The City of Wichita Falls, Texas is a city of 97,940 population (1990 Census) in north Texas, near the Oklahoma border. Sheppard Air Force Base is located in the city, to the north. The city is affected by the flood plains of the Big Wichita River, Holliday Creek, and five other creeks and tributaries. Much of the older areas of town are in the floodplain. These older areas are low income areas. Federal restrictions on rebuilding and new construction in the 100 year floodplain restrict the ability of households to obtain permits or mortgage financing to purchase or repair these older units.
Assistance for homeownership, rehabilitation of rental units, and sewer line replacements will assist 170 households ($503,587). Paint will be provided to an additional 100 households, and emergency repair funds are available to assist another 10 households ($40,000). Forty eight abandoned residential units will be demolished and cleared ($258,122). Infrastructure improvements, (streets, watermains, parks, firefighting equipment) and facade improvements in the Historic area provide improvements in the low income areas ($1.09 million). Assistance for such social services as Meals on Wheels, day care and health care helps provide services to over 1400 people ($242,424).
The City contacted service providers, non-profit agencies, banks, realtors, churches, residents of assisted housing, other interested groups and ordinary citizens for the development of the Consolidated Plan. The City also conducted a survey of organizations, agencies, and persons for input on needs, resources, and strategies to address affordable housing in Wichita Falls. The Consolidated Plan is a result of input from these agencies and individuals, either in writing, or from oral comments. Comments from meetings held in various neighborhoods were also used to develop priorities and strategies to address affordable housing and other needs described in the Plan.
The population of Wichita Falls is made up of roughly 80% non-minority and 20% minority persons. The number of lower income households is balanced between minority and non-minority households. The mean household income for White households is $32,111 as compared to $24,374 for Hispanic and $18,871 for Black households. Low- income and minority housing areas are generally concentrated north and east of Central Freeway. Many of these are in the Federally designated flood plain.
The residential stock is made up of 35,470 occupied dwelling units. Homeowners occupy 59% or 21,085 units. Renters occupy 41% of the units, or 14,385 units. Of the 6,931 minority households, 3599 are renters. Of the 28,539 non-minority households, 10,786 are renters. Renter households earning less than 80 percent of the median family income reporting a housing problem number 5,376 households; owner households reporting a housing problem number 4,123 households. Of these 9499 households reporting a housing problem, 3035 were very low income households earning 0 to 30 percent of the median family income.
A low vacancy rate (4% in 1993) and pressure from 1,365 military personnel and approximately 800 personnel for a new 2500 bed prison have caused rental prices to increase by more than $50 per month for the average unit since 1993.
Many poverty level families spend upwards of 50%-60% of their income on housing costs, leaving very little left for food, clothing and medical expenses.
An estimated 2483 occupied units are deemed "suitable only for demolition", defined locally to mean the cost of providing new foundations and other improvements might exceed the tax appraisal valuation. An estimated 1377 of these are occupied by very low income persons. Another 2,483 occupied housing units are substandard but suitable for rehabilitation. An estimated 479 of these are occupied by very low income persons and 2006 are occupied by low and moderate income persons.
Rental vacancy rates are low and few standard units are available that are affordable at the income levels of the community's low income households. In the 1990 census, there were 9499 Wichita Falls households reporting a housing problem. A person with an income at 65% of the area median income could afford rent and utilities below $520 per month. The current Section 8 FMR for a two bedroom unit is $430. A family of four with the head-of- household working at minimum wage could afford no more than $221 for housing and utilities. In Wichita Falls, a family would have a hard, if not impossible task of finding a home that is not substandard in that price range.
A female head of household with three children on AFDC could afford $66 for rent and utilities. The high demand for housing affordable to low income persons, the difficulty of obtaining financing for repairs to housing located in the older sections of the city, and the numbers of households in the low income and very low income categories combine to make affordable housing a serious problem in the City of Wichita Falls.
Black households include a higher proportion of rental households with incomes under 80% of the median (70 %) than White households; these households occupy an estimated 1416 units. By contrast, 46.9 percent of White rental households have incomes under 80% of the median, occupying an estimated 9717 units. Black households also have a larger percentage of households in the 0-30% of median income category. HUD data indicate that 35.4% of all Black households are in this very low income category. It would appear that Black renters may need additional assistance and support to offset this concentration of very low income households (an estimated 688 renter households).
Whites account for 84.2 percent of owner households, while Black and Hispanic households account for 7.4 and 6.7 percent of owner households respectively. The Black and Hispanic owner households have 67 percent and 75 percent of the white income levels for owners.
The 1996 Consolidated Plan Community Needs Survey indicated an agreement among most respondents (90%) that homelessness is a problem, even a serious to somewhat serious problem (over 63%). The survey indicated a full range of needs to be addressed. A 1993 survey of individuals sheltered in local facilities showed 216 persons being sheltered in a 36 hour period. Other individuals considered in the discussion of homelessness are persons receiving in-patient psychiatric treatment (2,029 annually), mentally retarded, and the "hidden homeless", those who are living with a friend or relative, and who could be asked to leave at almost any moment because of a change in their housing provider.
HUD lowered the Fair Market Rent in 1993 (using the 1990 13.9% vacancy rate instead of the 1993 4% vacancy rate). Participants in the HUD Section 8 voucher and certificate programs have difficulty locating a unit under the new FMRs and lower vacancy rates, and many certificates and vouchers expire before suitable units can be found. There is a shortage of standard affordable units, and of 4-bedroom or larger-sized units.
The City of Wichita Falls has a total of 2,225 assisted units which include eight Section 8 apartment complexes, public housing, Section 8 and Section 202 projects. The waiting list for Section 8 Existing Housing Program is 431 people; the waiting list for public housing is 102 households.
Of the 589 certificates or vouchers the City administers, 70 units are occupied by elderly households, 175 are occupied by disabled or handicapped households. In total, there are 1,551 persons on the Section 8 Rental Assistance program. Of the 1,551 people on this program 305 households are female-headed households. The average income of tenants on the section 8 Program is $6,473 per year.
Elderly and handicapped housing needs are increasing; persons over 60 years comprise one- third of the households in the city, or 10,702 households, of whom about 45% live alone. Midtown Manor, a Section 8 building completed in 1982 with HUD Section 202 funds provides 150 units for elderly and handicapped. An application for a Section 202 grant will be submitted in 1995 for funds for additional units.
Most of the City's housing programs are based on the income level of the individual who is applying. The staff will increase their efforts to encourage more minorities to apply for the programs under staff control. The non-housing programs are based on the eligibility of the projects and the service area. The census block groups where projects can be completed are low income and mainly minority.
Very little lead-based paint was used in the area, and very few people are actually exposed to lead-based paint. The city provides lead-based paint notification and instructions on how best to deal with lead-based paint. The City administers Section 8 guidelines and city requirements for rehabilitation. Testing for elevated blood-lead levels is available. Lead- based paint testing was performed in public housing units, and no lead-based paint was present.
The location of Sheppard Air Force Base within the city creates special conditions for the City, particularly with respect to the availability of standard housing units available to lower income households. Lower ranked personnel from the Air Base are experiencing difficulty in obtaining affordable rental units since the vacancy rate started to drop in 1994. Among the lower ranking personnel, a family of four with an unemployed spouse is eligible for the Section 8 Program.
A serious need exists for low to moderate income housing for the elderly. Some form of housing maintenance system for elderly homeowners is a necessity for this growing segment of the City's population. An application to HUD for Section 202 funding assistance for additional housing will be submitted in 1995.
Housing assistance to persons with AIDS is limited to a maximum of ten clients, although the City provides services to over 60 HIV/AIDS clients. No local housing is specifically set aside for persons with AIDS. The City has applied for an additional 20 units of rental assistance payments under the Section 8 set-aside for persons with AIDS.
Community development needs include public facility needs, infrastructure improvements, public service needs, accessibility needs, historic preservation needs, economic development needs and other community development needs. Planning is also a component of this section. High priority is given to child care centers, water and street improvements, senior and youth services and employment training, child care and health care services, accessibility needs, code enforcement and planning.
The Housing Division administers the Community Development Block Grant Program, the HOME program, the Section 8 Housing Assistance Program and the Family Self-Sufficiency Program. The Community Action Corporation of Wichita Falls provides weatherization assistance grants to low-income homeowners. Five different non-profits administer, in cooperation with the Housing Division, the State of Texas Emergency Shelter Grant. The Christmas in April organization provides volunteer services for home repairs. Habitat for Humanity mobilizes resources for 1-5 units annually. The Jerusalem Community Development Corporation (JCDC) is the City's designated CHDO (Community Housing Development Corporation). The Public Housing Authority administers the low rent public housing program and the Family Self-Sufficiency Program.
The City of Wichita Falls has and will continue to undertake several efforts, both in housing and through supportive services, to improve the quality of life of its citizens who are low and moderate income.
The City has adopted the following short term objectives: to promote the conservation and expansion of Wichita Falls' housing stock to help ensure the availability of decent, safe and sanitary housing for all residents, and especially those residents of low and moderate income; to stabilize, preserve and improve established neighborhoods, particularly those identified as low and moderate income neighborhoods; to promote expanded economic opportunities which contribute to the improvement of a suitable living environment, especially those residents of low and moderate income.
Highest priority is given to renovating and rehabilitating marginal or substandard housing units for both renters and homeowners. Training and education components are required in the Urban Homesteading and FSS programs. Those persons with special needs such as the elderly, the frail elderly, the mentally ill, and those living with AIDS should have access to housing assistance, supportive service programs, and affordable and barrier free housing.
The City has adopted the following long term objectives: to upgrade or expand the housing stock by making financial assistance available to eligible residents of low and moderate income; to provide equitable distribution of urban amenities including paved streets, adequate water and sewer services, parks and other community facilities within the CDBG Target Area; to eliminate factors which degrade the area such as incompatible land uses, code violations, pollution sources, and undesirable traffic patterns; and to assist neighborhood-based organizations in the provision of essential support services necessary to promote a suitable living environment for low and moderate income residents of the CDBG Target Area and to promote the economic well being of lower income persons in the community by providing incentives for economic growth and development.
Unemployment or underemployment is often accompanied by needs in the following areas: affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing, adequate food and clothing, and access to affordable medical care. Moreover, unstable family life, gang violence, domestic violence and child abuse necessitate a network of social service providers, trying to alleviate a symptom, when the true problem is lack of income.
A person needs to obtain a full time job, with full benefits including health insurance, of at least $16,500 per year or approximately $8.00 per hour, to be able to support a family without relying on public assistance or benefits. These types of jobs require at least a high school education or GED, literacy, and some job skills. Therefore, any type of anti-poverty strategy must include education, literacy, tutoring, and jobs training.
The City Council believes that economic development can be helped most by keeping the tax rates low and the City's budget very lean. Economic development by the City is limited in scope, such as utility improvements and abatements, and rarely tax abatements.
The cost of child care for one child is approximately $70 per week, affordable to a parent making $15.87 per hour. Subsidized child care is needed to permit a parent earning less than this to work, obtain education or job skills training. The City intends to continue its support for child care organizations in the amount of $73,000. The City anticipates helping to leverage an additional $27,000 for child care services.
Most of the City's major employers are located on the edge of the city limits and bus service is not an available option. When Federal and State subsidies available to the city for bus service and health-related trips are cut, the larger issue of public transportation will be an unresolved issue. Persons living below the poverty line must secure their own means of transportation as best they can.
Primary health care and preventive health care will be provided in a non-profit health care facility to be renovated with $100,000 of CDBG funds, as a cost saving measure. CDBG funds also provide funds to the Martin Luther King Satellite Clinic. Texas State Department of Health funds to these clinics are expected to be cut.
Housing and Community Development resources include $2,148,075 from the Community Development Block Grant Program, $528,000 in HOME funds, Section 8 Housing Assistance, Comprehensive Grant Assistance and other funds for Public Housing, Youthbuild, U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development; Weatherization Assistance Program, U.S. Department of Energy; Transportation assistance from the Department of Transportation and the State of Texas; health and dental care assistance from the Texas Department of Health. Other resources include nonprofit and other private resources.
The Housing Division has the overall responsibility for the Strategic Plan, CDBG, HOME and the Section 8 housing assistance program. The Planning Division is acting as facilitator to the neighborhoods and as a liaison to City Departments. Neighborhood representatives are required to meet personally with City departments in case of disputes or grievances. The City resources to be coordinated for the plan include a number of agencies and organizations, including City, County and State resources, non-profit agencies, and educational institutions.
The City cooperates with educational institutions and other providers in meeting the education and job skills training of the community. These include for education, Wichita Falls Independent School District, the Wichita Falls Adult Literacy Program, Midwestern State University and Vernon Regional Junior College. The North Texas Council of Governments, Individual Development Corporation and Texas Rehabilitation Commission, Helen Farabee and Lighthouse for the Blind provide job training, job placement, or sheltered workshops for various categories of potential trainees. Sixteen public housing resident initiatives provide additional resources coordinated with the Strategic Plan.
The Board of Commerce and Industry receives administrative assistance from the City for Economic Development. The City participates in funding subsidized child care at the Martin Luther King Center and other facilities of Child Care, Inc., and has cooperated with the Texas Department of Human Services in documenting local dollars spent on child care to help leverage additional state and federal funding. The City provides five bus routes and the City Health Department administers Ryan White taxi vouchers funds for medical and grocery trips for AIDS/HIV clients. The City operates the City/County Health Department and assists with funding (CDBG) for the Martin Luther King Satellite Clinic.
Infrastructure, public works, facade improvements, and fire fighting equipment account for about $1.09 million of the total $2.68 million of Home and CDBG funds requested for the 1995-1996 program year:
Assistance for home-ownership, rehabilitation of rental units, and sewer line replacements to assist 120 households accounted for $453,487 of the total. Another $111,000 covers HOME services, administration, operations:
The census block groups where projects can be completed are low income and mainly minority. These are in the older parts of the city, principally north and east of the Central Freeway.
The Housing Division of the Community Development Department, City of Wichita Falls is the lead agency in the development of the 1995-2000 Consolidated Plan. After plan approval, the Division will administer the programs and provide guidance to sub-recipients.
The Planning Division is a facilitator to the neighborhoods and a liaison to the City Departments.
Housing Goals
Housing goals include assisting homeowners to maintain their homes, purchase homes for rehabilitation, purchase first homes, and assisting non-profits to rehabilitate homes for purchase by low income and moderate income families. Other goals include providing rental assistance to poverty income families; helping families become self-sufficient through education, vocational training, employment resources, and supportive services.
The Planning Staff is hoping to educate and empower the neighborhoods to solve their own problems where possible due to limited city resources.
The Public Housing Authority continues to improve units as funding becomes available from the Federal Government.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction
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.
A TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the planned project(s).
Catherine Fitch
Housing and Community Development Administrator
817/761-7454
Bob Henderson
Housing and Community Development Specialist
817/761-7454
City of Wichita Falls
Housing Division
P.O. Box 1431
Wichita Falls, Texas 76307
