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

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St. Joseph County Housing Consortium pressure on wage rates. Organizations such as the Business Development Corporation of St. Joseph County and the Industrial Revolving Fund offer incentives to businesses to locate/expand their businesses (and the accompanying jobs) within the community. In addition, the local tax abatement programs are also offered to attract/retain jobs in South Bend and Mishawaka. Recent changes to these programs have narrowed their focus on supporting projects which bring higher quality jobs (higher wages, benefits, etc.). The Consortium jurisdictions encourage educational programs for low-income persons. As people acquire skills, especially in technical fields, these families have the potential for earning higher incomes. Over time, as the workforce's technical skills increase, more high- tech firms are attracted to relocate here. Our service sector is constantly looking for new ways to help our citizens expand their earnings potential. An innovative program established by Habitat for Humanity to introduce their clients to housing construction and home maintenance has also been used as a method for pre-training underemployed residents. This pre-training gave these residents a "leg up" on openings in the various trade apprenticeship programs. Several of our community's youth programs offer mentoring, training and overall exposure to educate our young people on the variety of professions and technical positions available in the greater market place. The Consortium sponsors housing programs that seek to revitalize neighborhoods by constructing new homes, rehabilitating old homes, and encouraging home ownership. Fortunately, housing prices in St. Joseph County are relatively reasonable. Often, an individual who can afford to pay rent can just as easily afford a mortgage payment. However, credit history and the lack of a down payment can often be another challenge to attaining homeownership. The City sponsors housing counseling to help people determine a method to manage and eliminate their personal debt and to educate them on the process of buying a home of their own. Strategies and activities to assist renters become homeowners not only help the client, but also the neighborhoods as homeowners are generally a more stable influence on a neighborhood. This strategy tackles both the appearance of the neighborhood and the quality of the housing stock. Finally, for those families and individuals who are pushed into extreme poverty and finally into homelessness, the Consortium sponsors a Continuum of Care approach to helping the homeless. The initial point of contact between the homeless and the Continuum of Care is a temporary stay at an emergency shelter. The shelter assesses the underlining cause of the homelessness and provides drug rehab, counseling, job training, etc. to correct identified problems. As the homeless individual makes progress in the counseling and training programs, they are then transferred to transitional housing, and eventually to independent living. If a person is permanently disabled, then the person is moved into permanent supportive housing. By attacking the community's problems at the source, in addition to the associated problems that arise from poverty, the Consortium seeks to improve the lives of the whole community. This document provides analysis of the community's problems, the resources the Consortium uses to alleviate these problems, and specific projects the Consortium is sponsoring in the ongoing effort to end poverty. Challenges still exist. There are not enough monetary resources to wipe out poverty in St. Joseph County, nor is it thought there are enough dollars available to substantially reduce it in five years either. What we do have though, is a community of caring organizations and individuals with intelligence, creativity and tenacity who are willing to work together to collaborate to find new solutions to old problems. The Consortium intends to continue to 2010-2014 Housing and Community Development Plan 62