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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10091 RES - 02/03/1971A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI TO MAKE APPLICATION UNDER SECTION 301 OF PUBLIC LAW 89 -136 FOR A FEDERAL GRANT FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE CONDUCT OF -A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND TO FORMULATE A PLAN FOR THE ALLEVIATION OF PROBLEMS IN THE FIELDS OF HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT. WHEREAS, Section 301 of Public Law 89 -136 provides for the making of Grants by the Federal Government to local public bodies to assist them in generating new employment opportunities and improve levels of living; and WHEREAS, The City of Corpus Christi (herein sometimes re- ferred to as the "Applicant ") desires-to apply for such a grant; and WHEREAS, it is estimated that the amount of such grant will not exceed $100,000: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That an Application be made to the United States Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration for a grant in the amount of $100,000. SECTION 2, That the City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to execute and do file such application with the Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration, to provide additional information and to furnish such documents as may be required by said department, and to act as the authorized correspondent of the Applicant. SECTION 3. The necessity to authorize the City Manager to properly make application for federal funds for the above purposes, X10091 r creates a public emergency and an imperative public necessity requiring the suspension of the Charter rule that no ordinance or resolution shall be passed finally on the date of its introduction and that such ordinance or resolution shall be read at three several meetings of the City Council, and the Mayor having declared such emergency and necessity to exist, and having requested the suspension of the Charter rule and that resolution shall be passed finally in the date of its introduction and take effect and be in full force and effect from and after its passage, IT IS ACCORD- INGLY SO ORDAINED, this the � day of February,1971. ATTEST: � � �1 .��c�/ Doti•. City Secretary YO APPROVED:- THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 3ra� .DAY OF B RY, 197 Ci Attorney / ,N cl•A•i UL U.S. ❑EPNRTMENT OF COMMERCE 1-Utt FUA U]1: UNLT ITOM 6e7 ECONOMIC DE`rELOPMENT ♦:MIN 15 TR PT ION Project No. state or Ilcgion APPLICATION FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Date received (Under Section 301 of Public Law 89 -136) 1. PROJECT TITLE Economic Development in Corpus Christi, Texas 2. APPLICANT a. Name and address of individual, corporation, or other organization applying for assistance. City of Corpus Christi P. 0. Box 9277, Corpus Christi, Texas 78408 b. Names, addresses, and positions of principal ofricers of applicant organization. J. R. Blackmon, Mayor R. Marvin Townsend, City Manager P. 0. Box 9277, Corpus Christi, Texas 78408 e. Type of organization (Note It legal entlry; public ar rulvaee group; d. Date organization established local, county, or district development group) 7$52 1 i Home Rule City qoq 3. DESCRIPTION OF AREA TO BE SERVED. (List the principal political s,rbdivislon(s) to which the project appl,,s. It for singlo, unity, We only tho community; if for more than one community in a county, list the county only; if for more then one county, list the counties only; etc.) , City of Corpus Christi 4. OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. llas an application for this project, or a similar project, -been made or is being made ciscnhcrc ?...................................................... ® Yes Q No Of "Yes,•• enter an a —Par, to its —hm ant name and address of agency of organization to which you hevo applied or are applying.) S. PROJECT COST a. Total (Estimated) d. Identify source(s) of local or state funds (Under 5c) $100,00D. b. EDA tunde requested $100,000. N/A e. Local or State funds e. Other contributions (Nate on e s epareteetrachment amount varue of services or facilities to be _D_ contributed and by whom) 6. OBJECTIVES (Briefly aammari :e what the r" est,dp,olocf ,s intended to accomplish) The project will undertake a complete study of the City's economic status with regard to housing and employment to determine its economic strength and weaknesses and to implement.a course of action to develope.remedial programs. 7. Attach detailed project proposal prepared in accord with the official leaflet, "Makin$ an Effective EDA Technical Assistance Application." Also attach any prior related studies available, any additional descriptive materials supporting the application, and any other pertinent materials or document. See attachment B. INTERESTED AGENCIES AND OFFICIALS Signatures Date (Nome, official, and title) a. Applicant City of Corpus Christi . R. Marvin Townsend, City Manager b. Local, District, Regional Development Agency where applicable e. State EDA -Coordinating Agency d. Other (specify) uscomm•Oc 55165•P65 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. PROJECT OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II. DURATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 III. PROJECT AREA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 A. Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 B. Population . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 2 C. Industrial Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 D. Transportation Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 E. Tourist :Attraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 F. Geographic Area of Corpus Christi. . . . . . . . 6 G. Climatic Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 H. Labor Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 IV. AREA PROBLEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 A. Unemployment Rate. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 B. Insurance Coverage Problem . . . . . ... . . . . 11 C. Business Destroyed and Closed. . . . . . . . 11 D. Re- direction in OEO Efforts in Area. . . . . . . 12 E. Analysis of Housing Needs of Minority Groups 12 V. RELATED RESEARCH . . . . . . . . . . . . .- . 15 VI. RELATIONSHIP TO ECONOMIC PLANNING. . . . . . . . . . 16 VII. PROJECT PROCEDURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 16 VIII. COORDINATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 IX, DEVELOPMENT IMPACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 X. FOLL014 -UP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 XI. NEED FOR EDA FUNDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 XII. PROPOSED METHOD OF FINANCING . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 ATTACHMENT I - Resolution by Corpus Christi City Council ATTACHMENT II - City and County Maps ATTACIDM -hrf III - Table 1 - CHARACTERISTICS Or HOUSING UNITS - 1960 - Table 2 - SELECTED HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS - 1950 -1960 ATTACIMCNIT IV - Resolution by Coastal Bend Regional Planning Commission ATTACM[Elff V - Corpus Christi,Comprehensive Plan - Volumes 1 and 2 -2- I. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The City of Corpus Christi will attempt to accomplish the formulation of an Economic Development Plan. Through the use of existing staff, project staff and outside consul- tants, the City of Corpus Christi will conduct a comprehensive economic study that will provide a basis for economic redevelopment. The supporting information in this proposal indicates the need for a current economic survey that will provide for the assessment of present conditions and the updating of various related master plans. In 1967, Harland Bartholomew and Associates completed a study on Economic Background and Area Resources for the Coastal Bend Regional Planning Commission - the same year that the comprehensive plan for Corpus Christi was completed. Both of these studies drew heavily on available information from the 1960 census. Similarly, a housing study prepared in 1965 is now obsolete. The economic and housing conditions changed by Hurricane Celia, the availability of data from the 1970 Census and the hereto unavailable facts from the city's new land use and housing computerized data bank makes this an ideal time for the reassessment of community needs. - This project will place special emphasis on the needs for housing and employment. The evaluation of economic resources will be realted to housing construction, rehabiliation and the development of low and moderate income as well as general housing development. Other economic factors such as tourism, military operations, private and public institutions, business, industry and population characteristics will provide the base for effective manpower planning. II. DURATION The estimated time required to complete this project is 12 months. The preparation and submission of a final report will require an additional 3 months. III. PROJECT AREA A. Location - The project area will be confined to the City of Corpus Christi. Nueces County is in the southern part of Texas, bordering the Gulf of Mexico. It has an area of 435,350 acres. Corpus Christi, the county seat and largest town, is on Corpus Christi Bay. It is a seaport city with a deep channel to the Gulf of Mexico. B. Population Corpus Christi has groom rapidly from 8,222 persons in 1910 to 201,000 in 1970. From 1910, it took the city forty years to gain the first 100,000 persons. 1910 - -8,220 1930 - 27,741 1950 - 108,287 1960 - 167,690 1970 - 201,000 Population projections indicate 300,000 by 1980, 500,000 by the year 2000, and over 800,000 by 2020. The metropolitan area is expected to ex- ceed one million persons in the next fifty years. This is about four times the present population level in Nueces County. C. Industrial Center Population growth is dependent upon expansion of employment oppor- tunities. Therefore, industrial growth is vital to the increasing pros- perity of the city. Industrial activities, including manufacturing and mineral production, account for an estimated 30 percent of the total income. Until 35 or 40 years ago, the economy of the Corpus Christi area was dependent principally upon agriculture. - 2 - Agriculture is still an important segment of the economy today. Today it has been expanded by the introduction of milo grain as a major crop, and yields a cash income to Nueces County farms of $20 to $25 million a year with a corresponding yield to San Patricio County. While cotton is no longer the number 1 crop, it is still a major in- come producer. Discovery, production, refining and use of oil and gas has developed an annual income in this area that by comparison dwarfs the agricultural income. Plentiful natural gas at low prices was the greatest attraction offered by this area to industry. First contracts for gas to be used as a fuel for industry were at about four cents per 1,000 cubic feet. Recent contracts have been at prices about five times'as high, and more. Gas has become an important chemical raw material as well as an efficient fuel. Oil from thousands of wells in many South Texas fields has brought many millions of dollars to land and royalty owners. Now that oil, gas and coal are becoming less plentiful, their ' prices are rising, and the higher prices are beginning to spur elec- tric utilities into the construction of nuclear operated generating plants. The Port of Corpus Christi has been and will likely remain the key to industrial growth in the Coastal Bend area. The Intracoastal Waterway connects the Coastal area with markets of the Midwest and the East. The volume of cargo at the port has increased steadily. In 1966, bulk petro- leum products made up 70 percent of the volume; chemicals and grain made up 17 percent. - 3 - The importance of the Port to the agricultural,-mineral and indus trial sectors is clear, The Port provides major transportation facili- ties vital to the economy of this region. Six oil refineries are located in the Corpus Christi area. Corpus Christi lies directly in one of the largest natural gas producing areas in the country. Major industries in the area are: Celanese Corporation of America - 2 plants, Pittsburg Plate Glass Industries - Chemical Division - 2 plants, Corn Products Company (CPC International), Centex Cement Corporation, Suntide Refinery, Pontiac Refinery, Southern Minerals, Hess Oil and Chemi- cal Corporation, American Smelting and Refining Company, Southwestern Oil and Refining Company, Coastal States Gas Producing, Coastal States Petro- chemical Company, and Hagger Slacks. In addition, Reynolds Metal Company has two plants in the area that employ approximately 2000 persons. The Army's ARADMAC Facility employs over 4000 persons and has an annual pay- roll in excess of $42,000,000. D. Transportation Center The City of Corpus Christi has good transportation facilities. The International Airport is located in the city; bus lines and city bus transportation are also available. The city is located on the Inter- state Highway system and is served by several other Federal as well as state highway routes. Water transportation, available through the Port of Corpus Christi, is the most economical means of moving large volumes of bulk commodities like oil, grain, metals and their ores, and heavy chemicals. Truck lines also assist in moving great quantities to different parts of the country. - 4 - Three railroads provide excellent freight service to the city, an- pipelines converge on the Port transporting crude and refined petroleum products, chemicals and brine. E. Tourist Attraction The picturesque Bayfront area in Corpus Christi attracts thousands of people throughout the year to enjoy the beauty that nature and mankind have wrought. For recreation, it offers sailing, fishing, boating and swimming. Because of the quieting effects of the waters of Corpus Christi Bay and the high adjacent ground, the City developed into a port area. Man deepened the channels, built the docks, and the City grew. Parks, some dating back as far as 1888, comprise a total of 772 acres, and are spread throughout the City. A seawall was built in the early 1940's to protect the downtown area; the T -Heads and the L -Head were built as a part of this improvement. Berthing facilities provide boats almost at curbside. A flurry of power and sail boat activity in this area provide a source of year round recreation for the participant and the onlooker alike. One of the real areas of beauty; however, is the one that nature itself provided. The shoreline of Corpus Christi affords the most beauti- ful natural area of the City. From the land or from the water, the view is superb. A water front boulevard extends along the shoreline for a distance of over twelve miles where the elevation varies from about four- teen feet in the downtown area to over thirty feet in the residential areas and back down to four or five feet above sea level near the Cayo del Oso and the Naval Air Station. The water is a beautiful blue -green when quiet but is white - capped and gray when churned by high winds. Probably one of the most breathtaking views of the City comes as one breaks the crest of the harbor bridge traveling south after sundown. - 5 - The lights of the City are already on, but enough light still creeps be- neath the curtain of night to blend the beauty of nature with the beauty of the city. F. Geographic Area of Corpus Christi Corpus Christi embraces the southwest shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay. There are about 100 square miles of land area in the city with an additional water area of about 220 square miles. Two finger -like projections include the newer sections of the City. One reaches west between Leopard Street and the Nueces River,'extending to the Calallen area. The other stretches parallel to Holly Road and includes the Flour Bluff area. The latest addition to the city includes public lands and submerged lands, including the westerly shore of Mus- tang Island and padre Island and portions of Corpus Christi Bay and Laguna Madre. Large tracts of land in the Flour Bluff area and the area along the Nueces River in the Calallen area are covered with native flora and harbor abundant wildlife and provide nature areas for people to visit. A quiet drive through these areas in the early dawn can bring rich re- wards in viewing the wildlife that abounds. The greatest density of human population, however, lies in the area south of the harbor area approximately three miles to the west and ten miles to the south. This area rests on the highest terrain and averages nearly forty feet in elevation above sea level. The fact that a bluff exists along the shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay in this area furnishes one of the prime reasons that the City developed as it did. It repre- sents one of the few areas where this elevation differential exists so near the waters of the Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. -6- G. Climatic Characteristics Corpus Christi is located in what is known as-the Texas Coastal Bend. Percentage of possible sunshine in summer is 80 %, 59% in the fall, 48% in the winter, and 58% in spring. The Fall months of September and October are essentially an estension of the summer months. November is a transition to the condition of the coming winter months, with greater temperature extremes, stronger winds, and the first occurrance of "Northers ". These produce a more continental climate with frequent changes. However, these cold fronts usually undergo considerable modification by the time they reach this area, so that most are mild. The winter months are relatively mild, but with temperatures suffi- ciently low to be stimulating. Temperatures below 32 degrees seldom occur near the coast, with a probability of 10 occurrances per year in inland areas. Relatively humidity, because of the nearness of the Gulf of Mexico, is high throughout the year. However, during the afternoons the humidity usually drops to near 50 %. H. Labor Force In April, 1970, Corpus Christi area had a work force of 87,700 with 84,490 employment at a rate of 3.7 %, and 3,210 unemployed. At mid -July, 1970, a moderate gain in employment and a substantial drop in unemployment were the highlights of the Corpus Christi labor market area. All of the employment growth occurred in the non - agricultural section with farm employment declining slightly. The unemployment rate dropped 5.0 percent, below 6.3 percent for the previous month, and above the year -ago figure of 4.2 percent. In July, 1970, non - agricultural employment gained moderately over the month, but remained over the year -ago level. Some industries did not CWM show increases normally expected at this time of the year. Manufactui._..g gained 150 employees from the previous month, and 260 above the year -ago figure. Construction workers showed no change and was below the year - ago total. The transportation, communication, and utilities section in- creased in all categories, with utilities showing the most improvement. The finance, insurance, and real estate remained relatively unchanged from the previous month and year -ago figures. The service and miscel- laneous categories grew substantially with increases occurring in medical, business, and private household workers. Government employment gained moderately as summer workers were added to most agencies. At mid -July, 1970, unemployment was:estimated at 5,160, substantially below the previous month figure, but still above the past year level. Such were the conditions in the'Corpus Christi area before Monday afternoon, August 3, 1970, when the Corpus Christi area was struck by perhaps the worst hurricane (Celia) that has ever hit this area. The wind force of the hurricane was recorded at approximately 162 miles per hour, and so devastating that it left in its path unaccounted numbers of people homeless with an estimated 9,000 homes demolished and 14,000 damaged, leaving Corpus Christi with over $500 million in damages, and causing unemployment to rise sharply due to employees being displaced by the storm. IV. AREA PROBLEMS A. Unemployment Rate In mid - October, 1970, normal fall contraction and further reductions of hurricane repair workers caused a notable decline in the Corpus Christi labor force. The employment drop was almost evenly divided between the farm and non -farm categories. The unemployment rate for October was - 8 - pegged at 5.1 percent, down from the 5.9 percent of the' previous montt. but remained above the 3.9 percent of last year. In October, non - agricultural industries dropped 750 workers from the previous month, but remained 4,990 above the year -ago figure. The gain over the year before, was partially attributed to the swelled labor force after "Celia." Manufacturing employment reversed the past several months trend by gaining slightly. Construction, hampered by a labor dis- pute and completion of repair projects, dropped moderately over the month. All categories of the transportation, communications and utilities sec- tion showed some decline, with communications dropping notably. The trade section, wholesale and retail rose,sharply as merchants prepared for the coming holiday season. In the service and miscellaneous sections, gains over the previous year were attributed to the continuing growth in medical service and the increased demand for private household workers. Non- agricultural employment is expected to decline moderately with the ap- proaching winter months. In October, 1970, total unemployment was estimated at 5,340, a de- cline from the previous month of 930, but remained 1,950 above the pre- vious year. The decrease was attributed to a decline in people entering the labor force and workers returning to businesses that were damaged by the hurricane. Unemployment is expected to show moderate decline in the next several months. Labor supply dropped slightly during October, with the downturn in unemployment, while labor demand remained fairly strong - especially in the building trades industries. Both labor supply and demand are ex- pected to decline over the next several months with the approaching winter months. - 9 - The Comprehensive Area Manpower Systems, Committee conducted a study in March, 1969, which showed that a large percentage of the unemployed and underemployed are school drop -outs with Spanish sur- names that are without marketable skills and, consequently, have little or no job opportunity. The survey also revealed that there was a prob- lem of female unemployment, consequently, about 30 percent of the un- employed in the area are female. Several months ago the city, county, and several othw government agencies, along with local businesses, were able to get Hagger Slacks Company to establish a plant in the immediate area of Robstown. The company now employs more than 500 people. Nearly all of them are women who were inexperienced and who had acquired no training or skill before being employed. They were employed, trained, and paid during their periods of training. Levi Strauss and Company will be the second major clothing manufac- turer with manufacturing facilities in the Corpus Christi area. The pilot plant, first Strauss manufacturing unit here, will employ 200 or more people. When the operation here has proven itself, hope- fully within three years, Levi Strauss expects to construct a much larger and permanent plant. The permanent plant then will employ 1,500 or more people. The availability of women to operate sewing machines was a major consideration in the Levi Strauss decision to come here. In October, 1969, the Corpus Christi Industrial Commission undertook a survey to determine the availability of female workers. More than 21,000 women responded that they were interested in jobs, 17,500 were available for employment and 15,000 were unemployed. - 10 - The Levi Strauss plant is intended to be in full operation by February, 1971. B. Insurance Coverage Problem The damage caused by Hurricane Celia has incurred a tremendous loss to the insurance companies in the area. The loss has been so great that some insurance companies have gone into receivership, others have taken steps to withdraw from writing any extended coverage to the business and residential sections. Several companies have indicated to the City's industrial development commission the problems they are encountering in trying to obtain coverage. In many instances, insurance companies have cancelled existing coverage. Companies'that are facing problems of ob- taining the required insurance in the Corpus Christi area are asking of the State Insurance Commission that necessary acti on be taken, even if it requires a special act of the Legislature. C. Business Destroyed and Closed As a result of the hurricane, the business sector in the Corpus Christi area has suffered very extensively. These major businesses have been so heavily damaged that they have decided to close shop or re -open elsewhere. As an example, the "Aransas Compress Company" doing business in Corpus Christi for years, was so severely damaged, that owners have decided not to re -open. The Company had about 25 to 28 employees. Official'termination will be December 2, 1970. In 1968 the Aransas Compress Company had an annual payroll for labor of $369,000 and had an office staff payroll of $65,000. This company has a maximum employment of 100 to 125 people, and utilizes 1,139,000 square footage of operation. - 11 - 'The Nueces County Navigation District has purchased this business and is to continue the operation. D. Re- direction in OEO Efforts in Area The Nueces County Community Action Agency redirected some program operations in order to coordinate efforts with other Federal, State, County, and local agencies. From Community organization, the agency changed to the multi- purpose center system. They extended their referral services to the poor, they provided central facilities for other govern- ment agencies to provide services in the target area, namely, SBA, Legal Services, Housing and Urban Development, Welfare, and numerous others. The CAA implemented a $201,000 emergency food and medical services program which is operating very adequately at the present. The housing program is repairing houses that were damaged by the hurricane. The CAA has promoted coordination with all the Federal agencies providing services to the poor of Corpus Christi. E. Analysis of Housing Needs of Minority Groups A housing study of the city was conducted in 1965 which reflected the then existing problem housing conditions in the area. - Between 1940 and 1960, the population of the city tripled in size; 1940 - 57,301 persons and 16,922 housing units, 1960 - 167,690 persons and 51,667 housing units. In 1960, the city had some 1,500 more problem housing units (these are units which do not provide basic sanitation facilities for the occu- pant and which, by virtue of their condition, have been classified as deteriorating or dilapidated) than in 1950. Problem housing in the city accounted for 22.3 percent of all housing.units. Substandard housing accounted for 12.4 percent of the total. 12 - Attached is Table 1 for an identification of housing units classi fied in the 1960 census. Selected housing characteristics which identify the number of owner - occupied, renter - occupied, and vacant housing units in both 1950 and 1960 are shown on Table 2, On November 5, 1969, the city of Corpus Christi submitted an appli- cation for recertification of the Workable Program to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development which was approved by HUD on February 1, 1970. At that time, the City had specific plans to bring about demolition of at least 300 unsound structures over each of the next five years, also encouraging private rehabilitation of over 500 structures per year, undertaking additional federally assisted code en- forcement projects, and continuing building code enforcement to stop new slums from developing. The city had plans of encouraging new private and nonprofit de- velopment of housing for lower income families to replace obsolete units in the problem housing areas. In 1967, the Federal Housing Administration conducted a study and revealed the need for 400 multi - family dwelling units over a two -year period. In 1969, available information indicated that there were approxi- mately 6,765 families living in substandard housing. Of this number, around 5,000 had Spanish surnames and 1,000 were Negro. Also at that time, there were an estimated 200 vacant standard rental units, pri- marily one and two bedroom, available in the city of Corpus Christi within most of the above families' ability to pay. Of this number, 200 were private units and 100 were recently completed rent supplement units. - 13 - Standard four bedroom units were for the most part out of reach fu- low income families. The source of housing that is available for large families is the Local Housing Authority, which had a limited supply of four bedroom units. The community intended to bring about an additional supply of approxi- mately 1,000 low and moderate housing units in the near future. The agencies or organizations that had plans for such additional units were: Federal Housing Administration, Home Builders Association, League of United Latin American Citizens Council #1, St. John's Baptist Church, American GI Forum, South Texas Presbytery, First Assembly of God Church, Urbana Associates, Ltd., and several others. It was anticipated that there would be an increase in private de- velopment of detached multi - family rental units for lower income families, particularly in the older part of the city, however, current rise in cost of labor and material has delayed this development. In 1969, the city of Corpus Christi reported its five or six -year goals-for accomplishment in meeting the problems or needs of the area in such fields as social and educational needs, physical needs of the city's slum and blighted area, and the economic.needs, but after the devastation of the hurricane on August 3, 1970, these plans are apparently uncertain due to lack of accurate information regarding the present status of the housing, labor, land area, etc., needed to carry out projected plans. The housing study conducted in 1965 is evidently outdated due to the damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Celia. Several agencies within the hurricane disaster area either have or are conducting housing studies with were found to be inconsistent. Housing for low- income families in the area has always been a problem, and Hurricane Celia has apparently made the problem worse. - 14 - Elaborating on the housing studies, the Coastal-Bend Regional Planning Commission has been making recommendations to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development by determining the amount of Federal dollars that need to be allocated to meet the housing needs of the area; however, the Coastal Bend Regional Planning Commission does not have accurate statistical data to justify in toto, what they are requesting. The data resources appear to be questionable. One of the major objectives that the proposed project will be under- taking will be a concrete study on the City's immediate housing needs. The Nueces County Community Action Agency and the Community Develop- ment Corporation made a survey, or study, of housing conditions and pro- jected the following needs: 1. Public Housing Seven disaster counties - 3,700 units Corpus Christi alone - 2,000 units 2. Rent or Interest Suppliment Seven disaster counties - 2,600 units including 1,500 units for Corpus Christi. A study performed by the American Red Cross immediately after the storm revealed that 492 homes were destroyed, 248 had major damage and 20,175 had minor damage. In addition, 415 mobile homes were destroyed and 261 received major damage. The preceding indicates at least a concensus on the presence of a housing problem. The inconsistencies in the assessment of damage pre- sents a need for a detailed analysis in order for this community to be- gin the development of a comprehensive plan. V. RELATED RESEARCH The City of Corpus Christi has a Comprehensive Plan prepared for the Area Development Committee by Harland Bartholomew and Associates in 1967. - 15 - An official general plan has existed since 1953. As mentioned above, _..e Plan was completely updated in 1967. This Plan is continuously used as a guide for community development. The adopted components of the general plan are: 1) Land Use Plan, 2) Transportation Plan, 3) Master Sanitary Sewer Plan, 4) Master Drainage and Storm Sewer Plan, and 5) Corpus Christi Beach Plan. Other plans, while not formally adopted but serve as a basis for planning decisions are 1) Park and Recreation Plan, 2) Central City Plan, 3) School Plan, 4) Cayo Del Oso De- velopment Plan, 5) Community Shelter Plan, and 6) a Housing Plan. In addition, the Coastal Bend Regional Planning Commission has an Economic Background and area resources plan prepared in 1967 by Harland Bartholomew and Associates. VI. RELATIONSHIP TO ECONOMIC PLANNING The relationship of this project to Economic Planning will be directed primarily at two specific areas. At the present time the fields of Housing and Unemployment have been of vital concern to this community. It is an- ticipated that this project will update existing plans in these areas and relate to the development of specific plans for remedial action. The relationship to other plans has been covered in the "Related Re- search" section of this proposal, VII. PROJECT PROCEDURES The City of Corpus Christi will act as the Grantee if Federal Assistance is approved. The Departments of Urban Development and the Department of Planning will offer technical assistance to the Project staff. The Department of Urban Development which presently includes a housing component and a Manpower Training Component, will offer the-administrative support needed. - 16 - The project staff will act as a component of the'City Covernment. Arrangements for office space, equipment, transportation, accounting, per- sonnel actions, etc., will be handled within the City's administrative framework. The existing Citizens Committee for Community Improvement will provide the citizen involvement and community relations. Consultants in Economic Development with expertise in housing and em- ployment will be'sought to offer the technical analysis and redevelopment assistance. The methods and research techniques to be employed will of necessity have to be defined at a later date when the consultant resources are defined. Questionnaire and informational material will be developed during the grant period. VIII. COORDINATION The Central Coordination for all-Planning and Development efforts in this area is conducted by the Coastal Bend Regional Planning Commission, which represents a twelve county area. An endorsement of the proposal by this group is attached. Other agencies with which coordinated efforts will be attempted in- clude: 1. Community Development Corporation 2. Local Housing Authority 3. Local Community Action Agency 4. Area CAMPS Committee 5. Texas Employment Commission 6. Industrial Development Corporation 7. Chamber of Commerce 8. Local Economic Development Agency. At the time of this writing both the local and State Economic Develop- went Agency have been informed_of the intent of the proposal. - 17 - DEVELOPMENT IMPACT This project is intended to investigate the resources available and to develop a plan that will alleviate housing problems and unemployment. It is felt that a plan to provide sufficient adequate housing, the de- velopment of fulltime employment and the creation of training for the under- employed will provide this community the needed guidance to initiate a Post -Celia redevelopment phase. The satisfactory completion of a study in these areas and the ensuing remedial action programs will be of great significance as a demonstration project to other areas and will serve to establish or strengthen the co- ordinative efforts with other institution concerned with economic develop- ment. X. FOLLOW -UP The recommendations resulting from the project will be carried out by the City of Corpus Christi in cooperation with other agencies. It is an- ticipated that the area office of the Texas Employment Commission, the Area CAMPS Committee, the Local Housing Authority, the Community Development Corporation, and the Industrial Development Corporation will play a major role. XI. NEED FOR EDA FUNDS The financial resources available for this type of technical assistance have been defined as, 1) EDA Technical Assistance, HUD, 2) Community Re- newal Program, and 3) Section 701 Comprehensive Planning Assistance. The City of Corpus Christi has elected to apply for an EDA grant to study the Housing and Employment needs of this community for two reasons. First, EDA grants are more directly related to those needs and second, the short duration of the Grant will bring about faster results. The City is - 18 - also applying for a Community Renewal Program (CRP), This Grant will en- compass other areas of community planning and will not duplicate the efforts of the EDA project. The three year GRP will expand on the initial and basic work undertaken by the EDA project. Programs under the 701 section of the housing act are not being pursued by the City of Corpus Christi at this time since these projects are de- signed for Regional and State -wide planning. XII. PROPOSED METHOD OF FINANCING The City of Corpus Christi is requesting that the requirement for non- Federal contributions be waivgred. At the present time the City of Corpus Christi is in the process of reconstruction following the the devastation of Hurricane Celia. All available funds are being reprogramed for repairs and reconstruction efforts. - 19 - A. Personnel (1) (2) (3) (4) Printing & Publication Federal 4. Telephone & Telegraph 1,200 Positions Share Cash In -Kind Total Program Director $ 16,000 Sub - Totals Administrative Assistant 12,000 Senior Clerk Steno I TOTAL 5,200 Clerk Steno I 4;900 -20- Fringe Benefits 3,410 Sub - Totals $ 41,510 B. Consultant & Contract Services 1. Consultants $ 25,000 2. Contract Services 10,587 Sub-Totals $ 35,587 C. Travel 1. Transportation $ 1,800 2. Per Diem 1 000 Sub - Totals $ 2,800 D. Space Cost & Rentals 1. Space (Rent and Use) $ 2,400 2. Office Equipment 1,800 3. Office Furniture i,303 Sub- Totals $ 5,503 E. Other Costs 1. Consumable Supplies $ 1.000 2. Postage 600 3. Printing & Publication 10,000 4. Telephone & Telegraph 1,200 5. Utilities 1,800 Sub - Totals $ 14,600 TOTAL $100,000 -20- I A, j j "NSA' -Z, Got,— AIANSAS PA' N U I C E 5 SAY CORPUS. CHRISTI CORPUS C H KI 5 1 1 BAY Ty PAUS 7- �14M�A.W r 1 t 1 r r A Ila - T 111 6 . A! N1 l h pq ti I ww y z Vol —A 7I tj % vj t 7, - - - -- -- I- -- - - -- • CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI TEXAJ G ----------- Table 1 CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSING UNITS - 1960 Corpus Christi, Texas Number Percent All Housing Units 51,667 100,0 Condition and Plumbing Sound 41,603 80.5 with all plumbing facilities 40,129 77.7 Lacking some or all facilities # 1,474* 2.9 Deteriorating 7,241* 14.0 With all plumbing facilities 5,.153' 10.0 Lacking some or all facilities # 2,088 4.0 With flush toilet 1,721 3.3 No flush toilet 367 0.7 Dilapidated # 2,823* 5,5 Occupied Housing Units 45,482 100.0 Tenure Owner occupied 28,273 62.2 Renter occupied 17,209 37.8 # Indicates housing units (6,385) which'are identified as sub- standard units, including dilapidated units and other units lacking some plumbing facilities. * Indicates housing units (11,538) which are identified as problem housing, including deteriorating and dilapidated units and sound units lacking some plumbing facilities. Source: U. S. Census of Housing, 1960 ;rl Table 2 SELECTED HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS - 1950 -1960 Corpus Christi, Texas * Figures show total number of units and average persons per unit for S.M.S.A. ** Change in census designations requires consolidation of figures for comparison. Note: Data is similar in each census; however, a change in definitions should be noted. In 1950, the term "housing unit" was used. In 1960, this was changed to "dwelling unit ". This change in concept necessitated altering classifications as shown above. Source: U. S. Census of Housing, 1950 and 1960. 1950 1960 Population in Housing Units* 106,495 166,615 Total Housing Units 32,992 51,667 Owner occupied 14,189 28,279 Renter occupied 16,272 17,203 Vacant or other dwellings 2,531 6,185 Persons per occupied unit • 3.0 3.5 Single- family Detached 24,270 41,785 Single-family Attached ** 3;366 5,467 and Two- family Three and four - family 2,356 1,815 blultiple family 2,571 2,198 Trailer: 16 On permanent foundation 419 386 mobile * Figures show total number of units and average persons per unit for S.M.S.A. ** Change in census designations requires consolidation of figures for comparison. Note: Data is similar in each census; however, a change in definitions should be noted. In 1950, the term "housing unit" was used. In 1960, this was changed to "dwelling unit ". This change in concept necessitated altering classifications as shown above. Source: U. S. Census of Housing, 1950 and 1960. Corpus Christi, Texas & day of 19 7� TO THE 1. 1BERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL Corpus Christi, Texas For the reasons set forth in the emergency clause of the foregoing ordinance, a public emergency and imperative necessity exist for the suspen- sion of the-Charter rule or requirement- that no ordinance or resolution shall be passed finally on the date it is introduced, and that such ordinance or resolution shall be read at three meetings of the City Council; I, therefore, request that you suspend said Charter rule or requirement and pass this ordi- nance finally on the date it is introduced, or at the present meeting of the City Council. Respectfully, OR THE CITY OF CORPUS CIHZISTI, TEXAS The Charter rule was suspended by the following vote: •. Jack R. Blackmon Gabe Lozano, Sr. V. A. "Dick"Bradley, Jr. Eduardo E. de Ases Ken McDaniel W. J. "Wrangler" Roberts Ronnie Sizemore The above ordinance was passed by the fo owing vote: Jack R. Blackmon Gabe Lozano, Sr. V. A, "Dick" Bradley, Jr. Eduardo E. de Ases Ken McDaniel W. J. "Wrangler" Roberts Ronnie Sizemore r: