The Municipality of Mayagüez, located on the west coast of Puerto Rico is a very suitable tourist attraction. It is bounded on the west by the Mona passage which is between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It serves as a major urban center for trade, commerce, industry and culture in the west region of the Island.
The City's economic base has been oriented to the manufacturing sector in the first place, followed by the government sector, commercial activities and services, especially medical.
The University of Puerto Rico and other public and private schools make Mayagüez an important educational center.
The City's Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development presents the overall goal of the programs to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities principally for low and moderate income persons.
It includes a One - Year Action Plan for spending $ 5,294,000.00 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG ), Home Investment Partnership Program and Emergency Shelter Grant Funds in 1995, to develop housing and community development projects.
The Municipality designated the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to lead and coordinate the consolidated planning and submission process.
The municipal Housing and Community Development Department contracted the professional services of a Consultant to provide technical assistance and advise in the formulation of the Housing Community Development Plan.
Additionally, a task force was organized to facilitate the consultations and coordination with other municipal departments, public and private agencies, nonprofit organizations as well as citizens.
Initially, weekly meetings were held by the task force to get acquainted with the new regulations and the submission process. Prior to the publication of the first notice for a public hearing, letters were sent to nearly 50 agencies, organizations and local and state government departments requesting their assessment of needs in their respective areas, particularly social services, public housing, assisted housing providers, health agencies and nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to the homeless, children, elderly persons, and persons with disabilities.
A public hearing was held after being publicized the Municipality of Mayagüez
Consolidated Plan Summary. Copies of the draft Consolidated Plan were available
for review and comments. The plan was approved by the Municipality on May 15,
1995 with a revision on June 9, 1995 and adopted on July 1, 1995.
The Municipality of Mayagüez, with an estimated population of 103,382 as of 1995, is the largest urban center of Puerto Rico's west coast.
During the decade of 1980-90, the city experienced a population growth of 4%, from 96,193 residents in 1980 to 100,371 in 1990. Per capita income reported by the Census in 1990 was $4,380 while the median family income was $9,574.
Data available from the 1990 Census of Population revealed that approximately 62% of the City's residents had incomes below the poverty level and an unemployment rate of 20%. As of 1993, about 83% of the families living in the City were classified as low- and moderate-income.
Household growth during the 10-year period from 1980 to 1990 showed a 7%
increase from 23,253 in 1980 to 24,955 in 1990. This fact coupled with the
estimated 62% of all households (15,472) below the poverty level in 1990 plus
the fact that of the 35,948 housing units in the city, about 40% (14,379) were
considered either substandard and/or deteriorated, have produced a significant
impact in terms of housing demand in Mayagüez, particularly demand for
affordable housing. The 40% of inadequate housing has been estimated by the
City's Housing Department based upon the criteria established for the minimum
Housing Quality Standards (HQS) applicable under the Section 8 rental subsidy
program.
Mayagüez, the most important city of the metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) recorded 100,371 residents according to the 1990 U.S. Census of Population.
This figure represents 46.8% percent of the whole area's population. There were about 34,549 persons in the city's labor force by 1990, with an unemployment rate of 20 percent.
In the MSA, the most important employers are the government and the manufacture and service industries.
The analysis of housing needs indicates that approximately 10,000 units will be needed over the next five years to assist extremely low-income, low-income, moderate-income and middle-income families residing in and those expected to reside in the jurisdiction.
This priority need is directly linked to the need for infrastructure improvements that are necessary to allow the production of new housing, particularly the improvements to the regional waste-water treatment plant. Without the improvements to this facility, local housing developers will not be able to get the required permits to develop new housing.
As an alternative to address the acute shortage of affordable housing, rehabilitation of the existing stock becomes the first priority.
Another high priority need is provide assistance to low-income families to avoid becoming homeless.
According with the estimate of affordable housing demand by households, in the renters household category, the extremely - low income small families have the greatest housing need. In the owners household category the low income small families also have the greatest housing needs.
The 1990 Census of Housing reported 35,948 housing units in Mayagüez, an increment of 4,142 units (13%) from the inventory reported in 1980. A total of 31,749 (88%) were occupied and 4,199 vacant and/or being left for recreational or vacation uses. The housing inventory is old and deteriorated since over 35 percent of the units were built prior to 1940. Local estimates indicate that approximately 16,176 (45%) of the housing stock is inadequate following the criteria established by the Housing Quality Standards for the Section 8 rental assistance program.
The City's housing market is predominantly owner-occupied, mostly single-family units concentrated in Mayagüez City Ward. There is currently an acute shortage of housing due to the inability of developers to obtain the water and sewer required permits which has brought housing production to a halt.
As a result of extensive analysis of 1990 Census data, the projections made in the 1991-95 CHAS and a City's Socio - Economic Study was estimated a total of 12,017 renter households and 16,834 owner households in need of housing assistance over the five - year period.
Data gathered showed that approximately 40% of all renter household in need of housing assistance were in the extremely low-income category, 30% low-income, 20% moderate - income, and 10% middle - income. About 70% of these households live in housing experiencing deterioration and in most cases paying more than 30 percent of their income for rent. These households face a severe cost burden. They need rental assistance. Approximately 20% of all owner households were in extremely low-income category, 35% low income, 30% moderate-income and 15% middle-income. They need rehabilitation assistance.
The elderly population within the jurisdiction has increased significantly in the past fifteen years with approximately 12,406 (12%) of the total population in 1995. It has been estimated that about 6,203 (50%) are extremely-low income, 3,722 (30%) low-income and 2,481 (20%) moderate-income. The City has produced about 1,144 subsidized housing units primarily for the elderly, however, the unmet need is significant.
There is a need to conduct a comprehensive study of the homeless population in Mayagüez, particularly in rural areas, to identify the existing homeless population and those families and individuals at risk of becoming homeless.
Extreme poverty and unemployment, together with the absence of affordable housing for the very poor are the major causes of homelessness in Mayagüez.
The City's Department of Citizen Affairs has been providing services and shelter to the homeless at the "San Gabriel" Emergency Shelter The statistical data gathered at the shelter indicates that there are approximately 93 identified homeless individuals in the area of which 51 are receiving some type of assistance at the shelter. These are all male, with ages ranging from 24 to 85 years of age. Ten (10) are serviced in the emergency shelter and ten (10) in transitional housing.
Other facilities available that provide shelter and assistance to the homeless are the Municipal Home for the Elderly, which provides permanent housing for the elderly and individuals. The majority of the persons served are physically or mentally impaired. It has a capacity of 91 sleeping spaces and is operated by the Municipality. "Ciudad del Retiro" is another facility that provides permanent housing for elderly persons and individuals with a capacity of 143 units. MAFA provides permanent housing for homeless adults who are mostly drug and alcohol abusers. It has a total of 42 units and is operated by the City.
There are twenty (20) public housing developments in Mayagüez with 3,754 dwelling units providing shelter to approximately 3,579 families of which 945 are elderly. Of the total housing units, 711 (19%) are one- bedroom units, 1,400 (37%) are two-bedroom, and 1,643 (44%) are three-bedroom.
On April 2, 1992, the Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration (PRPHA) contracted private firms to administrate all public housing projects in the Island. Zeta Enterprises, Inc. has been operating the City's public housing projects and has accomplished a significant change in the physical condition of the units and the structures as well as the quality of life of these communities.
However, the public hearings were crowded with claims from these disadvantage families claiming for more and better housing and services. The municipal government is committed to continue seeking federal and state funds to address these needs.
Three projects are scheduled to undergo major rehabilitation under the Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program.
The number of housing units currently assisted by local, state and federally funded programs total 1,103 units. Of those, 143 Section 202 rental units, 865 Section 8 rental units, 4 through Farmer Home Administration and 91 from other HUD Programs.
All the families assisted by these programs are very low, low, and moderate income. There are no indications at this time that any of these units may be lost from the assisted housing inventory.
The number of families and individuals in our City that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless have increased significantly over the past five years. Current statistics do not reflect the intensity of the problem since most of these citizens get some temporary assistance from neighbors and relatives and do not seek a shelter or other type of assistance on a regular basis.
The "San Gabriel" Emergency Shelter provides emergency shelter to twelve (12) homeless persons, all male and transitional housing to ten (10) homeless persons. There is a need for expansion of this facility to provide sleeping facilities for homeless woman. Also the municipality needs additional emergency shelters.
Special needs are those of persons who are not homeless but require supportive housing, including the elderly, frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), persons with alcohol or other drug addiction, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, public housing residents and any other category identified by the municipality. Information gathered from the City's Department of Citizen Affairs as well as input provided by residents at the public hearings revealed the following special needs:
The cost of housing and the incentives to develop, maintain or improve affordable housing in the Municipality may be affected by the following policies: Tax policies affecting land and other properties, Land use controls, Building Codes, Zoning Ordinances, Fees and Charges and Growth Limits.
The public policies that may affect the cost of housing or the incentives to develop, maintain, or improve affordable housing are established and implemented by the Commonwealth government and the Municipality has a limited role in the control of such policies. However, the Municipality is currently working on a Transitional Plan for the programming of bids and construction costs of the public facilities projects that have used HUD funds to comply with Section 504, Rehabilitation Law of 1993. Plans are underway for the Municipality to become and autonomous public body under Municipal Law No. 81. Once the process is completed, the Municipality will be able to develop and implement its own policies and an effective strategy to remove or ameliorate the negative effect that these policies may produce.
The City's Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Office is responsible for fair housing counseling, however, efforts must be made to expand these services to tenants and landlords, particularly in the administration of the Section 8 rental assistance program and the HOME program. Section 108 funds are being sought for rental housing rehabilitation which is a top priority and needs a sustained program of fair housing counseling to advise landlords of applicable laws and regulations related to fair housing practices.
There is not a reliable inventory available of the units that are occupied by low- and moderate-income families that contain lead-based paint hazards. A rough estimate could be in the neighborhood of 25% or 7,000 units. Most of these units are public housing projects for which measures are being taken by the PRPHA and the Management Agent to identify the units, determine protective measures and alert the families, as taking the necessary steps for the encapsulation of the material. The public housing projects where lead based paint hazards are being corrected are: Columbus Landing, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sábalos Gardens, Cuesta las Piedras, Yagüez, Manuel Hernández Rosa, Mar y Sol, Ext. Sábalos Gardens and Monte Isleño. There are no known cases of children poisoned with lead that may have been treated in local hospitals.
Community development needs include the revitalization of the economic base of the City with the provision of adequate infrastructure to stimulate economic development and the creation of new direct and indirect jobs to reduce the high unemployment and benefit principally, very low, low and moderate income families so they can attain independence and self-sufficiency; improvements to recreational facilities, removal of architectural barriers, adult education and vocational training programs, emergency assistance for at risk individuals and families and homeless.
The Municipality of Mayagüez planning and decision making process must be strengthen to facilitate the flow of information to the Mayor's office to avoid duplicity of efforts and delays in the development and implementation of housing and community development projects.
The City's administrative structure must be redesigned to allow for the implementation, completion and evaluation of projects taking into consideration first, the planning stage followed by programming, budgeting and coordination.
The Municipality has identified and evaluated the assets and opportunities
available in the area, including educational institutions, new job training
efforts, community development opportunities, community organization as well as
other municipal and state agencies that will participate in the coordination of
the Municipality's objectives, programs and polices for producing and preserving
affordable housing.
The Municipality of Mayagüez proposed Strategic Plan covers the five-year period from 1995 through the year 2000. The Strategic Plan is a specific course of action for revitalization. It builds on the municipality's assets and coordinates responses to the needs of the community. This coordinated strategy has been developed to achieve the following objectives, principally for very-low, low, and moderate income residents:
The general priorities for allocating investment geographically within the Municipality are the following:
Priorities for affordable housing include increasing the housing stock through the new construction and rehabilitation. The following households are being identified with a high priority: Small renter households paying more than 30% of income for rent, Elderly renters paying more than 30% of income for rent, Owner households paying more than 30% of their income on housing costs, Small family renters living in units with physical defects. Also include the improving of the living environments and reducing housing cost burdens of very low, low and moderate income households, and assisting public housing residents.
Priorities for homeless allocation include providing assistance to low-income families to avoid becoming homeless, reaching out to homeless persons and assessing their individuals needs, addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons and helping homeless persons make the transition to permanent housing and independent living.
Priorities for non-homeless persons with specials needs ( elderly, frail elderly, persons with disabilities, persons with alcohol or other drug addiction, persons with HIV/AIDS ) include increasing the capacity of existing facilities and supportive services.
Priorities for mixed-use areas include creating a living/working environment for very low and moderate income residents and conserving historic value.
Priorities for economic development activities include providing employment training and related supportive services to residents and developing the commercial/industrial rehabilitation projects on the Central Business District (CDB). The proposed revitalization of the CBD is one of the alternative to assist in the development of micro-enterprises.
Priorities for other community development activities include public facilities improvements ( senior, youth and child care centers, neighborhood facilities, parks and recreational facilities, health facilities, parking facilities ) infrastructure improvements (solid waste disposal improvements, flood drain improvements, water and sewer improvements, street and sidewalks improvements, asbestos removal, commercial/industrial infrastructure) and public services provision (fair housing and tenant/landlord counseling, crime awareness).
The Municipality of Mayagüez has developed an anti-poverty strategy to assist in reducing the number of poverty level families residing in the jurisdiction. Local estimates indicate that approximately 15,472 families ( 62% ) were below the poverty level in 1990.
The two proposed goals are: improve the collaborative efforts of local institutions, community groups, citizens and government officials to facilitate community-building efforts to assist in reducing the number of poverty level families and promote citizen participation to allow citizens to understand their community and work with it to take coordinated actions to turn around their own neighborhoods to assist in reducing the number of poverty level families.
The City intends to support anti-poverty programs as job training and self-sufficiency programs for very low, low and moderate income persons of targeted areas; Department of Labor, the Right of Work Administration or JTPA and private employment agencies activities to monitor job openings.
Mayagüez has federal, state, local and private programs that actually provide services to the community. The primary federal resources include CDBG, HOME, ESG, Section 8, public housing, Section 202, FmHA and Section 108-Loan Guarantee.
The local resources include the municipal government funds and the private programs including local lending institutions affordable housing programs and a wide range of nonprofit initiatives.
The goals, programs and policies for producing and preserving affordable housing, set forth in the housing component of the Consolidated Plan, will be coordinated by the Department of Housing, the Department of Planning and Operations and with other programs and services for which the Municipality is responsible.
The City formed a task force integrated by representatives of the municipal Department of Housing, the Department of Citizen Affairs, other municipal officials and members of private institutions and nonprofit organizations that participated in the formulation of the Consolidated Plan and will meet every two weeks to assess progress of the projects and activities being developed.
Close coordination will be maintained with the Public Housing Management
Agent to share the provision of services funded by the Municipality and the
comprehensive plan of the public housing agency.
The Municipality of Mayagüez One - Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of $ 5,294,000 in CDBG, HOME and ESG funds in addition to municipal funds.
On June 4, 1994 the City's Municipal Assembly passed Resolution 140 authorizing a loan through a bond issue in the amount of $ 9,950,000. The funds have been approved and will be used to address the needs identified in the Consolidated Plan.
Mainly Projects and Activities to be undertaken with CDBG, HOME and ESG funds are:
The projects in the One - Year Plan are dedicated to targeted residential areas as Mayagüez Arriba Ward, Limon Ward, Dulces Labios Sector, Quebrada Grande Ward and Cuba Sector. The housing rehabilitation and construction and reconstruction of streets and roads are citywide. The HOME Program funds are allocated for city wide first time homebuyer assistance and the 15% for the CHDO. The Department of Citizen Affairs monitors the ESG funds allocated for homeless assistance.
The Municipality of Mayagüez designated the Department of Housing and Community Development to lead and coordinate the consolidated planning and submission process and the development of the proposed activities and housing projects.
The Municipal Department of Conservation, Ornament and Urban Development is the lead agency responsible for the development of the community development projects.
The Municipal Department of Citizen's Affairs is the lead agency responsible for the development of the homeless and special needs population activities and projects.
The Municipality of Mayagüez housing goals for the first year include: rehabilitation of 75 rental housing units for very low, low and moderate income families, rental assistance and supportive services to 10 homeless families and/or individuals; provide assistance to 80 low and moderate income first time homebuyers with HOME funds; rehabilitation of 50 owner units of very low, low and moderate income families; development of 20 new housing units for very low, low and moderate income elderly households and provide rental assistance to 100 very low, low and moderate income families.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
