Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is the population center of the Johnstown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The city is located between Pittsburgh and Altoona, in Cambria County. Johnstown originally served as a trade center situated at the confluence of the Stonycreek and Little Conemaugh rivers. Over the years, Johnstown evolved into an industrial center.
The city anticipates receiving $3.1 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $361,128 in HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds, and $61,000 in Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds for the first program year of the Consolidated Plan. Some of the key projects include a variety of homeownership and rehabilitation activities.
Citizen input played a key part in the development of a strategic plan and vision statement for the city. In April, May, and June 1994, the city conducted a series of planning meetings with local neighborhood citizens and public service agencies. The city also brought together other governmental agencies, businesses, industry, non-profit organizations, elected officials, education entities, and the community at large to offer insight and input on the goals and actions of the strategic plan.
Copies of the Consolidated Plan were distributed to various public locations
and sent to the Johnstown Housing Authority and others for their comments. A
summary of the plan was published on October 11, 1994, in the local newspaper to
alert interested people as to the availability of the plan. The public review
period was from October 11 to November 11, 1994. During the review period, the
city held two public hearings, on October 19 and November 19, 1994.
In 1990 Johnstown's population was 28,134 persons, 4,445 of whom were minorities. Of the racial or ethnic minorities in the city, almost 96 percent were African American, and about 1.5 percent were Hispanic. Johnstown's population declined 48 percent between 1960 and 1990. In 1990, 23 percent of the population was over age 65.
The city's median family income (MFI) of $20,144 in 1990 was 6 percent less
than the county MFI of $21,462 and 30 percent less than the State MFI of
$29,069. Of the city's 12,536 households in 1990, there were 5,041 very
low-income (0-50 percent of MFI) households and 2,511 low-income (51-80 percent
of MFI) households. In total, 60 percent of Johnstown households have incomes at
or below 80 percent of MFI.
The decline of the steel industry has forced residents to move to areas where other employment opportunities were available. Johnstown has experienced economic decline, decreasing population, high poverty, and decreasing property values in recent years. All of these factors have hindered the city's ability to provide adequate levels of public services to local residents. As a result of financial difficulties, the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs recently declared the city a distressed community. However, the implementation of a recovery plan is ongoing and is expected to have a positive impact on the city and its residents.
In 1990, 34 percent of very low-income households, including 1,551 renter and 193 homeowner households, reported housing problems. Housing problems are defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to be overcrowding, payment of at least 30 percent of household income for housing, or physical deficiency of the unit (i.e., incomplete kitchen or plumbing).
In Johnstown's very low-income households, the primary needs are for subsidized rental housing and assistance with weatherization and home maintenance. Low-income households have similar needs, but they are not eligible for federally subsidized housing. A wider range of housing options, such as single-room occupancy units and shared housing, is needed for low-income renters. Budget counseling and maintenance training would be helpful for low-income homeowners.
In 1990 the city had a year-round housing stock of 14,677 units. According to officials the city issued few new housing construction permits between 1980 and 1990. In fact, no new residential units were constructed between 1990 and 1994.
About 40 percent of the city's housing stock is owner occupied, and 45 percent is renter occupied. The remaining 15 percent is vacant. In all census tracts, local real estate professionals consider the median housing values estimated by the 1990 census to be higher than current values. The monthly contract rent for Johnstown residents was $169 in 1990. There were more rental-occupied units than owner-occupied units that were vacant and affordable to households with incomes below 80 percent of MFI.
Among households with incomes below 30 percent of MFI (the majority of very low-income households), about half of elderly renters, 59 percent of small-family renters, three-quarters of large-family renters, and 59 percent of other rental households spent at least 30 percent of their income on housing. Eighty percent of homeowners in the same income group had a 30-percent housing cost burden also.
Renters represented slightly over half of all low-income households in 1990, and 17 percent of those households paid at least 30 percent of their income for housing expenses. Among low-income homeowners, 29 percent had a 30-percent housing cost burden.
The Salvation Army in Johnstown manages one of the three homeless shelters in Cambria County. People with families are permitted to stay at the shelter for 30 consecutive days. Although the homeless problem in the city is not clearly evident, the shelter is often used. In its first year of operation in 1989, the shelter, which has a capacity of 24 people, housed more than 1,550 county residents and 93 transients.
Women seeking refuge from domestic violence can find shelter at the Women's Help Center, which houses about 15 persons per month. Typically, in 1 month the shelter houses 5 adults and 10 children. The center has experienced a steady increase in the number of clients. The shelter offers a variety of services, such as drug and alcohol abuse counseling, sexual abuse counseling, meals, storage, shower facilities, clothing, education and training, life skills training, and child care.
The Western Pennsylvania Veterans Development Center recently opened a homeless shelter focusing on serving the needs of homeless veterans, including provision of shelter, a cafeteria, and training.
The Johnstown Housing Authority has 1,725 public housing units (12 percent of the city housing stock) available to low-income residents. There are 300 people on the waiting list for public housing. City officials anticipate that no public-assisted housing units will be lost due to demolition or homeownership programs.
In addition to public housing, the Johnstown Housing Authority provides rental assistance to 481 families. The housing agency has a waiting list of 306 families for rental assistance, of which 18 are considered disabled. No units are expected to be lost as a result of prepayment or voluntary termination of a federally assisted mortgage.
There is also a significant number of subsidized rental units in the area that were financed through other Federal and State housing programs. Most of these facilities have waiting lists and few vacancies.
Public policies and actions affecting the approval of sites, as well as other building requirements used in the approval process for constructing or rehabilitating housing, can affect housing choice. Such policies may include, but are not limited to, zoning and building codes and any referendum process that may be required for governmental approval. However, the city's zoning ordinance, its tax policies, and any fees and charges do not pose a particular burden to the availability of affordable housing.
The city's Fair Housing Analysis (prepared in 1991) developed specific actions to further housing and to address issues affecting affordable housing. During the past several years, the city has attempted to implement the following actions:
Johnstown's housing stock can generally be classified as old, considering that 62 percent of the units were built before 1940. Because of the city's age, the probability of finding lead-based paint in the housing units is high.
For each housing rehabilitation program, the PA Department of Health presently evaluates the presence of hazardous lead-based paint, and the City provides households with printed warnings alerting the residents of the potential presence of lead-based paint hazards.
Johnstown will work with local health, housing, environment, and social services agencies to develop effective solutions to the health and housing problems resulting from lead-based paint hazards. The city will also integrate lead hazard evaluation and reduction activities into existing housing programs. It will also promote comprehensive public health programs, provide public information and education on the dangers of lead poisoning, and provide advice on home maintenance, nutrition, and ways to reduce a child's exposure to lead hazards.
The following populations in Johnstown have special housing needs:
The city held public hearings that provided valuable insight into the needs of the community.
Business and economic development needs that must be addressed include:
Public facilities, services, and community development needs that must be addressed include:
The priorities identified include those that are to be considered during the 5-year period of the Consolidated Plan. Although not all of these priorities will be addressed in the 1995 Annual Plan, the city will make all efforts to fund and address all of these priorities some time during those 5 years. The city's housing priorities are to:
Some of the community development priorities are:
The resources and opportunities that the city has for reducing the number of families with incomes below the poverty line are limited. Since poverty is a function of income, its effect on housing opportunity and choice is apparent. Conversely, without adequate, stable housing, alleviating poverty is more difficult.
Direct efforts to alleviate poverty that combine case management, social services job training, and housing assistance have yet to occur. The Single Point of Contact program requires the Department of Welfare to coordinate benefits to recipients with job placement programs through the Private Industry Council, but housing considerations were not included in this program. The city will encourage the local program coordinators to confer with each other, the State, and HUD on poverty strategies.
In addition to the CDBG, HOME, and ESG funds to be received, the city also has potential access to other Federal funding sources, such as: HOPE 1 and HOPE 2, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, Shelter Plus Care, and Section 202 Housing for the Elderly. Through the State, the following programs are available: Closing Cost Assistance Program, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency Homestart Program, and the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The city will act as a clearinghouse and facilitator for many of the activities described in the Consolidated Plan. The Johnstown Housing Authority administers public housing and Section 8 Rental Assistance Programs, and the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority is responsible for improving community development.
Non-profits also play an important role in the implementation of this plan.
Through the construction of new housing and the rehabilitation of existing
units, non-profit developers access a variety of financing sources. Several
lending institutions cooperate with the city to provide first mortgage financing
for first-time homebuyers that participate in the city's program to rehabilitate
units that are substandard. The city formed a task force in 1994 to address
housing concerns in the city. This task force will serve as an advisory board to
the city on housing issues related to the Consolidated Plan.
During the first year of the Consolidated Plan, Johnstown will use funds for the following key projects:
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).
Richard Truscello Director, Department of Community and Economic Development Room 104, City Hall Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15901 Phone: 814-533-2017
