Uh, yeah. It’s about time we did this analysis! Study sez . . . We need more rental units and more affordable housing, duh.
Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in the City of Madison, WI
1. Supply Impediments (Private Sector)
1.1 Inadequate Supply of Rental Housing
1.2 Inadequate Supply of Larger Rental Units
2. Affordability Impediments (Private Sector)
2.1 Inadequate Supply of Affordable Housing
3. Financial Impediments (Private Sector)
3.1 Lack of Loans to Minorities
4. Spatial Impediments (Public and Private Sector)
4.1 Affordable Housing Projects Directed Toward Low Income Neighborhoods
4.2 Transit Commuting Times Excessive from some Areas
4.3 Poor Grocery Store Access in Some Minority Neighborhoods
5. Administrative Impediments (Public Sector)
5.1 Limited Use of Fair Housing Complaint Procedures
5.2 Uncertain Implementation Strategy and Responsibility
5.3 Zoning Code Permits Concentration of Disabled Residents
The report is long, haven’t read it all. This is the gist of why they are doing this study:
What is Required to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing?
The federal man date to affirmatively further fair house (AFFH) has never included clear directives
regarding how to fulfill this obligation. However, HUD defines it as requiring a grantee to:
• Conduct an analysis to identify impediments (AI) to fair housing choice within the jurisdiction,
• Take appropriate actions to overcome any impediments identified through the analysis, and
• Maintain AFFH records.What are Impediments to Fair Housing Choice?
HUD defines two types of impediments to fair housing choice:
• Direct impediments: any actions, omissions, or decisions taken because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, or other protected class which restrict housing choices or the availability of housing choices, and
• Indirect impediments: any actions, omissions, or decisions which have this effectAny policies, practices, or procedures that may appear neutral but operate to deny or adversely affect the
availability of housing to a person may be considered an impediment. To the best extent possible, this
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice defines the existence, nature, extent, and causes of fair
housing choice problems within Madison, and the resources available to solve them.It is the goal of this document and the process by which it was created to identify any issues within the City of Madison that are preventing some persons from having access to housing of their choice without discrimination.
SOLUTIONS FROM THE REPORT
1. Actions to alleviate Supply Impediments
1.1 Build more rental units
1.11 Establish policies to maintain a 5% vacancy rate
1.12 Encourage flexible development (condo or rental)
1.13 Create programs or incentives (Vancouver as model)
1.2 Build more large rental units
1.21 Offer incentives to encourage more large units
2. Actions to alleviate Affordability Impediments
2.1 Build more affordable units
2.11 Encourage affordable units within all parts of the City
2.12 Encourage rehabiliation of existing affordable units rather than replacement by non-affordable units
2.13 Encourage more non-traditional housing types (co-housing, etc.)
3. Actions to alleviate Financial Impediments
3.1 More loans to minorities
3.11 More credit and homebuying education
3.12 More lender education to avoid predatory lending
3.13 More post-purchase education to improve ownership experience
4. Actions to alleviate Spatial Impediments
4.1 Direct affordable housing away from lowest income neighborhoods
4.11 Resist neighborhood opposition to affordable housing
4.12 Collaborate with CDA and WHEDA to prioritize certain neighborhoods
4.13 Develop a Comprehensive Housing Strategy
4.14 Adjust development review fees to tie the fee to the projected unit value or rental cost
4.2 Reduce commute times via Metro Transit
4.21 Evaluate the routing system and pursue express service options
4.22 Develop more housing along transit corridors
4.3 Improve access to grocery stores
4.3.1 encourage development and services that offer daily grocery access in all neighborhoods
5. Actions to alleviate Administrative Impediments
5.1 Increase use of fair housing compliant procedures
5.11 Simplify materials and emphasize ease and quick resolutions
5.12 Optimize the City website to make it easy to find fair housing info
5.13 Coordinated training to identify and direct housing-related complaints
5.14 Add “Housing Discrimination” to the Report a Problem system
5.2 Establish implementation strategies and responsibility
5.21 Establish clear implementation roles and responsibilities within DC&P&ED
5.22 Collaboration and Coordination among DC&P&ED,
5.23 Streamline and combine funding programs
5.3 Prevent segregation of disabled residents in group homes
5.31 Consider revisions to number of residents allowed in Community Living Arrangements
FACTS OF INTEREST
233,209 – population of Madison
102,516 – total households
21.1% – % Minority
$29,169 – per capita income
18.7% – % individuals below poverty
9.2% – % of families below poverty
51.8% – % of units that are multi-family
50.7% – % of units renter-occupied
34.6% – % home costs exceeding affordability
56.7% – % renter costs exceeding affordability
Sources: U.S Census 2010; ACS 2010 One Yr. Est
MAPS
Check them out – here’s an interesting observation.
– Highest concentrations of minorities concentrated on the south and north sides of Madison, and for Afican Americans, the Jail!
OUR RENTS ARE NOT CHEAP
These are rents for efficiencies, 1 bdrm, 2 bdrm, 3 bdrm, 4 bdrm and average rents, our average rents are only $67 less than Chicago
Appleton, WI = $405 – $530 – $681 – $1,003 – $1,062 – $736
Rockford, IL = $466 – $533 – $717 – $978 – $1,111 – $761
Milwaukee – Waukesha, WI = $535 – $659 – $828 – $1,056 – $1,142 – $844
Kenosha County, WI = $523 – $624 – $801 – $1,163 – $1,219 – $866
Madison, WI = $614 – $734 – $889 – $1,226 – $1,366 – $966
Minneapolis – St. Paul, MN = $592 – $736 – $920 – $1,296 – $1,529 – $1,015
Chicago – Joliet – Naperville, IL = $717 – $815 – $966 – $1,231 – $1,436 – $1,033
THEY MISSED A FEW
This section provides a brief overview of the current fair housing funding, programs and activities including public programs administered by the City of Madison and the efforts of private entities that support or affect fair housing choice.
This section fails to mention efforts of:
Equal Rights Division of the State
Dane County Equal Opportunities Commission
Madison Equal Oppodtunities Commission
The Fair Housing Center
Tenant Resource Center
Odd.
Later they have a list of non-profits and what they do and I have do say, the description of the TRC is a little insulting given the other descriptions. They don’t even mention we do housing counseling or provide information about tenant-landlord laws.
Then later, they list the people who are funded to work on fair housing, its a silly list, we are included there too.
CONCLUSION
YAY!!!! I’ve never seen this study before and its about damn time. Now, if only we can get people to take the recommendations seriously! I might add a few recommendations (some of them would be low or no cost), but hey, this is a good start. I just hope it makes a difference. Hope. Heard that before, I won’t hold my breath.
