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HOUSING SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM AND ITS LIMITATIONS
Housing support in Travis
County reaches persons in need through a loosely connected network of public
and private providers including state and local governmental agencies, non-profit
organizations, and faith based organizations. (The table in Appendix
A presents a sampling of some of the public, private, and public/private
collaborative housing efforts in Travis County.) Although many excellent programs
exist, they are by no means able to meet the needs of the community. Examples
of housing services provided through these organizations include:
RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAMS
- Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The Texas
Department of Housing and Community Affairs assists in the construction
and rehabilitation of rental housing for low-income people with the Low Income
Housing Tax Credit Program through developer incentives. However, concerns
remain about the distribution of these credits.
- Rental Assistance. Several organizations in the Austin area provide
emergency rental assistance to low-income residents who qualify. Funding limitations
restrict the number of times per year that each person can receive assistance,
and necessitates that agencies cap the amount of money that can be provided
each time. Although the Housing
Authority of the City of Austin received 700 additional Section 8 housing
vouchers in September of 1999, they are still maintaining a waiting list.
- Public Housing Units. The Texas Low Income Housing Information Service
report on Austin's housing needs has a complete listing of public housing
available in the area. Although there are hundreds of public housing units,
the demand far exceeds the supply. Waiting lists range in length from months
to several years.
- Tenant-Based Rental Assistance. Austin
Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center coordinates tenant-based
rental assistance through programs, such as Shelter Plus Care, and the HOME
Grant. These programs are available to persons with mental illness, substance
abuse problems, and those who are homeless.
- Protection of Tenants' Rights. The Austin
Tenant's Council provides legal assistance and advice to area renters
whose rights are violated by landlords. Unfortunately, many migrant workers
or immigrants who experience discrimination fear that they will be reported
to the INS by their landlords, and therefore do not seek available help.
OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING PROGRAM
- Emergency Home Repair/ Rehabilitation. Several local organizations,
including Hands on Housing, United Cerebral Palsy, and the Austin Area Urban
league handle repairs for low-income owner-occupied housing. Although there
are several programs that focus on home repair and rehabilitation, demand
for services outstrips supply.
- Self-Help Home Repair. The Travis County Housing Services Program
provides building materials to homeowners who cannot afford to buy the repair
supplies, but who are capable of making the repairs themselves, or who have
friends or relatives who can help.
- Septic System Repair. Travis County also provides services to rural
residents who are living in unsanitary conditions because of broken septic
systems. However, this program is not designed to install new systems.
- First-time Homebuyer Assistance. Many organizations offer first-time
homebuyer assistance to working families with moderate incomes who cannot
afford to pay down-payments or closing costs, or have trouble qualifying for
loans.
- Construction of Affordable Housing for Low-Income Families. Habitat
for Humanity is an example of a non-profit organization that provides new
housing for low-income families using sweat equity, donated building materials,
and volunteer labor.
Although these organizations work to ensure that housing needs are met, the
following population groups remain under-served or un-served:
- Families paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing.
According to HUD, housing is considered affordable if families pay 30 percent
or less of their gross annual income for housing. According to City of Austin
projections, about 34,000 households pay more than 30 percent. A worker earning
minimum wage ($5.15 per hour), would have to work 103 hours per week to afford
a market-rate, two-bedroom apartment costing $801 a month (Through
the Roof, July 1999).
- Families making slightly more than maximum income limits for housing
services. Working families who are trying to become self-sufficient often
need housing assistance to get them on their feet. However, many are unable
to qualify for services because their income is slightly above the limits
imposed by agencies.
- Rural Travis County residents. Fewer housing programs are available
to serve rural residents as compared with those for urban dwellers. Federal
housing dollars are distributed by formulas based on population and poverty
rates. Because of this, the City of Austin receives its housing and community
development funds directly from the federal government. Travis County, however,
must apply to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for federal
funds, and compete with other counties/ smaller Texas cities. In some cases,
rural housing assistance is also available through the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
- Persons with Physical Disabilities. The 75 public housing units available
for the disabled in Travis County do not begin to meet the needs of the more
than 6,700 people with disabilities living at or below the poverty level.
The waiting list for these units is longer than five years.
- Persons with Mental Illnesses. Residents with mental illnesses who
are served by the Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center
receive less than $9,000 a year through their social security income, (Austin/Travis
County MHMR, 1999) which is not sufficient to cover housing costs in the Austin
area.
- Elderly. Many elderly need housing that also provides supportive
services. There are 203 such public housing units, but the waiting list is
longer than five years. Elderly homeowners are often unable to make repairs
necessary to maintain safe and decent homes, and consequently live in substandard
housing.
- Immigrants/ Migrant Workers. Undocumented workers are reluctant to
protest if they are living in unsafe and/or overcrowded conditions for fear
of being reported to the INS.
- Homeless. Although some homeless persons choose to stay outside,
many more are turned away from shelters due to lack of space. According to
the 1995 City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Comprehensive
plan, "only one-third of all homeless persons can be sheltered in existing
facilities at any given time."
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