The City of El Paso is the fourth largest city in the State of Texas, and has one of the fastest population growth rates in the Southwest. Estimated 1995 population is 570,200, growing at a rate of 2.1% each year. The 246 square mile city is located in the far western part of the state. Situated on the north bank of the Rio Grande River opposite the major Mexican city, Cuidad Juarez, El Paso is an important port of entry to the U.S. from Mexico. El Paso and Juarez, population 1,133,894, share each other's socio-economic problems and concerns. In addition to the apparel industry, the high technology, medical device manufacturing, plastics, refining, automotive, food processing, and defense related industries are important to the economy. El Paso has maintained a high unemployment rate throughout the 1990's, between 10-12 percent, reflecting the shrinking garment industry, once a very large segment of the area's economy.
The goal of El Paso's consolidated plan process is to integrate the economic, physical and human development needs and strategy of the community in a comprehensive and coordinated fashion. The annual Action Plan provides a basis for assessing performance under the various programs.
Citizen participation in the Consolidated Plan process began in October
1994, when Newspaper advertisements in Spanish and English were published and
thousands of citizen request forms circulated to encourage citizens and
interested agencies to participate in the community development process.
Subsequently, presentations on the consolidated plan were made to the major
advisory boards, coalitions, and to the Housing Authority, among others. The
Rio Grande FreeNet, which provides free local Internet access to the community,
was used to inform the community about the Consolidated Plan Process, to
publish the results of the Consolidated Plan public meetings and to solicit
community input. Citywide and neighborhood meetings brought people together.
Priorities and strategies were developed in a Summit held in the El Paso Civic
Center; the focus groups were made up of representatives of over 200 community
leaders and service provider agencies. The coalitions for homeless and
affordable housing met with their constituent organizations to develop data and
respond to the proposed strategies. These were incorporated in the Plan. The
Community Development Steering Committee and the Community Development staff
negotiated a consensus budget recommendation, and the draft consolidated plan
was made available for public review in eight branch libraries, City Hall and
neighborhood based organizations. Shortly after a June 29, 1995 public hearing,
the City Council adopted the Plan.
The majority population of El Paso is Hispanic, 69 percent of the total.
Approximately 25 percent of the population is White (non-Hispanic), 3 percent
Black (non-Hispanic), with all other racial/ethnic groups comprising the
remaining 2 percent. Poverty is pervasive; per capita income is $10,927 (1990)
compared to the national per capita income figure of $18,685, and is one of the
lowest per capita incomes in the country. Educational attainment of the
population is low in the city; 34% of all persons 25 years and older never
graduated from high school, while in some neighborhoods the figure is as high as
51%. The overall population of El Paso is relatively young. However, the
community is experiencing an increase in the number of older adults, projected
to double by the year 2000.
El Paso has experienced dramatic growth in the housing construction industry, however little of the activity is directed toward the low-to-moderate income households. City-wide the housing occupancy rate is 92%, and the low income family is effectively priced out of the rental housing market. Housing affordable to the 23% of households who fall into the 0-50% MFI category comprises less than 5% of the houses for sale in El Paso. Public housing waiting lists average about two years. The lack of affordable housing within the City, led to the proliferation of colonias outside the City Limits which are illegal subdivisions that lack infrastructure, thus further complicating El Paso's housing problems.
El Paso's age profile indicates a large number of persons in the childbearing and household forming ages: the median age is 27, with 33 percent in the age group (20-39) that would be considered primary child-bearing years. Moreover the median family income of $28,200 (1994) is considerably lower than the national MFI of $36,812. These factors indicate a substantial future demand for housing affordable for low-to-moderate income persons.
According to a survey conducted by National Association of Home Builders in 1994, El Paso is among the top 10 least affordable housing markets in the United States. Few low income people will be able to qualify for homeownership without financial assistance. Available public housing units are scarce, especially units for very large families. Many low to moderate income families exhaust their income on rent, utilities, and a limited amount of food staples, leaving other family needs unaddressed. In other cases more than one family lives together in overcrowded conditions in order to share housing costs. Other families rent unsafe and unsanitary units, because that is all they can afford.
Housing availability for the 36,937 low and moderate income households is almost non- existent; statistics show a shortage of approximately 25,000 units affordable to this income group. Some low to moderate income households are fortunate to obtain subsidized rental housing, but hundreds of low to moderate income people are being left out because the waiting lists for subsidized rental housing are quite long. A two year wait for public housing is not unusual. An aggressive approach needs to be taken in helping as many as possible low to moderate income families obtain owner-occupied housing through programs such as the HOME and HOPE federal programs, and through private financing sources. Private developers and non-profit organizations need education and information on local housing needs, and technical assistance to develop the partnerships necessary to initiate successful affordable housing programs.
A December 8,1994 survey of 742 homeless persons in shelters in early evening showed that of the 626 who completed survey forms, 330 were male, 133 female, and 163 children. Former U.S. military veterans numbered 84; 35 percent of the adults identified themselves as agricultural workers. The homeless population includes deinstitutionalized individuals, often joined by their families, who have been released into the community without the potential for employment. These include mentally ill, mentally retarded and former inmates of penal institutions and halfway houses. Most frequently cited reason for homelessness was lack of employment and relationship problems such as spousal or child abuse. Members of the Coalition for the Homeless ranked identified needs; the top ranking were emergency shelter, transitional housing, employment, medical services, assessment, and children. The network of service providers in El Paso developed a full-range response - a continuum of care system that has become a model for other communities to follow. It includes the Opportunity Center, and educational and job preparedness programs. The El Paso Community College's Quick Start program represents a pilot project to link the special needs program of the homeless to job training and learning.
The inventory of apartments owned and operated by the El Paso Housing Authority includes 6212 units, plus 55 units created under Section 23 Bond financing. These experience a vacancy rate of less than 3 percent. The Housing Authority also administers 3,352 Section 8 Rental Assistance vouchers and certificates. Vacancy rates in Section 8 are consistently less than 1 percent. EPHA's combined operating budget is $25 million. EPHA was rated 100% in the area of modernization, and has been designated a MOD-HIGH Performer. The Housing Authority is a demonstration site for the Economic Empowerment Initiative Demonstration Program, a program of supportive services to assist AFDC recipient families become self-sufficient, carried out in conjunction with major local providers of education, training, day care, access to jobs and other services. It also serves a demonstration site for the HOPE for elderly independence program, through coordination of supportive services to enable frail elderly individuals and families maintain an independent lifestyle. In addition, 1042 units of project-based Sec. 8 units, Sec. 236, and 22(d)(3) units are located in El Paso.
Often development regulations do not get updated because the process is considered complicated and controversial, however changes in the "development climate" have been found to be significant economic stimulus to the local economy, adequate to overcome concerns about complexity. Furthermore, significant advances in materials, siting of utilities and development, as well as advances in management of procedures have enabled communities to lower costs associated with community development without sacrificing safety, amenity or public welfare. The City of El Paso has the potential to stimulate production of housing more affordable to its population through strategic modifications to its current system of development regulations. Using criteria of efficiency, affordability, and performance, El Paso could create a framework of regulatory requirements, fees and procedures, modifying the municipal code and standards to reflect the City's current goals. El Paso has many old structures with historic significance; meeting the requirements for historic preservation of these structures is presently a costly and complex process which impedes their usefulness as housing for the moderate to low income persons.
Building the capacity of the organizations committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing is needed, to maximize their potential for success. A barrier shared by the City and its non-profit organizations is their difficulty in generating the matching funds required for some grants to address housing needs. This limits their ability to compete for these funds.
The City of El Paso has adopted an Affirmative Marketing Policy and a Minority and Women Business Outreach Program and has consistently exceeded all the goals under these efforts. The City will continue to rigorously pursue the Affirmative Marketing and Minority and Women Business Outreach Program goals and objectives.
El Paso lacks a data base of lead based paint hazards in El Paso homes; however, using national figures it can be estimated that as much as 40% of El Paso's total housing stock existing from pre-1949 to 1979 may possibly contain some lead-based paint. Although not all units with lead-based paint have lead-based paint hazards, the City of El Paso presently lacks information to provide estimates of such hazards. The City-County Health and Environmental District (EPCCHRD) has offered blood lead testing screening for children since 1991, and has determined that children with abnormal blood lead levels (any amount above 10 micrograms) are about 4 percent of those tested, about 752 children to date. Children are treated, families provided guidance, and an environmental assessment is performed to identify the source of the poisoning. The El Paso Housing Authority completed lead-based paint testing in all of its public housing communities; abatement was required at only four sites. The goal of community level intervention is to identify and respond to sources, not cases, of lead poisoning.
Historic preservation is significant in this 122 year old city. An abundance of historic structures still remain. In order to modify properties in El Paso's nine officially designated historic districts, historic preservation requirements must be met. These requirements can add costs and incur delays that deter development. Public-private partnerships are needed to help achieve housing and development goals while conserving and capitalizing on these unique cultural assets.
El Paso continues to be a low-incident city for AIDS. However the needs for services and facilities for persons living with AIDS are currently burdening already overutilized health and social services care providers in El Paso. In 1993, 274 diagnosed cases were counted. The majority of those being assisted presently function with below poverty level incomes and some have no income whatsoever. In a recent survey, 25 percent of those surveyed indicated they either currently were in need of housing or anticipate such a need in the future. HUD funds have been provided to the Southwest AIDS Committee for additional housing assistance and additional HUD funds are anticipated through the State of Texas for rental and utility subsidies.
El Paso's disabled population faces an acute shortage of facilities specifically equipped to offer emergency shelter, transitional living quarters, or permanent housing to the disabled. Lack of such facilities in effect denies to many disabled persons the opportunity to develop their capacities to the fullest extent.
Elderly persons below the poverty level number 9,012; an estimated 1248 of these elderly persons need both the supportive services and financial assistance found in supportive housing.
For the frail elderly, the severely mentally ill, the developmentally disabled, and persons disabled with advanced stages of AIDS, the need for affordable housing is compounded by the need for daily in-house supportive services or a supportive living environment.
Human services, education and job training, economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, and services for special needs populations, and public safety are needed to sustain the community, while physical improvements are needed in the aging public infrastructure, buildings and grounds that serve community recreation and other activities.
Traditionally coordination and pooling of resources by community
organizations and agencies has been weak and prone more towards competition than
cooperation. However relatively new coalitions hold a promise to change this
situation. The City of El Paso and the County of El Paso need to continue the
endeavor to consolidate all affordable housing planning and coordination as
resources permit. The City of El Paso needs to take the lead in encouraging
networking and cohesive coalitions among those organizations assisting special
needs populations. A data center should be established for the collection and
centralization of all housing related data for the purpose of offering
assistance to all El Pasoans interested in affordable housing issues.
The following summarizes the objectives adopted by the City:
To provide homeownership assistance, to support existing subsidized housing, to extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government and the private sector, including non-profit and for-profit organizations, in the production and operation of housing affordable to low-income and moderate-income families, to expand rental assistance for low-income families, and to increase the supply of supportive housing, which combines structural features and services needed to enable persons with special needs to live with dignity and independence.
New construction of rental and owner occupied housing affordable to low income persons has been identified as a priority by the City. Substantial rehabilitation of the City's single family owner-occupied housing is also high priority. The City will continue to give a high priority to the rehabilitation of the substandard tenement buildings that still exist in the older, low-income areas of the city. The City anticipates that funds will be used by the City for other rehabilitation of owner-occupied single family units or will be awarded to housing non-profits to improve rental housing for moderate-income tenants. Financial assistance will be made available through the City's First-time Homebuyers Program to help low income homebuyers to access the Fannie Mae House El Paso mortgage programs. Fannie Mae has announced a commitment of $500 million to the El Paso housing market over a five year period.
A major non-housing community development priority for El Paso is providing social services, funded at $2,221,118. Social services include preventive health care; case management services; supportive services for children and others, including those with special needs; recreation activities; housing counseling; education; job training and job search assistance. Another major priority is improvements to infrastructure ($2,760,307 for improvements to street lighting, sidewalks, and streets and drainage facilities in 1996, followed by $7,397,812 through 1997 and 1998). Other priorities are improvements to recreational facilities, public facilities operated by non-profits, neighborhood revitalization, renovation of a senior citizen facility roof, AIDS case management activities, a vocational training facility, technical assistance for the garment industry, and a graduate apprenticeship program for to create jobs for high school graduates.
The City will use CDBG, HOME, ESG, and to the extent possible, other appropriate City resources to achieve a reduction in the number of families living in poverty. The anti- poverty policies include:
While it is improbable that current activities will measurably reduce the numbers of persons in poverty, at best activities can reduce the impact of poverty on the lives of low income persons. To substantially reduce poverty, major changes and increases in funding are needed in the provision of services, education, community involvement, and job opportunities. Making these changes would require new attitudes, high levels of financing, and innovative approaches yet to be discovered.
The Action Plan relies heavily on the following federal grants: 21st year Community Development Block Grant ($15,138,630 including $1,955,630 of program income); Home Investment Partnership grant ($3,824,000); the Emergency Shelter Grant ($462,000); Housing Opportunities for People with Aids ($150,000) and the Social Services Block Grant ($2,950,000) awarded to El Paso as an Enterprise Community. The Housing Authority funding source is the Public Housing Comprehensive Grant Program. In addition, the City has applied for and expects to receive Section 8 Rental Assistance for Homeless Families ($1,658,000).
The City's Housing Program for Investor-owned Properties generally provides 75% of the cost of rehabilitation, generally leveraging over $750,000 per year in private cash contributions or in bank financing, provided by the property owners. The CDBG and HOME funds constitute an important leveraging tool for both the City and the non-profit recipients, leveraging from such sources as the Federal Home Loan Bank, the State Housing Trust Fund, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, charitable institutions such as the Meadows and Pew Foundations, as well as from mortgage finance institutions.
Fannie Mae's House El Paso mortgage program is a five year $500,000,000 commitment.
The Plan places an emphasis on coordinating affordable housing resources and
developing administrative capacity within the community. Much of the
community-wide effort to address these problems resides in the various
non-profit agencies that undertake affordable housing and homeless projects.
The City has traditionally relied upon the non-profit community for the delivery
of services and to help carry out projects and activities. Over 50 non-profits
will receive funding in the 1995-1996 program years. The City will continue to
support and participate in coalitions such as the El Paso Affordable Housing
Coalition and the El Paso Homeless Coalition and the Partnership on Economic and
Community Development. The City will also continue to work with local financial
organizations to encourage them to participate in affordable housing projects.
The Fannie Mae House El Paso Program is also expected to result in increased
participation by these organizations in affordable housing activities.
In one key program the City has agreed to cooperate with Fannie Mae in that agency's House El Paso Program, linking it with the City's First Time Homebuyers Program. The City's program provides assistance to moderate-income homebuyers in the form of down payments, closing costs and principal reduction. The House El Paso Program includes a set of mortgage options for low-, moderate-, and median-income homebuyers that feature low down payments, closing cost assistance, and loans for energy-efficient mortgage flexibility.
Another key program is the rehabilitation of tenements which date back to the early part of the century, consisting of two-room units lacking plumbing and kitchen facilities. This gut rehabilitation generally averages about $24,000 per unit, and results in standard housing in the older, low-income areas of the community.
Generally, projects are dispersed throughout the City. Minority populations are found in nearly all areas of the city. The low and moderate income population is widely dispersed throughout the El Paso Community, and the possibility for infill housing and non-housing community development exists in all areas. Existing facilities such as foreclosed federal properties and rental units, which could be used by moderate income households, are also dispersed throughout the city. An exception is the rental rehabilitation program, in which priority is given to South El Paso, Sunset Heights, Magoffin, Piedras Alameda, and Ysleta, neighborhoods in need of revitalization but with the possibility of maintaining Fair Market Rents.
Home Program
Community Development Block Grant
The Housing Assistance to People with Aids (HOPWA) program is expected to provide housing assistance to approximately 50 persons during the 1995-1996 year through the Southwest AIDS Committee.
The El Paso Housing Authority will undertake renovations that will affect 2,203 units of public housing. A Housing Authority revitalization program will involve the demolition, rehabilitation, and construction of replacement and for-sale units on adjacent vacant property. Funding is requested for construction of 50 three- and four-bedroom apartments for farmworkers and their families.
Private non-profit organizations anticipate producing 165 units using HOME, CDBG and other sources.
MAP 2 depicts the city of El Paso, low-moderate income areas, and El Paso's Enterprise Community.
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 depicts Neighborhood Segments and streets with proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 7 depicts Empowerment Zones\Enterprise Community information.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Mr. Stuart Ed
Grants Technician
Department of Community and Human Development
PH: (915) 541-4643
Internet address: AI873@EPCC.EDU
