The Thomas Jefferson Planning District is located in Central Virginia and includes the City of Charlottesville and the Counties of Albemarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Greene. The City of Charlottesville is a CDBG entitlement community and the entire Planning District has been designated a HOME Consortium. With a population of approximately 178,000 persons, the Planning District is a mix of urban, suburban, and rural communities.
The Consolidated Plan sets forth an overall plan to support community development needs, including housing needs throughout the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, which encompasses the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson, and the City of Charlottesville. The Consolidated Plan is a required document, submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which describes the use of federal funds, including HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
The member governments of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District entered into an agreement to participate in the HOME Program as a Consortium, and, therefore receive annual entitlement HOME funds available on an equal share basis available to each participating government. The City of Charlottesville has been designated the lead agency for the HOME Consortium and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission the designated Program Manager for the Consortium.
The City of Charlottesville is a CDBG entitlement community and receives annual CDBG funds to be used within the City. The Consolidated Plan details the proposed use of both Consortium HOME funds and City of Charlottesville CDBG funds.
The Consolidated Plan is divided into four main sections: Housing and Homeless Needs Assessment; Housing Market Analysis; Strategic Plan; and Action Plan. This summary document provides an overview of the full Plan. The complete Consolidated Plan is available through the Charlottesville Department of Community Development, City Hall, Room B270, (804) 971-3182 or the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, 300 E. Main Street, Charlottesville, (804) 979-1597.
The 1995 Consolidated Plan for the City of Charlottesville and the Thomas
Jefferson HOME Consortium has embraced citizen input throughout the planning
process. An in-depth three hour community planning session was held on
September 21, 1995 to identify significant housing needs, and formal public
hearings were held on October 6th with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District
Commission and on December 5th with the Charlottesville City Council. The draft
plan was then distributed throughout the region, and a second round of public
hearings was held on March 2nd, 1995 with the Thomas Jefferson Planning District
Commission and on March 6th with the Charlottesville City Council. Another
three hour community-wide forum was held on March 30th, 1995 that focused on the
significant housing issues identified through the consolidated planning process.
The City of Charlottesville and urbanizing Albemarle County form the hub of the region. The localities are growing proportional to their proximity to the Charlottesville/Albemarle urban area and to the amount of vacant land available for development. Greene, Albemarle and Fluvanna counties are growing the fastest and the City of Charlottesville, with the least amount of developable land, is growing the slowest. African Americans comprise the largest minority community at about 16% of the total population with other minorities at about 2% of the population.
The University of Virginia, with 18,000 students and 10,000 employees, is a
major influence on the region and is the largest employer. Median household
incomes projected for 1996 show a range by locality from $28,729 to $43,614.
African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans have a much higher likelihood
of being low income. For example, 38% of African Americans fall below 50% of
the median family income, compared to 24% for all households. The Planning
District had 13% of its citizens living in poverty in 1990, with a high of 24%
in the City of Charlottesville and a low of 8% in Albemarle County.
The region enjoys a relatively low unemployment rate, at 4.2% in 1994, however employment growth is occurring in service industries and retail trade which are typically lower paying jobs. Thus underemployment is a more significant problem. Housing and community development needs include greater affordable rental units throughout the district, the rehabilitation of substandard homes, many of which lack indoor plumbing, and expansion of water and sewer facilities.
It is important to recognize that many residents pay 30% or more of their income for housing, that overcrowding is a step closer to homelessness for many residents, especially rural citizens, and that fully 2,314 housing units were reported substandard in the 1990 Census. The waiting list for public housing in the City of Charlottesville far outstrips the available units. The efforts of this Planning District should help remedy the pressures on the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority to house the very low-income. However, waiting lists for the Section 8 Programs throughout the Planning District are very long, ranging from 18 months to two years, with a continual problem being the lack of available units even for those with a Section 8 certificate.
Homeownership for first-time homebuyers is an important need throughout the region. Since home prices have escalated at a rate far greater than incomes, homes are becoming more difficult to purchase throughout the Planning District. The City of Charlottesville recognizes the need to increase homeownership as the percentage of rental units increases over those units owned by the occupants. Often the downpayment needed to purchase a home is the major impediment to many families. An additional impediment is credit worthiness - even with assistance, many families are ineligible for mortgages due to high debt. Counselling such citizens is a significant need.
A general market inventory of housing in the Planning District shows that there is a continual demand for affordable housing. The demand for affordable housing is especially great in Charlottesville and Albemarle. In the other four localities in the Planning District, there is a strong demand for rental properties, due, in large measure, to the small number of rental units. Throughout the Planning District 37% of all housing units are renter-occupied (according to the 1990 Census), but only 20% in Fluvanna County, 23% in Greene County, 20% in Louisa County, and 21% in Nelson County. In the City of Charlottesville, 58% of units are renter-occupied, followed by Albemarle County at 36%.
The cost of housing and its relationship to affordability is best reflected in data on owner and renter costs as a percentage of household income. Those residents spending more than 30% of their income on housing, either owner-occupied or renter-occupied, shows that housing is not affordable to that segment of the population. For homeowners, Greene County led the region with fully 19% of homeowners spending more than 30% of their income on housing; Fluvanna was a close second with 18% of homeowners in that category; Albemarle County was the lowest at 14%. For renters, Charlottesville led the region with 48% of their renters paying more than 30% of their income for housing, followed by Albemarle at 33%. Nelson County, at 22%, had the fewest renters paying 30% or more of their income on housing.
The nature and extent of true homelessness in the region is hard to quantify, but the existing three programs serving the homeless operate at full capacity and have waiting lists for service. The needs include: rural supportive housing to alleviate overcrowded units, single occupancy quarters, additional Section 8 rental units, child care for families threatened by homelessness, additional funds for emergency care, a protected environment for active alcoholics, and expanded transportation services to and from employment.
All of the Charlottesville public housing units are in good condition and recent handicapped accessibility improvements mean that there are no families waiting for an accessible housing unit. There is a gap between the need for assisted housing and the amount of assisted housing available, with insufficient numbers of Section 8 certificates and vouchers available, compounded by a lack of rural rental units.
The public policies within the Planning District do affect the provision of affordable housing and can do so in both positive and negative ways. Lower tax rates and less frequent property assessments tend to promote affordable housing, although often at the expense of other, government-sponsored programs and initiatives, such as schools and the provision of needed infrastructure. This is the case in Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson counties in particular. Greene County has the highest real property tax rate outside of the City of Charlottesville, yet the region's residents still look to Greene County for affordable housing.
Land use policies also affect the affordability of housing, and there is an inherent tension in some land use policies to preserve the rural character of Central Virginia and the provision of affordable housing. This is especially true in Albemarle County, with a more complex set of land use and zoning ordinances than elsewhere in the region. Albemarle County limits growth in designated rural areas and encourages more intensive development in designated growth areas. The desirable outcome of preserving rural areas also has the unwelcome outcome of higher land prices in some instances. The recently adopted "Housing Strategy for Albemarle County" recommends the provision of infrastructure in the growth areas and encourages maximum residential densities as a means of promoting affordable housing within a land use context.
Within the private arena, perhaps the greatest barrier to affordable housing is poor credit ratings among citizens who might otherwise qualify for mortgages to purchase a home. Lack of awareness among the potential home buying public is exacerbating this problem. Housing counseling and credit counselling is needed to overcome this barrier.
The City of Charlottesville conducted a Fair Housing Study in 1992 at which time it was determined that the City had no policies which hindered the general public in attaining housing. There is a staff person who reviews any complaints, and the City also furthers fair housing by semi-annual publication of fair housing advertisements in the local newspaper, running public service announcements about fair housing, funding a housing counselling program administered by the local community action agency and incorporating a series of recommendations for improving the City's Fair Housing efforts into the City's Comprehensive Housing Strategy.
The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission furthers fair housing through ongoing efforts with the real estate community, which includes creating greater awareness and sensitivity from the real estate community and use of the fair housing logo throughout the region.
The Thomas Jefferson Health Department, which serves the same region described in this Plan, has no precise figures on the incidence of elevated lead levels for low and moderate income residents, however, any homes painted before 1978 are subject to hazards of lead paint. Their recommendation is to correct any peeling paint problems in older houses. This can be done most effectively as rehabilitation of such homes occurs.
The Thomas Jefferson Health District conducted a preliminary assessment of the incidence of lead poisoning among children ages 10 months to 5 years. The study tested 2,000 low- income children through the Charlottesville Women, Infants and Children Program. The study found that 13.97% of the children tested positive for lead. The Health Department estimates the overall incidence of lead poisoning at 10%. Of the 33,376 occupied housing units in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, 10% or 3,338, may have a person or persons with possible lead poisoning. Approximately 41% of these households are low- income (below 80% of Median Family income), or approximately 1,369 homes. Given that the Health Department estimates a slightly higher incidence of lead poisoning among low- income families, approximately 1,500 housing units occupied by low-income residents may have some occurrence of lead poisoning.
Charlottesville's 1995 Comprehensive Plan notes some challenges for the future which include: near zero growth in population, a population that is increasingly less affluent, and that is aging, increasing financial strain on the City and increasing demand for City services. These challenges are reflected in the needs identified in the Consolidated Plan such as access for people with disabilities, economic development, affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and services to youth, the elderly, and low-income families and individuals.
Despite the complications of a six county area, coordination is generally
good due to the efforts of the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission,
which also functions as the lead agency in the Thomas Jefferson HOME Consortium.
Each locality has at least one implementing agency to address affordable
housing strategies, and there are many regional agencies that deal with special
needs populations, such as the elderly, those with physical or mental
impairments, and the poor. Gaps in the delivery of housing services include the
need for more affordable rental units in the more rural areas of the region and
better assistance to families threatened by homelessness. Certain special needs
populations - the sheltered homeless and battered women in particular - would
benefit from greater supportive services and counselling as well as transitional
housing opportunities.
Due to the multiple governmental entities involved in the development of this Consolidated Plan, each locality has developed individual priorities and there is a planning district-wide set of priorities as well.
Planning District Priorities
Non-housing community development needs for the City of Charlottesville were determined through discussions with relevant agencies and city departments as well as from applications for CDBG funding for projects that address the needs of low and moderate income individuals. The City's Community Development Plan details subject area goals: housing, environment, transportation, economic development, public service, and neighborhoods. There is a lack of sidewalks, curbs and gutters throughout Charlottesville's CDBG Target Neighborhoods, and the City's Social Development Commission prioritizes social programs, currently focussing on a continuum from early childhood education to teenage pregnancy to job attainment and retention.
The primary anti-poverty agency serving the region is the Monticello Area Community Action Agency which serves Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa and Nelson. Greene County is served by the Skyline Community Action Program. A specific goal under this year's Consolidated Plan to reduce the number of persons below poverty is preparation of a regional program, supported by HUD, called Youthbuild.
In addition to Charlottesville's CDBG Entitlement Grant, the Consortium receives HOME funding which is divided among the jurisdictions. State funds include the Virginia Housing Partnership Fund, the Emergency Home Repair Program, the Local Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, the Homeownership Assistance Program, Multi-Family Loan Program, Weatherization Assistance Program and the Congregate Loan Program. There are also programs administered by the Virginia Housing Development Authority. Private, non-profit resources are available in each locality within the Planning District.
Each jurisdiction participating in this Consortium has signed a Cooperation Agreement (dated March 31, 1992) certifying that each member agrees to affirmatively further fair housing within the Consortium. A copy of this Cooperation Agreement is attached as an appendix to the Consolidated Plan.
An additional initiative is to establish a committee made up of interested
citizens and housing practitioners, to be called the Housing Partnership, to
define the region's affordable housing needs and to recommend specific local
policies to advance the regional needs.
HOME funds will be used in each jurisdiction primarily for rehabilitation of substandard units ($277,750). An additional $196,000 will be used in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Nelson for downpayment assistance to first-time homebuyers. Other HOME- funded projects include rental rehab in Charlottesville, development of rental housing in Greene, and purchase of land in Nelson for new affordable housing.
Of Charlottesville's CDBG funds, $424,000 will be used for housing programs such as rehabilitation, downpayment assistance, and developing new homeowners. $192,200 will be used for infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks and drainage. $102,875 will be used for social programs; most of these programs are educational. The Tenth and Page Neighborhood was designated the Priority Neighborhood for FY95-96 and $200,000 of the CDBG funding is allocated to improvements in that neighborhood.
In Charlottesville, all CDBG projects except the Removal of Architectural Barriers will be undertaken in the City's six CDBG Target Neighborhoods: Rose Hill, Starr Hill, Fifeville, 10th and Page, Ridge Street and Belmont. At least 50% of these neighborhoods consist of persons who are considered low to moderate income (i.e. less than 80 percent of MFI). Five out of six of the neighborhoods also contain Charlottesville's highest percentage of minority population. See the map of Charlottesville that shows the proposed CDBG projects that have fixed locations, as well as illustrating which census tracts have low and moderate income populations greater than 51%.
Within the region, Consortium HOME funds are made available on an equal share basis. Should Albemarle County compete successfully for state CDBG funds, the Esmont community in southern Albemarle will be the target neighborhood. No digitized maps of the entire Planning District are available.
The six participating localities in the Thomas Jefferson Consortium have many agencies able to carry out the strategy of this Plan. Each locality has at least one non-profit housing agency to implement affordable housing strategies. The region, too, has a number of agencies to implement and coordinate this strategy on a regional level. The chief implementing agency for each locality is as follows:
Each of these agencies carry out the housing rehabilitation, new construction and acquisition efforts within each locality. They are experienced in all aspects of these housing programs and have the endorsement of each local government and have, except in the case of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority, boards comprised of local citizens.
Within the region, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, with local elected officials representing each locality, acts as the managing body for the HOME Consortium. The Thomas Jefferson Housing Improvement Corporation is a regional housing non-profit agency with an independent, regional board of directors. It acts as a clearinghouse for regional programs, such as the regional loan fund for first-time home buyers. The Community Energy Conservation Program provides regional weatherization of homes.
The particular needs of special non-homeless and homeless citizens are addressed through both regional and local agencies. The Monticello Area Community Action Agency, (homeless, families threatened by homelessness, housing counseling) the Region 10 Community Services Board (mentally ill, mentally retarded, substance abusers), the Independence Resource Center (physically handicapped), the Shelter for Help in Emergencies (battered women), and the Salvation Army (homeless), provide regional services in their respective areas of expertise. One advantage of the regional consortium approach is that there is a central office - the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission - to manage and coordinate housing efforts.
Highlights of the area's housing goals for the first year include rehabilitating 75 owner- occupied homes, providing first-time homebuyer assistance to 42 families, and providing over 4000 feet of sidewalks and drainage improvements. Over 400 individuals are expected to be served by Charlottesville's CDBG-funded public services.
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.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
Donna Shaunesey
Grants Coordinator
City of Charlottesville
PH: (804) 971-3182, or
Bill Wanner
Senior Planner
Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission,
PH: (804) 979-7310
