              
|
 |
 |

Executive Summary to 2011 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
Analysis and Methods
The purpose of this analysis is to identify, and make recommendations to eliminate, any impediments that currently exist in the Thomas Jefferson region (The City of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Fluvanna County, Louisa County, Greene County, and Nelson County) to the fair housing choices made by all residents. The analysis is an important part of the HOME Consortium’s and the City of Charlottesville’s commitment to affirmatively further fair housing, and it will serve to guide activities relating to fair housing for the next several years.
The analysis contains four major components that are used to inform the final selection of impediments:
-
Data on demographics, the economy and housing
The Thomas Jefferson region is growing more racially diverse, with growth rates for Hispanics, Asians, and individuals claiming multiple races higher than the population as a whole. The region is generally becoming more spatially integrated, although the trend toward integration is less pronounced for families with children. The number of single-parent households remains high in urban and rural areas. In 2009, there were 20,093 people with a disability in the region, and a wide range of disability types are represented.
An economic downturn has affected the ability of households to acquire and maintain housing. The unemployment rate has doubled since 2007, with Skilled Trades jobs in particular being lost each year, although it is still below the national average. Wages have not increased much for service-sector positions. Housing costs remain elevated relative to incomes for both rental and homeownership opportunities. A foreclosure crisis has hit Louisa and Fluvanna Counties, and certain neighborhoods of Charlottesville, and homelessness continues to rise each year.
-
Input sessions to hear concerns from the community
Between October 2010 and March 2011, nine groups were asked questions about existing impediments to fair housing in the community. Each of these groups represents protected classes under the Fair Housing Act or has an expertise that overlaps with the analysis. The topics covered by these groups ranged widely in scope. Notes derived directly from the input gathered are included in the “Context for Fair Housing” section and used to inform the final identified impediments.
-
Analysis of public and private sector influence on fair housing
An analysis of the public and private processes surrounding housing in the region helps determine whether there are systematic issues that impede fair housing choice in the Thomas Jefferson region. Outright discrimination remains an issue. Fair housing complaints in Virginia are typically fielded by the Virginia Office of Fair Housing. Between 2005 and 2010, there were 13.2 complaints addressed per year, with about one-third being resolved in favor of the complainant. The financial markets for housing have changed dramatically in recent years. The primary problem between 2004 and 2007 was the prevalence of high-cost loans issued, particularly to minority homebuyers. Blacks and Hispanics were three times more likely to be issued a high or adjustable interest rate than a White applicant. Many of the predatory loans were issued for refinancing and home improvements, not a home purchase. High-cost loans are highly linked to foreclosures. After 2008, the conventional loan markets have tightened up and securing a loan for a new home has become much more difficult.
Land use ordinances are enacted to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of citizens in a particular jurisdiction, although there are often trade-offs to consider in terms of housing availability and affordability. Studies at the national level have shown that some code requirements can increase the costs of providing new housing, and thus limit the options for affordability living. Local governments have undertaken many actions in recent years to facilitate the creation of affordable living options. Additionally, there are many public and non-profit institutions that have a role in providing housing, often utilizing a complex network of funding sources. Public housing providers have various methods for selecting tenants with objectivity. There are provisions in place to prevent displacement from occurring, especially as redevelopment occurs, and a range of providers have moved toward mixed-income and mixed-use projects.
Transportation is fundamentally linked to fair housing, because transportation costs reflect the access to jobs and services of a home. A home that is located in close proximity to jobs and services is inherently less affordable. Therefore, the provision of transit and other low-cost transportation options can help to open up more housing opportunities to households. Likewise, public schools heavily influence the housing decisions of families. Public schools remain socio-economically divided according to the area they serve. More economically and racially integrated schools will likely improve performance across the boards and make more homes throughout the region attractive to families with children.
-
Review of Fair Housing Activities between 2004 and 2010
Each of the impediments identified and objectives set in 2004 are revisited, and progress toward meeting goals is measured. This is means for assessing how well the various parties responsible for eliminating the impediment have performed in their role, and it helps determine which issues continue to need attention and which have been addressed sufficiently. Many of the goals set in 2004 continue through 2011.
Although the affordability problem has shifted substantially since 2004, the severity of the issues has grown for many segments of the population. Accessibility of housing remains an issue, particularly for lower-income households. There have been improvements in developing mixed-income neighborhoods and the region has become more integrated, but families remain divided by race and income. Community resistance to development with affordable housing and outright discrimination are ongoing concerns.
The Piedmont Housing Alliance is a vehicle for fair housing awareness, enforcement, and consultation in our region. They have engaged in a number of activities over the previous five years to expand fair housing choice.
Identified Impediments and Responses
Based on the results of input sessions, data collection and analysis, and review of the 2004 identified impediments, the following are determined to be the greatest impediments to fair housing in the Thomas Jefferson region for the year 2011. Each are given an objective, a measureable result, and a party responsible for accomplishing the objective. The timeline for achieving progress toward each objective is five years, after which a future AI will evaluate the state of fair housing. This will continue until all impediments are eliminated.
2011 Impediments and Plan of Action
Impediment |
Description |
Objective |
Measurable Result |
Responsible Parties |
Rental
Affordability |
Lack of
rental units affordable to low income households; Increased competition for
limited number of rental units |
Increase
the # of affordable rental units; Align costs of rental options with the
distribution of incomes in the area |
Smaller %
of people with severe cost burdens; # of people receiving assistance; # of supported
units |
HOME
Consortium, local governments, non-profit organizations |
Regulatory
Barriers and Community Resistance |
Land use
codes and ordinances affect availability and affordability of
location-efficient housing; groups may oppose density based on perceived or
real neighborhood impacts |
Revise
ordinances that create barriers to housing affordability; Eliminate stigma
attached to affordable housing and density; encourage diverse housing stock
without sacrificing quality of life |
Revisions
to land use ordinances that allow greater flexibility to develop compact,
mixed-use, and mixed-income housing with access to jobs and services |
Local
governments |
Discrimination
in the Rental Market |
Either
overt or covert discrimination against renters on the basis of race and
ethnicity, family status, and disability |
Eliminate
all discrimination in housing; Raise awareness of fair housing laws; Provide
counseling and advocacy; test for discrimination |
# and
resolution of complaints; # of people reached with fair housing activities;
results from testing (if conducted) |
Piedmont
Housing Alliance, other non-profit organizations, local governments |
High
Debt-to-Income Ratios and Foreclosures |
Whether
through loss of income or adjustment of loan, homeowners are struggling to
retain their home; foreclosures will likely continue |
Prevent
foreclosures from occurring; encourage loan work-outs; support banking
legislation; provide financial counseling to prospective home-buyers |
# of
foreclosures prevented through assistance; reduced homeowner cost burden |
Local
housing counselors, Piedmont Housing Alliance, local governments, Legal Aid, other
non-profit orgs |
Economic
and Racial Disparities among Schools |
Concentration
of low-income and racial minority students into certain schools and districts
may compromise school quality and exacerbate housing segregation among
families |
Encourage
neighborhood economic and racial integration for families with children,
especially in the City of Charlottesville and urbanized Albemarle County |
Decreased
racial index of dissimilarities among elementary school students; More
equitable share of low-income students among schools |
Local
governments, Local school boards, non-profit organizations |
Lack of
Housing Accessible to People with Disabilities |
Lack of
housing appropriately designed for the range of disabilities that exist in
the region; when available, accessible units can be expensive |
Increase
the quantity and scope of accessible units; communicate visitability and accessibility
needs to homeowners and landlords |
# of
accessible units; # of group homes and support-services living options; # of
people reached though outreach efforts |
Ind.
Resource Center, Disability Services Board, Piedmont Housing Alliance,
Livable for a Lifetime |
Language
and Cultural Barriers |
Language
differences can be a means for housing discrimination; immigrants may lack
knowledge of housing and financing options; cultural differences yield
neighbor and landlord tension |
Reduce
cultural and linguistic barriers to housing access; engage different groups
in conversations about differences and similarities |
Housing
information available in multiple languages; Homeownership rate for ethnic
minorities |
International
Rescue Commission, Creciendo Juntos non-profits, schools |
Homeownership
Affordability |
Job
losses, low wages, and tight credit markets limit homeownership options for a
broad range of households |
Align home
costs with the distribution of incomes in the area; Encourage smaller units
with greater access to jobs and services. |
# of
people receiving down payment assistance; # of supported units; average sq.
ft. of new construction; avg. commute times |
HOME
Consortium, local governments, non-profit organizations |
|
 |

|