I keep rattling off the numbers, and everyone wants them, so here they are . . . depressing, I know. I keep adding to the numbers, if you think something should be here and isn’t, let me know. Tell me what other numbers should be here to tell the story.
Most of the numbers come from the post where I tried to calculate how much affordable housing we needed and how much it would cost. Sadly, the number of units needed in Dane County is around 20,000, but I calculated the costs for about 1,000 units and came up with $6M per year. We could either subsidize 1,000 units at a cost of $6M plus staff. Or, we could build 1,000 units in 10 years and it would take 200 years to catch up. It would take us 10 years to build 1,000 units and then we’d have to pay for staff to run the units. Yeah, its pretty much a disaster. When you’re done reading this, email the mayor, the county executive, the alders and the supervisors (leave your address so they know you are a constituent) and ask them what they are doing about this issue and how long their plan will take?
MayorGeneralMailbox@cityofmadison.com
parisi@countyofdane.com
allalders@cityofmadison.com
county_board_recipients@co.dane.wi.us
HOUSING
Vacancy Rate
Current currently 2.07%, the lowest in 20 years.
Affordable Housing Needed for Renters Households only
25,095 households in the City of Madison or over half the renters in Madison are paying more than 30% of their income in rent. (HUD’s definition of affordable.)
36,999 in Dane County are paying more than 30% of their income towards their rent.
Number of Affordable Housing Units we are Currently Providing
3625 =
Non-profits
Transitional Housing Units (Less than 2 years) = 187 (121 – single adults, 66 – families, 0 – unaccompanied youth)
Permanent Supportive Housing = 576 (420 – single adults, 156 – families, 0 – unaccompanied youth)
+ CDA.
Public Housing – 742 households – 315 units for families, 427 units over the age of 50 or for people with disabilities.
Section 8 – 1600 households
+ Dane County Housing Authority
Public Housing – 102
Section 8 – 1160
What is the market doing for affordability?
The Constellation that is being built on E Washington Ave is starting to put its units out for rent for August 1st.
studio – $895
1 bedroom for $1265
2 bedroom for $1495
3 bedroom for $2165
Housing Market Overall Units Being Built
Number of Rental Units we created in the last 5 years – 5 or More Family Residence
2008 – 599
2009 – 502
2010 – 352
2011 – 409
2012 – 1,068
Change in laws
Means landlords can now
– Require tenants to make three times their income in rent
– Deny anyone with any conviction or arrest records for anything ever
– Can deny you if you don’t have a social security number
– Charge you more than one month’s rent for security deposit
All making it harder to find housing
Waiting Lists Closed or Very long
– Section 8 waiting lists closed
– – CDA – City – haven’t been able to apply since 2007, 6 years
Please note: Due to limited federal funding, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list is closed to new applicants. The last time the CDA opened for applications was in 2007 through a lottery process. It is not possible to apply for the program at this time and no date has been set for the next lottery. The CDA will conduct public advertising and outreach upon re-opening the Section 8 waiting list for new applicants. Please check back here periodically for updated information or call 608-267-4906 for any updates. (12/30/2011)
– – Dane County Housing Authority – closed for years, you can’t even apply.
– First in 20 years, Public Housing waiting lists closed in City
How Do I Apply?
Currently the CDA Public Housing program is ONLY taking applications for the following:
One-Bedroom Elderly (62 years of age or older)
Five-Bedroom Families
One- and Two-Bedroom wheelchair accessibleFor more information or to obtain an application, please call (608) 266-4675.
Public Housing Wait TimesEffective 6/8/2012
Estimated wait times for Public Housing programs:1-Bedroom Unit (Disabled Designations) = 12+ Months
1-Bedroom Unit (Age 62 or older Designations) = 3 – 6 Months
1-Bedroom Unit (Age 50-61, no disability) = 12+ Months
1-Bedroom Unit (No Designation) = Indefinite wait time
2-Bedroom Unit = 1-2 Years
3-Bedroom Unit = 1-2 Years
4-Bedroom Unit = 1-2 Years
5-Bedroom Unit = 1-2 Years
– All other waiting lists 3 months – 1 year or more
>b?
HOMELESSNESS
831 homeless persons on January 31, 2013, a 45% increase in the last two years
Only 1094 units available in these Madison, Monona, Fitchburg, Cross Plains and Middleton zip codes
In 2011, 2003 people were turned away from shelter (page 7) – and those are only the people who tried, many just stop trying.
OTHER
Poverty Rate
City of Madison – 18.4%
Dane County – 12%
Food Stamps/FoodShare
Recipients in Dane County in 2008 = 22,804.
In Dec 2012 = 52,355. 130% increase.
(Sorry, no link, got that number from the CDBG packet for the county meeting – but it is not available on line and extremely large due to awful scanning)
What else did I miss, what else would help tell the story of the crisis we are facing?
Email the mayor, the county executive, the alders and the supervisors (leave your address so they know you are a constituent) and ask them what they are doing about this issue and how long their plan will take?
MayorGeneralMailbox@cityofmadison.com
parisi@countyofdane.com
allalders@cityofmadison.com
county_board_recipients@co.dane.wi.us
Just funding the system at the same rates as the past is just going to make things worse. We need a plan and funding to address this issue, not “look what we’re already doing” – because it is not working.
