Iowa City Housing Information

Housing & Homeless Needs Assesment: Housing Needs Assessment:
Discussion of Disproportionately Greater Need Based on Race or Ethnicity

 

I. Development of the 2001-2006 Consolidation Plan (CITY STEPS) II. Housing & Homeless Needs Assesment III. Housing Market Analysis IV. Strategic Plan V. Certifications VI. Appendices
A. General Estimated Housing Needs B. Housing Needs Assesment C. Homeless Needs D. Supportive Housing Needs of Non Homeless Special Needs Populations E. Lead Based Paint Hazards
1. Renters 2. Owners 3. Elderly Persons 4. Persons with HIV/AIDS & their Families 5. Persons with Disabilities
6. Discussion of Cost Burden and Severe Cost Burden 7. Overcrowding 8. Substandard Housing 9. Discussion of Disproportionately Greater Need Based on Race or Ethnicity 10. Maxfield Computer Model Analysis

9. Discussion of Disproportionately Greater Need Based on Race or Ethnicity

The demographics of Iowa City show that there are small populations of racial or ethnic groups represented in Iowa City. In fact, minorities comprise slightly less than 13% of the local population.

a. Definition of Disproportionately Greater Need

"Disproportionately greater need" is a statistical measurement of lower income concentrations combined with concentrations of racial or ethnic groups. For the purposes of this document, an area of disproportionately greater need will be defined as having a concentration of lower income households (where at least 60% of a census tract is low or moderate income) along with a concentration of minority households (where the census tract has a population of minorities exceeding the general population total by 10% or more).

b. Disproportionately Greater Need in Iowa City

Map II.1 shows only one area that meets the definition of disproportionately greater need. It is located within census tract 4 on the west side of town, which is immediately west of Mormon Trek Boulevard. Student housing is the main reason the area shows up as having a disproportionately greater need. The areas shown on the map contain students who are temporarily low income. Although these areas contain low income and minority households they are not really in an area of disproportionate need. Census tract 4, in 1989 and 1990 when the census information was collected, was not very heavily developed. Two housing projects comprised the majority of housing units in this census tract in 1990; they were University of Iowa married student housing and the Pheasant Ridge Apartment Complex (privately owned HUD-financed subsidized housing). In addition there are a large number of condominiums and rental units, which, because of their proximity to the University and hospitals are largely student occupied. Since 1990 there has been a great deal of development in this census tract, mostly with upper level housing developments. This census tract may not show up as low-income or having a minority concentration in the next Census. Given the current situations with both areas, the City does not believe that these are areas where the citizens have a greater need than the community as a whole or that the needs that exist are not being addressed.

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