New Rochelle is a suburban city of 67,265 residents, in southern Westchester County, only 20 miles northeast of New York City. Its location on Long Island Sound has been a major influence of its history. Indians who built their settlements there were drawn by the Sound's clam and oyster beds. The first European settlement was built in 1688 by French Huguenots, along what was to become the Post Road, the main colonial land route between New York and Boston. Steamboat service began in 1815 and allowed New Rochelle's farmers to transport their produce to New York City. In the late 1890s, the development of railroad service made it feasible for city businessmen to build country estates and come to New Rochelle on weekends. This century has brought residential subdivisions and apartment towers to New Rochelle.
In its Consolidated Plan, the city of New Rochelle describes its housing and community development needs and priorities, and a three-year strategy for addressing these needs using Federal and other resources. For the first year of the plan, New Rochelle is requesting $2,138,000 in Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, and $409,000 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funding. This money will be used to finance the 22 housing, community development, and service activities planned for Fiscal Year 1995.
New Rochelle's Consolidated Plan was developed with extensive outreach and consultation with community groups and interested citizens. Preparation began in the summer and fall of 1994, with the city's Department of Development drawing upon earlier findings of the Citizens Advisory Committee. The city prepared an outreach list of over 200 names of State and local agencies, service providers, elected officials, interested citizens, and the local public housing authority.
Two public hearings were held, and a draft Consolidated Plan was available for citizen review during a 30-day comment period. (Electronic versions of the plan were provided to computer-equipped local public libraries during the comment period.) Public comments were reviewed and substantive suggestions included in the final Plan document.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
New Rochelle is the eighth largest city in the State of New York, with a 1990 population of 67,265. It is the most residential of Westchester's County's six cities. Located in a relatively densely populated area of the county, New Rochelle has more people per acre (10.1 persons/acre) than other municipalities in southeastern Westchester.
New Rochelle's population fell by 5 percent between 1980 and 1990. The decline has stabilized and slowed, according to a 1994 study projecting a loss of only another 2 percent (1,315 persons) by 1997. The number of households also declined, by 2 percent, to 25,263 in 1990.
Median family income (MFI) in New Rochelle was $55,285 in 1994. The city's MFI is less than the $66,900 of Westchester County, but substantially higher than the national median of $35,939.
A majority (61 percent) of New Rochelle's households earn 95 percent or more of the city's median family income. Percentages of low- and moderate-income households are:
While the total population of New Rochelle declined during the 1980s, the racial composition of the city was redistributed. The number of white persons declined by 14 percent while minority populations grew. The greatest growth from 1980 to 1990 occurred among the Asian/Pacific Islander population which increased by 105 percent. This was followed by Hispanics, whose numbers increased by 102 percent over the decade.
In 1990, 68.6 percent (46,133 residents) were white. Racial or ethnic minorities tallied by the 1990 Census include:
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.
In Westchester County many low- and moderate-income households must struggle for economic self-sufficiency and to preserve a decent environment for their families. Much of this frustration is due to the lack of affordable housing in the county.
In 1990, Westchester County's median family income was $66,900, and the median sales price for an owner-occupied home was $321,400. The average cost of a home had become more than double what those with average income could afford. Although the housing prices have recently declined somewhat, the price of housing continues to be out of reach for more than half of Westchester's population.
Of the 25,263 households in New Rochelle, 36 percent (or 9,094 households) experience some type of housing problem. The problems include overcrowding, cost burdens, and substandard housing.
The problem of securing affordable, quality housing is common in most of the urban areas of the Northeast. In the 1980s, the rising cost of housing in New Rochelle created a situation where middle-income residents could not afford to buy a home in the city. Conversion of large number of rental apartments in Westchester to condominium cooperative units added to upward pressure on housing costs, particularly for rental units.
New Rochelle, in 1990, had 27,106 housing units, of which 1,789 were vacant. Of the 25,317 occupied units, 52 percent or 13,070 were owner occupied, and 48 percent or 12,247 were renter occupied.
Single-family homes are the most common type of housing structure; 41 percent of the city's housing units are single-unit structures. Twenty-one percent of housing units are in structures with two to nine units, and 38 percent are in buildings with ten or more units.
The median value of owner-occupied housing units in 1990 was $288,000. Using the common formula that a family can afford to buy a house priced at no more than 2.5 times annual income, a household would require an income of about $115,200 a year to purchase a median value home in New Rochelle.
The city's rental market appears to have fared better, considering affordability, than the owner-occupied market. Average rents in 1994 were:
A large proportion of lower-income households are cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of their gross income for their housing, including utilities. Some are severely cost-burdened, paying more than 50 percent of income for housing expenses. As expected, the percentages experiencing cost burden and severe cost burden decrease with increasing income. Renters are more likely than owners to have cost burdens over 30 percent, but among the severely cost burdened there are higher proportions of owners. From 50 to 76 percent of extremely low-income households are cost burdened.
There are an estimated 192 homeless persons in the city of New Rochelle. Of these, 87 are individual adults, and 105 are members of 52 homeless families. The family groups are predominantly single-parent households.
As of the point in time of this count, 59 homeless persons including 16 families were in emergency shelter, and 63 including 27 families were living in transitional housing. An estimated 70 persons, though, were unsheltered (living in non-residential structures or "on the street"). Among the unsheltered were 9 families with 19 members.
The most prevalent reason, accounting for 35 percent of the city's homelessness, is eviction by family or friends due to overcrowding. About 26 percent of the homeless were evicted from their primary residence, usually for failure to pay rent. Another 14 percent had fled domestic violence. Other reasons for homelessness include relocations, fire, and transiency.
Subpopulations of the homeless with special needs as determined during the year, are as follows:
Ameliorating the problem of homelessness in New Rochelle will require more than the provision of shelter. The larger challenge is confronting the causes of homelessness and the problems of the homeless themselves, which include chemical dependency and mental illness.
There are 1,883 public and assisted housing units in New Rochelle. There are two public housing programs: the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority and the New Rochelle Public Housing Agency.
The Municipal Housing Authority owns and manages the city's public housing stock of 543 family and senior citizen housing units. These units are in two projects and are reported in satisfactory condition. There are no vacancies and a long waiting list.
The Public Housing Agency administers the Section 8 rental assistance program in the city. A total of 918 tenant-based certificates (590) and vouchers (328) are in use. An additional 130 Section 8 certificates are managed by the Municipal Housing Authority.
New Rochelle has an extensive inventory of assisted housing developed over the years by many public and quasi-public agencies to serve low- and moderate-income families and the elderly. This stock, funded under various HUD programs and New York State efforts, includes 1,003 family units, 752 units of housing for the elderly, and 16 for the disabled. Vacancies in this housing are very low, and there are long waiting lists.
In New Rochelle there are barriers to affordable housing, not only the cost of housing, but regulatory barriers including tax policies, land-use controls, building codes, fees and charges, growth limits, and other policies that affect the return on residential investment.
Steps being taken to reduce barriers to affordable housing include expediting issuance of building permits, assistance in rehabilitating housing rental properties, and housing counseling for lower-income and minority households.
New Rochelle is aware that there are impediments to fair housing choice within the city. While a fair housing analysis is not required as part of the Consolidated Plan, New Rochelle certifies that it has completed such analysis and will affirmatively promote fair housing.
Older homes are more likely to have lead-based paint (LBP) than new homes. Any house or apartment built before 1979 (when it was banned for residential use) may contain LBP. An estimated 87 percent of the housing units in the city (11,184 rental units, 12,643 owner-occupied units) were built in 1979 or earlier.
Of 2,196 Westchester County children tested for lead poisoning, 42 were confirmed to have blood-lead levels greater than the threshold for poisoning. Of these 42 children, 55 percent reside in New Rochelle. An examination of the census tract location of these cases reveals that lead poisonings are prevalent in older homes in lower-income areas where chipped surfaces are not repainted, perhaps because of limited incomes.
There are also housing and supportive needs for the elderly, mentally disabled, and physically disabled. In general, the needs of each group are similar, for affordable and accessible housing with appropriate supportive services.
There is a need for more fully developed social services to meet the needs of senior citizens (the fastest growing age segment in the county), youths (especially those at-risk), substance abusers, and families "in stress." There is a need to provide more child day care to assist the estimated 58,800 Westchester women with children under 16, who are in the workforce. There is a need to provide affordable health services for those without health-care coverage, including uninsured working people with families.
Public service needs include crime awareness programs to address the levels of crime in New Rochelle, and improving access to the transportation system. Public facility needs include upgrading existing parks and recreational facilities, and improving parking facilities.
Infrastructure needs include improvements to the solid waste disposal system, flood drainage, and water and sewer lines. Streets and sidewalks have been neglected in the city's downtown area and need to be improved to help revitalize this commercial district.
Economic development needs include revitalization of downtown New Rochelle, and work force improvement measures.
To provide decent housing for its citizens, New Rochelle's priorities include addressing the needs of cost-burdened lower-income households and preventing homelessness.
To provide a suitable living environment, the city assigns high priority to improving neighborhood facilities and parks, street and sidewalk improvements, and expanding social and health services to seniors, handicapped persons, youths, and substance abusers.
To expand economic opportunities for city residents, priorities include rehabilitation of commercial properties and infrastructure (especially in the downtown area), and employment training for lower-income persons.
Housing priorities include:
Community development priorities include:
To reduce the number of households with incomes below the poverty level, the city's strategy is to support or assist housing, social service, and economic development programs that ease the pressures on the incomes of poor families, and increase the chances of employment for low-income persons.
Resources available to carry out planned activities for the first year of this plan include $2,665,357 in HUD formula grant funds.
New Rochelle will also receive other Federal, State, and county funding.
New Rochelle's Department of Development, as the designated lead agency, will coordinate and promote the cooperation between public and assisted housing providers, and private and governmental health, mental health, and service agencies.
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 6.
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; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s).
During 1995, New Rochelle plans to spend $2,168,000 in CDBG funding and program income on 21 housing, community development, and public services activities.
For housing, $112,000 is budgeted for a program to provide low-interest loans for rehabilitation of multi-unit lower-income rental housing.
The city's five-year park development program is allocated $642,000 for improvements to City Park and Lincoln Park.
Scheduled for economic development activities is $704,500 for:
For public services, $221,500 is allocated to 12 nonprofit organizations that serve the city's lower-income people with a variety of services including after-school tutoring, substance abuse outreach, therapeutic arts for developmentally disabled youths, parental skills training, family nutrition training, youth leadership development, delivery of hot meals to the elderly, and an after-school arts and crafts program.
New Rochelle's HOME grant funds of $409,000 are allocated to the West New Rochelle Neighborhood Development Program. This is to involve planning and development activities for both rental properties and lower-income homebuyers.
Five activities included in the Action Plan are citywide in scope. The remainder will be conducted at several sites in lower-income areas of New Rochelle, primarily in 8 Census tracts with concentrations of unemployment and minority residents.
Projections are that the CDBG activities in the 1995 Action Plan will benefit 349 households, 700 elderly persons, 1,470 youths, and 229 other persons. HOME-funded housing development work will help create a new neighborhood containing various types of affordable housing.
