Housing

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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