The City of Petersburg is one of the oldest settlements in the Commonwealth of Virginia, dating back to the establishment of Fort Henry in 1645. In addition to the pivotal role that the City played in the Civil War, Petersburg has made other significant contributions to the history and cultural wealth of Virginia and the nation. Reminders of the City's rich past, evident in the architecture and abundant natural resources, are enjoyed by visitors and residents alike everyday. Situated in southcentral Virginia, just 23 miles south of Richmond, the State Capital, Petersburg is an ideal location for both it residents and businesses.
The 1995-2000 Consolidated Plan for the City of Petersburg provides a strategic vision, primarily for housing and community development. The Consolidated Plan is intended to be a needs-based assistance plan. Its overall purpose is to enable the City and other agencies to develop a long-term strategic approach to addressing identified affordable housing and supportive housing needs and community development opportunities. The current plan includes a One-Year Action Plan for the use of CDBG funds totaling $835,369. These funds, plus resources made available from the Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority and other nonprofit support services providers, will support the housing and community livability activities for the 1995 program year.
Citizen participation in the development of the Consolidated Plan and the ongoing CDBG program is facilitated through the CDBG Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) and the Housing Network. The CAB is a citizen advisory group, comprised of twelve (12) Petersburg residents appointed by City Council. This board conducts a needs identification and goal setting process on an annual basis. Beginning at least six months prior to the annual submission of the CDBG program to HUD, the CAB meets to identify needs; it eventually makes recommendations to City Council through the City Manager, after hearing presentations from applicants for funding. Among the Board's program development activities were duly advertised hearings and work sessions.
During the month of February, 1995, the Department of Planning/CD held a
public hearing in coordination with the Petersburg Housing Network to receive
input for the Consolidated Plan. Specifically, comments, statements and
concerns from the public regarding housing and community development needs and
strengths were solicited. The meeting was duly advertised, with emphasis
directed towards neighborhood associations, public agencies, nonprofit housing
and support services providers, homeless services providers, and citizens.
Following a publicly advertised thirty (30) day review/comment period, City
Council held its required public hearing to receive any additional comment on
the plan after which it acted on the plan and submitted it to HUD for review and
approval.
The 1980 and 1990 Censuses registered total populations of 41,055 and 38,386, respectively. The majority of Petersburg's 1990 population was African-American (72.1%), with the White population accounting for 26.6% and two (2%) percent were identified as "others". The population in Petersburg is less racially diverse than at any time in its history. Of the 1,296 cities in the U.S. listed in the 1990 Census as having populations of 25,000 or more, Petersburg ranked 13th in highest percentage of African-American population.
In 1989, 20.3% of all City residents had incomes below the poverty level. Petersburg has substantially higher rates of poverty when compared to other localities in the Richmond-Petersburg MSA, with the exception of Richmond, and the State. In 1989, the poverty rate in Petersburg was twice that of the State as a whole. Based on 1990 Census data, approximately 57% of all households in Petersburg can be defined as low-income. These households tend to be concentrated in the older "inner-city" sections of the city. The 1989 median household income (MHI) was $21,309.
Many of the economic and social changes which swept through the nation in
the 1960's and 1970's resulted in profound impacts for the citizens of
Petersburg. Typical of cities across the country which have relied heavily on
manufacturing for economic strength, Petersburg has experienced a significant
decline in its industrial and manufacturing base and, more recently a downtrend
in commercial activity due to the construction of a regional mall in a nearby
locality and the continuing decentralization of residential growth. The City's
population declined substantially during the past decade. The increased demand
for public services at a time of limited financial resources underscores the
need for renewed community and economic development.
Governments and several service industries, especially medical services, are the largest employers within the local economy. Petersburg's economy in the later half of the 1990's is in transition. Once an important regional stronghold for manufacturing, City employment is increasingly comprised of lower-paying service sector jobs. Manufacturing industries alone lost 2,413 jobs between 1979 and 1993. The City does remain strong in several important industries, such as, medical services, optical lenses and equipment, government services. Recent Virginia Employment Commission data list Petersburg's unemployment rate at approximately 9.6% which exceeds the State rate of approximately 5%. The City's unemployment rate generally tracts 4 to 5 points higher than the State rate.
Several significant housing needs are identified in the Consolidated Plan. These needs include: increasing the affordable housing stock, rehabilitation of the existing housing stock, increasing homeownership, revitalizing existing neighborhoods to ensure suitable living conditions, and dispersal of affordable housing throughout the City in order to preclude concentration of low and moderate income households.
The needs section of the Consolidated Plan describes in detail the extent of the needs of various population groups. Among the key findings are:
The City of Petersburg had 16,196 year-round housing units in 1990, 91% of which were occupied. Of the total 16,196 housing units in 1990, 14,730 were occupied and 1,466 were vacant. Of the occupied units, 49.1% were rental units and 50.9% were owner-occupied. In the 1995-2000 Consolidated Plan, the estimate for substandard housing is 3,328 units, or approximately 21% of all housing units. It is estimated that 20% of the vacant units are economically feasible for rehabilitation while approximately 55% of all occupied units (owner and rental) are economically feasible for rehabilitation.
Although median contract rent in Petersburg is relatively low at $257/month, there are many persons in the city for whom the cost of monthly rent consumes a disproportionate share of their monthly income; many City residents pay more that 30% of their monthly income in rent. The larger percentage of all single-family housing built in the past few years is beyond the affordability of the great many lower-income households in Petersburg seeking to buy a home.
The need for rental assistance and affordable rental housing continues to increase. Low-income first-time homebuyers continue to need downpayment assistance, credit counseling and homeownership training.
The issue of homelessness affects Petersburg in a manner similar to urbanized ares across the nation. The existing emergency shelter services consist of two shelters, operated by CARES, Inc. (a private nonprofit corporation), which have a total of forty-two (42) beds, and the Winter Emergency Shelter (WES), administered by the Salvation Army, that provides cots for up to twenty (20) homeless men per night during the winter months. The two CARES, Inc. shelters are providing services for approximately 1,500 persons on an annual basis. According to estimates based on field surveys from the local mental health services agency, there are an additional 500-800 persons living in the streets and among the "hidden" homeless.
The need exists for a fully-funded "continuum of care approach" to better address identified needs and issues associated with the local homeless population and those threatened with homelessness due to economic and/or mental-physical status.
The Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority (PRHA) manages, administers, coordinates and/or monitors programs affecting over 1,447 housing units with some form of Federal assistance. Of those units, 472 are public housing units and approximately 375 are Section 8 units. The remaining units receive assistance through various State and Federal programs.
Based on problems with lead-based paint, asbestos and structural concerns, PRHA is considering the possible demolition or otherwise disposing of eleven units previously purchased for scattered site rehabilitation/public housing. Additionally, consideration is being given to density reduction at an existing public housing development to improve the livability/quality of life for this development.
Poverty, its concomitant realities, and high levels of joblessness/underemployment, compounded by declining neighborhoods and tax base, are central barriers to affordable housing in this community. The most significant barrier to the acquisition of decent, affordable housing by local households is the low income status of a significant portion of the population. Local government continues to assess its land use controls/regulations, tax policies, building codes and fees/charges and finds that these guides and practices do not pose significant barriers to affordable housing and its development. The Consolidated Plan does note that the issues surrounding the provision of affordable housing and equal opportunity in accessing housing in Petersburg need to be considered in the context of the governmental structure of the State of Virginia and the greater region in which Petersburg is located. In the State of Virginia, cities are completely independent of the surrounding counties, and at this time, annexation is all but impossible. A result of this unique state governmental structure and current annexation policy is that the problems confronting Petersburg are generally regarded as Petersburg's problems for the people of Petersburg to solve unilaterally. These are intractable problems requiring regional cooperation and solutions.
The City of Petersburg has a local Fair Housing Ordinance that has been previously determined to be substantially equivalent to the Federal Fair Housing laws. The Commission on Community Relations Affairs (a City Council chartered body) and its Fair Housing Officer continually promote and affirmatively further the marketing of housing and housing services, monitor compliance with applicable local, State and Federal Fair Housing laws/policies consistent with local fair housing plans and policies. There are no current consent decrees, court orders or HUD imposed sanctions that affect the provision of fair housing in Petersburg.
The age of the housing stock in Petersburg provides the basis to estimate a high number of units with potential lead hazards. Based on the fact that approximately 87% of the City's existing housing stock was built prior to 1979, it is likely that a high percentage of the City's housing units are contaminated by lead-based paint.
The Consolidated Plan includes actions to reduce lead-based paint hazards and prevent childhood lead poisoning. PRHA is the lead agency in the implementation of a $2,000,000 HUD-funded grant for lead hazard reduction. Implementation will involve PRHA, the Petersburg Health Department, the Petersburg Department of Planning/CD and the Lead Task Force, which is composed of representatives from various public, civic, and neighborhood organizations. Over a twenty-four (24) month period, lead hazard reduction will occur for an estimated 500 dwelling units within the designated target area for this program.
The City of Petersburg recognizes the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach, through the CDBG and other relevant state/federal programs, to address issues and needs adversely affecting our low and moderate income communities. Local strategies are in place and being constantly developed to address issues of affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, un/underemployment, crime and education. Developing the skills and abilities of our population to meet the needs of a changing local and national economy remains a long-term need. Community development needs include sustainable jobs/employment for the at-risk populations, on-going adult education, vocational education and apprenticeships, family self-sufficiency programs, a case management approach to supportive services, affordable and accessible child care, early prevention/intervention programs for children (as early as kindergarten), displaced worker retraining and infrastructure improvements throughout the older portion of the City.
Effective communications and coordination assist all local service providers
in addressing and identifying housing and community development issues/needs.
The existing Petersburg Housing Network (organized in 1991) is the primary
coordination mechanism. The Petersburg Housing Network is a City and PRHA
effort based on voluntary participation of housing and support services
providers from the public and private sectors. The Executive Director of PRHA
is the Chairman of the Petersburg Housing Network.
The City of Petersburg is committed to finding solutions within available resources and those that can be leveraged through public-private partnerships. The City is a leader in establishing a vision, for the development and implementation of programs and services that promote a sound quality of life for its residents. For the next year and beyond, deliberate efforts will be undertaken to ensure that assistance in the provision of affordable housing becomes a confirmed aspect of City action to reduce the number of households with incomes below the poverty line. A major part of this effort will be to link appropriate support services (including job training/placement) to the provision of affordable housing. An integral aspect of this approach is to transition as many households as possible to self-sufficiency.
Within the various class and age subgroups in Petersburg, there are specific problems and issues unique to that subgroup. However, housing and housing support services concerns are very closely related to the low income status of a majority of the population, the advanced age/deterioration of the housing stock, and a declining tax base. Priorities and strategies reflect those realities. Housing objectives focus on improving the supply of decent, safe and affordable housing as well as increasing the homeownership rate in the community. Community development objectives focus on neighborhood revitalization, increased neighborhood attachment, elimination of blighting conditions and the provision of economic development opportunities for low and moderate income citizens. Designated Enterprise Zones (State designations) will be areas of intensified neighborhood revitalization and economic development efforts.
The goal of the City's housing policy is to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for all of its citizens. The City will take direct actions and facilitate actions by others in the comprehensive revitalization of neglected, excluded and underserved communities.
Seven priorities have been identified:
Priority #1:Increase affordable homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers at the upper limits of the very low income range to the moderate income range.
Priority #2:Maintenance of lower income owner-occupied housing.
Priority #3:Provision and maintenance of affordable rental housing for low and moderate income households.
Priority #4:Address overcrowded housing needs of very low and low income large related renter households.
Priority #5:Establishment of a continuum of care for the homeless.
Priority #6:Provision of housing units and support services for persons and households with special needs.
Priority # 7:Development of adequate infrastructure.
It is the intent of the City of Petersburg to facilitate the improvement of the neighborhood environment of our citizenry and visitors, and to provide and maintain appropriate facilities for community services and activities. The objectives in this area include:
The City of Petersburg is clearly supportive of the need to give priority to programs that assist families and individuals to rise above poverty levels. To the extent resources (existing and future) are available, existing services will be continued and new services made available for this purpose. Several social service agencies and organizations currently administer programs such as Head Start, AFDC, JTPA activities, Family Self-Sufficiency Programs, assisted child care, crisis intervention for populations with special needs, down payment assistance services and financial counseling.
The City of Petersburg faces considerable challenges in the attempt to marshall the resources necessary to successfully implement the Consolidated Plan. Currently, the primary resources are (and will continue to be in the short-term) the CDBG Entitlement funds, the HOPE 1 and 5h Sales proceeds generated by PRHA from the sale of Public Housing. The City, PRHA and the Petersburg Community Development Corporation (PCDC) continue to seek additional funding from state, federal and private sources as those funds become available.
The primary resources for the period covered by the Consolidated Plan are:
The City of Petersburg's Department of Planning/CD and the Petersburg
Redevelopment and Housing Authority are the agencies primarily responsible for
the coordination and implementation of many Consolidated Plan activities.
Additionally, a number of public and private organizations and subrecipients are
involved in administering and implementing certain plan components. For
example, the Petersburg Community Development Corporation is a CDBG subrecipient
and administers a CDBG-funded Downpayment Assistance Program. CARES, Inc. is
also a CDBG subrecipient, administering CDBG funds to assist in the provision of
transitional housing services for homeless individuals and families. The
Consolidated Plan recognizes the existence of some overlap in the provision of
housing and supportive services. However, the involvement of the Petersburg
Housing Network (as discussed earlier in this summary) in the coordination of
service delivery helps to achieve an efficient and effective delivery of those
services.
The action plan outlines the projected uses of the CDBG Entitlement funds for the 1995 program year, which began July 1, 1995. Eighteen (18) activities in addition to program administration are listed in the action plan. These activities will address housing and community needs of primarily low and moderate income citizens, as approved by City Council. The CDBG funds will be spent on housing and community development activities including:
Approximately 90% of the projects/funds in the One-Year Action Plan are designated for expenditure in CDBG targeted areas. These are areas and neighborhoods in census tracts whose population is more than 60% low and moderate income. Funds allocated to these areas are spent primarily on public improvements and residential rehabilitation services as recommended by the City Council appointed Citizens Advisory Board.
(See Coordination)
Petersburg's housing goals for the first year include increasing the supply of affordable housing for approximately 100 households through rehabilitation, downpayment assistance and acquisition; providing rental assistance for 300 + households; increasing the participation of public housing residents in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program by 25 %; increasing housing choice for low and moderate income citizens by continuing to affirmatively further fair housing.
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; in addition: a table provides information about the project(s).
