1. The 2019-2023 Consolidated Plan
Nicole Engels
City of Omaha
Planning
Housing and Community Development

2. What is a Consolidated Plan?
Tool for assessing affordable housing and development needs
Required for communities who receive these funds:
Community Development Block Grant
HOME Partnership
Emergency Solution Grant
Two pronged approach to evaluating needs and setting goals
Data-driven
Community engagement
Document term of 3-5 years
Annual Action Plans build upon Consolidated Plan
The Consolidated Plan is a document

3. Structure of the plan Summary Engagement Needs Assessment
Market Assessment
Strategies & Goals
Annual Action Plan

4. Engagement Six Focus Groups One Pre-Proposal Public Hearing
(2) Untargeted
(1) Homeless Service Providers
(1) Refugees and Service Providers
(1) Disability Community
(1) Mayor’s Native Advisory Board
One Pre-Proposal Public Hearing
Consultations with developers, service providers, health services
Two Post-Proposal Public hearings
Summary of Comments:

5. NEEDS ASSESSMENT Housing Problems Disproportionate Need
Low income residents have most housing problems
Renters more likely to have housing problems than owners
Disproportionate Need
Native Americans have the most disproportionate need
Black households most likely to face a severe cost burden
More entering homelessness than exiting
Disproportionate representation of minorities in homelessness and public housing
What does HUD miss?
-Three kinds of housing problems:
Cost burden/Severe Cost Burden
Overcrowding/Severe Overcrowding
Substandard housing as defined by HUD – and how this doesn’t capture what we really see as widespread substandard housing, discuss code violations
-What is a disproportionate need?
-Discuss why I left out Pacific Islanders, undercounting of Native Americans
-approximately 1,500 people in homlessness every night, about 280 of those are chronically homeless (just under 20%), most are sheltered
-Underestimates the number of homeless, particularly youth and families because we know many others are doubled up
-Needs that HUD doesn’t account for – people with disabilities, refugees

6. Market Analysis Current supply and new construction trends
Increase in proportion of apartments
Cost of Housing
Price appreciation is at historic highs in North and South Omaha
Vacancy and Condition of Housing
Over 1,000 “affordable” units are vacant? Why?
Economic Conditions
Low unemployment but a growing wage gap
New construction trends, such as types of units and size of units.
We’re seeing more apartments and a slight increase in three-bedroom units or larger units. The increase in number of bedrooms corresponds with market needs we’ve identified and market demand.
Occupancy of rental units accounts for 42% of all occupied units, up 5 percentage points over the previous plan period.
Current supply of affordable units with affordability requirements
Number of units expected to be lost each year
Cost of housing
There is a deficit of affordable housing for 75% of extremely low-income households. Nearly 50 % of them are paying between 30-50% of their income for housing, and 25% experience an extreme cost burden putting them at risk of homelessness.
Price appreciation is at historic high levels in North and South Omaha, most likely driven by investors and house flipping.
Looked at association between downtown development and redevelopment activity and rising prices.
Lowest income renters are frequently unable to rent units they can afford because higher income households are renting the units.
Vacancy and Condition of Housing
Over 1,000 of the units that would be affordable to the lowest income households are vacant. It is strongly suspected that those units are substandard.
Analysis found over 1,500 single and multifamily residential properties are in poor or worn out condition.
Public and Assisted Housing
Homeless Facilities and Services
Special Needs Facilities and Services
Discussion on Policy Barriers to Affordable Housing
Community Development Assets
Economic Conditions
Workforce –unemployment is 3.2% in Omaha-Council Bluffs and 2.8% in Nebraska
Income – wage gap is growing
Education – In the Omaha Census Tract with the highest unemployment, half of those unemployed didn’t have a HS diploma or GED.
Discussion on Strategies and Opportunities

7. Priority Needs Neighborhood Revitalization Affordable Housing
Homelessness
Non-homeless Supportive Housing
Economic Development
Fair Housing
Community Resilience
After looking at the needs assessment, market analysis, engagement, and local knowledge we come up with our priority needs and goals. Needs established first and then goals are assigned to meeting each need (can have more than one need met by each goal)
Fair Housing includes tenant rights education, so if you know anyone who has the capacity to do that and needs funding – they should apply for CDBG funds!

8. Goals Public Infrastructure Housing Rehabilitation
New Construction Housing
Housing Placements
Job Training and Preparation
Slum and Blight Elimination
Homeless Services
Financial and Housing Education
Homebuyers Financing
Disaster Recovery Plan

9. Annual Action Plan
Uses the Consolidated Plan as a guide – all funded projects serve a goal and need
Completed annually
Request for Proposals opens late May, closes early June
How are projects evaluated and chosen for funding?

10. Major Dates May 31 – Public comment opens
June 3 – FY 2020 Applications Due
June 18– Public hearing
June 28 – Public comment closes
July 3 – Document to Planning Board
July 23– Document to Council
August 15 – DOOM DAY – absolute last day to submit plan to HUD

11. Public comment
Submit comments by:
Phone: (402)
The Comment Period ends June 28!
The public comment period for the Consolidated Plan is now open!