Delaware State Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice DELAWARE STATEWIDE ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 1 A. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 B. Obligation to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing ....................................................... 1 C. Fair Housing Choice ................................................................................................. 3 D. The Federal Fair Housing Act ................................................................................... 4 i. What housing is covered? ........................................................................................... 4 ii. What does the Fair Housing Act prohibit? ................................................................... 5 iii. Additional Protections for the Disabled ....................................................................... 5 iv. Significant Recent Changes ........................................................................................ 6 v. Requirements for New Buildings ................................................................................. 6 vi. Housing Opportunities for Families ............................................................................. 7 E. Delaware Fair Housing Act ....................................................................................... 7 F. Local Fair Housing Ordinances ................................................................................. 8 G. Methodology .............................................................................................................. 9 i. Use of Census Data .................................................................................................. 10 ii. Other Data Sources Used ......................................................................................... 10 iii. Areas of Racial or Ethnic Concentration ................................................................... 10 H. Development of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing ............................... 10 i. Local Collaboration of HUD Entitlement Entities in Conducting the AI ...................... 10 ii. Agency Consultation ................................................................................................. 11 iii. Public Comment ....................................................................................................... 11 I. The Relationship between Fair Housing and Affordable Housing .......................... 11 2. DELAWARE STATE REGIONAL PROFILE ........................................ 13 A. Demographic Profile ............................................................................................... 13 i. Population Trends ..................................................................................................... 13 ii. Areas of Racial and Ethnic Minority Concentration ................................................... 15 iii. Residential Segregation Patterns ............................................................................. 16 B. Economic Profile ..................................................................................................... 17 i. Race/Ethnicity and Income ....................................................................................... 17 ii. Concentrations of LMI Persons ................................................................................. 19 iii. Disability and Income ................................................................................................ 20 iv. Familial Status and Income ....................................................................................... 22 v. Ancestry and Income ................................................................................................ 23 vi. Persons with Limited English Proficiency .................................................................. 24 vii. Protected Class Status and Unemployment ............................................................. 25 C. Housing Market ....................................................................................................... 26 i. Housing Inventory ..................................................................................................... 26 ii. Types of Housing Units ............................................................................................. 27 iii. Foreclosure Trends ................................................................................................... 28 iv. Protected Class Status and Home Ownership .......................................................... 29 v. The Tendency of the Protected Classes to Live in Larger Households .................... 30 vi. Cost of Housing ........................................................................................................ 31 D. Home Mortgage Financing ...................................................................................... 35 i. Mortgage Lending Practices ..................................................................................... 35 ii. High-Cost Lending Practices .................................................................................... 41 July 2011 Page i Delaware State Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice 3. CITY OF WILMINGTON ................................................................. 45 A. Historical Residential Settlement Patterns .............................................................. 45 B. Demographic Profile ............................................................................................... 45 i. Population Trends ..................................................................................................... 45 ii. Areas of Racial and Ethnic Minority Concentration ................................................... 47 iii. Residential Segregation Patterns ............................................................................. 49 iv. Race/Ethnicity and Income ....................................................................................... 51 v. Concentrations of LMI Persons ................................................................................. 52 vi. Disability and Income ................................................................................................ 53 vii. Familial Status and Income ....................................................................................... 54 viii. Ancestry and Income ................................................................................................ 55 ix. Persons with Limited English Proficiency .................................................................. 56 x. Protected Class Status and Unemployment ............................................................. 57 C. Housing Market ....................................................................................................... 57 i. Housing Inventory ..................................................................................................... 57 ii. Types of Housing Units ............................................................................................. 59 iii. Protected Class Status and Homeownership ............................................................ 61 iv. Foreclosure Trends ................................................................................................... 63 v. The Tendency of the Protected Classes to Live in Larger Households .................... 65 vi. Cost of Housing ........................................................................................................ 66 vii. Protected Class Status and Housing Problems ........................................................ 72 D. Review of Public Sector Policies ............................................................................. 73 i. Wilmington Housing Authority ................................................................................... 73 ii. Privately Assisted Housing ....................................................................................... 88 iii. City Policies Governing Investment of Federal Entitlement Funds ........................... 90 iv. Affirmative Marketing Policy ...................................................................................... 94 v. Site and Neighborhood Selection Policy ................................................................... 95 vi. Appointed Boards and Commissions ........................................................................ 96 vii. Accessibility of Residential Dwelling Units ................................................................ 98 viii. Language Access Plan for Persons with Limited English Proficiency ..................... 100 ix. Comprehensive Planning ........................................................................................ 101 x. Zoning ..................................................................................................................... 104 E. Private Sector Policies .......................................................................................... 111 i. Mortgage Lending Practices ................................................................................... 111 ii. High-Cost Lending Practices .................................................................................. 118 F. Evaluation of Current Fair Housing Profile