Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing

1. Promoting Fair Housing Choice in St. Lawrence County November 8, 2010 Analysis of Impedimentsto Fair Housing

2. Overview of Agenda • Welcome • Fundamentals of Fair Housing • Known Fair Housing Impediments in SLC • Other Existing Impediments • Identify & Prioritize Strategies • Where We Go From Here • Lunch!

3. Fair Housing Act of 1968 • Prohibits housing discrimination based on: • Race or color • National origin • Religion • Sex • Familial status • Disability

4. Affirmatively FurtheringFair Housing • Act mandates HUD to make equal housing choice a reality • Grantees required to certify they will affirmatively further fair housing when they accept HUD funds • Applies to all housing activities; not just restricted to HUD funded programs

5. What Does this Mean? • Conduct an analysis to identify impediments to fair housing choice • Take action to overcome impediments • Document actions taken

6. Fair Housing Impediments Can be deliberate: • Actions, omissions or decisions that restrict housing choice based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin

7. Fair Housing Impediments Can also be inadvertent: • An action, omission or decision which has the effect of restricting housing choice based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin • In both instances, it’s the end result on the protected class

8. Today’s Anticipated Outcomes • Barriers to Equal Housing Choice in SLC Identified • Strategies to Overcome Barriers Developed & Prioritized

9. Barriers to Equal Housing Opportunity in SLC • A review of known barriers • Discuss other barriers not identified

10. Known Impediments in SLC • Resources: • HUD Data based on 2000 Census • North Country HOME Consortium 2006-2010 Consolidated Plan • DHCR 2008-2009 North Country Affordable Housing Report

11. 40,524 households 29% are renters (11,885 units) 71% are owners (28,639) 2000 HUD Data for SLC

13. Mobility and Self Care Limitation • 1+ person with long lasting condition that substantially limits one or more basic activity, or a physical, mental or emotional condition lasting more than 6 months • 9,000 households • 6,115 are owners (45% are seniors) • 2,885 are renters (41% are seniors)

14. Income • 2000 Median Family Income = $38,510 • 80% = $30,808 (Moderate) • 50% = $19,255 (Low) • 30% = $11,553 (Very Low)

16. Housing Cost Burden • No more than 30% of annual income on housing costs. • Families who pay more than 30% are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care.

17. Housing Costs • Renters: • Rent • Utilities • Owners: • Mortgage payment • Taxes • Insurance • Utilities

19. Housing Problems • Definition: • Housing cost burden >30% of gross income • Overcrowding (>1 per room) • Without complete kitchen/plumbing facilities • 41% of all renters (4,825 units) • 20% of all owners (5,785)

23. North Country HOME Consortium Consolidated Plan • 86,295 households, 4% minority • Highest concentration of very low income households in SLC (43%) • 62% of Native households in SLC • 46% were very low income

24. Income & Housing • Affordable housing problems directly related to income • 73% of all renter households with low and very low income report problems with housing

25. Resource Constraints • Competitive funding awards remain flat • Rising construction costs • Lead abatement threshold unchanged

26. Public Housing Authorities • 4 PHAs, 788 units total • Low vacancy rates, long waiting lists • Elderly units harder to fill • Greatest demand is for family units (esp. 2 bedroom)

27. Section 8 Assistance • 759 units total • At 95% capacity, 40 vacant units • Waiting list of 500 individuals

28. Emergency/Transitional Housing • Renewal House, 9 beds • Single Room Occupancy, 41 • North Country Freedom Homes, 16 • Transitional Living Svcs of NNY, 14

29. DHCR North CountryAffordable Housing Reports • Type, location and condition of housing stock • Housing Preservation Resources

30. Stick Built Homes • Majority built before WWII • Considerable deferred maintenance • More likely to be substandard outside population centers

31. Mobile Homes • 13.7% of housing stock comprises of mobile and manufactured housing • Value tends to decline over time • Primarily assisted via WAP ($7,500)

32. Rental Units • Less than 20% of housing stock has 2+ units • Many developed via USDA RD Section 515 Program • Affordable units not energy efficient • In high demand in college towns

33. Emergency/Transition Housing • Too few emergency shelters • Oversubscribed • Rely on local motels • Relocate outside region • Move in with family/friends

34. Adirondack Park • In APA, 8% of land available for high density development • Burgeoning second/seasonal home market

35. Preservation Resources • Good paying jobs • Active enforcement in population centers • More lead-certified & NYSERDA contractors

36. Questions & Feedback • What other impediments exist in SLC? • What wasn’t covered • What should be emphasized • What has changed since these reports were published?

37. 5 Minute Break Reconvene in Groups

38. Brainstorming Strategies • Breakout into Groups • What can we do to overcome these impediments?

39. Group Reports • Report on strategies • Categorize strategies • Group similar issues together

40. Prioritizing Strategies • Sticky Dot Vote • Significance of issue • Resources available • How quickly can issue be addressed

41. Review Priorities • Develop Activity Timelines • Implemented by stakeholders at local level

42. What’s Next • Electronic distribution of today’s workshop • Reviving County’s Fair Housing Task Force • Use of email distribution list

43. Sources: • HUD Data: http://socds.huduser.org/chas/index.htm • North Country HOME Consortium 2007 – 2010 Consolidated Plan: http://danc.org/downloads/Consolidated%20Plan.pdf • 2008-2009 North Country Affordable Housing Needs Study: http://nysdhcr.gov/Publications/HousingNeedsStudy