The Bristol Consolidated Plan for 1995 includes a budget of $302,000, of which $272,000 comes from Federal programs and $30,000 comes from program income. The Plan involves the following Community Development Building Grant (CDBG) activities: housing rehabilitation, 4th/5th Street Project, affordable homeownership initiatives, Tap Grant Program, and fair housing education.
Bristol's Consolidated Plan is the result of coordinated efforts between the Community Development Advisory Committee, 10 agencies and departments, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and comments from local citizens generated through public hearings and meetings. The public hearings were conducted to receive input from citizens, particularly low- to moderate-income persons residing in proposed project areas.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
Located in northeastern Tennessee, Bristol was a community of 23,421 in 1990. Most of the residents are white; its minority population, who are mostly African American, is 2.9 percent of the population. Most minority residents are concentrated in the East State Street area.
In 1990 approximately 12.7 percent of Bristol's population were below poverty level. Twenty-three percent of the 9,645 households in Bristol were very low income (0-50 percent of median family income [MFI]), almost 18 percent were low income (51-80 percent of MFI), and 18 percent were moderate income (81-95 percent of MFI). Of particular concern are the increasing numbers of female-headed households, which represented 10 percent of all households in 1990. Also of concern are the 48 percent of all single-parent families with children under 5 years old who are living under the poverty level.
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.
Although Bristol has seen few population shifts since 1980, it has seen many changes in employment and housing opportunities. Industrial development during the early 1980s, which resulted in upscale residential development, recently experienced a major downturn as many large companies relocated outside of the area. As a result, there were significant job losses among the remaining workforce, including a number of middle- and low-wage persons seeking employment.
The most pressing housing needs in Bristol include a high demand and low supply of moderately priced family-sized units, increased demand for public housing units for the elderly and disabled, and increased demand for more semi-independent living units for disabled persons.
Of the 10,043 residential units in Bristol, almost one-third (32 percent) are rental units. There are approximately 1,040 substandard housing units in Bristol, which are located primarily in the East State Street area. Almost 15 percent of all housing units in Bristol are 50 years old or older; most of the substandard units are in this age group.
There has not been a significant adjustment in the availability of affordable housing in Bristol in the past 10 years. The 1990 census found that even though 94 percent of all housing stock in Bristol is occupied, 78 percent are high-cost units priced above affordable market rates. In addition, the vacancy rate is 7 percent for rental units, most of which are also high- cost units. The average selling price of a home in the first quarter of 1995 was $69,413, $21,213 above the moderate price for affordable housing.
With the outmigration of many higher paid employees in the 1980s, the Bristol housing market was left with an oversupply of available homes priced in excess of $100,000. At the same time fewer affordable homes were available in Bristol. The bulk of affordable homes for sale are located in Sullivan County, outside the city.
Of the 9,645 households in Bristol, 23 percent are low income, the majority of which have housing problems. Of particular concern is the issue of housing cost burdens exceeding 30 percent of income and overcrowding among the low-income population. According to the 1990 census, there are only four affordable housing units for ownership for those with incomes between 0-30 percent of MFI, 38 units for ownership for those with incomes between 0-50 percent of MFI, and 64 units for ownership for those with incomes between 0-80 percent of MFI. Recently, several large old homes near the Central Business District and the State Street area have converted from single-family into multifamily units in an effort to increase the supply of affordable rental housing. According to the 1990 census, small families outnumbered large families in Bristol. However, more large affordable owner- occupied units seem to be available than smaller units.
The agencies serving the homeless in Bristol estimate that there are approximately 120 chronically homeless persons currently being served by four facilities: Haven Home, Haven of Rest, Salvation Army, and Abuse Alternatives. The Haven of Rest has an extended eight- week transitional program designed to assist single men into employment and permanent housing.
Although most facilities have been able to meet the need for emergency shelter for the homeless population, Abuse Alternatives has difficulty meeting the demand for shelter for women who are victims of domestic violence who require additional supportive services.
The Bristol Housing Authority manages 372 public housing units and administers Section 8 rental assistance for 161 units. All of the family units are "scattered site" units and 228 are for elderly, handicapped, and/or disabled individuals. All of the public housing and Section 8 units are occupied. While there are 113 on the waiting list for public housing, the Section 8 program has a full waiting list and is taking no additional applications.
The Section 8 requirements for housing units exceed the Southern Building Code requirements used in Bristol, and landlords typically are unwilling to make necessary repairs to meet Section 8 standards. Even though there is a need for more Section 8 units, the lack of response from the landlords has created a shortage of Section 8 and family units in Bristol.
Since the Sullivan County Health Department found that there are only three cases of "full- blown AIDS" and no cases of HIV-positive individuals in Bristol, the city has no agency to provide shelter services to AIDS patients. Assistance for nonhomeless persons with substance abuse problems are served by the Bristol Regional Counseling Center, the Holston Drug and Alcohol Abuse Center, and the Bristol Memorial Hospital Detox Unit.
The housing needs of special populations are principally addressed by the Bristol Regional Rehabilitation Center and Rainbow Homes, which maintain group homes and semi- independent living units. For the disabled population, the Bristol Regional Rehabilitation Center and Rainbow Homes provide housing for 90 individuals; employment training is offered to approximately 100 persons by the Bristol Regional Rehabilitation Center. Supportive housing for the elderly population is provided by three private, for-profit care facilities: Bristol Nursing Home, Steele Creek Manor Retirement Home, and Colonial Hills Nursing Home.
The Consolidated Plan identified several barriers to affordable housing in Bristol. They include:
Because of local concern that some individuals had chronic difficulties in obtaining affordable housing in Bristol, the city conducted an analysis of "Impediments to Affordable Housing." Among the recommendations cited by the analysis were to:
Of 10,403 housing units in Bristol, almost 70 percent were built before 1970, indicating a potential for lead-based paint contamination. However, no reports of lead poisoning have been made within the last 2 years to the Sullivan County Health Department. It should be noted that private physicians are not required to report cases of lead poisoning, which may contribute to the lack of statistics. The current response to lead poisoning through private medical services has been deemed adequate to meet the current and projected demand for services.
Economic development represents a major need for Bristol. Due to several industries leaving the area in the 1980s, many moderate- to high-paid semiskilled workers were forced to migrate to other areas where more job opportunities were present. As a result, employment opportunities for semiskilled workers are being sought through neighborhood revitalization.
The Consolidated Plan notes particular areas that have required ongoing revitalization, including the Central Business District where slums and blight are being addressed on a case-by-case basis. In addition, Bristol has identified an area between Fifth Street, Ash Street, Chestnut Street, and the Southern Railroad tracks that contains a high proportion of substandard housing and limited infrastructure. A study conducted by the city found that costs to develop the area and install water, sewer, streets, and storm drain systems would be in excess of $500,000. The city is working with citizens, agencies and departments on the planning process for addressing the "Fifth Street Neighborhood Improvement Project."
The Consolidated Plan of Bristol seeks to concentrate on activities that benefit low- and moderate-income families by providing affordable housing, creating employment opportunities, eliminating slums and blight, eliminating barriers for disabled persons, and addressing other community development needs.
Bristol's Consolidated Plan emphasizes meeting the housing needs of very low-income individuals through its strategy for affordable housing. In particular, the Plan calls for individuals of very low-income households, particularly single-parent households, to have priority over low- and moderate-income households in acquiring rehabilitation and home purchase funds.
The Consolidated Plan targets the following as housing priorities:
The short-term objective for nonhousing community development includes facilitating economic development and improving the infrastructure in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The long-term objective is to reduce the poverty levels of Bristol's low- income residents, revitalize neighborhoods, and encourage industrial growth.
In order to meet Bristol's antipoverty goal, CDBG funds will be utilized for downpayment assistance, rehabilitation of housing and infrastructure, paying utility tap fees, and public education on fair housing choice. The Community Development Office not only works closely with the Bristol, Tennessee, Housing Authority to provide rental units for the handicapped, but it also uses State Emergency Shelter Grant funds to increase emergency shelter accommodations for the homeless.
Among the housing and community development resources identified by the Consolidated Plan to work with the Bristol Community Development Office were the Bristol, Tennessee, Housing Authority; Sullivan County Department of Human Services; Sullivan County Health Department; and Bristol Board of Realtors.
In addition, the following nonprofit support services organizations were incorporated into the Plan: Abuse Alternatives, Haven Home, Bristol Crisis Center, Salvation Army, Haven of Rest, Holston Habitat for Humanity, and Rainbow Homes. For-profit organizations involved include the Bristol Nursing Home, Cambridge House, and Steele Creek Manor.
The Community Development Office provides an overall coordinated approach to ensure success of the Consolidated Plan. Not only was a Community Development Advisory Committee created to involve representatives from the community, but the Bristol Interagency Council (BIC), which works closely with the Community Development Office, includes representatives of most of the social service agencies in Bristol and nearby Virginia communities. By involving many community members from a variety of backgrounds, the Bristol Community Development Office hopes to overcome institutional gaps in coordination of the strategic plan.
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 project(s) from a street level vantage point; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s).
Among the key projects in Bristol's Consolidated Plan for 1995 are:
The Bristol Community Development Office serves as the lead agency in implementing the Consolidated Plan.
