The Consolidated Plan broadly addresses the full scope of community development activities and future plans.
The first year Action Plan describes activities and programs anticipated to be undertaken in the first full fiscal year after the submission of the Consolidated Plan.
Waco's Citizens' Participation Plan includes the participation of neighborhood associations, as well as public hearings. In each eligible neighborhood, the neighborhood associations are the "starting team" for identifying activities, reviewing proposed plans and making recommendations to the City. Meetings that are conveniently located within the neighborhood are regularly scheduled and publicly announced. Residents of three major public housing sites take part in the neighborhood association meetings and other forums. The City's Community Initiative staff provides communications and technical assistance support to the neighborhood organizations.
Public hearings were held on the Consolidated Plan and its component parts. The plan was made available to citizen review groups and individual citizens. Citizen advisory and review panels are also employed. Panels have included a Citizens Review Panel with representatives appointed by each neighborhood association and a Housing Coordinating Committee with representatives of major housing providers to low-income households.
Through neighborhood associations, citizens and areas targeted for community
development become the principal determinants in defining needs; neighborhood
associations may define and determine needs and priorities in a form entirely
different from the traditional approaches of community development specialists
and elected officials. Similarly, the neighborhood associations may choose to
alter the long term plan in attempts to address immediate needs which the
neighborhood may believe hold high priority. The City Council has allocated
substantial funds from CDBG, General Fund, Capital Improvements Fund and other
sources to programs and projects called for by neighborhood associations and
currently intends to continue that process.
In 1990, the population of Waco was 103,590, of which 60% was White, 23% Black, and 16% Hispanic. Waco's population grew slowly in the 1980-1990 decade, at an annual rate of only 0.2%. White population decreased by 5,500 during this period, a reflection of the migration of the middle and upper income households to suburbs and rural areas. In these areas the vast majority of housing was priced in a range affordable only to purchasers with family incomes well above the area median. Waco's Black and Hispanic populations have increased, with a dramatic increase of almost 50% in Hispanic population during the decade, a numerical increase roughly equal to the decrease in White population. Households in low and very low income categories increased, while the number of middle to high income households and families declined. In the same period, the City's elderly population has increased; by 1990 almost 15% of the population was 65 or more years old.
Areas of minority concentration generally coincide with the areas of deteriorated housing. The highest concentration of Black population is in the central portion of the city, on either side of the Brazos River. Concentration of Hispanic population is more prominent in the area of South Waco between Mary St., and IH-35. Unemployment in the City of Waco in February 1995 was 5.6 %, while the average in low income census tracts was over 13% with some tracts reaching as high as 17.6%.
Very low income households comprise more than one-third of Waco's population, 36%, of whom 3/4ths are renters. These 10,418 very low income households are almost 28% of Waco households; 6276 of these renter households have incomes less than 30% of median family income for the city. Only about a third of these very low income households can receive assistance with their housing needs, because of limited availability of housing assistance. However, almost every household in the remaining two thirds of very low income households needs assistance in order to occupy adequate housing.
Home-owning households in the very low income category are in almost every case burdened by taxes, utilities, insurance, and maintenance/preservation beyond their financial capacity. The 3,827 very low income owner households are predominantly elderly, approximately two thirds.
Some very low income persons are barred from public housing by their
inability to meet deposit and initial rent requirements. "Rent range"
policies bar others whose incomes are too low to meet "rent range"
criteria. In addition, for some, the location of the available public housing
units is not suitable.
Large areas of the City contain existing housing stock which is aging and in many cases not physically suitable for optimum occupancy. Most of these areas are close to or extending from the City's historic center. Houses and apartments in these areas were built from prior to 1900 up through the 1950s, with few structures of later construction. Principally frame construction, the units are generally expensive to heat or cool and suffer from lack of maintenance or upgrading. Lending institutions have been reluctant to finance improvements to structures in these areas.
In the City as a whole, approximately 15,000 units of housing were built prior to 1949. Over 16,000 units were constructed between 1959 and 1969. These older, existing housing units in Waco will require continued maintenance and upgrading to serve future populations. Housing Code enforcement is critical. Bringing units up to standard condition will involve owners and will require a partnership between HUD, City government, local community development housing organizations, and the private sector.
Rising housing costs based on rent/mortgage, utilities, and maintenance indicate continuing affordability difficulties for very low and low income households. The median housing price rose 39% from $26,500 in 1980 while median rent rose 67% from $164 in 1980 to $274 in 1990.
With large numbers of renters unable to pay market rents for standard units, the owners of units which they do occupy are receiving less than market rents. In many cases unit condition is very poor, barely or below minimum occupancy standards. Rents are not adequate to finance upkeep, and financing is scarcely available; the result is that properties are abandoned or demolished, and the supply decreases. A similar pattern of inadequate resources for upkeep results in the diminished over all supply of owner-occupied structures over time.
Over 1/3 of the very low income owners and 2/3 of the very low income renters report that their cost of shelter exceeds 50% of total household income. Half the renting households in the low income (50-80% of the median family income) category report housing problems, compared to 1/4 the home-owning households in this category. The need for homeownership programs is highlighted by these. Likewise there is evidence of a growing need for housing alternatives specifically designed for occupancy by low and moderate income elderly, without or with minimal subsidy or assistance.
Based on 1990 Census data, the number of sheltered homeless families/individuals in Waco seems modest, 217 adults and children. In other estimates, well over 1% of Waco's population could be considered constructively homeless. Waco has only a modest number of available sheltered spaces, transitional housing, short term/emergency shelter for families, almost non-existent day shelter facilities, and only minimal organized multi- agency/institution services. A Homeless Coalition has been organized recently. It includes local homeless providers, service providers, and local government.
For many in the homeless subpopulations, homelessness is the symptom of other problems for which assistance is needed. In this category are persons released from penal and other institutions with no means of support, persons with debilitating mental illness, victims of alcoholism or drug abuse, and victims of domestic violence. They need services which address their primary problems and help to acquire the means to a greater degree of independence and self-sufficiency.
Two additional groups warrant further mention, due to their numbers. One of these is the hidden homeless, estimated to be as high as 1500 persons. These include predominantly males, aged 18-30, only sporadically employed, who are only temporarily sheltered with acquaintances or relatives. The other group is persons threatened with homelessness, as many as 500. This includes primarily young families headed by a single female, not receiving housing assistance and with household income limited to AFDC. Low AFDC payments do not provide an adequate amount to rent even the most basic of standard housing, so that these AFDC families reside in other households or in substandard conditions or both.
Others at risk include families with poor rental history, large utility balances, no additional family or friendship resources for deposits, no furniture or method of moving furniture, whose lack of resources put them at risk of slipping into temporary or long term homelessness. Low income or very low income terminated employees who do not qualify for unemployment benefits are also at risk of homelessness.
Waco's assisted/subsidized housing programs with their long waiting lists are an unrealistic alternative for these households facing sudden income loss. Demonstrable need exists for housing programs to address these populations threatened with homelessness. Programs providing income enhancement activities may be of even more value to these subgroups. Such income enhancement activities include training, retraining, job search assistance, and even relocation aid.
The Housing Authority of the City of Waco operates 902 units on three large and three small sites initially occupied between 1939 and 1972. These are in very low-income "fringe" locations characterized by structures in aging and poor condition, mixed commercial-residential, poor access to transportation, other facilities or a spectrum of amenities. Annual resident turnover approaches 30 percent, and applicants for housing assistance are frequently unwilling to accept public housing. The racial/ethnic composition of the occupants is approximately 75 percent Black, 15 percent Hispanic and 10 percent White (predominantly elderly). Forty-two units have been designated for use by the elderly or disabled. Provision of access for the disabled is near completion in all developments scheduled. Annual comprehensive modernization funding in the amount of $1,200,000 to $1,500,000 is expected to be required to maintain the units at a modest level of repair. Attempts are underway to improve efficiency and performance through management improvements.
The Waco Housing Authority operates the local Section 8 Rental Assistance program with approximately 1300 certificates and vouchers. Very low and low income families entering the program must find units which meet the program's physical requirements at the "fair market rent" level set by HUD. Households will experience difficulty in locating units acceptable to the program without increases in the supply of units and the amount of fair market rent to cover market rent and utility increases; the use of the vouchers could decrease by as much as 25 percent, even as the need for them increases.
Waco also has ten privately owned subsidized multifamily apartment developments. These provide approximately 1200 units of subsidized housing, including 75 units set aside for the elderly. Demand for the Section 8 rental assistance units is high and the waiting lists are quite long.
Increasingly, aging housing stock in declining stages of repair has been turned into rental properties for low income persons, with little prospect of being upgraded by owners or renters. Lending institutions are reluctant to finance improvements, and the majority of local landlords have modest resources. Opportunities for the purchase of homes are similarly constrained by the difficulty of qualifying prospective purchasers. In such a climate, elderly households tend not to move out thus freeing up additional units, because of the difficulties in selling and in finding suitable alternative housing. Vacant units tend to be the uninhabitable units. In this cycle of interactive conditions, the pool of housing available for low income persons is shrinking. Little new affordable housing is being produced. While the population remains at a fairly stable level, smaller household size and a larger component of low income households increase the demand for this housing but do so without effecting its increased upkeep or the construction of additional units.
Waco has developed procedures and guidelines for affirmative marketing and outreach to minority and women owned businesses. The City will undertake specific actions, including adopting affirmative marketing procedures identical to those used in the rental rehabilitation program. The City will avoid action which would ultimately increase racial segregation, and will identify and address community concerns about projects before funds are committed. Owners of properties receiving assistance under the HOME program are required to execute an agreement with the City of Waco which includes an affirmative marketing covenant.
With almost 90 percent of total housing stock constructed prior to 1980, the potential for lead-based paint hazards is substantial. The public housing authority has undertaken testing of its 902 units of public housing and abatement in 200 affected units; no other local testing has been carried out. By interpolating data, it can be estimated that as many as 2,500 units could present some level of actual or potential lead-based paint hazards. Local public health authorities have tested few children who revealed elevated blood levels of leads, so no data for estimates is available from that source.
Inquiries of agencies serving special needs populations indicate that the need for supportive housing services in the community is growing. Furthermore, projections indicate that the number of persons in need of supportive housing will increase over five years. However, while future availability of health care is uncertain, Waco's plans to meet supportive housing needs must be delayed.
The lack of supportive housing for the elderly and frail elderly is a continuing concern. The community's only section 202 housing for elderly has had a waiting list, and its hoped for expansion will only touch visible community need. Using the Low-Income Tax Credit, 100 cottage style units for low-income elderly are currently under construction. Long term elderly residents of the Housing Authority's family developments are a group with a growing need for supportive housing. An option to address the needs of this group may be the conversion or redirection of existing housing facilities.
Persons recovering from alcohol or other substance addiction and their families would benefit from longer term supportive housing, to maximize opportunity for recovery. This solution includes a need for external funding when clients lack income; concurrent employment programs could help enable clients to contribute to housing and service costs. While longer term supportive housing services are not available, the community does provide transitional services.
The number of households affected by AIDS and related conditions is growing. However, there is a notable lack of available local facilities for housing persons with AIDS whose physical condition requires supportive housing.
While housing is a clearly identified need for a large percentage of Waco's citizens, other needs are also significant. These other needs include the broad categories of economic development, infrastructure, supportive services, and specific needs of neighborhoods. The principal source of funding for these is Waco's Community Development Block Grant allocation. While many needs are funded through private sector and other government funding, needs far exceed existing programs and resources.
Neighborhoods in many older areas of the city require long term improvement to streets, water and sewer utilities, public facilities in parks and other areas to bring them up to the level of newer parts of the City. At the same time other public facilities must be added or improved to raise neighborhood conditions to standard. To position itself for a skill-based economy, Waco's population is a vitally important potential economic resource. The City needs to invest in creation of jobs and train residents for jobs, in order to supply a competitive workforce. Waco's population is in need of supportive services that encompass both continuing services and those that address "one-shot" needs. Provision of health, day-care, safety, emergency and other vital services needed, and improvement to the delivery, coordination and accessibility of these services.
The lead agency for coordinating housing and community development
activities in Waco is the City of Waco Planning and Community Development
Service. The Waco Housing Authority coordinates all activities for its public
housing sites and rental assistance. A Homeless Coalition was created to help
in better delivery of services to the homeless and those threatened with
homelessness.
The collective vision is one of shared opportunity and linkages: equitable opportunity for personal fulfillment, beginning in earliest childhood and continuing throughout an individual's lifetime; and linkages fashioned to bridge the gaps in existing social and physical systems. Through collaboration in the development and delivery of services, using a community based model, WACO plans to increase and accelerate investment in economic, social, and human capital; renew and conserve both the natural and built environments; and construct tomorrow's infrastructure.
Waco's goals are to provide affordable housing opportunities and options for very low, low and moderate income households, including the homeless, those threatened with homelessness, and those with special housing needs. Also, to contribute to the revitalization and preservation of neighborhoods by preserving, improving and increasing the quality and amount of available housing.
Waco's housing priorities are twofold:
Non-housing priorities in community and economic development developed through broad- based community input include the following:
Poverty's diverse aspects and broad spectrum require the City's strategy to encompass far more than the targets of traditional anti-poverty efforts. The City is unequipped with the resources to supplement income; income supplements are traditionally assumed by federal and state programs. Therefore, the City's strategy requires it to undertake actions within the framework of its customary activities.
Waco will exercise physical oversight of the conditions of its housing and neighborhoods through regulatory activity, policing and other activities to attempt to maintain and improve environment. The City will eliminate the barriers to private development and construction of affordable housing that meets acceptable physical and environmental standards. In carrying out physical improvements to all areas of the city, the City will give priority to improvements in neighborhoods with high levels of poverty. The City will take an active role in the preservation and improvement of existing housing, and will work to maintain the affordability of existing housing and improve its accessibility to low income Wacoans. Waco will seek to provide access and positive incentives for the location of employers near to or accessible from low income areas of the City. Additionally, the City will improve transportation alternatives while attempting to control overall transportation costs.
Especially in locations where the rate of poverty is high, the City will cooperate with, stimulate, and promote the expansion and improvement of educational facilities and activities. It will provide opportunity, incentives and stimuli for the location and activation of governmentally and privately sponsored health, dental, and social services where they will be accessible to low income areas. Cultural, social and recreational activities will be maintained, improved and expanded, targeting access to low income Wacoans.
The input and participation of Wacoans from all neighborhoods, income levels and walks of life will be sought in the community decision-making and prioritization processes. Within the constraints of available funding and subject to priorities established by the City Council, neighborhood associations and other community interests, the activities listed above form the increments of the City of Waco's anti-poverty strategy.
Resources and assets available to address Waco's priorities for housing and community development include programs in a number of Federal agencies; State programs, which are relatively limited for Waco in housing, but significant for services and criminal justice; and resources found in local jurisdictions, including public agency, institution and private resources, including some for-profit resources.
Major Federal Resources include:
Community Development Block Grant (HUD)
HOME Program (HUD)
Emergency Shelter Grant (HUD)
Public and Indian Housing Program - Housing Modernization, other (HUD)
Enterprise Community/ (Health and Human Services) Title 20 Grant Program
Mass Transportation Grants/Loans (DOT)
Small Business Loan/Grant Program (SBA)
Others
State resources include: Texas Department of Community Affairs, Department of Mental Health/Mental Retardation, other.
Local resources include the Housing Authority of the City of Waco; the City of Waco Neighborhood Associations; the Economic Opportunity Advancement Corporation; Area Agency on Aging; Heart of Texas Housing Finance Corporation; Waco-McLennan County, McLennan County Community College, Texas State Technical College; Chambers of Commerce, Homebuilders Association, Realtors Association; Cooper Foundation, Waco Foundation; Rapoport Foundation; Neighborhood Housing Services, Caritas; Freeman Center; the Salvation Army. These are just some of the many local resources.
The community's efforts involve strong working relationships between a wide
variety of agencies, organizations and institutions: The collaboration
developed during the EZ/EC application process extended to McLennan County and
adjoining jurisdictions, as well as the Waco and La Vega Independent School
Districts, to mutual benefit; Waco's Neighborhood organizations have become key
partners in the collaborative process. More than 40 other agencies,
organizations and private sector companies serve in an advisory or contributory
capacity, and some of these are also service providers. A Homeless Coalition
was just formed.
Emergency Assistance:
Assistance with utilities, insurance, and maintenance for the transitional shelter for clients from the Family Abuse Center - 17 housing units, through the Family Abuse Center - $19,540.
Non-housing activities $2,378,656, CDBG. Additional non-housing activities include: Street reconstruction, $500,000; Mini-Market Implementation/public facility improvements, $63,576; Neighborhood Business Resource facilities, $300,000; Fun in the Sun summer youth program, $203,362.
Locations are generally in the CDBG-eligible areas, centrally located, north and south of the Brazos River, and in South Waco; also in areas where income-eligible persons reside.
The lead agencies are the City of Waco Planning and Community Development Services Department, for community development and housing related activities; the Waco Housing Authority for Public Housing and Section 8 Rental Assistance.
Housing Construction/Improvements
Emergency Assistance:
Other Housing related goals:
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 low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 6 depicts Empowerment Zones\Enterprise Community information.
MAP 7 depicts North Portion Empowerment Zones\Enterprise Community information.
MAP 8 depicts North Portion Empowerment Zones\Enterprise Community information.
MAP 9 depicts South Portion Empowerment Zones\Enterprise Community information.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Peggy McCart
Housing Coordinator
City of Waco
PH: 817-750-5650
