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

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St. Joseph County Housing Consortium Habitat for Humanity Partnership; and acquisition and moderate rehabilitation of eight (8) vacant/abandoned residences for use in the City's Lease-to-Own Self-Sufficiency Program. In the five-year period that spans 2010-2014, Mishawaka anticipates acquiring and demolishing four .vacant, abandoned and/or foreclosed properties each year. Three new construction low-moderate income family homes will be constructed on the cleared lots each year for the First-Time Homebuyer Program; one new construction low-income family home will be constructed on a cleared lot for a Habitat for Humanity family. In the five-year period that spans 2010-2014, Mishawaka anticipates acquiring and rehabilitating two vacant, abandoned and/or foreclosed homes each year. These houses will become homes for low-moderate income participants in the City's Self-Sufficiency Lease-to- Own program. In the five-year period that spans 2010-2014, Mishawaka anticipates rehabilitating a former high school into 32 apartments for senior citizens (age 55 and older). Construction is anticipated to begin in 2010 and be completed in 2011, with units being available for rent in late 2011. Based on occupancy data from the Mishawaka Housing Authority, it is expected that approximately 80% of the renters will be at or below 50% AMI. Antipoverty Strategy (91.215 (h)) i. Describe the jurisdiction's goals, programs, and policies for reducing the number of poverty level families (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget and revised annually). In consultation with other appropriate public and private agencies, (i.e. TANF agency) state how the jurisdiction's goals, programs, and policies for producing and preserving affordable housing set forth in the housing component of the consolidated plan will be coordinated with other programs and services for which the jurisdiction is responsible. 2. Identify the extent to which this strategy will reduce (or assist in reducing) the number of poverty level families, taking into consideration factors over which the jurisdiction has control. Ultimately, the goal of this community is to reduce poverty among our citizens. Poverty has too many negative effects for any rational community to want to increase its numbers. At the same time, we recognize that there will always be some people living in poverty. Ensuring that all residents have options available to help them climb out of poverty is important to this community. While St. Joseph County has a higher poverty rate than the State of Indiana (10.4% vs. 9.5%), it is a full 2 percentage points less than the national rate (10.4% vs. 12.4%). Unfortunately, South Bend's poverty rate of 16.7% is much higher than the national average, and the County remainder's rate of 4.5% is much below that average (Mishawaka's rate is 9.9%). This outlines the income segregation which has occurred in the community. Many of the problems are linked to declining income resulting from the shift from high-paying manufacturing jobs to low-paying retail jobs. However, some of the higher paying jobs which are created locally as part of the post-industrial, information economy have expanded the number of affluent households within the community, increasing the gap separating the wealthy from the poor. 2010-2014 Housing and Community Development Plan 60