CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

The City of Williamsport, through the Office of Economic & Community Development, has prepared a Consolidated Plan (CP) in order to strategically implement Federal programs which fund housing, community and economic development activities within the City. Through a collaborative planning process involving a broad spectrum of public and private agencies, the City has developed a single, consolidated planning and application document to encompass the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program.

Previously, the City was required to prepare individual plans, applications and performance reports for each of these Federal programs. Beginning in fiscal year 1995, Williamsport will submit a single document, as required, to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which will replace the many individual documents previously submitted.

The Consolidated Plan will serve the following functions for the City:

• A planning document for the City, which builds on a participatory process at the lowest levels of the community;
• An application for Federal funds under HUD's formula grant programs;
• A strategy to be followed in carrying out HUD programs; and
• An action plan that provides a basis for assessing performance.

The CP reflects the City's plan for the expenditure of CDBG and HOME funding as well as other Federal, State and local funds received by the City, the local public housing authorities, nonprofit organizations and social service agencies.

The overall goals of the housing and community development and planning programs covered by the CP are to strengthen partnerships with other jurisdictions and to extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including for-profit and nonprofit organizations, to enable them to provide decent housing, establish and maintain a suitable living environment, and expand economic opportunities for every resident, particularly for low and very low income persons. The CP has required the City of Williamsport to state in a single document its plan to pursue these goals for all the housing, community development and planning programs. It is these goals against which the CP and the City's performance under the CP will be evaluated by HUD.

The information contained within the City's CP is divided into nine sections. Part I provides basic introductory information about the CP, how it was developed, and why it was necessary for the City to prepare a CP.

Part II includes a general demographic profile of the residents of Williamsport, with emphasis placed on areas of concentrations of minority persons and low income persons. Part III contains a similar general description of the housing market in Williamsport, and includes data on the public and assisted housing stock as well as an inventory of homeless facilities and services in the City.

Part IV of the CP provides discussions on other factors which may affect the affordability of housing in Williamsport, including such things as the zoning ordinance, local tax policies and local building code standards.

Part V provides an analysis of the total data and a summary of identified needs. The three major areas of need center on housing, homeless and other community needs, which includes public infrastructure, public facilities and economic development.

In Part VI, the City has prioritized its needs, established general and specific objectives that will assist in achieving the goals of affordable housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities for all residents, particularly for low and very low income persons. The needs, objectives and strategies are provided for housing, homeless, and other community needs. In addition, the City has also set forth its strategy to address other issues that impact affordable housing in the Williamsport area. These include barriers to affordable housing, public housing resident initiatives, lead-based paint hazards, and an anti-poverty strategy among others.

Part VII includes the City's Action Plan for fiscal year 1995, beginning on January 1, 1995. Within this section, the City has described the activities to be undertaken in 1995 with Federal, State and local funding resources that are anticipated to be made available to the City. The two major sources of funding will be the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Programs.

Part VIII contains the Federal certifications with which the City is required to comply in order to continue receiving Federal funds. Part IX includes the City's policy for monitoring its progress on achieving the goals and objectives set forth within the CP.

III. Summary of Housing, Homeless and Other Community Needs

Affordable opportunities for first-time and other prospective homebuyers

Continued rehabilitation of the owner and rental housing stock, particularly within the low and moderate income census tracts

Additional subsidies for rental housing to assist very low and low income households

Continued emergency shelter and supportive services provided by social and nonprofit organizations

Continued transitional housing with supportive services provided by social and nonprofit organizations to assist homeless persons and families to make the transition to permanent housing and self-sufficiency

1. Greater emphasis on investigation and crime scene processing
2. Joint efforts with the City police and school district officials to address concerns about violence in the schools
3. Acquisition of one 4-wheel drive vehicle and a paddy wagon
4. Expansion of hours and geographic coverage of the Community Policing Program, particularly within the Kennedy-King public housing residential community
5. A foot patrol officer placed on regular duty within the Downtown area from 12 noon to 8 pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays
6. Identification and "blocking" of public telephones that are known to be used in illegal drug activity
7. Joint City-County efforts to provide Countywide hazardous material response services
8. Acquisition of additional heavy duty fire rescue equipment, hazardous material equipment, a second aerial ladder truck and additional equipment for fire investigations, and
9. Ensuring adequate "fire flow" from water lines for fire fighting purposes.

Continue to expand the successful curb-side recycling program, and recycling drop-off and waste transfer station.

1. Development of a new West End park
2. Development of a new, multi-use recreation facility and ice skating rink, and
3. Extension of bike pathways throughout the City.

1. Development of the new Downtown Transit Center
2. Opening the Pine Street Pedestrian Mall
3. Constructing a connector road from West Reach Road to West Fourth Street
4. Construction of a new parking deck in the Downtown.

IV. Summary of Priority Objectives and Strategies for 1995-1999

The priority needs assessment is based on data made available from the U. S. Census; consultations with local social service agencies regarding the housing needs of children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, homeless persons and other persons served by such agencies; the Office of Economic and Community Development; and, the citizen participation process engaged for the CDBG and HOME Programs and the Comprehensive Plan Update.

Based on an analysis of the information collected, the following priority housing objectives were established by the City.

Increased homeownership opportunities for households with incomes between 51% and 80% of the area median

Expanded moderate housing rehabilitation programs for homeowners with incomes up to 80% of the area median

Expanded moderate housing rehabilitation programs for rental property owners who agree to lease their units to households with incomes up to 80% of the area median

Additional rent subsidies for households with incomes below 50% of median

Increased opportunities for nonprofit organizations and for-profit developers to construct new housing for the "working poor" households with incomes below 80% of the area median.

Based on an analysis of existing conditions and current levels of service delivery to homeless persons and families in Williamsport, the following priority homeless objectives were established by the City. The City, either through the programs and policies that it implements or through another entity (such as nonprofit organizations, social service agencies, etc.), will work toward achieving these objectives.

Support homeless prevention programs

Support the provision of emergency shelter and transitional housing through local nonprofit organizations and social service agencies

Support local nonprofit organizations and social service agencies to assist homeless persons and families making the transition to permanent housing and independent living.

In addition to identifying the needs for housing and homeless assistance in the City, non-housing community development objectives were established. These objectives will involve primarily activities that are eligible for assistance under HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.

Storm Water Drainage

1. Major north-south drainage channel from Reichard Run through the rail yards to the Susquehanna River
2. Improved management of storm water run-off from low-lying areas
3. Storm sewer improvements in the Fox Hollow-Reighard Run area within the Reach Road Industrial Park and along Trenton Avenue
4. Continued improvements to reduce storm water infiltration into the sanitary sewer system

Flood Control

1. Continued improvements and upgrading to the Arch Street Pump Station
2. Improvements/Construction of Ravine Road water shed

Transportation and Parking

1. Connection of Reach Road to the Wahoo Industrial Park and West Fourth Street
2. Construction of parking garage in CBD
3. Construction of Downtown Transit Center
4. Re-open Pine Street Mall to vehicular traffic
5. Replacement of buses and other transit vehicles
6. Extension of bikeway towards Susquehanna State Park

Sewer Improvements

1. Sewer extension in Bowman Field

Community Facilities

1. Expanded Community Policing Program
2. Additional heavy-duty fire rescue equipment
3. Acquisition of hazardous material equipment
4. Acquisition of a second aerial ladder truck and additional fire investigating equipment
5. Fire station renovations
6. Emergency management communication equipment

Public Facilities

1. New multi-use recreation/exhibition building
2. New West End community park
3. Continued upgrading of park and playground equipment

Economic Development

1. Promotion of the Downtown
2. Retention and expansion of existing businesses
3. Rehabilitation/renovation of existing buildings for new businesses
4. Support to encourage small business development
5. Re-use of vacant Downtown buildings.

V. Activities to be Undertaken in 1995

The City of Williamsport anticipates that it will receive a CDBG entitlement grant in the amount of $1,718,040 and it anticipates that it will also receive approximately $600,000 in program income from housing rehabilitation loan repayments. The City also anticipates receiving a HOME entitlement grant in the amount of $500,000. Therefore, the City anticipates having a total of $2,818,040 available for housing and community development activities in fiscal year 1995.

The City of Williamsport proposes the following activities as part of its fiscal year 1995 CDBG and HOME Programs:

A. Public Facilities and Improvements $905,500

1. Park Improvements - tennis court renovations $12,000

a. Memorial Park

b. Flanigan Park

c. Shaw Place Park

2. Park Improvements - renovations & upgrading$40,000

a. Newberry Park

3. Street Reconstruction & Resurfacing $300,000

a. Grier St. - W. 4th to Chester

b. Park Av. - Campbell to Walnut

c. Walnut St. - Park Av. to Rural Av.

4. Traffic Signal Upgrade $30,000

a. Via Bella at Mulberry, Court & William Sts.

b. William at W. 4th & W. 3rd Sts.

5. Storm Sewer Improvements $60,000

a. Arch St., south of W. 4th St.

b. Elmira St. at W. 3rd St.

6. Flood Protection $120,000

a. Arch Street Pump Station renovations

7. Fire Station renovations $100,000

a. Fire Station #1

b. Lycoming St. & Walnut St.

8. Acquisition of fire protection equipment $48,500
9. Replacement of fire hydrants & laterals $15,000
10. YWCA renovations $150,000

a. 815 W. 4th St.

11. Renovations to Emergency Management Office$30,000

a. 200 Reighard Av.

B. Public Service Activities $209,249

1. Bureau of Police D.A.R.E. Program $4,000
2. Community Policing Program $82,125
3. Hiring of four (4) additional police officers $123,124

C. Rehabilitation & Preservation Programs $893,761

1. Housing Rehabilitation

a. Single family owner-occupied $450,000
(includes CDBG & HOME funds)

b. Rental units $50,000
(includes CDBG funds)

c. Homebuyer assistance $225,000
(includes CDBG funds & CHDO set-aside for HOME Program)

d. Historic rehabilitation $25,000
(includes CDBG funds)

e. Work Camp rehab activities $20,000
(includes CDBG funds)

2. Rehabilitation Administration $123,761
   (includes CDBG & HOME funds)

D. Code Enforcement $175,000

E. Program Administration $269,570

1. General CDBG Program Administration$269,570

F. Contingency Fund $364,960

Total Budget Amount $2,818,040

In addition, the City also anticipates receiving Federal funding through the local public housing authorities to carry out activities involving the renovation of public housing units, home ownership for public housing residents and other activities to improve the living environment of public housing residents.

Maps

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.