2006 NS Contract - Contract Conducting Analysis of Impediments Fair Housing Choice Donald B Eager & Assoc

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r City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 7 ®� �: Anal sis of Im ediments to Fair Housin Choice 1990 and 2000 the tract split and the decrease has more to do with the split than with actual loss of minorities. As can be seen on the maps, although almost all of the tracts within the city are experiencing an increase in minority population, tract 5201.02, which includes the Bailey - Monroe Falls area and the State Portage Trail area, shows the greatest increase in minority population between 1990 and 2000. This is followed by tract 5080, which includes the Northhampton area, where the percentage of the minority population has increased by between 1990 and 2000.6 This can possibly be attributed to the growth in minority population in the adjoining tracts during the 10 -year period. However, growth in minority population has not necessarily moved the minority population to new tracts, as can be seen by comparing maps from 1990 to 2000. With the exception of tract 5206, those tracts that were minority in 1990 have only increased in the percent minority. According to the City tract 5329 has had the highest rate of new construction in the community. In 2000 this tract, also know as the Northhampton District, had 5.6% of the housing stock occupied by Blacks It is also important that policies for the City of Cuyahoga Falls encourage development of housing that would be affordable and that Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) issues do not interfere with housing choice. While often NIMBY shows itself in opposition to commercial development, especially large, box type stores. However, NIMBY is also a major road block to housing development, from affordable /low- income housing to housing for the disabled. It is the consultants experience that this form of NIMBY is far more prevalent that opposition to commercial development. NIMBY is the response that often comes when a developer or a community announces that they will build a affordable, low- moderate income (LMI) or group homes in a neighborhood or suburb. Residents in the neighborhood rise up to protest the perceived notions that such a housing development or program will drastically hurt their property values, overcrowd the neighborhood, cause an increase in crime and other concerns. NIMBY is a fear that what they have will be destroyed by something or someone they do not know. It is especially prevalent in the development of group homes for the disabled or individuals' recovery from various addictions. This attitude can drastically impact the ability of local government to plan and produce housing for those who cannot afford to buy or rent market rate housing as the demand for such housing increases. While many communities, like Cuyahoga Falls, do not build housing , they can impact housing that is built. (Appendix 5 includes a document regarding NIMBY) According to the City of Cuyahoga Falls FY2004 -2008 Consolidated Plan, "there is not a 6City of Cuyahoga Falls Consolidated Plan, 2004 -2008