The township of Haverford is a suburban community in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, 10 miles northwest of center city Philadelphia. Haverford is part of a 40,000-acre tract of gently rolling uplands granted to Welsh settlers by William Penn in 1682. The township's population, as of the 1990 census, was 49,848. Haverford is a diverse family community with a mix of upper and lower income residents, primarily a residential suburb, with an aging housing stock and an aging population, but with a strong economy.
This consolidated plan describes housing and community development needs and priorities, and establishes a comprehensive 5-year strategy for addressing these needs using Federal and other resources. For the first year of the plan, the township of Haverford is requesting $1,189,000 in Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. This money, together with State and local funding, will be used to finance the 30 community development activities planned for fiscal year 1995-1996.
In preparing the plan, the township followed a detailed citizen participation plan.
Location has strongly influenced Haverford's development into the community it is today. Just 10 miles from Philadelphia, the city is served by two rail lines and bus service. It is near major highways including both the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) and Interstate 95, the major axis of the Northeast Corridor. Township residents can commute easily to downtown Philadelphia, or quickly to the many business and employment centers in neighboring towns and the metropolitan region. The Blue Route, a major highway opened in 1991 and connecting I-76 and I-95, allows quicker and more direct access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and to the Delaware River bridges crossing to the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia.
Haverford is still frequently stereotyped as a wealthy "Main Line" town. Main Line, to Philadelphians, means a string of desirable commuter suburbs, developed along the Pennsylvania Railroad main line west of Philadelphia from about World War I until the 1930s. Other Main Line towns include Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Berwyn, and Paoli. The title "Main Line" remains accurate geographically but, economically, Haverford has a diverse population, with residents at both ends of the income spectrum. There are residents earning six-figure incomes, and fixed-income elderly living on $10,000 a year or less. There are also numbers of younger college-age residents, students at Haverford College, and at nearby Bryn Mawr College, Rosemont College, Villanova University, and Harcum Junior College.
Median family income (MFI) for the Philadelphia metropolitan area, according to the 1990 census, was $41,959. For Haverford Township, the 1990 MFI was $54,458, well above the national MFI of $36,812.
Of the 17,855 households in Haverford, 32 percent have annual incomes of $33,567 or below. These households, with 80 percent or less of the area median income, are low- to moderate-income by definition. Analysis of 1990 census data indicates the following levels of low- and moderate-income households:
The population of Haverford in 1990 was 49,848; down almost 5 percent from the 52,349 found during the 1980 census. This was not the result of people moving from the township, but rather a trend towards smaller households and a lower birth rate. Area population increased by 95 percent during the post-World War II baby boom era (between 1940 and 1960), with an exodus of people leaving Philadelphia and moving to the suburbs. The population stabilized in 1960 and today the township is almost totally developed, with 60 percent of its land used for residential purposes.
Non-Hispanic blacks are the largest racial minority, numbering 1,011 (1990 census), or 2 percent of the Haverford population. The 871 Asians and Pacific Islanders equal 1.7 percent of the population. Hispanics, with 335 counted, represent 0.7 percent. The census counted only 24 Native Americans in 1990. Every racial group except for Asians and Pacific Islanders decreased in population between 1980 and 1990.
In 1990 the number of persons over age 65 increased to 8,737, up by 17 percent from 7,488 in 1980. This maintains a trend of aging residents continuing to live in the community.
Haverford Township is an older community with an aging housing stock, a shortage of affordable housing, and a community infrastructure in need of rehabilitation and improvement.
There is a need to assist cost-burdened lower income renters and homeowners. A household is considered cost-burdened when it spends more than 30 percent of its income for housing including utilities. A household is extremely cost-burdened when it spends more than 50 percent of income for housing expenses.
The housing market in Haverford can generally be described as a desirable market, but with costs above average for the Philadelphia Metropolitan Statistical Area. A continued low vacancy rate, though, shows constant demand for housing.
Of Haverford's 6,368 acres, 3,991 acres, or 63 percent, of the total are residential lands. Ninety percent of the residential lots are low- or medium-density. Low-density means a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet; medium-density equals 5,500 to 20,000 square feet and is the most common residential use.
The township's housing consists of 15,823 single-units (12,582 detached, 3,241 attached), and 2,276 units in structures containing from 2 to 50 or-more units. Fully 96 percent of all housing was constructed before 1980. In 1990, 86 percent (15,174 units) of the community's non vacant housing was owner-occupied, with 14 percent (2,553 units) renter-occupied. The vacancy rate for 1990 was a low 2.7 percent.
Median rent in Haverford was $549 in 1990. This represents a 105-percent increase from the median rent of 1980. However, median family income had risen proportionally, by 108 percent from 1980 to 1990. There is a shortage of rental units available for lower-income, even median-income households. Available rental housing represents mostly higher priced rentals.
The median value of owner-occupied housing in the township is $148,700, 31 percent higher than the average for Delaware County. Median price of the 12 new units sold in 1992 was $373,500, while the median price of 634 resales was $143,000.
Only 13 of the community's housing units were reported as substandard (meaning the housing lacked a "complete" kitchen or "complete" plumbing) by the 1990 census. A kitchen is not considered complete unless it contains a working sink, stove, and refrigerator. Complete plumbing facilities means piped hot and cold water, a flush toilet, and either a bathtub or shower. All the substandard units were occupied by white households and considered feasible for rehabilitation.
Assisted housing in Haverford consists of 10 households receiving Section 8 rental assistance, and those homes which have already been brought up to code by the township's housing rehabilitation program. The Delaware County Housing Authority's waiting list shows there is demand for Section 8 certificates and vouchers in Haverford.
There are no known sheltered or unsheltered homeless persons living in Haverford; this was verified by homeless advocates and shelter providers in Delaware County and by the township police department. There is a need to provide supportive services for persons threatened with becoming homeless, to prevent their slip into homelessness. Such persons include victims of domestic violence, those living with family or friends, very low-income families paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing expenses, low-income owners living in substandard housing, and persons with severe drug or alcohol problems.
The two main barriers to affordable housing in the township are the lack of land left for development and the high cost of new housing. Both ownership and rental housing in Haverford is generally expensive, too expensive for those earning only 50 or 80 percent of the area median income. For example the average cost of a single-family house, including existing units, was $148,700, affordable only by families earning at least 96 percent of MFI.
Discriminatory practices are adjudicated through the court system under the requirements of Fair Housing laws.
The use of lead-based paint (LBP) was banned in 1978. HUD states, though, that over three-quarters of the homes built before 1978 contain LBP. Of Haverford's 18,217 housing units, 17,298 were built before 1978. Thus there is a strong possibility that at least 71 percent of the township's total housing stock contains some LBP. All of the 919 housing units built between 1979 and 1990 were on vacant land in the northwestern part of the township; there are no lower income areas in that part of Haverford. Thus the assumption follows that all low- to moderate-income households live in pre-1978 construction, with the possibility of LBP presence in most of this housing. The township's Health Department indicates that there have been no cases of lead-paint poisoning reported to them. (Physicians are required to report such cases.)
For persons with mental disabilities, affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments, near public transportation and handicapped accessible, are needed. For persons with physical disabilities, providers need more information on affordable accessible and Section 8 assisted housing to help clients find housing.
Persons with alcohol or drug addictions need a variety of types of housing and support services, including:
Haverford's nonhousing community development needs relate to the age of the city and the necessity to rehabilitate its infrastructure such as streets, sewers, and parks.
Excellent coordination already exists between Haverford Township and the State, in particular the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Department of Community Affairs. The same is true with respect to Delaware County with coordination on housing and community development through direct interaction with the County's Planning Department, Redevelopment Authority, and Housing Authority. For social services, coordination of providers takes place at the county level.
Haverford coordinates directly with adjacent municipalities, except Philadelphia, on a regular basis on a variety of issues. Coordination with Philadelphia is on an as-needed basis and often relates to regional issues.
The primary objective of the community development program within Haverford Township is to develop viable urban communities including decent housing and a suitable living environment, and to expand economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.
Haverford's objectives include:
The first priority for housing is to maintain the existing owner-occupied housing stock. About 85 percent of the housing stock in Haverford is owner-occupied. Maintaining their properties in good condition is often a problem for very low- and low-income homeowners who find it difficult to both pay for necessary maintenance and stay current on mortgage payments. There are currently 80 families on the waiting list for assistance through the township's housing rehabilitation program.
The second priority is to increase the inventory of safe, affordable rental housing and to provide rental assistance to lower the housing cost burden for very low- and low-income renters. There are only 130 occupied rental units affordable to persons with incomes of less than 30 percent of the area median income, and only 462 occupied units affordable by households with income of 50 percent or less of the median.
Addressing Haverford Township's priority community development needs will cost an estimated $5,340,027 over the 5 years of the Consolidated Plan. By category, the priorities are:
There are an estimated 1,550 Haverford residents who are below the poverty level. Of these 25 percent are elderly, 16 percent are children. The township's policy for residents below the poverty level is to help them obtain assistance to decrease their housing burden. There are a variety of educational, job training, and self-sufficiency resources available at the Delaware County level, as are other social service programs to assist lower income individuals and households.
Resources available to the township of Haverford for housing and community development activities include:
Projects are reviewed by township contract staff prior to approval to assure they are eligible, fundable, and have environmental clearance. All Federal guidelines are followed regarding recordkeeping, sound financial management systems, reports, notifications to public notices, antidisplacement, and labor standards. For housing rehabilitation projects, the staff assures eligibility by checking property title and income information. Title searches are performed and tax delinquencies checked.
For Fiscal Year 1995-1996, Haverford Township proposes to use its $1,189,000 CDBG funding for 30 community development projects. The allocations include:
For housing rehabilitation efforts, benefits will accrue to the household residents and to their neighbors. For street improvement work, there are both neighborhoodwide and citywide benefits.
For activities funded with CDBG entitlement funds, the Haverford Township Board of Commissioners will direct, approve, or disapprove any housing or community development activities or strategies in Haverford. The board will work closely with the township manager in planning, budgeting, and administering these programs. The manager will, in turn, work with township departments, with Delaware County, State, and Federal agencies, and with participating contractors to complete all planned housing and community improvement projects.
The 2 housing rehabilitation allocations for fiscal year 1995 will benefit an estimated 30 families.
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.
MAP 6 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within another of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point; in addition, a table provides information about the project(s).
