City of Sierra Vista Housing Assessment & Stratetigc Plan
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CITY OF SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN Arizona Department of Housing August 2008 Shane Smith, Research Coordinator, Drachman Institute Marilyn Robinson, Associate Director, Drachman Institute Corky Poster, Director, Drachman Institute with Scott Stephens, Graduate Student, School of Landscape Architecture Amy Wood, Graduate Student, School of Landscape Architecture Masazuku Aoe, Architecture Student, School of Architecture Kelly Flegal, Architecture Student, School of Architecture Matthew Bossler, Graduate Student, School of Landscape Architecture August 2008 The Drachman Institute is a research and public service unit of The College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at The University of Arizona. It is dedicated to the environmentally sensitive and resource- conscious development of neighborhoods and communities. The Drachman Institute focuses its research and outreach activities on the proposition that housing is the building block of neighborhoods and neighborhoods are the building blocks of communities. 2 SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION STATISTICAL ASSESSMENT PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT page 5 page 11 page 45 Map of Surveyed Area Demographics Windshield Survey Areas Scope of Work Economics Exterior Visual Survey & Conditions Previous Studies and Related Documents Housing Characteristics Development by Decade Historical Background Public Opinion, Community Survey Target Areas Defi ned EVALUATION DEVELOPMENT APPENDICES page 63 page 99 page 127 Additional 2000 U.S. Census Data Graphs Community Survey Questionnaire Community Survey Questionnaire Results Windshield Survey Photo Essay Statistical Evaluation Neighborhood Association Information Physical Evaluation Recommendations for Target Areas Railroad Avenue Housing Project Needs Identifi ed Goals and Strategies Glossary, Housing and Development Terms SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN 3 “There is a near-universal shortage of affordable housing for homeownership in Sierra Vista... shortages exist across income levels and household sizes, with the most critical shortages existing for... the most economically disadvantaged segments of the community.” —Cochise College Center for Economic Research Cochise County,June Arizona 2007 June 2007 4 SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN INTRODUCTION This report is a comprehensive documentation of housing information for Sierra Vista followed by a set of policy recommendations that evolved from that data. The staff of the City of Sierra Vista provided valuable assistance in the gathering, evaluation, and assessment of this information, especially in regard to housing quality, residential development, and neighborhoods. The project was funded by the Arizona Department of Housing through a contract with the Drachman Institute of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of Arizona during the contract year 2007- 2008. 6 SCOPE OF WORK 7 PREVIOUS STUDIES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS 8 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN 5 SCOPE OF WORK Based on a grant proposal prepared by the City of Sierra Vista and addressed to the Arizona Department of Housing requesting technical assistance from the Drachman Institute, the scope of work indicated was for an overall housing assessment determining both physical conditions and livability of housing in the city. The agreed upon scope of work includes the following: • Conduct an overview windshield survey of general neighborhood housing and property conditions; • Conduct parcel-by-parcel visual assessment of selected neighborhoods determined from overview survey, to include county enclaves as needed; • Summarize the existing housing data including housing stock quantity, age, and sizes (rooms per dwelling); • Conduct Community Surveys for current information and data to assist in determining potential affordable housing needs; • Estimate possible workforce housing needs including number of those in need, as well as home sizes and levels of affordability; • Develop a set of recommendations for addressing possible affordable housing needs and suggest methods and strategies for facilitation and implementation of these recommendations. An initial project scope meeting was held in Tucson, Arizona at the Drachman Institute with representatives from Arizona Department of Housing, Drachman Institute staff, and City of Sierra Vista staff. Subsequent progress presentations were made to the Mayor and Council and the community during special work sessions. The dates for each of these site visits, meetings, and presentations took place as follows: • Project Scope Meeting October 5, 2007 • Overview Windshield Survey November 16, 2007 • Detailed Parcel Survey (part one) November 17, 2007 • Detailed Parcel Survey (part two) January 19, 2008 • Mayor + City Council Progress Work Session May 13, 2008 • Mayor + City Council Final Presentation Work Session July 29, 2008 6 SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN PREVIOUS STUDIES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS Vista 2020 General Plan City of Sierra Vista Housing Goals and Strategies the affordable rental housing market in 2006. The City of Sierra Vista approved the current Vista This earlier housing goals and strategies report The study indicates that there does not seem to 2020 General Plan in 2002, which was ratifi ed by was prepared in 1994 by John Prior Associates be a universal shortage of affordable rental citizens of Sierra Vista in 2003. This General Plan and Gruen Associates following a Housing housing in the city, but that there were shortages includes a “Housing and Neighborhoods Element” Needs Study that was conducted in 1993 by for larger apartment sizes (4- and 5-bedrooms) in accordance with Arizona Revised Statute ARS the same consultants. This report focuses on the for extremely low income households. 9-461.05 even though the City of Sierra Vista overall housing planning strategies up through does not yet have a population beyond 50,000 the year 2000. The needs identifi ed indicated Cochise College Center for Economic Research: persons. that in general, most households could afford Affordbale Home Ownership Study for Sierra Vista (June 2007) ARS 9-461.05 states that the general plan shall to rent and own the homes on the market, but include, for cities of 50,000 persons or more, and that a total of 3,688 households were in need The Cochise College Center for Economic may include for cities of less than 50,000 persons, of affordable housing in (1993). By 2000, that Research prepared a housing analysis study for the following element(s): number was projected to rise only slightly to the affordable homeownership market in 2007. 3,981 households. The study indicates that there is a near universal Housing Element shortage of affordable ownership housing for A housing element consisting of standards and Housing Task Force Report 2007 the low-, very low-, and extremely low-income programs for the elimination of substandard In 2007, the City of Sierra Vista Housing Task households. dwelling conditions, for the improvement of Force compiled a report refl ecting upon two housing quality, variety and affordability and recent (2006 and 2007) studies conducted by Sierra Vista Economic Focus 2006-2007 for provision of adequate sites for housing. Cochise College Center for Economic Research, The Cochise College Center for Economic Research This element shall contain an identifi cation and both for Affordable Rental and Affordable prepared an Economic Focus booklet for the analysis of existing and forecasted housing Homeownership Housing. The statistical housing city providing a comprehensive overview of the needs. This element shall be designed to units considered in this study offer only a measure state of the City’s economy and a review of the make equal provision for the housing needs of quantity and not quality. The following Housing 2000 US Census economic data. The book also of all segments of the community regardless Assessment study by the Drachman Institute includes a chapter on “Housing and real estate” of race, color, creed or economic level. expands upon this report by providing indicators that provides 2006 data for housing and rental Portions of the current Housing Assessment of housing stock quality. median prices. conducted by the Drachman Institute may be Cochise College Center for Economic Research: useful for informing future housing policies and Affordable Rental Housing Study for Sierra Vista the resulting recommendations may be applicable (Nov 2006) for incorporation into the City’s Housing and Neighborhoods Element of the General Plan The Cochise College Center for Economic update. Research prepared a housing analysis study for SIERRA VISTA HOUSING ASSESSMENT & STRATEGIC PLAN 7 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND his assessment and evaluation of housing frontier days. In 1877, Captain Samuel Whitside conditions was conducted by the Drachman of the U.S. Army was reassigned from Fort Lowell TInstitute, with support from the Arizona (near Tucson) to lead troops in establishing a fort Department of Housing at the request of the City in the general vicinity of old Fort Crittenden and of Sierra Vista. The last housing study of the city the Whetstone Mountains. Upon arriving in vicinity was completed in 1993. Since that time, Sierra of the old fort, it was decided to lead the troops Vista has experienced signifi cant population growth. further south toward a clustering of mountains. After This growth has led to a perceived shortage