Schenectady is located on the Mohawk River, just west of the Hudson River. It is part of the Capital District consisting of the State capital, Albany, the City of Troy, and several suburban and rural towns. For over 150 years Schenectady was a major manufacturing location: the Erie Canal runs through the city and the General Electric Company grew there and was its largest employer for more than half a century. Union College is also a major employer.

Action Plan

The City's Consolidated Plan includes an Action Plan constituting an application for funds under three different HUD formula programs for a total of almost $4.3 million (including prior year reallocations): the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) program, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. These funds, plus $660,000 in program income from prior projects will support the activities to be funded for the 1995 program year. Total funding available to the 1995 Consolidated Plan is $4,937,975.

Citizen Participation

The Consolidated Plan was developed with active citizen participation, including an advisory committee that recommended funding priorities. Hearings for the three major programs were conducted during September 1994 and the Plan was completed on March 14, 1995. A summary of the Plan was printed in the "Daily Gazette" and copies were available for public review at City Hall, the Schenectady County Public Library, Carver Community Center and the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority. Public hearings on the Plan were held on March 27 and April 24, 1995.

The City of Schenectady's social and economic conditions parallel the trends of disinvestment and dislocation that characterize many older, Northeastern industrial cities. The City's total population is 65,566. This figure represents a 28.6% decrease from the 1940 level of 91,785. Most of the decrease is attributable to the decline of local industry and accompanying suburbanization.

According to 1990 census data, approximately 51% of all households in the City of Schenectady had incomes below 80% of the citywide median income. Lower income households tended to be concentrated in certain areas of the city. The highest concentration of social/economic distress for the City of Schenectady is the Hamilton Hill and the adjacent Vale neighborhoods. The rate of residents living below poverty level in these neighborhoods is 28.2%. This figure is almost double the citywide rate of 14.9%, triple the county rate of 8.3% and the NYS poverty rate (excluding NYC) of 8.7%.

Of the 65,566 persons in Schenectady, 88% of the residents are White, 9% Black, 2% Hispanic and 1% other. By comparison, the racial mix in the Hamilton Hill and Vale neighborhoods is 61% white, 31% Black, 6% Hispanic and 1% other. Since 1980, the Black and Hispanic population in these neighborhoods have increased by 27.4% and 226% respectively. The high unemployment areas coincide mostly with the poverty areas.

The needs section of the plan outlines the extent of need by various groups for housing and the problems with community development that need to be addressed.

Housing Needs

In the City of Schenectady, the average cost of housing has risen 47%, while family income has only risen a moderate 17%. Therefore, the ability to affordhousing has been taken away from many people.

By 1950, 82.8% of the City's housing stock had been built. According to 1993 data, there were approximately 2,308 substandard owner-occupied housing units. This represents 17% of the total of owner-occupied units. The housing needs of renters shows that there were 6,483 substandard rental units within City boundaries. This represents 45% of all rented units.

Among the needy groups are first-time homebuyers who cannot meet downpayment requests, elderly households, single-headed households, and growing ethnic and minority populations. Further, there is a need for housing and supportive services specifically targeted towards the HIV+/AIDS population.

Homeless Needs

According to Capital District Homeless and Travelers Aid Society statistics, there were 1,030 homeless persons in the City of Schenectady (unduplicated count).

The homeless composition in the City of Schenectady is 61% Male; 39% Female; 82% individuals; 17% Families; 55% White, 40% Black; 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian and 1% Other. Forty-seven percent (47%) are between 21-34 years old.

There are six (6) organizations providing homeless shelters in the City of Schenectady.

Community Development Needs

There is need for a wide variety of public services including services for seniors, youth, transportation and housing; infrastructure and park improvements; and economic development activities including employment training.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

Among the assisted housing available are 1,032 units of conventional public housing and housing subsidies for 1,184 households through the Section 8 program.

The most current data indicates over 400 households on the waiting list for public housing and over 1,900 households on the Section 8 designation waiting list.

Other Issues

With 99% of the City's housing stock built prior to 1978, it is assumed that all units will contain some level of lead-based paint hazards.

The City of Schenectady has seen a definite increase in the number of confirmed HIV+/AIDS cases (as of February 1995). There were 64 confirmed cases. The need for housing and supportive services for this population is increasing as well.

The Strategic Plan lays out a long-term strategy to deal with the housing and community development needs.

Housing and Community Development Resources

The City faces an enormous challenge in marshalling the resources necessary to implement its plan. The Consolidated Plan contains an inventory of Federal, State, and local programs available to carry out the plan.

Priority Housing and Homeless Objectives

The four themes established by the City of Schenectady are equal in priority addressing different and sometimes overlapping housing areas. Within each theme certain programs and goals have a greater priority than others and are identified as such.

The first theme identified is to encourage and support neighborhood-based revitalization and redevelopment activities, especially those involved in increasing or returning neighborhoods to substantial homeownership.

Goals under this theme include:

• Providing homeownership opportunities for low-moderate income persons.

• Providing funds for investor-owners to rehabilitate units and keep rents affordable for low-moderate income families and individuals.

The second theme identified is for initiatives directed toward the lowest income levels. While this has been a part of our first theme, this area involves those priorities and programs that more directly impact on the individual or the family such as rental subsidies, single room occupancy units and support facilities.

Goals under these theme include:

• Providing assistance to tenants to keep rents within 30% of income.

• Providing security deposits, mortgage payments, rental payments to at-risk population to prevent homelessness.

• Providing single-room-occupancy transitional housing units for homeless individuals.

• Providing transitional housing for homeless families.

• Providing supplemental facilities for homeless individuals and families in addition to night shelter and food programs.

The third theme identified was providing supported housing for special groups and populations. Part of this is an extension of much of the discussion of homelessness in the second theme. This theme expands to discuss specific populations.

• Providing new living units for low- and lower-income families and individuals, especially for the elderly and handicapped.

• Providing necessary housing assistance, both for owners and renters, for special population groups such as elderly, physically and/or mental disadvantaged, substance abusers, etc.

The fourth theme identified is the necessity to provide public education and support on various levels. Some of this is discussed in the section of "Barriers to Affordable Housing". Other goals include:

• Providing fair housing assistance to all income and population groups. Most segments of the population are unfamiliar with their rights and responsibilities as tenant, landlord, homeowner or neighbor.

• Providing community advocacy assistance to the public. Technical assistance to not- for-profits, community-/neighborhood-based organizations and unorganized interested citizens will be provided by the City of Schenectady.

• Organizing tenant associations.

• Educating community members about expectations for renter/homeowners.

• Providing financial services and advising renters/owners about handling finances (loans, leases, banking, etc.).

• Liaison between the housing-user community, housing-provider community and financial institutions.

Non-Housing Community Development Objectives

The following presents the City of Schenectady's non-housing community development five year goals.

Goal I: Promote Economic Development Activities

Objectives:

• create job opportunities of permanent employment for low and moderate income persons citywide;

• increase the tax base by the redevelopment of vacant land and underutilized properties citywide;

• increase and strengthen the economic viability of the Central Business District (CBD) through the promotion and support of development projects including the Broadway Center Project and the Schenectady 2000 Project.

Goal II: Provide Adequate Public Works Facilities and Site Improvements in Support of Neighborhood and Economic Development Activities

Objectives:

• provide infrastructure improvements necessary to ensure neighborhood conservation and public health and safety;

• support private subrecipients in undertaking facility acquisition, rehabilitation, and other improvements for the provision of shelter and public service activities.

Goal III: Provide Sufficient Recreational and Cultural Facilities and Opportunities for Persons Residing in Neighborhood Target Areas

Objectives:

• provide adequate neighborhood and cultural facilities serving low- and moderate-income residential areas;

• preserve historic properties and settings through the inventory, planning, and education of the public, including the Downtown target area.

Goal IV: Provide Adequate Public Services

Objectives:

• provide community services for low- and moderate-income persons including youths, the elderly and handicapped and the disadvantaged;

• maintain a drug-free environment for all citizens and areas of Schenectady, including neighborhoods and public housing facilities. Emphasis will be placed on drug-related education, counseling and enforcement activities;

• provide housing counseling services for tenants and landlords;

• provide necessary public services in conjunction with economic development projects providing employment for low and moderate income persons.

Institutional Structure

Part of the task of implementing the Strategic Plan is organizing properly so that the plan can be properly executed. The City of Schenectady's Department of Development is responsible for carrying out the Consolidated Plan. Implementation is done through the City departments/bureaus, contracted services with private and nonprofit organizations, and other public agencies.

Public Housing Strategies

The Plan lays out the goals for improving and maintaining inventory of the Schenectady Municipal Housing Authority.

Lead-Based Paint

The Plan includes a number of priority actions to reduce lead-based paint hazards and prevent childhood lead poisoning.

Fair Housing

Among the actions proposed in fair housing is to promote affirmative marketing and to monitor compliance with fair housing policies in government-subsidized or -operated affordable housing and to monitor private sector housing.

The Action Plan lays out the proposed uses of the $4.9 million from the three formula grant programs, funds recaptured through program income and funds from reprogramming. Some 41 projects are listed in the Consolidated Plan.

Description of Key Projects

• $145,927 to the Police Department for the Community Policing program;

• $345,000 to the Schenectady Local Development Corporation for job creation assistance;

• $965,031 to the Division of Housing Assistance for single and multifamily rehabilitation;

• $200,000 for the Division of Housing Assistance for the testing, abatement and disposal of lead-based paint.

• $139,597 for the demolition of housing impacting public health and safety.

Locations

A large majority of projects are concentrated in the most needy neighborhoods: those census tracts with 51% or more of low- or moderate-income residents, located primarily in the Hamilton Hill, Vale, Downtown and Central State Street neighborhoods (the central area of the City). Also, most of the proposed projects are fairly evenly distributed among areas of concentrations of different ethnic groups.

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS CONSORTIUM

The City of Schenectady acts as the lead agency for a HOME consortium comprised of the Town of Colonie, the City of Schenectady and the City of Troy. This Consortium has received an allocation of $1,275,000. Specific programs are discussed in each community's Consolidated Plan. As a Consortium, the following activities are being supported:

• Homeownership rehabilitation of 54 units for $619,075, with 11 units and $151,250 being reserved for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs);

• Homebuyer assistance of 37 units for $431,050;

• Acquisition of 1 or 2 unit structures for $40,000 -- reserved for a CHDO;

• Operational support for CHDOs of $57,375;

• Administrative funding of $127,500.

Housing Goals

The City of Schenectady has allocated its share of HOME funds ($637,500), as follows:

• Operational Support for Better Neighborhoods, Inc. -- $30,000;

• Operational Support for Hill and Vale Affordable Housing -- $25,000;

• Homebuyer Assistance through a second mortgage to the Schenectady Housing Development Fund Corporation -- $125,000;

• Single Family Homeowner Rehabilitation through the Schenectady Home Improvement Program, a city run program -- $354,500;

• Single Family Rehabilitation for Homeownership through Hill and Vale Affordable Housing -- $63,000;

• Single Family Rehabilitation for Homeownership through Better Neighborhoods, Inc. -- $40,000.

Maps

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).

Richard Purga
Community Development Supervisor
(518) 382-5147