U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development


Consolidated Plan Contact

CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

The City of Dunkirk is located in northern Chautauqua County on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately 25 miles from the New York - Pennsylvania state border. The City encompasses an area of seven square miles and had a 1990 Census population of 13,989. Once known as Chadwick Bay, the City developed as a shipping port due to its natural harbor. As the western terminus for a railroad line from New York City to the Great Lakes, the City became an important rail transportation and shipping hub. Immigrants arriving in the United States used the railroad link to move west and many settled in the Dunkirk Area, finding work in the many local industries. See map of Points of Interest.

Action Plan

The City of Dunkirk's Consolidated Plan was prepared with substantial input from many sectors of the community. It represents a strategic plan for improving the community by building on the positive aspects of Dunkirk and investing in those projects that have the most potential to have significant impacts on the needs of the City and its residents. In addition to identified five year strategies, the Plan includes a One-year Action Plan for spending $758,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and program income funds for a combination of housing, public service and infrastructure improvements as well as new economic development initiatives.

Citizen Participation

The City's Consolidated Plan was developed with input and assistance from a wide scope of Dunkirk residents and service providers. The Department of Planning & Development was the coordinating agency for this outreach effort and was responsible for defining and implementing the Citizen Participation Plan. This Plan outlines the goals of the outreach program and the steps to be taken to accomplish those goals. In order to result in a successful effort to develop a Consolidated Plan for the City of Dunkirk. The following goals were identified:

The Citizen Participation Plan included identified steps necessary to accomplish these goals. These steps included; holding all meetings and public hearings in settings that are familiar, accessible and appropriate for all residents to comment on community needs and drafts of the Consolidated Plan. These meetings were well publicized and scheduled at various times.

The City formed a Task Force of local governmental leaders, representatives of various service providers, interested groups and organizations and residents of various neighborhoods. In addition to Task Force meetings, the City held two public hearings to further ensure that local residents had ample opportunity to comment on not only the process leading to the draft Consolidated Plan but the actual Plan itself. Notices of these meetings and availability of the draft Consolidated Plan were publicized through local media sources, neighborhood bulletins and fact sheets at many City locations such as the Dunkirk Free Library, the Dunkirk Post Office and the Dunkirk High School. The Plan was approved by the Dunkirk City Council on March 21, 1995.


COMMUNITY PROFILE

While once a major transportation and trans-shipping hub, changes in transportation patterns related to raw materials and finished goods resulted in a general economic decline in the City of Dunkirk. Its once strong industrial base has steadily been eroded through plant closures and downsizings. Like many NE urban centers, Dunkirk has seen a significant amount of its industrial base and related jobs relocate to southern and southwest areas of the United States. This decline in the City's industrial sector has had significant impacts on the community and its residents.

The City's population has fallen during the last twenty years, from the 1970 Census figure of 16,855 to the current population of 13,989. Countywide population figures reflect a similar decline. 1990 Census figures show that the City's racial makeup also changed from the 1980 figures. Minorities now account for 18.4% of the population which the largest percentage related to persons of Hispanic descent (14.7%). The minority population is concentrated in Census Tracts 354 and 355. The City's 1990 median income ($20,742) increased 47.1% over the 1980 figure but continues to lag behind the County as a whole. However, the City's poverty rate of 18.7% approaches the 19.3% rate of New York City. Approximately 14.3% of all Dunkirk households receive some form of public assistance. See map of Minority Concentration.


HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Conditions

The downsizing of the City of Dunkirk's industrial base has had a significant impact on the community and its residents. The population of Dunkirk is generally getting smaller, older, poorer, and more racially diverse. Nearly 2000 manufacturing jobs have been lost since 1983. Dunkirk's 11.2 % unemployment rate is higher than the State's 5.5 % and New York City's rate of 9.O %. The rapidly growing local food processing industry has helped offset these losses but often these new employment opportunities have low-end wages with few benefits and are often seasonal in nature. City leaders believe, however, that Dunkirk can utilize its locational assets, natural resources and programs such as the CDBG and Section 108 to rebuild the economy. See map of Unemployment Concentrations.

Housing Needs

The analysis of the City's housing needs conducted during the Consolidated Planning process identified two major areas of concern related to housing. The first deals with the lack of availability of new owner occupied units. Only 16 single family homes have been built in the City in the last 10 years. The lack of new single family housing, combined with high density housing conditions throughout the City is considered a deterrent for buyers in this market area.

In regard to renter housing needs, the lack of readily available units and the affordability of existing rental units severely burdens low income renter households. Production of rental units in the City has not kept pace with the increased demand by renter households. As adequate replacement of severely substandard rental units has not occurred, there has been a steady constriction on the supply of decent affordable rental units in Dunkirk.

Housing Market Conditions

Single family detached or attached units are the predominant housing type in the City of Dunkirk (3,798 units), representing 62.7% of the City's housing stock. Two-family structures account for 21.7% (or 1,294 units). Rental housing (1,984 units) makes up 33.3% of the occupied housing stock in the City with 1,094 of those units having two or more bedrooms. Vacancy rates for both single family and rental units declined from 1980 to 1990 demonstrating the constriction of the housing market in the City.

The City of Dunkirk currently lacks substantial information related to the number of residential units which are substandard. The City does not have an active code enforcement program and renters are generally reluctant to report violations due to a fear of eviction in an otherwise tight rental market. The City has entered into an agreement with the regional planning board to assist in an house-by-house analysis of housing conditions in the City. Based on the City's rehabilitation efforts, it is believed that as many as 50% of the rental units could be classified as substandard with significant deficiencies in one or more major components.

Affordable Housing Needs

Statistically, the median income of residents of Dunkirk ($20,742) continues to lag behind the rest of MSA ($24,183). Over 47% of all households are low income based on HUD definitions. Further 31.2% of all households are very low income, with incomes less than 50% of the median. These income characteristics together with the very tight housing market in the City results in significant affordability problems for many residents. Cost burdening, where housing costs exceed 30% of gross income, is a major issue in the City of Dunkirk. 28.7% of all households in the City are classified as cost burdened. Households with annual incomes under $10,000 accounted for nearly three our of four households found to be cost burdened. See map on Low/Mod Concentrations.

Renter households are more severely impacted than owner-occupied units. While 15.1% of all owners were considered cost-burdened, the percentage of renters so affected was 49.9%. The obvious disparity is reflective of the higher incidence of low incomes among renters with nearly 50% of all renter households in the City reporting annual incomes less than $10,000. In contrast, low income households comprised only 13% of the owner-occupied units.

Homeless Needs

The homeless epidemic is becoming more visible in Chautauqua County as documented by a local major service provider, Chautauqua Opportunities Inc. (COI). Their homeless client caseload increased 315% between 1988 and 1993. The 1993 figures indicate that services were provided to 572 persons on a Countywide basis, with 389 being from outside the City of Jamestown where COI is based. Of the 389 figure, 60% or approximately 233 persons listed their current location as being within the City of Dunkirk. The majority are women with children, most are unemployed and receiving some form of public assistance.

From 1990 to 1993, the statistics for the City's homeless population indicate that two groups are increasing rapidly, minorities (particularly Hispanics) and single parent female headed households. These statistics suggest that the homeless in Dunkirk have greater supportive service needs than in the past.

Most local service providers are Countywide in nature with some facilities located in and serving the City of Dunkirk. Chautauqua County Rural Ministries operates the only homeless facility for families in the entire County. The project is located in Dunkirk and consists of 19 apartments with 4 reserved exclusively for homeless families. In addition CCRM operates a kitchen and food pantry. The Salvation Army is awaiting licensing and approval from New York State to operate a Safe Homes Program in Dunkirk.

The assessment of the facilities and services currently available indicates that the following types of homeless assistance are critical needs within the community:

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

The Dunkirk Housing Authority (DHA) is a federally subsidized agency that provides housing for low income families, the elderly and persons with disabilities. The 237 public housing units administered by the DHA consist of 125 elderly units in two different projects and 112 low income family units located at three different physical locations and in a scattered site project. The DHA's facilities' improvement program has resulted in a majority of the individual units, as well as the project sites themselves, being rehabilitated and upgraded.

The Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in 1995 making DHA properties drug-free zones. The Agency is also working closely with the City under a 1995 CDBG initiative called the OASIS Program. The focus of the Program is to create a sense of community and neighborhood between the residents and to eliminate illegal drug activity. Other efforts such as a 1994 $71,000 Public Housing Drug Elimination Grant evidence the DHA's commitment to improve the residents' living environment. The 1995 Consolidated Plan indicates that the DHA has approximately 54 families and individuals on its waiting list for public housing units.

In addition to the DHA, Chautauqua Opportunities Inc. (COI) provides substantial assistance to low income persons and families within the City. As the Countywide Section 8 administrator, COI administers 32 rental vouchers in the City. COI's waiting list includes 280 from the City of Dunkirk. COI also manages the Wright Apartments in the City which provides 30 units of assisted elderly housing. The Lincoln Arms Apartment is a privately operated Section 8 housing for the elderly project in the City with 48 one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom units. The operator reported to the City that there is a four year waiting list for this project.

Barriers to Affordable Housing

The lack of affordable and available housing is the most critical housing problem in the City of Dunkirk. As noted in the Consolidated Plan, this issue is particularly impacting on low income residents looking for rental units. Years of disinvestment in rental properties has severely impacted on the supply of decent and sanitary units, especially for larger families. Local real estate market statistics indicate that the cost of rental housing is rising at a rate that exceeds income growth. This limits the efforts of low income residents to find affordable and standard housing in the City.

Many low income households in the City have incomes sufficient to obtain mortgage financing, but down payment and closing cost requirements seriously impair their ability to purchase a home. Given the relatively low cost of such housing in the Dunkirk market, a first time homebuyers program is needed.

The City has reviewed relevant public policies and regulations, such as land use controls, tax policies, building codes, etc., which could potentially represent obstacles to implementing an effective housing strategy and has initiated efforts to mitigate adverse requirements where possible. The City has prepared new subdivision and property maintenance codes which will address potential barriers to affordable housing in Dunkirk. Final versions are currently under consideration by the elected leadership.

Fair Housing

As part of the Consolidated Planning process, the City has initiated a study of potential impediments to fair housing which is currently underway with results to be presented to the elected leadership in early February 1996.

Lead-Based Paint

While no exact statistics are available on the issue of lead-based paint hazards in the City of Dunkirk, the City's Department of Planning and Development has estimated that as many as 4,682 of the City's 5,592 housing units pose a potential lead-based paint hazard. of those units, it is estimated that 2,214 of these units are occupied by low to moderate income persons.

The only reliable data is from the County Department of Health which reported that in 1994, 10 families were identified with lead-based paint problems. These families were temporarily relocated until the necessary abatement procedures could be completed. Current County procedures are to test for lead in housing units only if a member of the household has a lead/blood level of 20 or more. A significant deterrent is that only one lead testing machine is available and it is used by three different counties.

Other Issues

Somewhat unique to the City of Dunkirk but not other Great Lakes communities, are serious problems related to the introduction to those waterways several years ago of the zebra mussel. These marine creatures reproduce very quickly and attach themselves to water intake pipes. The prolonged buildup cuts down the carrying capacity of the pipes and greatly reduces the water inflow to the City's filtration plant. Significant investments of local and federal funds have been made to counter this problem.

Community Development Needs

In the Fall of 1992, the City sponsored a significant citizen outreach effort called the Community Challenge. Over 300 local residents and representatives of various public and neighborhood groups and organizations. As a result of that effort, a list of 15 non-housing priority needs were identified with the need for economic development and jobs being listed as the number one priority. Social service needs such as drug and alcohol abuse problems, racism, youth programs and day care facilities were high on the list. The need for improvements to the City's aging infrastructure also appeared on the priority list.

The struggling economy and geographic shifts in commercial activity outside the City to the area around the NYS Thruway Interchange have contributed to the physical degradation of the Downtown Central Business District. Vacant, blighted buildings and public housing units characterize much of Dunkirk's downtown waterfront area. The resulting unattractive business climate results in further disinvestment and further abandonment of the City's commercial core. Capital investment into thematic streetscape improvements, facade treatments, and signage to improve the visual impact of the downtown is necessary to provide a climate within which reinvestment by commercial and retail businessman can occur.

Much of Dunkirk's existing underground infrastructure is over a hundred years old. Waterlines are not only old but in many cases are severely undersized to meet present day demands. Most of these lines have a diameter of 3 " or 4" and are heavily corroded. The Iimited pressure and capacity of these lines jeopardize the safety of the neighborhoods they serve. A citywide survey conducted by the Fire Department rated each fire hydrant's ability to fight fires in these neighborhood. A prioritized list of the lines that should be replaced has been complied and the City is using local and CDBG resources to address this problem.


HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Vision for Change

The City of Dunkirk's 1995 Consolidated Plan has taken a comprehensive look at the needs of the community, through an extensive public participation outreach effort. The City has committed itself to the development and applications of specific projects that best address these areas of concern. The City believes that its ongoing commitment to improving the community by building on the positive aspects of Dunkirk and investing time, effort and financial resources in those projects that have the most potential for success will result in a greatly rejuvenated economic and social climate by the year 2000.

Housing and Community Development Objectives and Priorities

Housing problems in the City of Dunkirk are directly related to age of the housing stock coupled by homeowners and rental property owners who can not afford to maintain their properties. Past practices of the various housing agencies operating in the City resulted in housing programs being implemented based on interpreted needs instead of a collective assessment of the overall housing situation. As a result of the Comprehensive Planning process, these agencies are in the process of forming a working partnership to improve inter-agency communication so that projects will better serve the needs of the residents of Dunkirk.

Many efforts under the 5 Year Strategy Plan will be targeted to specific portions of Census Tracts 354 and 355. This area is characterized by the highest percentage of low/mod residents, the highest rates of poverty and crime and drug related activity, a growing occurrence of slum and blighting conditions and an overall lack of economic opportunity.

This formal concentration of resources in targeted areas is a departure from past City practices of programming funds based on a band aid approach aimed at addressing the most pressing needs throughout the City. Dunkirk will not turn its back on these types of spot-based projects but will particularly focus on improving the identified deteriorated areas which represent key potential for revitalizing the entire community.

Housing Priorities

Priorities for restoring neighborhood environments through rehabilitation of substandard owner-occupied housing using CDBG and HOME resources, rehabilitation of substandard rental units to arrest the current atmosphere of disinvestment in such units by often absentee landlords and the demolition of both owner and rental units not economically feasible for salvage to provide in-fill housing opportunities.

Priorities for increasing homeownership opportunities within the City of Dunkirk. Local real estate closing figures indicate that a program is needed to assist low income households to purchase affordable housing in the City. Down payment and closing cost requirements are a real impediment to providing homeownership opportunities. HOME funds have been targeted to address these needs.

Priorities to improve resident living conditions in public housing projects include further modernization and rehabilitation efforts and increasing resident participation. DHA will continue efforts to reform the tenant screening process and to improve management and operations.

Priorities to support homeless families and individuals by providing additional temporary shelter units and necessary supportive services. In addition, efforts are required to continue to implement homeless prevention services.

The priorities for non-homeless persons with special needs are for providing housing alternatives and rental assistance strategies for the elderly and to assist the disabled in overcoming barriers in the community to allow a successful integration into society.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

Priorities to create an environment conducive to business growth and job creation includes the establishment of a microenterprise assistance program that focus on self-employment and small business development. The implementation of a downtown business redevelopment strategy leading to the development of the Downtown Marketplace which will revitalize the area and attract new business. The development of a retail incubator in a currently vacant department store. The provision of greater access to affordable day care to allow low income persons to enter the employment market.

Priorities to improve the quality of life will include the implementation of the results of the study conducted by the OASIS Institute. The City will undertake the demolition and rehabilitation of slums and blighted areas coupled with streetscape and facade improvements. Further, the City will pursue the development of the Center for Excellence which is envisioned to be a multi-use complex serving as a catalyst for economic growth by creating jobs in one of Dunkirk's most distressed neighborhoods.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

As an initial step in developing an anti-poverty strategy, the City has entered into an agreement with the OASIS Institute. Specific outreach techniques have been implemented to build relationships with residents of public housing in the community. Programs will be offered which will lead to the empowerment of families so that they will become self-sufficient and able to solve problems effectively. These programs will be in the areas of parenting skills, job cultivation skills and refinement of job interview techniques.

The City will continue its efforts to provide direct CDBG assistance to local non-for-profit agencies and organizations which offer special services to low income persons such as the Literacy Volunteers of America Program.

Housing and Community Development Resources

The City of Dunkirk became a Formula Entitlement Community in 1990 and received $733,000 in CDBG funds in Fiscal Year 1995. The City has supplemented the 1995 Annual Action Plan with $25,000 of program income anticipated to be generated during the program year. The City has participated in the past in the HOME Program through the New York State Program but has been unsuccessful in receiving funds in the last several years. Limited local resources have precluded the City from being able to provide the local match requirement to receive the HOME funds directly.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

The City of Dunkirk Department of Planning and Development is responsible to implement the 1995 Consolidate Plan and its different components. Internal City Departments such as Public Works are assigned responsibility to carry out specific physical improvements projects within the Plan. Where necessary, the City will contract for or enter into subrecipient agreements related to specific public service initiatives funded with CDBG monies.


ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

Description of Key Projects

The City of Dunkirk's Housing and Community Development Strategic Plan and Annual Action PIan embrace the concepts of community viability and sustainable community redevelopment. The promotion of these concepts through programs developed or coordinated by the City of Dunkirk, sponsored by community-based agencies and encouraged and supported by community residents is the center-piece of the annual operating plan. See map for Project Locations. The Annual Action Plan envisions the expenditure of $758,000 of CDBG and program income funds to carry out the following array of activities:

Housing Goals

The City anticipates that its CDBG rehabilitation program will result in the provision of assistance affecting 25 housing units on a citywide basis. In addition, funds will be provided to Chautauqua Opportunities Inc. to continue a program of counseling tenants and landlords on their collective and individual rights and responsibilities.

Maps

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; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).

To comment on Dunkirk's Consolidated Plan, please contact:
Chuck Herron
PH: (716) 366-9876
Return to New York's Consolidated Plans.