Comprehensive Plan - Carbondale, IL

Adopted June 22, 2010Rationale:In short, affordable housing options lead to a higherquality of life for the community. In general, as moreaffordable housing options are supplied, a greaternumber of residents are able to live in Carbondale andwork nearby. In addition to the distress it causes familieswho cannot easily find a place to live, lack of affordablehousing is considered to have negative effects on acommunity’s overall health. The City recognizes the needto ensure that all of Carbondale’s residents enjoy accessto quality and affordable housing within livable andattractive environments.Actions and Initiativesa. Continue seeking state grant programs that provideassistance to low-income residents. These fundsare the lifeblood and single source of support formany of the housing programs that exist in the City.Unfortunately, the volatile nature of grant fundingcreates unpredictable program support as illustratedin Table 4.4, History of Housing Programs andFunding Availability.b. Seek to supplement dwindling grant funding forthese low-income housing programs in lean years.Additional revenue will assist to balance irregularitiesin grant funding, but, more importantly, will allowthe City to address more of the housing issues inlow-income target areas. Most funding is statesuppliedand the City financial involvement shouldbe strengthened so that more success can be had inaddressing the backlog of housing and neighborhoodimprovements.c. Continue support for the single-family, owneroccupiedrehabilitation program. Simultaneously,explore ways to boost revenue for this program toexpand its coverage since the program is capped outevery year at about 10 homes. The current fundingFigure 4.10 | HOUSING OPTIONSIncreasing livability extends beyondthe purchasing of an acceptablehouse. Likewise, high housing pricescreate obstacles for low-incomehouseholds and threaten to pushresidents to unsatisfactory housingoptions. Alternatively, there aremany families that will send a spouseto Carbondale, but choose to residein a nearby city or in Jackson County.While there may be other forcesat play in that decision, the lack ofhousing options may be cited as acontributing factor. The inability tofind housing locally poses a hardshipfor households seeking an affordablehome and employers seekingemployees.structure relies on competitive grant funds awarded through IDHA andDCEO, which are then administered through the City. Target areas and incomerequirements limit the households that are eligible, but demand outstripssupply each year. The most recent HUD income qualification guidelines (80percent of the median household income), for instance, set the level at $43,450for a family of four.d. Support mixed use developments through the establishment of a Tax IncrementFinancing (TIF) district that can make infrastructure improvements aspreparation for residential and non-residential development. TIF districts serveto bridge the gap between a project that would otherwise be infeasible due tocost, but also fulfills City goals of providing additional housing and revitalizinga particular area. Since the TIF district seeks to build development that conformsto the City’s higher goals, it allows for negotiation as to the price and form ofComprehensive Plan4.15Housing & Neighborhoods