The Bucks County Consortium 1995 Consolidated Plan constitutes a strategic vision for housing and community development within the county. The Consortium includes Ben Salem Township and the balance of the County's municipalities, with the exception of Bristol Township, who will prepare its own Consolidated Plan. This document summarized the plan so that citizens in the county can have a quick overview of the county's housing and community development problems; the 5-year broad goals, strategies, and actions proposed to deal with those problems; and specific projects for carrying out this strategy.
The Consolidated Plan also includes an action plan constituting an application for funds under three different HUD formula programs for a total of $3.9 million : Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program - $2.8 million, HOME Investments Partnership Program - $978 thousand, and Emergency Shelter Grant Program - $99 thousand.
The Consolidated Plan was prepared by the Bucks County Office of Community
Development working closely with other public and private agencies. Information
for the Plan was obtained from surveys sent to homeless service providers and
shelters, and 42 housing and social service agencies operating in the county.
Two public hearings were held and copies of the Plan were made available through
the Office of Community Development.
Bucks County is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The County
lies northeast of the city along the Delaware River. Bucks County is one of the
fastest growing counties in Pennsylvania, gaining some 62,000 persons between
1980 and 1990. The county consists of three district areas, lower, central, and
upper Bucks which is generally characterized as urban, suburban and rural.
In 1993, the median sales price of a home was $132,000; however, the county's median household income of $44,080 was $5,137 less to support this house. As a result, first time homebuyers with available cash find it difficult to afford a home. The 1994 Bucks County Apartment Survey reports that the average rents for unsubsidized tow and three bedroom apartments were $715 and $887, respectively. These rents ranged between 37 and 46 percent of the monthly income for very low income households. In addition, these rents exceed the existing Fair Market Rents for the County, $697 for a two bedroom unit and $872 for a three bedroom unit.
Bucks County has the largest population gain of any county in the state since 1950, an increase from 144,620 in 1950 to 541,174 in 1990. This population growth is the driving force behind the high prices and rents. Between 1989 and 1990, households with one or two persons increased by 24,700, while households with three or more persons increased by 9,100. At this time, the bulk of the new housing units constructed are large single family detached homes on large lots. Not enough multi-family rental apartments or condominiums or small starter homes are being built. In addition, eleven boroughs have had population losses and have not encouraged new multi-family development or redevelopment in fill.
Between 1980 and 1990 there was an increase of 33,954 housing, a 23 percent increase. However, the number of households increased by 24 percent resulting in a decrease in the vacancy rate from 5.1 to 4.8 percent. Owner occupied units increased by 27 percent. In 1990, there were only 1,218 units valued at less than $50,000 and 91,470 valued at more than $100,000. Renter occupied units increased during this period by 5,421 units or 15 percent. Median rents went from $252 to $524, an increase of 108 percent. The demand for housing stemmed from high population in-migration has fueled price and rent increases higher than the general inflation rate. An increase in the supply of affordable housing is needed.
Bucks County currently has five short-term shelters and an additional 56 transitional housing units for the homeless. These shelters range in size from a dormitory style building having a capacity of 75 beds to apartment units serving homeless families.
The Bucks County Housing Authority has 1,202 units and 1,850 Section 8 Certificates or Vouchers to provide monthly rent subsidies to people in private housing.A total of 2,482 on the Housing Authority waiting list is the current unmet need for low income households.
In the next several years, the Bucks County Health Department plans to
develop and implement a program to screen young children for elevated levels of
lead in the blood.
Bucks County's primary strategy is to increase the supply of standard, affordable housing units, both sales and rental, through new construction and the rehabilitation of existing vacant residential or non-residential structures.
The fundamental recommendation of this Plan is that public funds for housing should be directed primarily to activities that will increase the housing stock. Other types of activities, such as subsidizing the rents for families in existing apartments and owner occupied rehabilitation, should receive a lower priority. In addition, homeownship programs will focus on low and very low income existing homeowners, and low income first time homebuyers. Moderate rehabilitation programs would allow low and very low income households to remain in their homes, while new construction and homebuyer assistance programs would enable low income renter households to purchase their first homes. Lastly, the supply of existing short term shelters is adequate to handle the current homeless population. However, there is a need for additional funding for operating costs for these shelters and for counselling and other supportive services. The need also exists for additional transitional shelter units to assist families that need more time (from three months to a year) to reestablish their economic self-sufficiency.
Eight municipalities reported non-housing community development needs totalling approximately $99 million. These municipalities represent 21 percent of the County's population and if this figure were expanded to cover the County's total population the need would amount to approximately $472 million. Nearly 70 percent or $70 million of the stated need fell under the category of infrastructure improvement: sewer, drain, street, water, and sidewalk improvements. The next highest category was public facilities at 12 percent or $12 million. These include child care centers, youth and senior centers, health facilities, and recreation facilities. The third category, 5 percent or $5 million, incorporated public service needs which address the non-homeless special needs of the elderly, the handicapped and persons suffering from substance abuse.
Resources for these activities will come from three HUD programs: CDBG,
HOME,and Emergency Shelter Grant. In addition, supplemental funding will be
requested from the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs Housing and
Renewal Program and from local programs such as the Housing Trust Fund, the
Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, and the First Time Homebuyer Program.
The county has a list of 59 projects distributed throughout Bucks county for use of federal CDBG funds. Priorities will focus on new construction or substantial rehabilitation for very low and other low income persons, the use of Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers for families and elderly persons, and the use of other funding programs for stated housing objectives. In addition funds will be used for homeless social programs.
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 for South Bucks County; in addition: a table provides information about the project(s).
MAP 6 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects for North Bucks County, as described in the table under MAP 5.
