During 1994 the city of Elyria decided to move forward with a major planning and visioning process which would later be named "Envision Elyria". The decision to utilize this process was initially reached by City Council and the Administration without regard or full knowledge of the requirements of the Consolidated Plan. However, as the citizen participation and process requirements for the Consolidated Plan were drafted by HUD, it became increasingly apparent that "Envision Elyria" was the perfect vehicle for the citizen involvement aspects required in the Consolidated Plan.
The city of Elyria Department of Community Development was designated as the lead agency for preparation of the Consolidated Plan which would address the city's housing and community development needs and the expenditure of approximately $900,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from HUD and $450,000 in HOME funds through the State of Ohio.
"Envision Elyria" began in the Fall of 1994 with the selection of a consultant to oversee the process. The final selection was made by City Council and the administration following the recommendations of a citizens committee which had reviewed the proposals.
The first step was a series of 4 "kick-off" meetings during the month of November. Approximately 40-50 community and business leaders were invited to attend one of the meetings. The purpose of the meetings was to introduce the process and to gain input as to individuals in the community who should be included on the Steering Committee and of others who could be trained as facilitators.
Following the "kick-off" meetings, the consultant interviewed several individuals and selected the Steering Committee. The committee is comprised of 25 citizens and includes the Mayor and President of City Council as representatives of government.
The Steering Committee moved on to the next step which included the following:
The purpose of these 11 meetings was to educate the public and to generate ideas and goals (i.e. What would they like to see? What issues were most important? etc.). The Community Development Department then analyzed the input and results of these meetings for the final preparation of Section IV. Housing and Community Development Strategic Plan and Section V. Action Plan: One Year Goals.
The city of Elyria was one of the fastest growing cities in Ohio during the 1960's and 1970's. Its population saw a leveling off in the 1980's and from 1980 to 1990 there was a slight decrease of 792 persons (1.4%). This was due mainly to the general economic conditions of the county during the early to mid 1980's and the loss of the General Motors-Fisher Guide plant located in Elyria.
The City, as well as the entire county, had several periods of high unemployment in the 1980's. These reflected national trends, such as the recession in the 1982-83 period and the loss of major manufacturing facilities in both county and city: automobile manufacturing plants (General Motors-Fisher Guide plant), steel mills and ship yards. At the time of the 1990 census, unemployment for Elyria was 6.9%, slightly higher than that for the whole county (6.7%). The latest unemployment figure from June 1994 (unadjusted for seasonal variation) for the City is 6.0%. The median family income was $30,553 at the time of the 1990 Census.
The City has worked to encourage expansion of existing businesses (including a major shopping mall expansion) and to attract new concerns through the use of a Community Reinvestment Area and Enterprise Zones. Residential growth pressure from the Cleveland suburbs is being manifested in new housing growth in Elyria and surrounding areas as population continues to push outward to the edges of the Cleveland region. Demographers are confident that this will be a continuing trend.
Elyria's population is slightly less than 57,000. Of this, 13.7% are black residents and 1.5% Hispanic origin residents. As one of the older established cities in the county, Elyria has a higher percentage of black residents than most of the county, which averages 7.8% black population. The other minority population notable in the county, those of Hispanic origin (5.6%), is under represented in Elyria, as this group has historically centered almost exclusively in the city of Lorain.
These income categories, defined as households having 30% or less and 31-50%, respectively, of the median family income (MFI), make up one quarter of all Elyria households. They have the greatest percentage of housing problems of all types, and the Extremely Low-Income have the highest degree of problems. At least 60% of all Extremely-Low household types and tenures experience cost burden of rent being roughly a third of their incomes or more.
There are no major changes expected in needs for Extremely Low and Very Low-income households, although the number of households may increase slightly. There will be an increase in the number of assisted housing units (325). This will help to offset the existing and expected slight increase in the number of low and moderate income households.
In this income group, Elderly Owners have the lowest incidence of housing problems (less than 8%). Twenty to 40% of all other household types experience some type of housing problem. Owners other than elderly and Elderly Renters have the highest rates of any problems, and of cost burden >30% of income.
Owners other than elderly also contain the greatest number of households (1607) and accounts for 4,194 persons. Severe rent burden (>50% of income) is a significant issue only for Elderly Renters (10%).
Moderate income is considered to be between 81 and 95% of the median family income. By far the most severe rate of problems in this category is had by Elderly Renters; 52% have a cost burden and a quarter of these have severe cost burden. Aside from this, Large Related Renters and Owners other than elderly have roughly a 16% rate of housing problems. Severe cost burden is infrequent.
There is a need to increase homeownership in Elyria as homeownership figures here are below both the regional and national averages. Increasing homeownership, both by (a) encouraging first-time buyers, and (b) assisting homeowners at risk due to the inability to maintain their homes, is an important priority for the City.
There are no numbers for unsheltered homeless in Elyria. None were listed in the Census "S-Night" count, and it is an infrequent phenomenon here. This is not unheard of for a city of Elyria's size and suburban nature, as compared to the large metropolitan urban areas.
The homeless shelter runs at capacity (54 beds) frequently, and has been doing so even in some summer months over the past two years. Although it is often filled, the shelter's director feels that the need exists not for more homeless shelters but for more treatment centers to deal with the problems of alcohol and drug abuse. This belief is echoed here by other professional social service providers. There is a continued need then to maintain the homeless shelter and other programs that service the homeless population. Need for additional programs and services appears to lie with special needs populations that tend to re-experience homelessness.
For both renters and owners, families and individuals, those households at greatest risk for homelessness tend to be those in the extremely low-income category (less than 30% median family income). In almost all cases, this population has been given the highest priority for household types in this income category. As numbers of homeless households are not large for Elyria, it is felt that steps to protect the threatened should be a high priority.
The City rarely receives complaints regarding the condition of LMHA's two public housing complexes located in Elyria, and when complaints have been received, there has been prompt attention on the part of the Housing Authority. Although all of the public housing units are in fair to good condition, LMHA's 5-Year Needs Assessment indicates that numerous large-scale "maintenance" repairs must be completed. These will be undertaken utilizing Comprehensive Grant funds.
Waiting lists exist for some public housing units (depending on size), and for most Section 8 units (both project-based and voucher) as follows:
Public Housing Waiting List Federal Preference
Wilkes Villa: 1 bedroom ...no waiting only accept fed. pref.
(family) 2 bedroom ...3-5 months only accept fed. pref.
3 bedroom ...3-5 months only accept fed. pref.
4-6 bedroom...no waiting only accept fed. pref.
Riverview Plaza: 1-6 mos/25 hshlds no fed. pref.
(elderly/disabled) (countywide)
Section 8
Project-based:
Chadwick Place 2 yrs; list 20 hshlds:
(family) closed May '93 (40% fed. pref.)
Chestnut Manor no waiting no fed. pref.
(elderly/disabled)
Elmcrest Apartments 6-12 mos/10 hshlds no fed. pref.
(mentally ill)
Harr Plaza 2 hshlds no fed. pref.
(elderly/disabled)
R.J. Gordon Manor no waiting no fed. pref
(elderly/disabled)
Vouchers/Certificates: 6-12 mos. only fed. pref. since 7/93
(countywide)
The Lorain County Urban League is a subrecipient of the city of Elyria and conducts fair housing activities for the city under the direction of the city's Fair Housing Board. These activities include a complaint service, trainings and advertising.
An Analysis to Impediments has been completed by a fair housing consultant.
Of Elyria's housing units, about half were built prior to 1960, and 21% prior to 1940. As might be expected, the majority of pre-1940 homes are occupied by low, very-low and extremely-low income households (93%). An estimated 4,050 low, very low and extremely low income households are at high risk for lead exposure from lead-based paint. This is based on methodology from the National Center for Lead-Safe Housing and CHAS Databook figures. The majority of these will be assumed to be facing actual hazards, which means that lead is exposed in the housing unit through deteriorated paint surfaces, dust, contaminated soil, etc.
Cases of lead poisonings are undercounted because reporting is not mandatory. Available data shows that 11 children in Elyria have been tested with a poisonous level of lead in their blood since 1988.
In addition to the specific requests received as a result of the formal public hearings, the 11 "Envision Elyria" public meetings held throughout the city (4 in Low-Mod areas) resulted in the development of 18 goals as follows:
Based upon the analysis, the primary activity to be pursued over the next five years to address the needs of very-low and low income existing homeowners is rehabilitation. This activity will be the most cost-effective and appropriate. The two main sources of federal funding (CDBG and . . HOME) are likely to be available during this time period. Furthermore, there will be opportunities for non-profit and private sector involvement as well as possible public/private/non-profit partnerships. Rehabilitation will improve overall housing stock and allow affected households to maintain, and remain in, their property. Activities will include:
Although the Lorain-Elyria area is very affordable, the percentage of owner-occupied units is below the national and regional rates. The percentage of owner-occupied units in Elyria is 59.7%, while the national rate is 64.2% and the regional rate is 68.1%. Elyria must begin to address this situation and increase homeownership levels, particularly in low-moderate income neighborhoods, to help stabilize and prevent further deterioration in . these neighborhoods. Because of these factors, the City believes that a very-low and low income first-time homebuyers program must be developed . . and directed at households with incomes at or below 80% of median.
Based upon ou r analysis, and due to the fact that they can provide the most immediate and direct benefit to rental households, the primary activities to be pursued over the next five years to address the needs of extremely-low, very-low and low income rental households are rental assistance and rehabilitation. Activities will include:
Under a "continuum of care" system there are 3 essential elements along with a prevention strategy. The 3 essential elements are:
Based upon the data and information already presented, there is a need to continue existing levels of emergency shelter assistance. However, there is no evidence of a need to expand these facilities at the present time. Furthermore, as Haven Center, the main emergency shelter resource in the County, is a new facility, the activities of acquisition, rehabilitation or new construction should not need to be pursued.
At the present time, there is no transitional housing in the city or county. Pursuit of funds for transitional housing would have to include both the primary activity of support facilities and services as well as the secondary activities of acquisition, new construction and rehabilitation.
"Emergency" homelessness prevention programs are available from the city of Elyria, two non-profits and a for-profit entity.
It is anticipated that CDBG funds will be used for the following needs over the next five years.
Reducing the number of households below the poverty line will require efforts beyond the City of Elyria. The factors contributing to poverty are simply too varied.
Obviously, the main avenue for reduction of households in poverty is to have an increase in the number of jobs available. To address the issue of job creation, almost the entire City has been declared an Enterprise Zone and the City has created two Community Reinvestment Areas (CRA's) where real estate tax abatement is available. Furthermore, the city will embark on a new business loan program, with CDBG funds, to aid in the creation of jobs. For those who are living below the poverty level, but cannot work because of disabilities, are retired, or cannot obtain employment due to a lack of job training or skills, the Lorain County Department of Human Services (LCHS) provides numerous programs to address these issues. Finally, LMHA began its Family Self- Sufficiency Program in 1994.
Description of Key Projects
Ten projects have been designated for FY 95 with CDBG funds and program income as follows:
Total $922,000
MAP 2 depicts the area of low and moderate income population.
MAP 3 depicts the areas where higher levels of unemployment are concentrated.
MAP 4 depicts the distribution of racial populations within the city.
MAP 5 depicts planned projects.
Carol Nawrocki, Assistant Director
Department of Community Development
131
Court Street
Elyria, Ohio 44035-5597
Telephone: 216-322-3725
