The City of Alexandria, Virginia, is an independent city located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan statistical area (MSA). According to the 1990 Census, the Washington MSA has a population of nearly four million. The total land area of Alexandria is 15.75 square miles, and the City is bordered by Arlington and Fairfax Counties, as well as the Potomac River.
The City of Alexandria's Consolidated Plan is a comprehensive planning document that identifies the City's overall needs for affordable and supportive housing, homeless shelters and services, and community and economic development. The Plan defines the City's five-year strategy and one-year action plan, including priorities for addressing those needs. The One- Year Action Plan also serves as the City's application for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1995 allocations of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) funds totalling $1,854,000. The City's major priorities, as discussed in further detail under "Vision for Change" on page nine, are: 1) self-sufficiency; 2) homeownership; and 3) fair share with regard to housing and health and human services.
The City's Office of Housing was the department responsible for developing the Consolidated Plan. The Office of Housing, in conjunction with the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse, the Department of Human Services, and the Alexandria Health Department, sponsored a public hearing on housing, homeless and community development needs on November 29, 1994. The draft Consolidated Plan was released for public comment on March 24, 1995, and a public hearing was held by the Alexandria City Council on May 13, 1995, the final day of the citizen review and comment period.
A total of 22 persons, including representatives from 13 organizations,
provided oral and/or written comments during the course of this process. The
final Consolidated Plan, incorporating changes made as a result of public
comment and City Council input, as well as incorporating and addressing
summaries of the comments received, was approved by City Council on June 27,
1995.
According to the 1990 Census, the City has a population of 111,183, an increase of 8% over the 1980 population figure of 103,217. The City ranks 11th in the nation in population density, according to the Northern Virginia Planning District Commission, with 7,059 persons per square mile.
Alexandria is a predominantly rental community. According to the 1990 Census, 59.5% of Alexandria's occupied housing units are renter-occupied, with only 40.5% owner-occupied. These figures include all types of housing units. Census data compiled by the Northern Virginia Planning District Commission indicate that the City's rental occupancy percentage is 17th in the nation, and is higher than the state (33.7%) and national (35.8%) averages.
According to U.S. Census data, Alexandria has had a dramatic shift from 1970 to 1990 in the number and percentage of minorities which comprise the City's population. The percentage of minority households increased from 17% of the population in 1970 to nearly 36% in 1990. Since the 1980 Census, there has been a dispersion of minorities throughout the City. This dispersion is evident with regard to the black population in the form of decreases in the numbers of tracts with both small and large concentrations of black residents, and an increase in the number of tracts more representative of the City's overall population. The City's Hispanic population is also more dispersed throughout the City in 1990 than in 1980. In 1980 only one Census Tract, 12.03, had a Hispanic population of more than 10%, while the 1990 Census indicates that nine tracts have Hispanic populations of 10% to 19%.
According to 1990 Census Data compiled by the Northern Virginia Planning District Commission, Alexandria ranks third in the country in percentage of households that are non- family, i.e., single person households or households with persons not related by blood or marriage (54.7%) and one-person (42%) households. Approximately 45.3% of the households are family households with or without children. Over 25% of all youth in the City live in single-parent households; the highest percentage in Northern Virginia. The largest age group in the City (18.3%) is persons 35 - 44 years of age, while the second largest group (16.29%) is persons aged 18 and under.
According to the City's Planning and Zoning Department, the median household income of Alexandria residents is $47,116. According to the 1990 Census, 7,732, or 7.1%, of all residents are living below the poverty level.
For the purposes of the Consolidated Plan, the term extremely low-income
refers to a household with an income at or below 30% of area median income,
currently $18,800 for a family of four. The term low-income household is used
to describe households earning at or below 50% of the area median, currently
$31,350 for a family of four. Moderate-income is defined as a household earning
at or below the HUD Section 8 Low Income limits, currently $40,200 for a family
of four. (The Section 8 Low Income limits are established by HUD, and for the
Washington, D.C. area, equate to the national median income, or approximately
65% of the area median.) The limits used for the middle-income group are
calculated based on a formula, currently $47,750 for a family of four.
Since the development of Alexandria's modern service-based economy in the 1980's, the City's economic performance has been linked closely to the strength of the metropolitan region's economy, especially the commercial real estate market. From 1986 through 1989, Alexandria emerged as one of Northern Virginia's major commercial office centers. During this period, employment in the City grew by 7,000 workers, the value of commercial property increased from $3.2 billion in 1986 to $4.9 billion in 1989, and the salaries of residents rose from $2.07 billion in 1986 to $2.76 billion in 1989.
During the economic recession that began in the metropolitan area in early 1990, the federal government and its private contractors began to downsize their workforces, and financial institutions curtailed credit for speculative construction and business expansion. While diversified in its tax base, the City, as with other neighboring localities, proved vulnerable to downsizing and to the glut of unleased office space beyond the City's borders. Due to these market forces, the City experienced a decline in its employment base and its commercial tax base. Employment between the fourth quarter of 1989 and the fourth quarter of 1992 fell by 5,700 workers; however, employment has rebounded and restored 3,600 jobs. After a loss of more than $1.2 billion in the real property tax base from 1991 to 1994, the City's commercial vacancy rate reached a record low of 7.7% in 1994. However, there has been little new office construction and lease rates and renewals are substantially below those of only a few years ago.
According to the Virginia Employment Commission, the City had a 4.4% unemployment rate in December 1994, while the average unemployment rate for 1993 was 5.7%. The City's largest industries in 1993, according to data provided by the Virginia Department of Taxation, were business services (41.5%), retail trade (18%), government (17.4%), and engineering and management (10.4%).
The City's Planning and Zoning Department estimates that, in 1995, there were 61,156 housing units, including 18,573 single-family homes, 13,437 multifamily condominium units, and 29,146 rental apartments. As previously noted, 1990 Census indicates that 59.5% of Alexandria's occupied housing units are renter-occupied, with only 40.5% owner-occupied.
The 1995 average assessed value of a single family home is $231,266, and the average condominium is assessed at $105,133. From 1980 to 1990, average assessed values in the City more than doubled, with the exception of residential condominium values, which increased by a substantial 95%. However, these large in creases in housing values have moderated considerably since 1990. In fact, the average assessed value for single family homes in the City has shown only a slight increase and condominium assessments have declined from 1990-1995.
As in the case of sales housing, from 1980 to 1990 average apartment rents more than doubled; however, this trend has not continued in the 1990s. From 1990 to 1994, rent increases have been minimal for all sizes of apartments, with the largest increase (4.2%) in the two-bedroom size which had an average rent of $844 in 1994. The City's February 1995 Apartment Vacancy and Market Rent Survey indicates that the vacancy rate among rental units was 2.01%; dropping sharply from 5.5% in 1990.
The City has an overall commitment to help provide its residents with safe, affordable housing, subject to available resources, which is exemplified in Alexandria's history of aggressively pursuing affordable housing. The City's current level of assisted housing, homeless shelter and special needs beds are the highest in Northern Virginia, and our per capita health and welfare expenditures and per pupil expenditures for education are the highest in the state.
In recognizing that the overall housing stock is predominantly rental (59.5%), and in order to stabilize the community, reduce school enrollment turnover and bring the percentage of owner-occupancy in line with that of other jurisdictions, the City encourages homeownership as the top housing priority. As a result, it is anticipated that the demand for social services and schools will become more predictable and manageable, and that the City will cease being a magnet for increasing service demands.
Renters
According to the data provided by HUD, 2,906 (or 75%) of the 3,855 extremely low- income renter households, 3,182 (or 85%) of the low-income renter households and 2,153 (or 70%) of the moderate-income renters are paying more than 30% of their incomes for rent. This is a total of 8,241 households, (or 77.2%) in the three income categories. However, the City questions the validity of this data provided by HUD because the number of the remaining households (2,440 or 22.8%) without cost burden is considerably less than the number of federally-assisted rental units in the City (4,106, less approximately 125 Section 8 portability units exported to other jurisdictions) where low-and moderate-income households pay no more than 30% of their income for rent. The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority's public housing and Section 8 units alone total more than 2,300 units.
With regard to overcrowding, the data indicate that 10.2% of all low-income renter households are overcrowded, and overcrowding affects 10.8% of moderate-income households.
Middle-income households have an even higher percentage of the City's rental units affordable to them than do moderate-income renters - less than half (49%) report some housing problem. There is no overcrowding data for this income group.
Owners
According to the 1990 Census information provided by HUD, the majority of low- income homeowners (657 households, or 86%, of those with incomes up to 30% of median income, and 478 households, or 80% of those with incomes between 31% and 50% of median income) pay more than 30% of their income for housing. However, the problem of severe cost burden (paying more than 50% of income for housing) is twice as prevalent among the extremely low-income group (536 households, or 70%) than among those in the 31% to 50% of median range (277 households, or 33%). (As noted before, the City questions the validity of the cost burden data provided by HUD.) Less than 2% of all low-income owner households are living in overcrowded conditions.
For existing homeowners in the moderate-income range, 537 households (61%) have some housing problem. Of the 885 moderate-income homeowners, 514 (58%) pay more than 30% of their incomes for housing, and 236, or 27%, pay more than 50% of income for housing. Overcrowding affects 4.1% of the moderate-income owner households.
According to HUD-provided Census data, there are 1,140 middle-income (currently earning between $40,201 and $47,750 for a family of four) homeowners in the City. Of these, 569, or 50% have housing problems. According to the data provided by HUD, 548 middle-income owner households, or 48%, are paying more than 30% of their incomes for housing, and 168 (15%) households are paying more than 50% of their income for housing.
During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994, emergency shelters in the City housed 1,717 individuals. Of the total sheltered, 72% were black, 17.5% white, 7.5% Hispanic and 3% represented other ethnic minorities. Seventy percent of the homeless served in shelters were male, 30% female. One third of the homeless were members of families, the overwhelming majority in single parent households. Less than 3% of the sheltered homeless were aged 60 or older.
Temporary shelter is only effective to the extent counseling and supportive services are available to move the homeless in the direction of self-sufficiency. The most basic need of homeless persons is a sufficient number of secure, safe and sanitary emergency shelter beds. The City is currently in a favorable position with 225 year-round beds in four facilities.
Many factors contribute to homelessness, but lack of adequate income (including poverty level incomes) is a common characteristic. Supportive services must be targeted to help shelter residents overcome barriers to self-support. Comprehensive service plans designed to address homelessness and poverty must include: prevention strategies; emergency shelter; case management; transitional and supportive housing; and affordable permanent housing, including assistance with the transition to permanent housing to reduce cyclical homelessness.
Alexandria has 3,806 assisted rental units (including Section 8 certificates and vouchers) and 300 non-subsidized below market rate units in rental projects financed with tax-exempt bonds for a total of 4,106 units. The affordable housing needs of Alexandria residents are addressed through this available assisted housing, which primarily serves households with incomes at or below 50% of median (i.e. low- income). These 4,106 units represent 7.4% of the City's total occupied housing stock, and 14.1% of its rental apartment stock, a higher percentage than in surrounding suburban jurisdictions (e.g. assisted units account for 2.9% of all occupied housing units in Arlington County and 3.2% in Fairfax County).
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is responsible for 2,366 of the 4,106 assisted rental units. Of these, 895 are public housing units, 261 are public housing replacement units, 1,184 are tenant-based certificates and vouchers, and 26 are project-based certificates. The remaining 1,740 units are in federally-assisted, privately owned buildings.
Alexandria will also continue to provide appropriate housing and/or supportive services for those individuals with special needs (and their families, where applicable). The category of "persons with special needs" includes the following: the elderly/frail elderly; persons with physical disabilities; persons with mental/developmental disabilities and substance abuse problems; and persons with HIV/AIDS. Affordable supportive housing for persons with special needs is of heightened importance because the medical and/or mental health of these persons often means that their income is limited. With limited income, securing housing that is affordable is often difficult. In addition, appropriate support services can provide a certain degree of independence and improve the quality of life of persons with special needs.
Alexandria's Affordable Housing Policy, adopted in January 1993, established a variety of goals for subsidized rental housing, private market rental housing, and sales housing that have evolved into the policies that are described in this Consolidated Plan. While the Policy was being developed by the Ad Hoc Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, the Committee's Developer Subcommittee considered the issue of barriers to the success of efforts to develop, maintain or improve affordable and supportive housing. The following areas were identified by the Committee: density limitations; parking requirements; setback and height restrictions; excessive use of special use permits; and transportation management, archeology and landscape plans. The City has considered these issues and concerns and concluded that the current policies regarding planning and zoning are appropriate and necessary. Therefore, the City does not anticipate any actions that will be undertaken to remove barriers to affordable housing.
In addition to state and federal laws which prohibit discrimination based on race, ancestry or origin (among other things), the City Code expressly prohibits discrimination with regard to housing, public accommodations, employment, health and social services, credit, education and City contracts.
The City conducts fair housing testing to determine the presence of discrimination in the rental housing industry. Paid testers have tested apartment complexes and realtors for discrimination based on race, familial status and disabilities. Follow-up measures to the testing include training for apartment managers and owners.
The City also actively participates in and contributes to the Community Housing Resources Board of Northern Virginia. This organization has actively been involved in fair housing education with the real estate industry and the public including seminars, publishing literature, promoting school poster contests and other activities. Finally, the City provides fair housing information to tenants and landlords through its free publication, The Alexandria Guide to Landlord-Tenant Laws and Policies.
The Alexandria Health Department will continue to offer screening and testing for lead in children. In addition, the Office of Housing is including the purchase of a lead- based paint analyzer for the Alexandria Health Department as part of its CDBG budget in the Action Plan of the Consolidated Plan. The analyzer will enable Health Department staff to obtain instant lead paint results and to offer lead-based paint screening services to suspect housing units.
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority has completed the first phase of testing for lead-based paint in its oldest housing developments. Currently, two developments are scheduled for lead-based paint abatement, and abatement may be necessary to eliminate lead hazards in other developments as well.
The City's Master Plan calls for citizens to have access to an array of convenient public and quasi-public services and facilities which provide for the health, well-being, and personal development of residents of all ages. Schools, libraries and cultural arts, environmental health and human services, child care, senior and youth centers, police and fire protection, parking facilities, as well as parks, recreation centers and active and passive leisure programs all contribute to the quality of life of residents throughout Alexandria.
Within communities, particularly the Potomac West and Potomac East Neighborhood Strategy Areas, access to and use of opportunities offered by local community facilities can meet real needs and engender a sense of place and pride in the neighborhood. They can also provide incentives to the physical preservation and upgrading of housing, both rental and owner-occupied.
Low- and moderate-income householders often lack access to sufficient
training and to employment opportunities which could result in increases in
their purchasing power and improved quality of life. From job creation by the
private sector in low-income neighborhoods (a need in itself) emerges the
necessity to prepare a qualified work force. For its part, the public sector has
a role to help provide some of the infrastructure, services, technical
assistance and other economic development incentives to attract businesses to
locate and generate jobs in these neighborhoods. Job training and employment
placement services can also help provide an opportunity for individuals and
families to achieve their financial independence.
Since the early 1970s, the City has more than tripled the number of assisted rental units for low-income households (in 1974 there were only 1,127 assisted rental units in the City, and there were 4,106 assisted housing units in 1995), assisted the acquisition and/or rehabilitation of numerous permanent and transitional rental housing units for low- and moderate-income households, and constructed the City's nationally recognized homeless shelter/substance abuse services center. In addition, the City has demonstrated its commitment to assist low- and moderate-income tenants through the 1977 adoption of the Residential Rental Permit Program, which was designed to prevent deterioration of rental units in the City, and, in 1980, the adoption of the Relocation Assistance Policy (later renamed the Housing Conversion Assistance Policy) to encourage condominium and cooperative developers to retain current tenants and to provide relocation benefits and assistance to displacees. The City has also provided financial assistance to 311 low- and moderate-income households to purchase housing and to 408 low- and moderate-income owner households to rehabilitate their single family homes (as of December 30, 1994). In addition, the City has two major projects currently underway (one is near completion and the other will begin construction in June of 1995) which will provide approximately 300 additional low-income households with affordable homeownership opportunities.
Over the past decade, the City has experienced a continued increase both in the number of persons making use of City services, specifically housing, health and human services -- and in the cost of providing those services. For example, the City also spends more per capita on health and welfare programs than any jurisdiction in Virginia. During the City's FY 93, its health and welfare expenditures, most of which benefited individuals and households whose low incomes also made them eligible for assisted housing, totaled $39.4 million, or $343.21 per capita. This per capita expenditure ranked first among the 41 Virginia cities and 95 counties surveyed by the Commonwealth of Virginia's Auditor of Public Accounts.
The City continues to spend millions of dollars per year to support these activities. However, given the City's fiscal constraints, specifically the loss of $1.3 billion from its tax base due to the recession over the last three years and cuts in funding for housing and human services programs at the federal and state levels, the City cannot sustain this rate of growth into the next decade. The City must look at how it can manage the demand for services, and emphasize moving persons from dependency to self-sufficiency. Based on these factors, the City has recently undertaken initiatives focusing on three major areas: 1) self-sufficiency; 2) homeownership; and 3) fair share with regard to housing, health and human services needs.
Self-Sufficiency
In an effort to move more residents towards self-sufficiency, one of the major efforts undertaken by the City is a job-targeted, employment training program provided by the Center for Employment Training (CET). CET will establish and operate a Center for Employment Training in Alexandria for Alexandria Job Opportunities and Basic Skills and Job Training Partnership Act clients to receive intensive training leading to private sector jobs. The City's strong commitment to self-sufficiency is evidenced by the fact that staff recommended, and City Council agreed, to reallocate Supplemental Aid to Families with Dependent Children monies to provide the City's local match for the federal monies for the Center's contract.
Homeownership
The City Council approved the promotion of homeownership as a policy objective in October of 1994, citing it as a means to "build stability in our population...make our diversity an asset...realize the benefits of public investment in our schools [and] our youth programs,... [and] encourage more active involvement in commerce and civic affairs." In conjunction with the approval of homeownership as a policy objective of the City, Council also approved specific actions to promote homeownership, including a homeownership fair and the endorsement of a City Charter amendment which would allow the City to use local monies to provide homeownership assistance to families up to the Virginia Housing Development Authority's income limits (currently $62,700 for a family of three or more; this is also the current metropolitan area median income).
Fair Share
The underlying principles of the Fair Share concept, which was approved by City Council in October 1994, are that: (1) it distributes low-income housing throughout the region and gives people a greater choice of housing and an opportunity to live near where they work; and (2) it proportions the share of the cost of services (in addition to the cost of affordable housing) often needed by persons living in assisted housing (e.g., health care, education and social services) more fairly among jurisdictions. The Fair Share concept will be taken into consideration with regard to new City initiatives or program expansions.
The City has an overall commitment to help provide its residents with safe, affordable housing, subject to available resources. However, given the prospect for a significant decline in housing funding at the federal and state levels, and the City's own revenue decline in recent years, the City's housing policy must strike a balance between needs and available resources in the context of fair share. The priorities for the implementation of this policy are designed to achieve this balance.
Rental Housing
The City's top priority for rental housing is to preserve the 1,150 units of Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA)-owned and/or managed public or subsidized housing covered by Resolution 830, the Council/ARHA agreement that "no public housing unit [shall] be demolished unless replacement publicly assisted housing is available...; that no tenant be displaced from public housing until they can be moved into replacement housing; and that all monies realized from the sale or lease of any public housing projects be used to benefit the living environment of public housing residents; and that all relocation expenses will be borne by ARHA and/or its designated Redeveloper."
The City's policy is that any new Section 8 vouchers and certificates, tax-exempt financing, and tax credits will be used to assist with the maintenance of Resolution 830 units in the City, and will not be used to increase the City's subsidized rental stock without specific City Council authorization. In considering new proposals for subsidized rental housing, the City Council will evaluate the extent to which such new assistance may be able to serve as replacement for Resolution 830 housing, and will consider factors such as the characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood, as well as the provision of support services by the project sponsors. When Federal subsidies are about to expire or be terminated for private market project-based subsidized rental housing (not covered by Resolution 830), the City will work with the owners and tenants of these projects to help convert these units to affordable homeownership for the existing residents. Absent conversion to homeownership of privately-owned non- Resolution 830 rental housing with project-based assistance, the City Council may consider other alternatives, including public/private partnership efforts, to preserve these units. Such alternatives are dependent upon the availability of federal or state programs. In the absence of such programs, the City will require the private owners to comply with the requirements of the City's Housing Conversion Assistance Policy and, if necessary, will work with the tenants and the owners to assist the tenants in finding alternative housing by providing informational materials and developing referrals to appropriate housing.
Homeownership
In addition to the City's homeownership efforts described previously, expanding affordable homeownership opportunities will be the City's principal housing strategy for households with incomes up to the Virginia Housing Development Authority's income limits (currently $62,700 for a family of three or more persons).
Housing for Persons with Special Needs
The City of Alexandria has 186 beds for persons with mental illness, mental retardation, substance abuse problems and other special needs, resulting in 15.97 beds per 10,000 population. The City has more special needs beds per 10,000 residents than the surrounding jurisdictions: Arlington County has 11.72 beds per 10,000 population and Fairfax County has 9.93 per 10,000 population. The City will evaluate proposed special needs housing activities on a case-by-case basis (which may include advance review on an annual basis) and in the context of the impact on City services and the amount of subsidized housing in the City.
The Homeless
The City of Alexandria has 225 year-round homeless shelter beds, or 19.32 per 10,000 population, which is more per capita than in surrounding jurisdictions. Arlington has 121 beds, or 6.72 per 10,000 population, and Fairfax County has 270 beds, or 3.17 per 10,000 population. Alexandria has a continuum of care for the homeless which involves the prevention of homelessness through intervention; emergency shelter for persons who become homeless; comprehensive case management and counseling to determine service and shelter needs; provision of support services, including, but not limited to, substance abuse and mental health services, child care, job training and placement, and financial counseling; transitional housing with supportive services; and assistance and/or case management to assist in the transition to permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
Based on this strategy, the City has established the prevention of homelessness as its first priority in addressing the problem of homelessness. The desired outcome is to meet the short-term and long-term needs of the homeless and persons at risk of homelessness by enabling them to reach the maximum level of self-support and independence possible. The City is committed to the continuation of existing facilities and programs serving the homeless.
Traditionally, the City has used the majority of its Community Development Block Grant funds for housing and housing-related initiatives and has funded most of its non- housing community development activities from other sources. At the same time, meeting these other needs is an important part of the City's long-term and short-term objectives regarding community development, including job-creating economic activities.
Priorities for economic development activities include: employment training; the retention, attraction and expansion of business; promotion of the City's state Enterprise Zone initiatives and incentives; provision of technical assistance, training and placement services; and capital improvements as part of strategic revitalization efforts.
Priorities for other community development activities include: public facility improvements (parks, recreational and senior facilities); infrastructure improvements (streets and sewers) in the target neighborhoods; and the provision of public services (substance abuse services, fair housing and services for the disabled) to low-and moderate-income persons.
The City's strategy regarding assistance to households with incomes below the Federal poverty line is generally to support the City's existing programs, within available funds, that will help reduce the number of these households by improving their economic status through education, job training and job placement, and other support services. Many of the City programs and services are offered in coordination with other public, private and non-profit organizations. These programs include: Head Start, Project Discovery, Job Training Partnership Act Programs, Supported Training and Employment Program, Income Maintenance/Basic Needs, Food Stamp Program, Summer Youth Employment, Job Opportunities and Basic Skills, Center for Employment Training and Americorps. Many of the supportive housing and services for the extremely-low and low-income described in the Consolidated Plan, especially those for homeless and at-risk persons, also coincide with this strategy.
Primary federal resources planned for use by numerous entities in the City in implementing the Consolidated Plan with regard to housing and homeless priorities include: Community Development Block Grant; Home Investment Partnerships Program; Section 8; Public Housing; Comprehensive Grant Program; Transitional Housing; Permanent Housing for Handicapped Homeless; Emergency Shelter Grant; Supplemental Assistance to Facilities to Assist the Homeless; and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS. State resources include: Shelter Support Grant; Homeless Intervention Program; Flexible Funds; HomeSTART; Virginia Housing Partnership Fund; and Virginia Housing Development Authority first mortgage financing. General fund and Housing Trust Fund monies are the primary local government resources, while private donations and lender financing are the primary resources from the private sector.
With regard to community and economic development, the primary resources to be utilized include City General Fund monies and some federal and state grant monies. The Enterprise Zone initiatives include resources such as state tax credits and sales tax exemptions.
The City's Office of Housing is responsible for preparing, updating and reporting on the Consolidated Plan; however, this process includes a variety of public and private organizations. For example, the Office of Housing and the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, share the responsibility for addressing the housing needs of low-income residents. The Department of Human Services, the Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Department and relevant boards and commissions have the primary responsibility for serving the housing needs of low-income clients who are homeless or have other special needs.
Other entities involved in the development and/or implementation of the
Consolidated Plan include: Department of Human Services; Department of
Transportation and Environmental Services; Department of Parks, Recreation and
Cultural Activities; Alexandria Economic Development Program; Alexandria Health
Department; Department of Planning and Zoning; Fire Department, Code Enforcement
Bureau; Financial and Information Services, Real Estate Assessments; the Office
on Women. Non-profit organizations include: Carpenter's Shelter; Carpenter's
Lodgings, Inc.; Tenants' and Workers' Support Committee; ALIVE!; Christ House;
Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless; Robert Pierre Johnson Housing
Development Corporation; Sheltered Homes of Alexandria; and numerous other
organizations. Private entities include banks, rental property owners/managers;
and the real estate community. Various City boards and commissions, such as the
Alexandria Commission on Aging, as well as other local committees consisting of
representatives from the public, private and non-profit sector, such as the
Homeless Services Coordinating Committee, were also involved in the development
of the Plan and will play a role in the implementation of the priorities
outlined in the document.
The One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of Community Development Block Grant ($1,302,000) and Home Investment Partnerships Program monies ($534,000) anticipated from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as program income (estimated at $395,608), carryover monies ($813,615) and matching funds ($120.150) for the 1995-1996 program year (i.e., July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1996). The following activities are proposed (the amount budgeted is indicated in parentheses):
Many of the City's Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funded programs are carried out Citywide (i.e., are available to all qualified and eligible City residents and organizations for activities anywhere in the City). The Blighting Influences Program takes place in Potomac East and Potomac West, and the Home Rehabilitation Loan Program's target areas include the Potomac East and Potomac West Neighborhood Strategy Areas as well as the Strawberry Hill neighborhood.
The City's Office of Housing administers the activities funded through the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) programs.
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 points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
