City of Aurora, Colorado Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing Choice
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City of Aurora, Colorado Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing Choice FINAL July 13, 2016 Prepared by: EV Studio, LLC 1117 Cherokee St Denver, CO 80204 City of Aurora Community Development Division Neighborhood Services Department 9898 E. Colfax Avenue Aurora, CO 80010 2015-2016 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice – City of Aurora, Colorado Table of Contents SECTION 1 3 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 SECTION 2 12 Community Profile……………………………………………………………………………………………………12 Population…………………………………………………………………………………………………….13 Population by Age…………………………………………………………………………………14 Population by Race……………………………………………………………………………….16 Population by Ethnicity…………………………………………………………………………17 Foreign Born Population……………………………………………………………………….18 Language……………………………………………………………………………………………….21 Disabilities……………………………………………………………….……………………………26 Households……………………………………………………………………………………………………………...27 Household Income…………………………………………………………………………………………28 Median Household income……………………………………………………………………28 Types of Households……………………………………………………………………………..33 Low to Moderate Census Tracts…………………………………………………………….35 Poverty………………………………………………………………………………………………………….39 Employment………………………………………………………………………………………………….42 Employment Status……………………………………………………………………………….42 Occupations………………………………………………………………………………………….44 Travel to Work for City of Aurora Residents……………………………..…………..46 Housing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………48 Occupancy and Tenure………………………………………………………………………….49 Year Structure Built……………………………………………………………………………….51 Housing Condition…………………………………………………………………………………53 Overcrowding……………………………………………………………………………………….54 Housing Value……………………………………………………………………………………….55 Rent as Percentage of Income……………………………………………………………….57 Renter Market and Gaps……………………………………………………………………….63 Owner Market and Gaps……………………………………………………………………….66 EV Studio, LLC 1 2015-2016 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice – City of Aurora, Colorado SECTION 3 70 Evaluation of Current Fair Housing Status…………………………………………………………………70 Fair Housing Concerns or Problems………………………………………………………………………….71 PUBLIC SECTOR………………………………………………………………………………………………………..78 City of Aurora……………………………………………………………………………………………….78 Housing and Community Development Programs Comprehensive Plan Definitions of Family and Group Home Colorado………………………………………………………………………………………………………84 Other Housing Stakeholders…………………………………………………………………………88 Homeless Housing Needs……………………………………………………………………………..93 Other Housing Needs and Concerns………………………………………………………………96 PRIVATE SECTOR………………………………………………………………………………………………………99 SECTION 4 102 Public Process…………………………………………………………………………………………………………102 Stakeholder Group Meeting………………………………………………………………………..102 Client Focus Group Meeting…………………………………………………………………………106 Citizen’s Advisory Meeting…………………………………………………………………………..109 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan Meetings and Survey…………………………………….110 SECTION 5 121 Previously Identified Impediments from 2004………………………………………………………..121 SECTION 6 123 Five Identified Impediments and Recommended Strategies……………………..…………….123 IMPEDIMENT 1…………………………………………………………………………………………….123 IMPEDIMENT 2…………………………………………………………………………………………….127 IMPEDIMENT 3…………………………………………………………………………………………….138 IMPEDIMENT 4…………………………………………………………………………………………….139 IMPEDIMENT 5…………………………………………………………………………………………….143 SOURCES 153 APPENDIX 154 EV Studio, LLC 2 2015-2016 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice – City of Aurora, Colorado SECTION 1 Introduction What is Fair Housing? Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (fair housing Act), as amended in 1988, “Prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing- related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status (including children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability).” Colorado’s fair housing statute (C.R.S. 24-34-500 et. seq.) include marital status, creed and ancestry in addition to the federal definitions of persons protected by fair housing law. It is also illegal to refuse to make reasonable accommodations or modifications for persons with disabilities, or to harass or interfere with a person exercising their fair housing rights. The Civil Rights Act, including the Fair Housing Act, grew out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and was particularly directed at relieving the living conditions that gave rise to the race riots of that era. During the period following World War II, both public and private sector practices had led to the segregation of minorities (especially African Americans) into ghettos in inner cities, far away from the newer housing and job opportunities being created in the suburbs. But the greater intent of the law was not just to eliminate the practices that created racially segregated communities, but to provide equal housing opportunity for all Americans who experienced discrimination. Later legislation led to the addition of families with children and people with disabilities as protected classes. Fair housing is the process and vehicle for ensuring those protections. Purpose The City of Aurora, Colorado is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH). As a recipient of federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership Act (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding, the City of Aurora is required to analyze the impediments to fair housing choice and then take steps to overcome the impediments it identifies. This Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) contains an assessment of the housing status by protected class and private and public sector policies, procedures and practices that may act as Barriers to equal housing access. It is important to note the difference between an Impediment and a Barrier to Fair Housing Choice: EV Studio, LLC 3 2015-2016 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice – City of Aurora, Colorado • Impediments to fair housing choice are defined as any actions, omissions, or decisions that restrict, or have the effect of restricting, the availability of housing choices, based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin. • Barriers are defined the same as impediments but are inclusive of all populations. Executive Summary The Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing Choice was prepared for the City of Aurora, by EV Studio, LLC. EV Studio is a full service planning, architecture and engineering company based in Denver, Colorado with four offices in Colorado and Texas. Founded in 2006, EV Studio has a diverse team of professionals that includes specialties in planning, multi-family, municipal projects, affordable housing, federal government, education and commercial projects. The Analysis of Impediments was funded using a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administration allocation from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) administration funding. The analysis includes the city boundary of Aurora, Colorado. The analysis reviews background data and information pertaining to demographics, income, employment, and housing. Legal status of the City of Aurora’s current fair housing is also part of the analysis. It also reviews the laws, regulations and policies of the jurisdiction’s availability and accessibility to housing. Participants in the analysis included key City of Aurora Community Development (CD) Division staff, key stakeholders including staff from various organizations that provide housing services for City of Aurora residents and also clients of these organizations that have gone through the process of locating housing within the city boundaries. The participants were part of focus groups where they were able to discuss some key topics that were determined in the analysis, and were given the opportunity to voice any additional concerns or issues that were not addressed. Methodology for the report included: Review of the City of Aurora’s previous Analysis of Impediments (2004), as well as documents written for or by the City of Aurora that provided background information regarding housing, demographics, income and employment information, as well as laws, policies and regulations that the City of Aurora has adopted. Various Internet sources from Colorado government and quasi-governmental entities were reviewed. EV Studio, LLC 4 2015-2016 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice – City of Aurora, Colorado Demographic information was retrieved from the US Census using Census 2010 information and the American Community Survey (ACS) 2007-2011 or 2008- 2012 data where applicable. A Stakeholder Group was held with housing service providers in the City (October 2013) as well as clients of the Housing Authority of the City of Aurora (AHA), other affordable housing clients, and participants of the City’s Home Ownership (HOAP) and Housing Rehabilitation Programs (November 2013). Key stakeholders and clients were also interviewed and provided a questionnaire to respond to regarding impediments and barriers that were documented during the analysis. The draft AI and Preliminary Recommendations were presented for comment at four public meetings from January to May 2014, prior to the 2015-2019 Consolidated planning process in order to better inform the City