Toledo's Consolidated Plan is a collaborative and comprehensive process through which the community identified its housing, homeless and community development needs, market conditions, set out a strategy that established priorities for meeting those needs, identified resources anticipated to be available for the provision of affordable and supportive housing, and established a one-year investment plan that outlined the intended uses of resources. The HUD program year for the City of Toledo is July 1 - June 30. The lead agency for implementation of the plan for the City of Toledo is the Department of Neighborhoods. Once in place, the Consolidated Plan serves as a useful management tool to guide Toledo's investment decisions into the future. While data on needs and conditions are an integral part of the Consolidated Plan, it should be stressed that the Consolidated Plan is not an exercise in data collection and presentation. The analysis of that data and the resultant strategy is the centerpiece of the Consolidated Plan. Use of current and reliable data in assessing our needs has enabled Toledo to develop the most responsive and effective strategy possible.

Toledo's Consolidated Plan Mission Statement:

Toledo Consolidated Plan is committed to provide a variety of innovative and constructive neighborhood revitalization opportunities aimed at improving the physical, economic, social conditions, overall quality of life and promoting a sense of pride within Toledo's neighborhoods. Together with public, private and non-profit partners, the Consolidated Plan will develop permanent solutions to realize the ultimate purpose - transforming neighborhoods, building and rebuilding homes, enhancing quality of life, providing employment opportunities, restoring a spirit of community and hope, and reducing the number of homeless.

Toledo's Consolidated Plan includes the following characteristics:

• Implement a comprehensive community-based strategy (this strategic plan) to revitalize Toledo at the neighborhood level. Community residents will be empowered to make changes in their community. Solutions will occur when residents are provided with the opportunity and tools to implement change.

• Recognize the key roles of community-based organizations in carrying out that strategy. Community development corporations, churches and human service agencies currently play a significant role in each neighborhood. These organizations must become responsible for the implementation of this plan.

• Rebuilding Toledo will require a partnership that includes a comprehensive and coordinated package of supportive services. Community development corporations, human service agencies, city departments, and private business must all work in a collaborative partnership in order to be successful.

As a result of the Consolidated Plan process, seven key elements were molded together to create the cornerstone of the plan:

• Housing Needs
• Human Service Needs
• Economic Development Needs
• Education Needs
• Infrastructure Needs
• Public Safety Needs
• Quality of Community/Empowerment Needs

These existing public and private collaborations and programs provide the foundation for implementing the strategies, goals and objectives of the Toledo Consolidated Plan.

ACTION PLAN

Toledo's Consolidated Plan presents a strategic vision regarding the availability and use of the financial resources which are expected to be available for the City's 1995-96 fiscal year. It describes actions that the City proposes to undertake in 1995-96 with respect to meeting the needs of the homeless and other persons with special needs, and actions to remove barriers to affordable housing and reduce lead-based paint hazards. It describes actions to foster public housing improvement and resident initiatives, and describes actions to reduce the number of poverty level families. It describes actions to improve the delivery of housing and housing support services and to improve coordination among the various agencies involved in the City's housing and community development program.

The Toledo Consolidated entitlement grant consists of $9,913,000 Community Development Block Grant, $2,697,000 HOME, and $353,000 Emergency Shelter Grant funds for a total of $12,913,000 for the program year of July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996. Each year the City solicits applications from community organizations for CDBG, HOME and ESG projects/programs. The goals and priorities developed in the Consolidated Plan were used to evaluate requests for CDBG, HOME and ESG funding. A four-tier review process was established. The first tier included three subcommittees: 1) CDC/CHDO, 2) Public Service/ESG, and 3) City Departments/Other. Each subcommittee was made up of five members, 2-4 of which were Toledo Housing Advisory Commission (THAC) members selected by the THAC. Their role was to review each application, conduct site visits/interviews and make initial-preliminary recommendations to the second tier, or Overview Committee. Applications were evaluated based upon content, site visits, public presentations, and the Department of Neighborhoods evaluations.

The City of Toledo proposes to allocate 85.5% ($11,078,645) of 21st Year Consolidated available resources to programs and/or activities directly benefiting low and moderate- income persons. The City proposes to allocate its 21st Year Consolidated available resources in the following categories and census tracts:

Rehabilitation and Neighborhood Preservation Programs

(City Wide) and/or - Census Tracts: (8, 9, 12.02, 13.02, 13.04, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 47.01, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68)

	$4,109,136 CDBG (41.5%)
	$2,697,000 HOME (100%)
Economic Development Programs (City Wide)	$2,850,535 CDBG (28.9%)
Public Service Activities (City Wide)	$1,323,773 CDBG (13.1%)
	$ 353,000 ESG (100%)
Planning and Administration (City Wide)	$1,629,556 CDBG (16.5%)

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION

Citizen participation was designed to elicit maximum input from the community at large. A series of meetings and planning efforts already in progress were coordinated to include city- wide issues. This streamlined the consolidated planning process with the neighborhood based strategic plans throughout the Toledo community. The first step in coordinating the process involved establishing a guidance committee. The primary goal of this committee was to oversee the City of Toledo's consolidated planning process. The primary source of individuals originated with the Toledo Housing Advisory Commission (THAC). This organization has thirty-two members, all of whom were interested in the Consolidated Plan and represent the array of public, private and non-profit groups involved in housing and community development activities in the community. THAC held a strategy retreat at which the focus of the meeting material was the Consolidated Plan requirements and the element of citizen participation. It was determined that there are seven components to be addressed within the document, and that participants should be directed according to their area(s) of expertise and interest. The committee also laid the plan of action regarding citizen participation and outreach. It was determined that the City of Toledo was to make every reasonable attempt to conduct community outreach, using the media, current planning efforts, and pre-existing neighborhood activities. The City of Toledo conducted an extensive outreach program to encourage every citizen in the community to participate in the process. Individuals from neighborhoods, neighborhood organizations, civic groups, businesses, not-for-profits, developers, various government agencies, elected officials, public and private school representatives and local higher education institutions participated in the process. The participants were comprised of elderly, youth, families, renters, homeowners, and local merchants. The city-wide media notifications, neighborhood based newsletters as well as specialty newspapers were informed about upcoming events. Also, the City of Toledo utilized pre-sorted mailings by geographic area to encourage resident attendance and heighten meeting participation levels.

The process involved three public forums at which human service providers, City administration, elected officials, and homeless persons and persons at risk of becoming homeless joined the local homeless coalition and formerly homeless persons in the discussion about issues facing this population. The City also hosted a series of "Neighborhood Forums" in order to solicit citizen input with regard to City services, programs and planning/prioritizing public resources. Such forums included: Housing, Demolition, Economic Development, Public Safety, Human Services and Parks and Recreation. The public review period began on April 21, 1995. Drafts were distributed to all THAC participants, the Department of Neighborhoods, the Clerk of Council, Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions, all local branches of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, the Fair Housing Center, Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority, Area Office on Aging, Department of Human Services, Lucas County Mental Health Board and the Toledo Board of Education.

A complete full-page summary (Citizen Summary) was published by the City of Toledo in the Toledo Blade on April 27, 1995, the Toledo Journal on May 3, 1995, and the La Prensa on April 26, 1995. The summary included the overall consolidated plan concept, mission statement, contents, the City's proposed One-Year Use of Funds, announced the availability of the DRAFT and locations where the DRAFT could be reviewed, and public meeting notices, time and locations. Also within the public review and comment period, a THAC meeting was held on May 5, 1995. This forum was designed to act out implementation strategies, pointing out the gaps or shortfalls. Modifications were made to the action plan where participants and city staff concluded that the action did not pursue goals far enough. The changes were in turn incorporated in the plan. In addition to the public comments, presentations were made to elected officials to invite their participation, review and comments on the process and the product. A public meeting before City Council was conducted on May 11, 1995 to solicit public comment on the Toledo Consolidated Plan, specifically, the City of Toledo's One-Year Use of Funds. City Council reviewed the Toledo Consolidated Plan on May 16, 1995 and approved and adopted the Plan on May 23, 1995.

While Toledo's economy continues to diversify and move toward non-manufacturing, it is still tied strongly to the manufacturing sector. The decline of the U.S. auto and steel industries and the invasion of foreign goods, has contributed to the loss of some 23,000 manufacturing jobs since 1979. Toledo's economy began to stabilize and grow in 1993-94. The Toledo area experienced significant growth, which substantiated a true "Toledo Turnaround". Toledo, the largest urban center in Northwest Ohio, is number one in Ohio, for the second year in a row, in manufacturing job growth with a rate of 4.7% versus the State average of 2.0% The Toledo area also led the State in wage and salary employment growth (1993-1994) of 4.2% versus the State average of 32%. Toledo ranked #1 for the second year in a row for the use of the Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit with projects creating 2,388 jobs. Toledo has been ranked 10th in the country in manufacturing job growth, and ranked #15 among 100 metropolitan areas for the number of new business locations and expansions. Toledo is a medium-sized city and major regional center. The population of Toledo is 332,943 making it a regional metropolis with a population of 462,361 in Lucas County. Although its location on the Maumee River and Lake Erie gives it ideal access to commerce, Toledo's population has declined 6% since 1980 (more than 21,000 people) and 13.5% since 1970 (more than 51,000 people). In general, Toledo's African-American and Hispanic populations have increased by 30% from 20% to 24% total population since 1980. Also, the Asian and Native American populations have seen a 150% increase from .7% to 1.3% total population since 1980. In contrast, Toledo's White population has decreased by 10% from 80% to 77% total population since 1980. Toledo's general population is aging. The median age in Toledo is 31.7 years old vs. 29.3 years old in 1980. The elderly population has increased by 6% since 1980. In Toledo, population age groups are not evenly distributed throughout the community. There are higher than average concentrations of the very old and the very young. The number of family households has decreased by 7% since 1980, compared to the increased number of non-family households of 10%. The total number of married couples with children has gone down 15% since 1980, but the total female-headed households with children has increased 19%. The average family size in Toledo is 3.13 - slightly smaller than 3.25 in 1980. The percent of the City of Toledo's population completing at least 12 years of schooling is 63.9, and completing 16 years is 12.2 percent. These figures fall below Ohio's averages of 67 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively. Data indicates that the central city is among the most economically devastated in the community. The central city has a lower median household income than Toledo as a whole. In 1980, half of the households in the central city had incomes of $11,695 and in 1990, the number is only $13,352. This compared to greater Toledo median income, which was $16,200 in 1980 and $29,246 in 1990. Toledo's average poverty threshold for a family of four, was $12,674; for one person with no children, it is $6,310. There are 62,426 people who are below the poverty line in the City of Toledo. This represents 19% of Toledo's total population. Female-headed households with children has increased by 19% in the past year. On the average, family income for female-headed households is considerable less than family income in male- headed households. The 1990 Census puts the number of female-headed households earning an income below the poverty level with children under 18 at 16,392.

CONDITIONS

Generally speaking, the housing stock in Toledo is considered old. More than 40% of the existing housing stock is older than 53 years. Nearly 35% of the existing housing stock is 33-53 years old. In essence, 75% of Toledo's housing stock is at least 33 years old. Of the total 142,125 housing units in Toledo, 34% (51,497) are occupied rental units - an increase of 6% from 1980. Likewise, of the total 56% (79,386) are owner-occupied - a decrease of 6% from 1980. Substandard housing conditions are widespread throughout Toledo and specifically in the central city. Data indicates there are approximately 12,000 substandard units. Nearly 1 in 11 housing units are vacant and/or boarded up and are in some degree of nuisance. It is estimated that approximately 45% of the housing stock in Toledo contains lead-based paint.

HOUSING NEEDS

With the rise of special needs households in Toledo, there exists an alarmingly high need for decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable rental units. With the increase in the elderly population and single parent heads of households with few children, the trend appears to indicate a need for small size (0-3 bedrooms) rental units. The 1990 Census also reports a 2.8% incidence of over-crowded rental households. Rental housing demand will continue to be strong, but the types of rental housing needed will change due to changing demographics. Since home ownership has historically been the key to neighborhood stabilization, its decline poses a severe threat to our community. Furthermore, many home owners are unable to maintain their homes and are at risk of losing their homes. The current housing stock does not adequately accommodate the special needs appropriate to individuals that are aged and/or with a physical or mental disability. It is evident that the City of Toledo needs more safe, decent, accessible, community integrated, affordable housing options for very low, low and moderate income families and individuals. An important indicator of this need is the number of renter households (17,539) who earn less than $10,000 per year. Only 3,069 (17%) pay less than 30% of their income in rent. That leaves 14,470 renter households who are still at-risk of homelessness because they cannot afford the rent they are paying. This leads to the conclusion that the City of Toledo needs at least 14,000 new public housing units, or rent subsidies.

• There is a need to assist extremely low-income and very low-income renter households with severe cost burden to access affordable rental housing.
• There is a need to increase the supply of affordable owner and rental housing.
• There is a need to rehabilitate substandard housing units.
• There is a need to reduce the public housing waiting list of LMHA.
• There is a need to complete the rehabilitation of public housing units in need of modernization and conversion for accessibility.
• There is a need to clean up, maintain, rehabilitate or reuse vacant housing and lots in the neighborhoods.
• There is a need for loans and/or grants to encourage home owners, developers, investors and those with financial need to maintain and improve property and reinvest.
• There is a need for emergency assistance for elderly residents to enable them to maintain their property and housing alternatives to allow them to remain in their neighborhoods.
• There is a need for better code enforcement to maintain neighborhoods and to deal with problem houses.
• There is a need for weatherization and energy conservation measures to reduce home energy costs.
• There is a need to maintain access to existing emergency shelter beds.
• There is a need to provide appropriate alternatives to homelessness, including homelessness prevention assistance and coordinated supportive services, particularly for the severely cost-burdened, extremely low-income households who are at risk of homelessness.
• There is a need to provide a continuum of housing options, including transitional and SRO housing.
• There is a need to provide affordable rental housing for the elderly.
• There is a need to provide residential or supportive living services for people with mental retardation developmental disabilities.
• There is a need to increase the number and locations of affordable, physically accessible housing units for persons with physical disabilities.
• There is a need to provide for supportive housing for people with alcohol or drug addiction problems.
• There is a need for additional affordable assisted living environments for persons with AIDS.

HOUSING MARKET CONDITIONS

Toledo has seen a total of 881 new housing units since 1990. However, during that same period of time, 1,115 existing housing units were demolished. Therefore, it could be said that there was a net loss of 234 housing units in Toledo. The dollar amount of property values have remained about the same between 1980 and 1990. This means neighborhoods have actually deteriorated since there doesn't appear to be even a cost of living increase in property values in most central city areas. 9.1% of the owner-occupied units are occupied by households earning 30% or less of the area median income, and 10% and 17.4% by households earning 50% or less and 80% or less of the are median income, respectively. In addition, 16% of the owner population are non-white with a slightly less than majority (16.2%) earning 30% or less of the area median income. The median assessed value is $48,900. 34% of the rental units are occupied by households earning 30% or less of the area median income, 16% and 18% by households earning 50% or less and 80% or less of the area median income, respectively. In addition, more than 30% of the rental population are non-white with the majority (52.5%) earning 30% or less of the area median income. The Toledo median contract rent is $286.00 a month. The average number of persons per unit is 2.5. Interestingly enough, nearly 24% of the available rental units are occupied by the elderly, while 36.4% are occupied by small families.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS

When housing is termed as "affordable" it means that a tenant is not paying an excess proportion of income for rent. 18,181 households in renter-occupied units pay 35% or more of their income in rent. Of those households that earn less than $10,000, 70% (13,597) are paying 35 percent or more, while only 6% (1,122) are paying less than 20 percent. In comparison, 94% (7,217) of households that earn $35,000 or more are paying less than 20 percent of their income, and only 39 households are paying greater than 29%. Yet, 14,470 renter households who earn less than $10,000 pay greater than 30% of their income in rent. They cannot afford to pay the fair market rent for housing. Affordable housing for low-income renters at 30% of their income would mean that they paid rent of $125 per month, if they earned $5,000, and at a maximum, $250 per month if they earned $10,000. It should be noted that households that earn more than $10,000 are still in poverty because of the large number of people in the household. Fair market rent is an impossibility for a family of 5 earning $10,000.

HOMELESS NEEDS

Toledo has a hard core, low-income population of discouraged workers including the young, elderly and mentally and physically disabled. In the central city, underemployment and unemployment for these individuals remains high. Coupled with other characteristics linked to poverty, such as poor education and female heads of household, the threat of homelessness is immediate and real. When asked what the homeless needed most, the shelter directors said that some of them needed sobriety, parenting and life skills classes, child care, or further education and training. There is a need for economic development that will bring jobs that pay a livable wage with benefits, a need for financial stability, medical coverage, and for parents to be decent role models to their children. The greatest need expressed, though, was more safe, affordable, accessible, housing or, if not new units, then at least more Section 8 vouchers, which would subsidize rent in the private market. Some emergency shelters saw repeats of only 10-15% of their clients. People seemed to be staying longer in shelters because of the lack of affordable housing to move into. Over 2,800 individuals sought and received shelter within 1994; while another 1,800 remained "unsheltered". Of those receiving shelter, approximately 60 percent were families with children; 38 percent were 26 to 35 years of age; 29 percent had AFDC as a primary source of income; 30 percent had less than a high school education; 18 percent suffered from drug/alcohol dependency; and 30 percent suffered from mental illness. An inventory was taken of 8 emergency housing agencies and 4 feeding programs in Toledo, and it was found that these shelters have a total capacity of 360 beds and 6 cribs available for emergency use. This represents an increase of 25% in the number of emergency beds available previously. Toledo's transitional shelter system is comprised of 11 non-profit organizations. With a combined capacity of 163 beds and 11 cribs, transitional housing and support service providers address the long-term mental and physical health, housing, education and employment needs of approximately 200 clients annually. Similar to the emergency shelter system, all transitional housing providers have established an intake, assessment and case management program that is holistic and aimed at assisting the clients with improving their own quality of life. The City of Toledo's continuum of care, a broad-based program, encompasses a network of organizations providing services that move homeless individuals and families into safe, affordable and permanent housing. It is designed to provide a seamless system of homeless services including aggressive outreach, assessment and emergency shelter, transitional shelter and permanent housing.

PUBLIC AND ASSISTED HOUSING NEEDS

The Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA) currently provides housing for its more than 25,000 residents, operating 6,195 subsidized units. Broken down into 3,091 total conventional public housing units, 1,823 Section 8 existing units, 598 Section 8 new construction, 217 moderate rehabilitation units, 345 vouchers, and 121 home ownership units. In the past year, the availability of quality affordable housing through the Section 8 Certificate and Voucher Programs was enhanced by a 20% growth in the number of families assisted under the program. In addition to a net gain of almost 400 households receiving assistance, a new commitment to assuring Housing Quality Standards (HQS) complements the City of Toledo's Department of Neighborhood's effort to reverse disinvestment in existing neighborhoods. Over 200 new Section 8 units have been obtained through four funding applications during the last two years. LMHA has a waiting list of 4,131 people. 37 percent of those people have been waiting 2 years or longer. The waiting list has been closed for 2 and 3 bedroom units and only recently reopened for 4 and 5 bedroom units. The average number of vacant units per month has drastically decreased since 1992. Average vacant units was 132/month in 1992, 37 in 1993 and 28 in 1994. LMHA owns and maintains some 230 Scattered Sites dwelling units, which consist of 2, 3 and 4- bedroom apartments and homes throughout the area. There are also approximately 1,670 privately owned units rented to low-income tenants. The Lucas County Mental Health Board subsidizes 232 rental apartments. That brings the total number of assisted housing for low- income residents to approximately 8,097 units.

BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING

There are many relevant public policies, court orders and HUD sanctions creating barriers for the successful implementation of Toledo's Consolidated Plan. The impact of the barriers may increase the costs, act as disincentives to economic development, prevent the production or maintenance of housing for low-income residents, discourage neighborhood involvements/improvement, deter the level of assistance sought by potential residents in need of services of some kind. Issues were raised as common themes in many of the analyses and reports as part of the review process. Other issues provided were developed through the planning process as relevant negative policies which limit the success of our community.

FAIR HOUSING

The Fair Housing Center of Greater Toledo implements a comprehensive fair housing program that addresses discriminatory practices. Fair Housing enforcement and promotion are the only activities the Center conducts, therefore, all of its resources can be devoted to ensuring equal housing opportunity and providing the best service for victims and communities that face housing discrimination. The Center provides a unique service that is vital to furthering the goals of fair housing. No other agency in Toledo, or northwest Ohio provides these services. The Center's activities include educational and outreach activities, testing and complaint investigation, victim's assistance, complaint resolution, affirmative marketing, community reinvestment, monitoring of reporting and settlement requirements, and the research and analysis of housing practices. The City of Toledo is committed to the goals of affirmative marketing which will be implemented in the city's various consolidated- funded programs through a specific set of steps that the City and participating non-profit and for-profit developers/owners will follow.

LEAD-BASED PAINT

The City of Toledo contains a greater percentage of households at risk for lead poisoning than most Ohio cities of similar age and size. Central city neighborhoods where two of every three residential units are occupied by low income families and the concentration of pre-1940 structures containing lead paint is estimated to exceed 80%, pose a tremendous threat to the 12,000 children under the age of seven as well as most of the population of Toledo. The City of Toledo Health Department continues to provide inspection services, some testing services, disseminate information, and assist with work specification writing, data collection, and reporting. Inner city hospitals test children and report findings to the Health Department. The Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority disseminates information, refer landlords, offer temporary living units and provides technical assistance.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Toledo's Consolidated Plan creates economic opportunity, self-sufficiency and sustains community development through the holistic planning and resource allocation approach. This consolidation of efforts will provide for a more intensive individual service for residents within the community. As such, education and job training needs to be tied to actual employment opportunities. Human services tailored to meet the individual needs of residents and change as those needs change. Infrastructure improvements need to be targeted in order to conduct necessary improvements that will stimulate private investment. Successful plan implementation will require the expansion of existing collaborations and expansion of new partnerships within the neighborhoods. Such partnerships need to be resident-driven, community-based organization facilitated and supported by institutions. These existing successful partnerships are essential in accomplishing the goals and objectives of this plan.

Coordinated planning of all key elements is required in order to implement the Consolidated Plan. These elements have been initiated by the existing collaborations identified throughout the Consolidated Plan. Developing a truly "grassroots" approach involved the opportunity for existing partnerships and any new partnerships to develop programs specific to their individual neighborhoods that result in the successful achievement of the identified goals and objectives. In order to retain this "grassroots" approach and forge new partnerships, the planning process developed a number of needs and potential strategies for addressing those needs. A strategy was then presented that included Housing, Human Services, Economic Development, Education, Infrastructure, Public Safety and Quality of Community/Empowerment . These elements are all required in order to successfully achieve full implementation of the Consolidated Plan.

People live in neighborhoods. Strong neighborhoods are those where problems can be dealt with together, where there are institutions and structures that help residents take care of themselves and each other. Community-based organizations are a tool for dealing with whatever threat the community might face: racial tension, social dysfunction, drugs, crime, family disintegration, inadequate housing, joblessness, and inadequate education. All of these issues and more have been addressed by community-based groups, neighbors organized to help neighbors.

As a result of these community development and planning efforts, five key elements, in addition to infrastructure improvements and quality of life issues, were molded together through collaborations at the neighborhood level in order to effect the lives of people living within Toledo. These elements are:

• meaningful employment opportunities at the neighborhood level by expanding economic development efforts through the increased availability of venture capital and credit; expand business incubators and micro enterprise programs; employment, job training, and apprenticeship programs, and flexible manufacturing networks;

• quality education and training for everyone (adults and children) that results in the opportunity and transition to employment through increased partnerships between the educational system and business community;

• comprehensive human services responsive and coordinated to assist individuals and families reach personal and economic independence through access to preschools; supporting family stability; increased healthy infants and children; and providing prevention and early intervention services to families;

• safe, decent and affordable housing by increasing resident/credit counseling, home ownership maintenance and repair assistance and elimination or reuse of vacant and abandoned buildings; and

• safe, attractive and healthy neighborhoods to call home though increased community policing efforts; increased youth and family programming; and the elimination of attractive nuisances and trouble spots.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES

HOUSING...Revitalizing and strengthening housing as a community asset.

Safe, decent and affordable housing is a component of any community development strategy. The planning efforts focused upon four priorities: building demolition or re-utilization; specialized or quality housing; neighborhood involvement and improvement; increasing the amount of affordable housing; and providing housing education and training.

• Make local regulations and definitions more flexible to accommodate local realities, e.g. family.
• Reduce the administrative and legal barriers within the demolition process.
• Create housing related job opportunities.
• Recycle building materials as an alternative to demolition.
• Keep/report statistics on housing rehab starts, demolition's and abandonment's, as well as new housing starts on a neighborhood level.
• Support community Development Corporations as the primary long-term conduit for revitalization efforts within the neighborhoods.
• Increase the availability of rental assistance to meet increasing cost of providing housing.
• Improve Low Income Tax Credit by linking it with credit enhancement, services, counseling, etc., to make it more accessible to the poor.
• Establish community-owned credit unions as a tool for home ownership and housing rehabilitation.
• Create local tax incentives for people who stay in or move to the central city.
• Use Community Reinvestment Act ratings to guide investment/deposits of local government resources in area banks.
• Establish a centralized housing finance system to mesh resources promoting home ownership.
• Provide maintenance training/education to first-time home buyers.
• Increase Fair Housing services.
• Improve the availability of credit counseling.

HUMAN SERVICES...Coordinated planning and access to human services.

Toledo has numerous human service resources available. The missing element is the coordination of these resources. To provide meaningful human services, all agencies must collaborate to avoid duplication of services. Programs implemented through this plan must be joint efforts between other humans service agencies, community development corporations, private business or educational programs. Increased access to programming occurs through collaboration and network of resources, sharing program specific data and through accessible public transportation. Public and private human service agencies and systems must work together in a collaborative network in order to increase resource awareness, availability and access. To be successful agencies must develop a data base of information on human service resources that will be shared with all agencies. Accessible public transportation must be available near human service centers, child care centers and employment centers in order to increase the likelihood residents will participate in programming. The ability for residents to seek and establish employment opportunities to develop self-sufficiency and obtain human service needs requires comprehensive child care. This must be an element in each neighborhood-based strategy.

• Increase physical and opportunity access to human services.
• Facilitate the collaboration and networking to better utilize limited resources between human service agencies and other community-based organizations.
• Increase the availability of health care.
• Use existing health care centers in conjunction with the Toledo Department of Health.
• Increase the availability of outreach in order to educate, inform and encourage residents to use the health care system.
• Reduce the amount of duplicate paperwork and establish a central data base for area residents.
• Provide a central figure or ombudsman that is responsible for coordinating the efforts of human service providers and addressing problems.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT...Creating and preserving employment opportunities in our neighborhoods.

The consistent theme throughout the planning process was the creation of neighborhood and community-based economic empowerment. Residents must be empowered and accept the responsibility for the economic growth of their neighborhoods. There are no magic solutions to economic growth, but rather a series of steps that must be taken. The economic development steps must be taken together with specific steps in education and human services in order to have a meaningful impact. The key element is the creation of a local credit and capital loan fund through public private sponsorship, to provide long-term financing for commercial building purchase or renovation, leasehold improvements and business-fixture purchase. This would serve as a source of local credit and venture capital, small businesses could utilize. This loan fund would reduce direct overhead costs and risk of doing business through flexible terms and lower interest rates.

• Tie together job creation with infrastructure investments.
• Support community-based efforts to build on existing manufacturing strengths within the neighborhoods by supporting the creation of flexible manufacturing networks.
• Enhance private community capital formation through community development banks.
• Build on/expand community-owned credit unions as a tool for small business finance.
• Create economic incentives that create jobs, such as a community economic development tax credit patterned after the low-income housing tax credit. This could attract private investment into job creating efforts sponsored by community-based organization.
• Promote the preservation of small business districts and develop policies to prevent the proliferation of suburban malls that destroy neighborhoods.
• Collaborate with the public schools and local neighborhood business in order to provide a transition from school to employment.
• Establish the type of family support services, such as day care, that permit/encourage parents to work.
• Provide increased technical assistance to small and expanding neighborhood business through a "one-stop shop" process.

EDUCATION...Investing in quality youth programming, education and training systems.

The primary element necessary in accomplishing the overall Consolidated Plan program is the creation of a sound public educational system. Based upon this demand, the Toledo Public School system is faced with two significant challenges: addressing the diverse needs and problems facing current students and families; and developing new programs to retain and increase student demand.

• Increase the opportunity for the youth to experience success in school and in work.
• Improve the public education system in Toledo by generating greater parent, community and neighborhood involvement.
• Identify and remove the current family, economic and social barriers and problems that face children prior to being enrolled in school.
• Move towards a year-round school year.
• Enforce Child Support as a means of increasing opportunities for women and children.
• Increase the availability to Head Start Programs.
• Special initiative focused on rescuing young African-American men.
• Promote equitable funding of education with less reliance on local property taxes.
• Increase the availability of job training programs that result in meaningful job placement.
• Establish an independent organization to serve as a vehicle for achieving broad- based, long-term, coordinated community involvement with the schools (Corporation for Effective Government Report - 1993).

INFRASTRUCTURE...Community planning for the future including strong infrastructure planning.

The development of the component of this plan was based upon current public infrastructure improvement planning. This includes the investment in streets, bridges, sidewalks, solid waste, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, the public water system and parks.

• Transportation projects need to first do no harm in terms of community destruction and encouraging people and business to leave the city. They need to contribute to community strategy - make public transportation serve the poor by getting them to where the jobs are located.
• Create incentives for comprehensive, community-based planning that involves a partnership between community-based organizations, government and private sector.
• Add government resources to community renewal efforts by partnering with community organizations and locating government facilities, and utilizing the services of community organizations and the businesses located in those communities.
• Create "Special Character Districts", like Historic District's to build on a sense of place for a community and coordinate resources to make these happen.

PUBLIC SAFETY...Creating a full strength and responsive public safety system that will produce safe and healthy neighborhoods.

The key to deterring crime in a neighborhood is the development of a strong community-based identity, leadership and organization. A significant amount of crime and violence is a result of a lack of individual self esteem and economic opportunity; a loss of family identity and cohesiveness; no connection with community or neighborhood; and a chemical dependency. Existing community institutions must play an integral role in developing the sense of community and neighborhood. This leadership role must be assumed by those with the greatest investment in the community: schools, businesses, hospitals, community-based organizations and most importantly the residents.

• Add the funding necessary to bring the police and fire staffing levels up to acceptable standards for a community the size of Toledo.
• Place more police on the streets by using civilians in administrative or desk positions and revising the court schedule that takes officers off the streets and increases overtime.
• Fully implement community-based policing with the participation of the residents.
• Public safety also includes the use of community-based organizations in order to generate an environment that encourages community pride and identity.
• Schools are the hub of activity in the neighborhoods and as such must be used for after-school programming.
• Police, schools and human service agencies must ensure the physical and mental safety of citizens at home, school and community.
• Limit and restrict existing nuisances in the neighborhoods, such as carryouts, pay phones, etc.
• Increase tree trimming and street and alley lighting.
• Coordinate agencies or departments responsible for enforcing life and safety codes in order to ensure increased enforcement.
• Establish a one-stop consumer assistance agency to coordinate public service and safety efforts within the neighborhoods.

QUALITY OF COMMUNITY/EMPOWERMENT...Promoting the quality and empowerment of our community.

Maintaining a high quality of life for community residents is important. Several factors work inter-dependently to crate a community with aesthetic character, recreational resources, high level of safety, and economic diversity/opportunity. These factors are strongly tied to developing a community vision and identity through community organizing/involvement.

• Promote programs like "Artist in Public Places" in schools, parks, youth and community organizations. Create large-scale murals and other public art projects at sites specifically selected because of high visibility and public accessibility.
• Encourage area youth to participate in area improvement projects including elimination of slum and blight, creating art displays and eliminating graffiti.
• Establish positive expression of graffiti through strategically placed "graffiti walls" or spirit rocks".
• Promote heritage corridors to unite urban and suburban neighborhoods.
• Encourage institutions like museums, galleries, cultural centers, major business, and theaters to partner with community organizations.
• Create "Special Character Districts", like Historic District's to build on a sense of place for a neighborhood and coordinate resources to make these happen.
• Promote and reward creative collaborations among local greenhouse and nursery business and local community-based organizations to facilitate quality landscape improvements in our neighborhoods.
• Promote and reward creative collaborations among architects, planners and builders to facilitate quality building in our neighborhoods.

ANTI-POVERTY STRATEGY

The anti-poverty strategy for Toledo is an integral part of the overall strategic plan goals and objectives. Toledo one-year activities related to reducing the number of households with incomes below the poverty line can generally be found within the Economic Development Trends of the Community Description, Barriers, and Institutional Structure, Coordination and Resources.

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

Housing resources are available city-wide for low and moderate income assistance. Available funds are used primarily for housing rehabilitation for both owner-occupied and rental housing. Most housing programs are targeted to low and moderate income areas as identified in the 1990 Census. Resources can be targeted for concentrated, coordinated improvements based upon available data, neighborhood participation, housing conditions and housing needs. These target areas generally are in census tracts where market rents are expected to remain affordable. Housing may be acquired at moderate cost or even at no cost. Rehabilitation costs are in line with housing values and appraisals and low and very low households can be assisted.

COORDINATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN

The process for the development of the Consolidated Plan for Toledo is an inter-jurisdictional effort coordinated by the City of Toledo, Department of Neighborhoods and the Toledo Housing Advisory Commission (THAC). The institutional structure through which the City of Toledo will carry out the Consolidated Plan includes a wide range of public, private and non- profit organizations. Toledo continues to acknowledge that in implementing its Consolidated Plan, it will require the participation of many different organizations and individuals. The strengths, weaknesses and roles of the "institutional structure" will vary depending upon capacity, productivity, the understanding of issues, leadership, and resources.

DESCRIPTION OF KEY PROJECTS/PROGRAMS

FUNDING RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR USE:

21st Year Community Development 

Block Grant (CDBG)-HUD Allocation                       $ 9,913,000
HOME HUD Allocation                                       2,697,000
Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) HUD Allocation                353,000

TOTAL FUNDING RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR USE               $12,963,000

Rehabilitation and Neighborhood Preservation Programs

(City Wide) and/or - Census Tracts: (8, 9, 12.02, 13.02, 13.04, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 47.01, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68)

	$4,109,136	CDBG	(41.5%)
	$2,697,000	HOME	(100%)
Economic Development Programs (City Wide)	$2,850,535	CDBG	(28.9%)

Public Service Activities (City Wide)	$1,323,773	CDBG	(13.1%)
	$ 353,000	ESG	(100%)

Planning and Administration (City Wide)	$1,629,556	CDBG	(16.5%)
	$9,913,000	CDBG	(100%)
	$2,697,000	HOME	(100%)
	$ 353,000	ESG	(100%)

The following is a detailed summary of the 21st Year CDBG, HOME and ESG:

City of Toledo

Department of Neighborhoods (DON)

General Administration, Program Monitoring, Grants Admin., and Employee Services

	Personnel	$ 807,520
	Operations	$ 826,100
		$ 1,633,620

Housing

Community Services

Real Estate and Relocation

Department of Development (DOD)

Toledo Plan Commission (TPC)

Third Party Non-profits

Community Development Corporations (CDC's)

Administration

Projects

Housing Advocates

Administration

Public Service Activities

Administration/Services

LOCATIONS

The City of Toledo does not allocate funds on a geographic basis or by target area. The programs and services detailed within the Consolidated Plan are available city-wide, unless the program description specifically states a target area - such as the case regarding neighborhood preservation and the specific geographic neighborhoods of the non-profit neighborhood based organizations.

Neighborhood Preservation - Census Tracts: (8, 9, 12.02, 13.02, 13.04, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 47.01, 48, 49, 51, 53, 54, 66, 67, 68)
Public Social Service (City Wide)
Economic Development (City Wide)
Planning and Administration (City Wide)

The impact of the geographic distribution of resources as identified within the Consolidated Plan, will provide a variety of safe, decent, accessible, community integrated affordable housing options for very low, low and moderate income families and individuals and those individuals with special needs who require supportive services in order to accomplish economic integration and neighborhood revitalization.

LEAD AGENCIES

The primary lead agency responsible for administering programs, projects and activities related to CDBG, HOME and ESG programs is the City of Toledo, Department of Neighborhoods. The Department of Neighborhoods handles program design, grants management, program monitoring, planning, training and technical assistance, preparation of federal reports and applications, budget development and management of financial resources and program evaluation. In the cases where resources are granted to a subrecipient for program or project development, the Department of Neighborhoods is responsible for administering such subrecipient agreements. In addition, the City of Toledo, Department of Law is responsible for reviewing legal documents and agreements associated with HUD programs. Also, the City of Toledo, Department of Development is primarily responsible for the program design, planning, program evaluation and grants management for economic development programs, projects and activities. The Toledo Housing Advisory Commission (THAC) is responsible for maintaining activities to insure long-term compliance with the provisions of the Consolidated Plan. However, as the legislative authority for the City of Toledo, Toledo City Council has the ultimate responsibility for grant allocations, program approvals, and overall compliance with all federal regulations.

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, and proposed HUD funded projects at street level.

MAP 6 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects at street level.

MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects at street level.

MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects at street level.

MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and proposed HUD funded projects at street level.

TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).

FAX: (419) 245-1413