St. Joseph County Housing Consortium

Home Browse Search

FY 2025-2029 Five-Year Consolidated Plan City of South Bend, IN NIA-40 Barriers to Affordable Housing - 91.410, 91.210(e) Describe an) negative effects of public policies on affordable housing and residential investment The City of South Bend, the City of Mishawaka, and St. Joseph County have identified the following impediments for the 2025 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice and have defined specific goals and strategies to address each impediment. Impediment 1: Lack of Affordable Housing for Sale The median value and cost to purchase a single-family home in St. Joseph County that is decent, safe, and sound has increased significantly to over$165,700.For the City of South Bend it is over$128,200, and for the City of Mishawaka it is $113,800. This limits the choice of housing for lower-income households throughout the County and in both Cities. Goal: Development of for-sale, single-family homes for lower-income households will occur through new construction, infill housing, and the rehabilitation of vacant structures throughout St. Joseph County and the Cities of South Bend and Mishawaka. Strategies: To meet this goal, the following activities and strategies may be undertaken by St. Joseph County and the Cities of South Bend and Mishawaka: 1-A: Support and encourage plans from both private developers and nonprofit housing providers to develop and construct new affordable housing that is for sale for lower-income households throughout the Cities and County. 1-B: Support homebuyer education and training programs to improve homebuyer awareness and increase the opportunities for lower-income households to become homebuyers by affirmatively furthering fair housing choice. 1-C: Provide funds for down payment and closing cost assistance to lower-income households. 1-D: Promote housing counseling programs for first-time homebuyers. Impediment 2: Affordable Rental Housing The current supply of rental housing is not necessarily affordable to lower-income households. The monthly housing cost for apartments has steadily increased to the point that 46.0% of all rental households in St.Joseph County,49.0%of all rental households in South Bend,and 44.5%of all rental households in Mishawaka are considered cost burdened by 30%or more. Goal: The development of affordable rental housing will occur throughout the County and both Cities, especially for households whose income is less than 60% AMI, through new construction, the rehabilitation of vacant buildings,and the development of mixed-income housing,to reduce the number of lower-income households who are cost burdened. OMB Control No:2506-0117(exp.07/31/2025) 108