9978-09 Appropriating $2,463,435 from Community Development (Fund 212), defraying expenses of CED

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St. Joseph County Housing Consortium cities throughout the country, manufacturing gradually left the City, reducing the number of good-paying jobs in the central district. Families moved out, leaving behind large homes that were often converted into multi-unit rentals. The structures were not always maintained, and as the properties were sold and resold, their condition often continued to decline. In 2005, Mishawaka's Department of Planning and Community Development conducted a Housing Condition Survey for every residence in the City. The exterior of homes were visually inspected and assigned color ratings based on the repairs required. The items assessed were roofs, windows/doors, porch, paint, gutters, foundation, siding and overall superficial appearance. Colors were plotted on a map to provide a visual of the areas where the Department should concentrate efforts on improvement programs. Not surprisingly, the majority of the structures with poor and fair ratings were located in the City's central downtown area, where the oldest housing stock and greatest number of rental properties are located. Additionally, information provided by Mishawaka Code Enforcement was plotted using GIS, and showed that the greatest concentrations of vacant and substandard homes were located in the same areas identified by the Housing Condition Survey. As important as these surveys are for identifying substandard exterior concerns, they do not provide information regarding the interior condition of a dwelling. The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that only one percent (1%) of the City of Mishawaka's residential units are lacking complete plumbing and/or kitchen facilities. While this is a concern, it does not serve to help us determine which properties truly present a health and safety concern to their residents. Overcrowding: The Housing Needs Table indicates that the majority of housing problems in the City of Mishawaka are related to costs burden. Within most of the 24 categories, the percentages given for "Any Housing Problems" and "Cost Burden >30%" are virtually identical. The household group with the greatest disparity between housing problems (100%) and cost burden (28.6%), indicating a housing problem other than financial, is the "Large Related" category in the >30 to <=50% MFI. The "Large Related" category in >50 to <=80% also displays disparity, though to a much lesser degree. Lacking additional information, an assumption can be made that a large family at either income level is probably living in an overcrowded condition. It should be noted that this represents slightly more than 50 households. Racial/Ethnic Disparity: Per the Housing Needs Table, racial-ethnic groups in the City of Mishawaka tend to have fewer reported housing needs than those reported for the all income categories as a whole. There are, however, a few notable exceptions. Housing needs for Hispanic Large Family Renters exceed the needs of the category as a whole at every income level. It is also reported that 100% of Hispanic Large Family Owners in the >50 to <=80% MFI have housing problems. There is much disparity between housing needs in general and cost burden, so the assumption is made that the reported housing problems are the result of substandard dwellings or overcrowded living conditions. This housing disparity affects 120 Hispanic households in Mishawaka. The only other notable disproportionate need is for Black Non-Hispanic Households. Data indicates that 100% of the "All Others" Owners in the >50 to <=80% MFI category report housing problems. As this category includes singles and students, and the households are owner-occupied, the conclusion is that perhaps repair and maintenance on the dwellings are 2010-2014 Housing and Community Development Plan 29