for single individuals.
With 61.7% of units occupied by renters, Albany far exceeds the national average of 36% renter occupancy. Within Albany, rentals are concentrated in the NSA's where rental rates can exceed 80% of all units. The vacancy rate for residential housing decreased from 11.8% to 8.8% with a reduction of 1,364 vacant units and a gain of 135 occupied units from 1980-1990. Although the number of vacant units decreased from 700 in 1980 to 424 in 1990, there is a consensus that these remaining buildings are serious blight on their neighborhoods. With only 2.2% or 914 units overcrowded, overcrowding is not a major problem but does contribute to homelessness. However, there is a lack of available, affordable and habitable "large family" rental units (defined here as 4 or more bedrooms for 5 to 6 persons). The concentration of student housing in the Pine Hills has been identified as a major barrier to affordable housing in that neighborhood. There are approximately 6,000 subsidized units, representing 13% of the entire housing stock and 23% of the rental stock.
In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in public assistance caseloads. Despite the low-income housing development efforts which have occurred in the City during the past decade, the supply of housing affordable to the public assistance recipients remains extremely inadequate. A primary reason for this situation is the inadequacy of the shelter allowance established by the New York State Legislature, whose shelter allowance currently is only 40-50% of the fair market rent established by HUD. The shelter allowance is only half that of HOME rents which HUD regulations consider affordable to very low income households. Approximately 80-90% of public assistance clients are paying over the shelter allowance for housing. Clearly, the development of housing at rent levels affordable to public assistance recipients poses some very difficult dilemmas.
The most recent data available on homeownership affordability concluded that the affordability of home purchase remained steady during the last 7 years in spite of house prices that rose 117% while income increased by only 59%. The reason: interest rates declined steeply during this same period.
As the largest community in the Capital District, Albany serves as the central point for many health and human services. It is, therefore, the community of choice for many individuals and families in need of ongoing services and assistance. This has resulted in considerable demand on both the service and affordable housing systems in the city and has required collaboration between the public sector, community based service providers, consumers and residents to meet needs in an effective and efficient way.
Albany's homeless population is fairly large for a city of just over 100,000. Records maintained by the Centralized Emergency Shelter Intake System (CESIS), indicate that while the number of long term Albany residents who are homeless has remained constant over the past five years, an influx of homeless individuals and families from other areas has caused a 38% increase in the total number over that period. In 1994 one-third of all homeless in contact with CESIS were from other counties or states. That influx has been attributed to the proximity of many substance abuse and correctional institutions, the availability and accessibility of treatment programs, and the openness of the community. This situation has led to the NSA neighborhoods' perception that their already stressed communities are overburdened with homeless and special needs facilities while other parts of the City and County have failed to take their fair share of these facilities. Addressing this issue is a key mission of the Homeless and Special Needs Working Group.
Through its initial survey of needs and facilities it will examine the actual distribution of these facilities and determine whether there are neighborhoods and municipalities that have been neglecting their responsibility to host a fair share of these facilities and have been discriminating against these special populations. If so, the Homeless Working Group has been charged with putting forth recommendations for alleviating this situation. Furthermore, it has also been charged with developing a rapport with the Albany neighborhoods which currently host many homeless and special needs facilities.
Profile of Homeless Population
In 1994, CESIS handled 2510 cases involving 3416 people. 2070 or 82% of all of the cases were individuals. 200 of the 237 families (84%) assisted by CESIS were female headed households. Nearly half of the individuals or families assisted (1169) were African American; 39% (999) were White. Over one-quarter of the cases involved individuals with a history of substance abuse while 24% reported that their homelessness was the result of their shared housing being lost. Emancipated youth comprised nearly one-eighth of all of the cases; another 1% were homeless because of domestic violence and 9% presented with a history of mental illness.
According to figures from the Albany County Department of Social Services, the total number of cases of homelessness in 1994 exceeded 2600. Single individuals represented 82% of the cases tracked by CESIS. Just over half of all cases were between 21 and 34 years of age. Males comprised 61% of the total. Chemical dependency was cited as the most frequently identified underlying cause for homelessness. In 1994 it represented 27% of the total caseload. Other primary causes of homelessness were identified as loss of shared housing (24%), release from jail, institutions, hospitals or treatment programs (20%), domestic violence (11%) and mental illness (9%).
Needs Analysis
The Homeless Working Group has identified gaps in housing and services for crack addicts, veterans, youth and young adults, survivors of domestic violence, persons with histories of mental illness, and families with parents (particularly mothers) with substance abuse histories
Needs
A very large percentage of the housing stock in Albany is subsidized. The inventory of subsidized units found approximately 6,000 subsidized units, representing 13% of the entire housing stock and 23% of the rental stock. While the large number of subsidized units is a great benefit, the risk of loss of these units due to expiring federal subsidies and low-income occupancy is also potentially a problem. At this time it is not known how many of these units are at risk of being converted to non-low income housing use but due to the rental market and location of these buildings, it is not likely that many will be converted to market rate or luxury housing.
The Albany Housing Authority (HA) manages and administers the majority of these units. There are 2,033 units of conventional public housing owned by the HA which also administers 819 units of Section 8 rent subsidy which provides the same level of deep subsidy but which allows the tenant to find housing in the private market. The vacancy rate for conventional public housing units is still relatively high at 8% but has been significantly reduced in two years from 17% in 1991. Most of these units are currently undergoing modernization and will become available over the next few years.
There is a high level of racial concentration in Albany. 45% of all minorities reside in four census tracts in the inner city that account for only 17% of the total city population. During the era of new construction of subsidized housing, public housing in the City was primarily located in minority neighborhoods following HUD policies at that time. This presents the city with an historic legacy which will difficult to modify. The CHAS has addressed this issue and concluded that in spite of the racial concentration there does not appear to be a significant fair housing problem in the city. The CHAS committee concluded that housing is primarily driven by economics and that due to lower income levels, minorities tend to be concentrated in public and other low cost housing located in predominantly minority neighborhoods.
The most severe lead poisoning problem in is in Arbor Hill, South end and West Hill sections of the City since the housing stock in these areas is aging and deteriorating. 91%, or 15,659 of the residential units, date before 1978; 62%, or 10,682, were built before 1940. These neighborhoods contain 57% of all Albany dwelling units receiving city rehabilitation assistance. 65%, or 11,169, of these units needed "paint treatment". The city estimates that 150 units with lead-based paint problems can be identified per year.
None.
The Albany Department of Housing and Community Development, under the
direction of the Mayor, carries out the programs of affordable housing
development, community revitalization and neighborhood economic development, and
has the primary responsibility for carrying out the City's Comprehensive Plan
and coordinating the activities of other organizations.
Our goal is to have a City in which all families and individuals can live in physically standard and affordable housing in stable neighborhoods without blight, physical decay, or lead paint hazard. These target neighborhoods should have a homeowner rate in the equals or exceeds that of the city as a whole.
To dramatically improve conditions in the target neighborhoods by reversing the disinvestment that causes poverty and replace it with vibrant neighborhoods that provide for their residents' basic needs.
Albany had an 18.3% poverty rate in 1990 which increased from 17.5% in 1980. This means that 16,903 persons were below poverty despite overall income increases during this period for the population as a whole.
Need
The communities in which children and youth live have a significant effect on their growth and development. Children's views of the world are shaped by their perceptions of personal safety, the availability of work, ease of access to community resources, and other features of their neighborhoods. The following statistics paint a sad portrait of the daily conditions of existence for children in the target areas:
In Albany County:
While the youth arrest rate for violent crimes is below the upstate average, delinquency is an increasing problem. The number of youth adjudicated as Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) or Juvenile Delinquents (JDs) is rising and placements for these youth account for 30 to 40 percent of local county Department of Social Services' budgets. Additionally, Albany County in 1991 had the fourth highest rate statewide for youth drug arrests.
Existing Efforts
Most youth enrichment and family preservation activities have been conducted by private and non-profit agencies in the Capital Region, in many cases supported by the CDBG allocations. This includes summer camps such as Camp Opportunities, recreational programs such as the Boy's and Girl's Club, and after school programs such as those run by the Arbor Hill Community Center and Trinity Institute. Funds from the New York State Division for Youth also support youth recreational activities.
The Albany Youth Bureau's has proposed new program initiatives which are pending available funding. These include providing youth aged 16-20 who are recently released from the county jail with assistance in locating employment, housing and educational services; the expansion of supportive services to families in crisis; the expansion of AIDS prevention education for youth and families; and increased substance abuse prevention education.
The Department of Human Resources also runs the Albany Services Corps for residents between the ages of 18 and 24 who are out of school, graduates, or dropouts. The essential component of the Corps is hard, meaningful work on public lands and facilities for the benefit of the community. These projects may include the rehabilitation of substandard housing, the enhancement of existing parks, or work with the Regional Food Bank. A second and equally important component is education. This program is funded by the Department of Housing and Community Development with CDBG funds.
Within the City of Albany, 4 Federal, 5 State, 3 local, and 28 private programs currently provide services to the community. The primary Federal resources include CDBG, HOME, Section 8, public housing, Emergency Shelter Grants, and HOPE 3. Resources available from the State include assistance from the Housing Finance Agency, State of New York Mortgage programs, Affordable Housing Corporation programs, and Housing Trust Fund Corporation. Local resources include DHCD and Housing Authority programs, and income support, including housing allowances, through the Albany County Department of Social Services. Private programs include local lending institutions' (20) affordable housing programs and a wide range of non-profit initiatives.
DHCD is responsible for coordinating all housing and community development
programs and services in the City.
| $ 855,850 | |
| 100,000 | |
| 840,000 | |
| 800,000 | |
| 400,000 | |
| 105,000 | |
| 100,000 | |
| 100,000 | |
| 450,000 | |
| 444,361 | |
| 786,726 |
Community development activities focus on the NSA's which consist of the neighborhoods of Arbor Hill, the South End, Capital Hill, North Albany and West Hill which wrap around the city's downtown. These neighborhoods correspond to Census Tracts 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, 15 (part), 21, 22, 23, and 26. The area represents the most distressed neighborhoods in the City.
DHCD is the lead agency for the City of Albany.
| 48 units | |
| 84 units |
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 low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 6 depicts Neighborhood Segments and streets with proposed HUD funded projects.
Neal Drobenare
Department of Planning
Phone: (518) 434-5240
