Altoona's 1995 Consolidated Plan constitutes a strategic vision for housing and community development. The purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to streamline the HUD grant application and planning process, and to ensure that funding decisions concerning the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the Home Investment Partnership (HOME) program, and Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program are made in a comprehensive context that integrates the needs of low income persons with those of the city as a whole. This summary offers city residents a quick overview of Altoona's housing and community development needs, the 5-year goals of the Consolidated Plan, and the strategies and actions for carrying our local objectives.
This plan includes a 1-year action plan for specific projects using CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds. These programs and the ensuing projects will expand the supply of affordable housing, provide shelter and social services for the homeless, and upgrade community facilities, services, and economic opportunities primarily for low income persons.
The Consolidated Plan, through its citizen participation process, provides citizens and citizen organizations can become informed and take an active part in the development, implementation, and review of activities carried out by the City of Altoona through its CDBG, ESG, and HOME programs. All of these HUD programs fall under the Consolidated Plan. The City of Altoona publicizes the hearings and meetings that are part of the process in the Altoona Mirror. The meeting notices call attention to the special need for participation by low income persons. Meetings are held annually at City Hall and at selected sites to provide easy accessibility.
In 1990 the City of Altoona had a population of 51,881. This represented a drop of 5,197, or 9 percent, from its 1980 population. The loss is part of a long-term trend that is reflected in many of the City's community development needs. Since 1960 Altoona population has declined from approximately 70,000. The driving factor for population losses has been a regional economic decline. Lack of economic opportunities has caused many persons to leave the region in the past few decades. A secondary factor has been typical shifts in Blair County's population due to suburbanization, although Blair County also has lost population over the same period.
Over the past decade, Altoona has had higher rates of unemployment that those of Blair County, while Blair County's exceeded those for the State of Pennsylvania as a whole. In 1993 the City of Altoona had a 8.1 percent unemployment rate while the state had a rate of 7 percent and Blair County 7.4 percent.
Three demographic trends crucially affect Altoona's housing needs. The first is the increase in the number of elderly households, the second the trend toward smaller households, and the third is the recent rise in the number of children. These are national trends, but increase the demand for housing, especially certain types of housing. The City's population is significantly older and much more likely to be living in single parent families than in prior years, or in the State overall. The reduction of household size means even a stable population would cause increasing needs for future housing. However, the overall population loss experienced during the last three decades, will more than compensate for the increased rate of new household formation.
Future housing needs therefore are more concerned with housing conditions that increasing demands. High cost burdens, greater than 50 percent of income spent on rent or mortgage payments, inadequate conditions, and overcrowding are the most significant housing problems for Altoona. Approximately 1,500 low income households in Altoona are paying more than 50 percent of income for housing and 45 percent of all rental households indicate one or more of these housing problems. Only 14 percent of owner households reported during the 1990 Census, some form of housing problem, but this represents a sizable number of units nonetheless.
Median monthly rent for Altoona was $218 in 1990, which was significantly lower than the median rent statewide of $322. Over 78 percent of Altoona's rent for less than $300. Owner occupied housing show this same relatively low comparative cost. Median sale value of housing in Altoona was $31,600 compared to $69,700 statewide and $41,100 for Blair County.
On a typical night in the City of Altoona, there are 125 homeless persons. Altoona does not have the unsheltered homeless problem that larger urban areas encounter, but it does have a significant population of sheltered homeless persons who need social services. One of the primary homeless groups needing and receiving shelter are domestic violence victims (60 percent), although the proportion of the homeless population that experiences mental illness and drug abuse (45%) is also significant.
There are currently eight facilities that provide shelter to the homeless and two organizations that provide rental assistance to help prevent homelessness. Altoona has gaps in its ability to serve the homeless in terms of their security needs, necessary rental assistance, elderly home repairs, continuing support for transitional shelters, and counseling to assist the homeless in attaining independent living.
Approximately 34 percent of all households in Altoona in 1990 were renters, an increase from only 30 percent in 1980. Vacancy rates are roughly comparable to those for the State, although slightly higher than in Blair County, probably die to the City's slightly older housing stock. There is a considerable supply of potential units available for rent at a typical point in time. However, it should be noted that the low median monthly rent in the City, $218, is an indication that many of the units are not in standard condition. The supply of for-sale housing units is somewhat more restricted.
Comparing median family income to the area's median rents and median owner-occupied housing values is a key indicator of overall housing affordability. Using the figures for the City, county, and state, the City of Altoona's housing stock is relatively affordable. For example, the median rent for all rental units in Altoona would cost only 12.64 percent of annual income for the median household income, compared to 13.29 percent of annual income for the State. For homeowners, it takes only 1.5 times the median household income in Altoona to support ownership of the median owner-occupied home in Altoona. In comparison, it takes 2.3 times the State median income to support homeownership for the median valued home. Housing conditions in Altoona versus the State may affect the relative quality that can be gained for these values.
Regulatory barriers are not a major impediment to local affordable housing. A majority of the City's housing units lie on small lots. City planning and zoning reflect this fact. The large lot and yard standards reflective of "estate zoning" are not seen locally. The City's 1991 Fair Housing Assessment initiative a strategy and recommendations to affirmative further fair housing. A key activity was the establishment of a Community Housing Resource Board with a staff person that can answer fair housing complaints. This activity was funded again in 1995.
The Altoona Housing Authority has 170 family units and 376 elderly units for which it is responsible. It also manages 911 Section 8 certificates and vouchers in the City. The Authority also has initiated the Home Choice Program which puts publicly held units into private homeowner hands. There have been 90 units completed to date in this program.
Altoona is faced with most of the transportation and infrastructure problems that many older urban areas face. Some highlights of these needs are
Since most of the parts of the City that are low- and moderate-income are also older neighborhoods, CDBG funds can be used to repair aging infrastructure.
Also, every neighborhood at which hearings were held, stated a need for additional public safety and a greater police presence. Social services are a recognized area of need, especially the need to couple services such as daycare, job training, and counseling with housing and homeless programs. Job creation activities are cited quite often in hearings as another area of pronounced need. The need, according to those attending hearings, was for public resources to help create better-than-minimum-wage jobs.
It is necessary to focus resources, where possible, to achieve meaningful impact. These impacts must relate to the initial goal--the preservation and improvement of Altoona's physical and human resources.
Altoona's goal for the period of the Consolidated Plan, 1995-1999 is to produce 125 rental units of housing occupied by small families of extremely low income. Secondarily, the goal is to provide 285 units of owner occupied housing by converting substandard housing into low-income homeowner units and rehabilitating low income and extremely low income households.
Altoona should work through existing agencies to target funds to populations in great need, especially victims of domestic violence and the mentally ill. ESG program funds should support and enhance efforts receiving primary funding elsewhere.
Economic Development. Because of the high relative rate of unemployment in the City, job creation activities are especially needed. Programs such as that of Altoona Enterprises, both encourage investment and create jobs. Thus far, this organization has achieved private capital leveraging of over $2 for each $1 of loans. Job creation is one job for each $6,700, or better than twice state standards. New opportunities must also be pursued. Close coordination with the area's Heritage Park program is a must. There already are plans to invest millions in Altoona's tourism potential under that program. Such revitalization is essential.
Public Safety. The ongoing "Stop and Talk" program by the Altoona Policy Department is a modest, but critical effort to foster community policing practices. Community policing is popular with the citizens within its service areas and rightfully so. Often these police are the first counselors. On the average they respond to four domestic violence calls a week and handle five displaced families a month. It is not unusual for police to even provide transport for families to appropriate agencies. This effort deserves continuing and, perhaps, increasing support. A new fire pumper truck is also a priority for the public safety area to serve the CDBG eligible area of the city.
Human Services. The Office of Human Services recommended funding for eight separate activities for fiscal years 1995 and 1996. These activities include day care, recreation, intervention, mental health, wellness/health screening, and senior services.
Recreation. The City has $630,000 in physical needs for its nine-park inventory. The highest priority is Prospect Park. Some funding for that facility has been secured, but special concerns for the handicapped need to be addressed via CDBG funds.
Transportation. Many low and moderate income areas of the City do not receive needed transport. The need for expanded transit services and to continue existing services to low income areas are priorities. Beyond transit requirements. much of the City's surface transportation network is in woeful condition and at least $2.8 million in such needs have been identified by the City for CDBG eligible areas.
Infrastructure. In these days of limited municipal budgets, inadequate or insufficient infrastructure represents costs that often cannot be met. The city has needed court approval to exceed state-mandated tax rate limits to meet basic needs. Infrastructure items such sa water, sewer streets, and lighting are supports needed for many other community improvement and housing initiatives. The City of Altoona has a short term need for $1,165,000 for a variety of projects in low income areas.
Other. Historic preservation, planning and other areas are also priority needs that support and enhance revitalization efforts.
Poverty affects almost all sectors of the city. Through the Consolidated Plan, the City will attempt to integrate an ambitious strategy to enhance investments, create jobs, and ultimately reduce the number of impoverished local residents. This must be done by activities which encourage private sector investment in facilities and people.
The first objective of the anti-poverty strategy is to reduce or eliminate impediments to low income persons attaining self-sufficiency. Female headed households need day care to join the work force. They need the means to travel to job locations and they need job training to qualify for higher wage jobs.
The second major objective is to increase job opportunities through economic development activities. The City will implement this objective by providing a local business climate that encourages private-sector reinvestment. It will also actively support other entities whose primary mission is economic development. Altoona will continue its active participation in the Pennsylvania Enterprise Zone Program and work to assist the business community in leveraging public funds and providing access to state business assistance programs, considered among the best in the nation.
One purpose of the Consolidated Plan is to identify the projects proposed for the 1995 program year. The following is a listing of projects that will be funded through HUD community development programs (CDBG, ESG, HOME). These projects were selected from 67 candidate projects. The selection of projects responds to needs expressed in Section III of this plan, and express the specific objectives outlined in the Housing and Community Development Strategic Plan.
Total funding for the City of Altoona from the CDBG, ESG, and HOME programs for fiscal year 1995 will be $3,717,000, including $450,000 in program income generated by prior year CDBG projects (such as loan repayments). The projects are as follows:
Project Name Program Funding Family and Children Services ESG 24,285 Skills, Inc. ESG 9,785 Emergency Shelter Project (YWCA) ESG 20,000 Blair Senior Services ESG 16,200 Home Nursing Agency ESG 21,880 City of Altoona ESG 4,850 Handicapped Ramps CDBG 116,791 City Hall Handicapped Access CDBG 30,000 Comprehensive Plan Update CDBG 201,347 Planning Department CDBG 151,111 Fire Station Design CDBG 75,298 Fire Equipment CDBG 250,000 Single Family Rehabilitation CDBG 400,000 Rental Rehabilitation HOME 100,000 Administrative Costs CDBG 249,942 Central Blair Recreation CDBG 12,400 Human Relations Commission CDBG 5,000 Home Nursing Agency Wellness Centers CDBG 20,000 IDA Housing Rehabilitation HOME 68,700 AMTRAN to Wright, Garfield, Curtin Areas CDBG 70,000 Green-Chestnut Renewal Project CDBG 170,000 Keystone Urban Renewal CDBG 12,389 Act 94 Program CDBG 340,000 Altoona Enterprises CDBG 300,000 Prospect Park CDBG 23,209 Evergreen Manor CDBG 16,200 Street Lighting and Signage CDBG 15,000 Stop and Talk Community Policing CDBG 125,000 Altoona Community Resource Board CDBG 25,000 Keystone Urban Renewal CDBG 185,000 Homeownership Program HOME 289,300 Altoona Public Library CDBG 17,713 Sixth and Kettle Curb and Sidewalk CDBG 133,000 Mishler Theater CDBG 50,000 Southwest Sector Urban Renewal CDBG 162,000 Blair Senior Services CDBG 6,800 Total $ 3,717,200
MAP 1 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 5 depicts Neighborhood Segments and proposed HUD funded projects.
Linda Sommer, Planner III
City of Altoona
Planning and Community Development
(814) 949-2470
