The City of Weirton is located on the Ohio River approximately 40 miles west of the City of Pittsburgh, 28 miles north of the City of Wheeling and directly across from the City of Steubenville, Ohio. The City was incorporated in 1947. The City's major economic base is manufacturing highlighted by the nation's largest Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) buyout of the Weirton Steel Division from the National Steel Corporation in the early 1980's.
The City of Weirton's Consolidated Plan presents a strategic vision for housing, community and economic development. This effort is a follow up to the community's EZ/EC application of 1994. The Five Year Strategic Plan is supported by a Three Action Plan. The One Year 1995 Action Plan calls for the City to receive $647,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for use in affordable housing, community, and economic development activities. In addition, the City intends to apply for state administered HOME funds and establish a consortium arrangement with neighboring communities.
The City established a Weirton Consolidated Planning Committee (WCPC) to
oversee the development of the Consolidated Plan. This committee met four times
as the plan evolved. It held three public hearings, conducted three focus
groups and interviewed over 50 providers and consumers of affordable housing as
well as community and economic development leaders in an effort to ensure "community
ownership" of the Consolidated Plan.
The City of Weirton is located in the Northern panhandle of West Virginia. According to the 1990 census, the population of the City was 22,124, down 10.6 percent from 1980. The proportion of the population that is under 25 years old declined from 35.5 percent in 1980 (9,054 persons) to 27.9 percent in 1990 (6,168 persons). The fastest growing group in the City is the elderly. The proportion of elderly (65 years and older) grew from 13.3 percent of the total population in 1980 (3,290 persons) to 19.6 percent in 1990 (4,351 persons). The majority of the City's 1990 population was white (95.1 percent). Blacks accounted for 4.1 percent (901 persons) of the City's population.
In 1990 median family income (MFI) was $34,117. Based on the current census
data, 28.96 percent of all households in Weirton were low- and moderate-income
(with incomes below 80 percent of MFI). A total of 2,081 persons or 10.4
percent of the City's population were in poverty. The poverty rates were the
highest in census tracts 202, 204, and 302.
Over a third (35.5%, 3,161 jobs) of Weirton's industry is in the manufacturing sector; retail trade accounts for another 19.0% (1,697 jobs) of employed persons. Over half (54.5%, 4,858 persons) of all persons working in the City of Weirton are employed by these two sectors of the economy. At the time of the 1990 census, the overall unemployment rate for the City was 6.7 percent.
More than a quarter (26.1%, 4,152 persons) of persons 25 years and older have not graduated from high school. Only 11.4% (1,808 persons) have a bachelor's degree or higher. The majority of women with children 17 years and under (58.6%, 1,546 persons) are in the labor force.
Three basic housing needs were identified in the City's Consolidated Plan. The first involves preservation of the existing housing stock. Homeowner rehabilitation assistance is needed for extremely low and low income cost burden owners and owners who have units with physical defects. Rental rehabilitation assistance is needed for extremely low and very low income renter related rehabilitation.
The second need is for the development of new housing for all income ranges within the City. Low income renter related construction and transitional and permanent housing for at risk and special needs populations were identified.
The final need was to provide energy efficient units by undertaking weatherization. The housing stock is old and improvements are needed to improve the energy efficiency of the units.
As the City's housing stock ages, the condition of its units is deteriorating. More than a third (34.7%, 3,349 units) of housing in Weirton are more than 40 years old; Another 29.9% (2,884 units) are between 30 and 40 years old. Many of these 6,233 units over 30 years of age are in need on rehabilitation.
The 2,720 housing units available for rent accounted for 28.2% of the total housing inventory in 1990. The gross median rent in 1990 was $335. A third (32.8%, 767 households) of the City's renters are cost burdened.
The 6,628 owner occupied units accounted for 68.7% of the total housing inventory in 1990. The median value of these homes in 1990 was $48,300.
The cost burden is especially acute for households with annual incomes below $10,000. The elderly tend to be disproportionately cost burdened. The elderly accounted for 40.1 percent of the cost burdened homeowners in the City during 1990.
Starter homes ($50,000 - $75,000) are not readily available in the City. The existing homeowner market has very few units for sale and standard new construction under $70,000 cannot be done given the cost of land, labor and materials.
The City has only one facility that provides overnight accommodations for homeless families. The Salvation Army provides six (6) beds on a first-come first-served basis. Individuals using the shelter are limited to one consecutive overnight stay.
Determining the extent of homelessness in the City is very difficult. It is quite likely that because few services serving the homeless exist in the City, homeless individuals move to larger Cities where services are more plentiful.
The Weirton Housing Authority (WHA) manages two public housing complexes with a total of 130 units for families and elderly individuals. The WHA houses an additional 350 households in units with the Section 8 program (350 certificates, 85 vouchers, 29 mod. rehab.).
The WHA reported that more vouchers, certificates, and higher utility allowances are needed. Some households must wait from six (6) months to a year before receiving assistance, at which time their situation has worsened. The Authority reported that many landlords do not accept current HUD fair market rents as reflective of the actual market, thus limiting the use of Section 8 vouchers for housing authority clients. A significant increase in the number of households needing subsidized housing has been noted.
A lack of affordable housing is one of the most critical housing problems in the City. The City's focus groups studied the problems and determined that there is a lack of:
The focus groups also determined that no institutional barriers posed a significant obstacle to provide affordable housing.
In 1992, areas agencies conducted a Fair Housing Analysis for the City. Since that report, the City has taken many steps to address the issues identified, including the hiring of a Housing Resource Planner. The City's fair housing activities are overseen by the Human Relations Committee. There are no current court orders, consent decrees, or HUD-imposed sanctions that affect the provision of fair housing remedies.
Some sources estimate that 90 percent of all housing units built before 1940 contain lead-based paint and can possibly pose a lead poisoning threat. Furthermore, approximately 80 percent of the units built between 1940 and 1959 contain lead-based paint. Applying these estimates to the City's housing inventory, there were 1,632 renter occupied units and 4,991 owner occupied units that most likely contained lead based paint in 1990.
The County Health Department has not identified lead based paint as posing a serious health threat based on its testing of families with young children. However, the Health Department will continue to test families with children to monitor the situation. The City will continue its efforts to have available trained staff in identifying and addressing lead based paint concerns as required under the Residential Lead Based Paint Reduction Act of 1992. The City conducts lead based paint abatement through its CDBG rehabilitation program.
The City has basic infrastructure needs that must be addressed. Water and Sewer development and upgrades are the leading need. Public services such as child care centers and youth centers were the next basic need to be identified. Environmental services to provide a clean and healthy living environment were selected. Public facilities to provide neighborhood centers and recreation were distinguished. Public safety activities to provide expanded policing and code enforcement activities were also addressed.
The City of Weirton established the Weirton Consolidated Planning Committee (WCPC) to oversee the development of the Consolidated Plan. The committee is composed of a broad base of community
representatives from both the public and private sectors. Groups and
organizations represented include local and county governments, social service
agencies, private businesses, community organizations, churches, and residents.
The committee, through focus groups, establishes the needs, priorities, goals
and solutions to possible problems. The committee will meet on an ongoing basis
to provide their input.
The approach taken by the City regarding the development of the Consolidated Plan is guided by two leading principles. Customer Service which serves to focus the plan's efforts to the most critical needs and the Comprehensive Approach which establishes the economic empowerment of individuals and families as the plan's objective. These two principals are of major importance to the plan along with the extensive, relevant, and ongoing citizen participation.
The City of Weirton's Consolidated Plan is a five year strategy complementing four specific planning efforts initiated over the past several years in the City. Planning initiatives such as; the City's Strategic Plan, Family Resource Network Development Plan, Three Springs Drive Multi-Use Development Plan and the City of Weirton/City of Steubenville Empowerment Zone Application were considered in the preparation of the Consolidated Plan.
Extensive efforts were made by the City to be as "inclusive" as possible in involving citizens in the development of the plan. This included establishing a broad based committee of providers and consumers known as the Weirton Consolidated Planning Committee (WCPC). The Committee members were involved in the data gathering process and participated in focus group sessions to identify needs and develop strategies addressing the affordable housing, community development, and economic development concerns of the City.
Priorities for affordable housing include a wide range of activities to retain and expand safe and affordable housing for extremely low, very low, low and moderate income households. The City's rehabilitation program goal is to improve the condition of the existing housing stock by providing rehabilitation assistance to 360 units. The New Construction goal is to encourage the development of new housing opportunities for all income ranges by developing 140 new units of housing dispersed through out the City. The weatherization goal is to provide energy efficient units by supplying weatherization. The Support Services goal is to provide assistance for At Risk homeless and housing opportunities for Special Needs households by providing a "Continuum of Care" with appropriate support services for these households. The rent supplement goal is to provide rent supplement to 2,175 (including extension of current assistance) for public housing residents, At Risk homeless and housing opportunities for Special Needs by providing a "Continuum of Care" with appropriate support services for these households.
Priorities for homelessness alleviation include providing technical assistance and support for those entities that provide homeless and at risk homeless services as described in the Five Year Strategic Plan and the One Year Action Plan. Specifically this involves the CDBG funding of; the public services provided by the City's Family Development Division and the employment counseling and job placement provided by CHANGE,Inc.
The priority for non-homeless persons with special needs is supportive housing and support services for all persons with special needs.
Priorities for mixed-use areas include creating a living/working environment including low- and moderate-income residents, encouraging residential infill and compatible business uses on vacant land in targeted areas, and conserving the heritage and character of targeted areas.
Priorities for economic development activities include retaining and expanding employment and business opportunities for City residents. The City will provide coordinated marketing, job training, job placement and other employment opportunities that include one stop information and referral services. Efforts will also be made to assist individual, small minority and women owned businesses to grow through a variety of public/private financing and technical assistance tools. The City will attempt to provide work force development through coordinated job training and job placement, especially for youth. Financial, technical and design assistance will be used to create incentives for businesses to re-invest in the Central Business District (CBD).
Priorities for other community development activities include the establishment of healthy neighborhoods through the balanced, diverse development of public facilities, infrastructure, housing, commercial, recreational, and safety activities. Within the City this effort calls for the repair, replacement and upgrading of the infrastructure in older neighborhoods and the provision of infrastructure in other areas to ensure "balanced" development. The City also wants to provide public services to complement and supplement existing city and community wide efforts to provide a diverse and balanced development of neighborhoods. Funds will be used to provide for a clean and healthy environment for all of Weirton's neighborhoods. An appropriate level of public facilities will be provided to enhance the quality of life for Weirton's households.
The City intends to continue the operation of the WCPC to improve coordination and cooperation among housing, community and economic development providers in conjunction with consumers. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining existing, affordable housing, new construction, increase in homeownership, supplemented by a "holistic" approach of community and economic development.
The City's primary resource for implementing the Consolidated Plan is $647,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The City will receive its initial HOME funding in 1996. The City does not receive Emergency Shelter Grants allocations from either the State of West Virginia or HUD. No Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) funds have been allocated to the City from HUD.
The City of Weirton's Office of Community Development coordinated with the
Weirton Consolidated Planning Committee (WCPC) to develop the Consolidated Plan.
Manu other City, County, and State agencies were represented on the WCPC and
participated in assisting the City in data gathering/interviewing efforts. In
addition, these government entities, along with a variety of other providers and
consumers participated in "focus groups" which complemented and
facilitated data gathering and subsequent "strategy" identification
efforts.
The City's One-Year Action Plan outlines the proposed use of $647,000 in CDBG funds and program income. These funds will be spent on the following activities:
ACTIVITY FUNDING
Housing Rehabilitation
Single Family Home Owner $185,000
Emergency Repair 45,000
Program Management 40,000
First Time Homebuyer
Buy, Rehab., Re-sell 50,000
Downpayment Assistance 40,000
Fair and Affordable Housing 15,000
Infrastructure (Sidewalks/Retaining Walls)
Ward IV 20,000
School St. 20,000
Franklin Ave. 10,000
City Wide 15,000
Stroud Ave 20,000
Handicapped Accessibility 15,000
Dunbar Center Playground 8,000
Public Services
Family Development Division 35,000
Unemployment Counseling 8,000
Dunbar Center 17,000
Neighborhood House 13,000
Head Start 8,000
Pool and Community Center Passes 16,000
Park Board Playground Supervision 5,000
Planning 20,000
Administration/Oversight 55,450
TOTAL: $657,000
The total expenditures under the Consolidated Plan will be $657,000, consisting of $647,000 in CDBG entitlement funds, and $10,000 in anticipated program income.
A total of 20 owner units will be rehabilitated, 10 emergency repairs, 13 ownership (3 resale, 10 downpayment, 1240 households assisted with Social Services.
Many of the City's CDBG activities are undertaken City-wide. The project areas change from year to year. There are some ongoing activities, however, such as the Dunbar Center activity and the various public service activities that are funded year after year. The City has structured a flexible program that distributes its limited CDBG resource to best address its identified needs.
The City of Weirton's Community Development Office is the agency which will take the key role for implementation and monitoring of the progress toward the implementation of the CDBG, HOME, and any other Federal funds received by the City for activities identified in the Consolidated Plan. Monitoring will be done through the periodic review of the Action Plan, review of funding applications consistent with the Consolidated Plan's priorities and goals and through seeking compliance with all applicable Federal regulations which accompany funding programs.
The City's goal for housing rehabilitation is 360 units over the next five years. They hope to rehabilitate 120 homeowner units with CDBG funds. They have a goal of 60 renter units with HOME funds. The Housing authority hopes to rehabilitate 130 public housing units with Public Housing funds. The City also has plans to rehabilitate 50 At Risk homeless and Special Need housing units using lender, State, Emergency Shelter and HOME funds.
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.
TABLE (without associated map) provides information about the project(s).
