Planned actions include the expenditure of approximately $1.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program during the next year to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs, fostering decent housing, public housing improvements and resident initiatives, evaluation and reduction of lead-based paint hazards, reducing the number of persons below the poverty line, developing institutional structures and enhancing coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies.
Consultation with social service agencies regarding the housing needs of
children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, homeless persons, children
identified as lead-poisoned, and other persons served by such agencies have been
ongoing since early 1991. Following a series of community meetings, the
Citizens' Human Services Study and Action Committee established by the Enid
Metropolitan Area Human Services Commission (EMAHSC) identified four service
priorities: Education, Health, Housing and Economic Security. The City of Enid
Office of Community Development administers essentially all of the HUD programs,
and was designated as the lead agency for the Consolidated Plan process. A
series of public hearings was conducted beginning December 1, 1994. A second
meeting was held on January 26, 1995. The third hearing was held on February
27, 1995, to finalize the planning process. A detailed summary of the Proposed
Consolidated Plan was published and mailed for reference on March 17, 1995, to
approximately 50 local public and private providers of services for children,
elderly persons, persons with disabilities and homeless persons, community
organizations and individuals to solicit final input prior to submittal of the
Plan to HUD. The proposed Consolidated Plan was presented to the Enid City
Commission on April 4, 1995. Final acceptance of the plan was made at the April
18, 1995, regularly scheduled Commission meeting.
Since 1900, the percentage of the Garfield County, Oklahoma population that the City of Enid comprises has continued to increase each decade, becoming increasingly significant as an urban center for much of the rural population. According to the 1990 Census the City of Enid made up nearly 80 percent of the population for Garfield County. The ethnicity of Enid's 1990 population was 91 percent White, 4.4 percent Black, 2.3 percent Indian, 1.3 percent Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1 percent other races.
In 1990 the median family (MFI) was $30,000. Approximately 37 percent of
all Enid households were very low- to moderate-income. Fifty percent of all
persons in the CDBG target neighborhoods are low- or moderate-income compared to
21 percent in non-target areas. There is a significant occurrence of those
experiencing cost burden and severe cost burden among all income groups. Those
with housing problems appear disproportionately higher among the very low-income
black population, particularly among the black renter population. The greatest
need among the moderate income category is among the elderly group that
experiences a disproportionate share of housing problems and cost burdens.
Three census tracts contain the highest racial/ethnic and low-income
concentrations.
Vance Air Force Base, located in Enid, offers many benefits to the community. The local economy is enhanced by Vance AFB's expenditures for salaries, contracts, construction, retirement pay, tuition aid to schools, health insurance payments and off-base accommodations for travelers. Vance AFB employed over 3,600 people in fiscal year 1990, with an annual payroll greater than $40.5 million. Furthermore, local base expenditures during fiscal year 1991 exceeded $57 million and created a secondary economic impact of $115.7 million, as well as approximately 672 local secondary jobs.
The positive impact of Vance Air Force Base staying off the base closure list will most definitely affect the economic well being of the community. It is anticipated that VAFB will receive an influx of up to 300 additional personnel. Several large private multi-family housing developments will occur in the future to help ease an already tight rental housing market.
Unemployment levels in the City of Enid remain well below the national average. According to statistics provided by the Oklahoma Employment Security Office, since 1990 Enid has experienced an average employment rate of 96 percent.
There are two primary housing needs identified in the Consolidated Plan: (a) increasing the availability of affordable housing and (b) rehabilitating the existing stock. To address affordable housing needs, homebuyer assistance programs and rental assistance is needed to reduce cost burdens. To address housing quality/condition problems, funds are needed to help low-income persons maintain and repair their homes. A high priority for the Homeless and at-risk population is the availability of transitional housing and development of a support system for health care and transportation.
Increased housing opportunities for the low-income elderly, handicapped, and disabled persons are needed, such as group homes, transitional living, and assistance in the removal of architectural barriers in their housing.
The City of Enid had 21,951 year-round housing units in 1990, 84 percent of which were occupied. Of the occupied units, 66 percent are owner-occupied units and 34 percent were renter-occupied units. From 1980 to 1990 the percent of all housing that is vacant increased dramatically from 6 percent to 16 percent. The vacancy rate for rental units was 17.5 percent. However, steady increases in local tax revenues indicated an improving economy. Falling interest rates have jump started home construction, increased real estate sales and values and significantly tightened the supply of housing.
About 12 percent of housing in the City of Enid was classified as substandard in 1990. Nearly 75 percent of those units were considered suitable for rehabilitation. Approximately 15,350 houses in Enid were built before 1980. It is interpolated that the number of units occupied by very low- and low-income owner and renter households that potentially contain lead-based paint is 11,350 units.
Most of the single-family housing units built since 1990 have an average value of $125,000, which is beyond the price range of lower-income households. Most owner and renter households with incomes at or below 50 percent of MFI, particularly in the very low- (0-30 percent) income category are also experiencing cost and severe cost burdens. Rental assistance and affordable housing options are needed, as well as funding for rehabilitation assistance, credit counseling, and home maintenance training.
The survey team from a 1993 local count estimates there are 62 homeless persons in Enid. However, homelessness in Enid may vary by month and by season. The count of 62 homeless includes a conservative count of the "street people," which could vary from 10 to 30 homeless persons staying in locations other than shelters. Of the 54 homeless persons counted at Enid shelters, there were 25 adult males, 10 adult females, five male children, and 14 female children. Nine of the adult females had children staying with them at the time of the survey. Of the 19 children, six (32 percent) were not accompanied by an adult. All of these children were staying at the Youth and Family Services Shelter. One was a male and five were female. Based on the count conducted in 1993, about 65 percent of the homeless are adults and 11 percent are unaccompanied youth. Most of the homeless single adults are male (71 percent) and 73 percent of all homeless are white.
Enid homeless facilities have a capacity of 114 emergency shelter beds. More than half of these are devoted to single male adults. The remaining beds are for, single women, youth, or domestic violence victims. There is a glaring gap in emergency shelter for traditional families. There are no facilities designated for traditional families. However, at the time of the survey, the staffs at each shelter were not aware of any traditional families living on the streets, but knew of many that were doubling up with other families.
The City of Enid has no public housing, but there are 278 Section 8 rental units. All 278 units are occupied, with a waiting list of up to two years.
Of those units, 98 are one-bedroom Section 8/202 units for elderly and handicapped individuals. The bedroom sizes among the remaining 182 units are distributed as follows: 24 percent are one-bedroom, 61 percent are two-bedroom, 12 percent are three-bedroom, and 2 percent have four bedrooms.
There is a very high percentage (73 percent) of the very low-income renter category who are experiencing cost burdens of more than 30 percent of their gross income and 62 percent are severely cost burdened with rent and utilities exceeding 50 percent of their gross income. The need to increase the number of standard, affordable rental units is also evidenced by looking at the historical and current data regarding the number of families who are waiting Section 8 rental assistance. Since Enid has no housing authority, the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) operates the Section 8 Voucher and Certificate program for Enid and Garfield County. There are an approximate 275 families in Enid receiving Section 8 assistance, with four times that many on the waiting list.
Service providers for special needs populations describe the following needs:
Inability of households to afford adequate housing is one of the most critical housing problems in the City of Enid. Lower paying jobs in the region and a lack of training and education for higher paying jobs are contributors to this problem. Income segregation is resulting in minority segregation. This is happening because a higher proportion of minorities are in lower income categories. The Census indicates 44% of minority households made less than $15,000 in 1980. Black households represent the lowest income group, with 52% making less than $15,000, which is compared to only 32% of all households in the City making less than $15,000. The City of Enid has studied their tax policies, land use controls, zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations, growth limits, building codes, building fees, and charges and found that these practices did not pose significant barriers to affordable housing development.
An analysis of impediments to fair housing opportunities was conducted by the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority in association with Joe Dunn, AICP, a planning consultant. The objectives of the study were to (1) identify situations, practices, and policies that may affect an equal choice of housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, handicap, or family status and (2) recommend actions that would help insure equal choice of housing for all residents. Some issues highlighted through this study were the need to adopt a separate Fair Housing Ordinance, the need to include language in zoning and subdivision regulations affirming equal housing opportunities for all citizens of Enid regardless of minority status, provide incentives to landlords and builders to provide more handicapped accessible housing, seek more information about alleged cases of discrimination to shed light on possible actions that need to be taken, adopt economic development policies that encourage higher paying jobs, encourage worker training programs through the Vo-Tech and other means to develop a trained work force to accommodate industrial expansion and attraction of new industries, and continue support and expansion of the Affordable Housing Program and the Credit Builder Program. There are no current court orders, consent decrees, or HUD-imposed sanctions that affect the provision of fair housing remedies.
Of the 20,151 year-round housing units in the City of Enid, 15,355 or 76 percent were constructed before 1980, when lead-based paint was still in use. It is interpolated from the number of units built before 1980, that 11,347 or nearly 74 percent were occupied by households with very low- or other low-income households and potentially contain lead based paint hazards. Lead toxicity screening is required as part of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Program (EPSDT) under the medicaid program for categorically needy recipients under age 21. The EPSDT program has been extremely under-utilized in Garfield County as well as the State of Oklahoma. To raise the participation rate in this county, the "Healthy Kids" project was created. It was at the urging of this project that the Enid Community Blood Lead Level Program under the direction of Enid's own Michael O'Quinn, M.D., was initiated in November 1991.
According to Dr. O'Quinn, during 1994, 398 children were tested, with 33 or 8 percent of them having lead levels above 10 UG/DL. The source of lead in these children is not known; however, some possible sources have been traced to exterior and interior lead- based paint. Corrective measures are often costly. Most low-income families need assistance in making the home a safe environment for their children. A family counseling program has been initiated to educate the parents on the dangers of LBP and how to prevent continued exposure. The program offers educational information on such topics and options as: how the child gets into LBP, housekeeping techniques that help to reduce the risk, proper nutrition, or by removing the child from the source.
The City of Enid Community Development Department through its housing programs operated by the department and nonprofit housing partner, the Community Development Support Association (CDSA) has initiated standards for rehabilitation that include the safe reduction of the content of the lead in units known to, or suspected of containing lead based paint.
The City of Enid is fortunate to have a low unemployment rate.
Nevertheless, economic development policies that encourage higher paying jobs
and encouraging worker training programs to develop a trained work force to
accommodate industrial expansion and the attraction of new industries are
necessary to meet the requirements of a changing economy and will remain an
important long-term need. A 1994 Long Range Transportation Plan provided an
opportunity to coordinate land use development with transportation needs.
Transportation system improvements are needed to support economic development;
the improvement of congested areas by widening key roadways to provide turn
lanes; encourage pedestrian and bicycle travel through a trail or route system;
accommodate development. Other community development needs include: adult
education and vocational training programs, self-sufficiency programs and
intensive case management, reduction or abatement of housing units occupied by
families with children at-risk of the hazards of lead based paint, affordable
child care, educational and development programs for children, affordable and
accessible transportation, and infrastructure improvements.
Although specific subgroups (small families or elderly households) may have problems that are unique to their populations, housing problems in the City of Enid are primarily related to low income and an aging housing stock. Housing priorities and strategies reflect those conditions. Housing objectives focus on the supply of affordable housing. Community development objectives are to revitalize specific primarily residential neighborhoods, and increase economic development opportunities for low- and moderate-income citizens.
Priorities for affordable housing include increasing the supply of affordable housing and reducing housing cost burdens for low-income households, improving the living environments of lower income residents, increasing housing choice for low-income and minority residents, and addressing the needs of large families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
Priorities for homelessness alleviation include developing transitional and permanent housing alternatives for homeless persons, with wrap around support services resulting in employment and independent living, and providing support networks including health and transportation services for the homeless and at-risk populations.
The priorities for non-homeless persons with special needs include increasing housing opportunities to the elderly, frail elderly, handicapped and disabled community, i.e.: group homes and transitional living. Support habilitation and employment training to allow disabled/handicapped population to remain self-sufficient.
Future strategies include: major street capacity improvements; transit system improvements; pavement upgrade and collector system; trail system; and transportation system management. Other community development needs include: adult education and vocational training programs, self-sufficiency programs and intensive case management, reduction or abatement of housing units occupied by families with children at-risk of the hazards of lead-based paint, affordable child care, educational and development programs for children, affordable and accessible transportation, and infrastructure improvements, i.e. public facilities' improvements (parks, recreation, and youth centers), infrastructure improvements (street, sidewalk, and sewer), and public services provision.
The Enid anti-poverty plan is based upon empowering families and neighborhoods to take charge of their personal, economic, and educational lives. The most critical step in this effort has been to enhance communication and cooperation between service delivery agencies with the community structure. The City of Enid through the Metro Commission and the Community Development Support Association is committed to strengthening the family unit through education, support, and empowerment. The City of Enid intends to continue supporting existing programs. Many social service organizations administer programs such as Head Start, assistance for families in crisis, subsidized child care, Job Training Partnership Act activities, job training and self-sufficiency programs, and alternative economic, educational, and recreational activities for Enid youth (preventative and interventive activities).
Primary resources include CDBG, HOME, Emergency Shelter Grants (through the State of Oklahoma), Weatherization, Federal Home Loan Bank - Affordable Housing Program, local financial institutions, and owner-investors. Local resources include rental rehabilitation program repayments, HOPE 3 program sales proceeds, and general revenue funds.
The City of Enid - Office of Community Development is responsible for the
Consolidated Plan activities, but a variety of public and private organizations
are involved in administering plan components, i.e. - CDSA, nonprofit service
providers for the homeless, and private lenders operating affordable housing
loan programs. The partnership between all levels of government and the private
sector, including for profit and nonprofit organizations is well developed, but
there are still some gaps in the delivery of services. Coordination of services
for the non-homeless special needs population needs strengthening. Efforts to
increase homeownership also need further consideration to remove design barriers
and help credit risky applicants toward homeownership.
The City of Enid's one-year action plan outlines the proposed use of nearly $1.4 million in CDBG and HOME program funds, in addition to program income. These funds will be spent on an array of activities, including:
Public Facilities and Improvements:
Public Service:
Housing:
Other:
Funds allocated for public improvements and facilities are located with targeted neighborhoods (specifically the Southern Heights/East Park additions to Enid). In addition, significant amounts of CDBG and HOME funds are allocated to a local nonprofit/ community housing development organizations (CHDOs). Housing activities are 100 percent benefit activities and are offered to any income eligible client whatever the location. Target neighborhoods have been revised according to the 1990 Census. A HUD approved, income survey has justified the extension of area benefit activities into three additional neighborhoods. A portion of the housing fund has been expressly set aside for the benefit of area 2 (Southern Heights/East Park).
Highlights of the City of Enid housing goals for the first year include increasing the supply of standard, affordable housing for approximately 80 households through rehabilitation, acquisition, and reconstruction; providing rental assistance for 15 households and rehabilitation of multi-family residential unit housing battered women/children and women recovering from drug and alcohol abuse, reduction of lead-based paint hazards in five units, the removal of architectural barriers in 15 elderly/disabled households.
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.
