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Page 3 <br /> - Decatur's housing stock is still following its historical <br /> pattern, as the majority of all units are occupied for <br /> ownership. As of the 1990 Census, Decatur still holds <br /> a first place position amongst the various MSA's with 59.79� <br /> of all units serving as "owner-occupancy" residences. It <br /> should, however, be noted that owner-occupied ratios fell <br /> by 4.96� from 1980 to 1990. <br /> - Conversely, the 1990 Census reports that Decatur has 11, 608 <br /> occupied rental housing units, which represents a 5.36� <br /> improvement over 1980's conditions. <br /> - The median value of owner-occupied units rose by a factor <br /> of 11.17�, from $38,500 to $42,800, primarily as a result <br /> of the previously mentioned elimination of lower priced <br /> single family housing units located in the "central city" <br /> area tracts. <br /> - The median cost of contract rents rose by only 6.81� from <br /> $235 per month to $251 per month, which parallels patterns <br /> experienced by other Illinios MSA's that have also gone <br /> through signifigant ecomonic adjustments within the base of <br /> their local economy during the 1980 's. <br /> Thus, the results of the early data drawn from the 1990 Census <br /> suggest potential problems associated with the vacant and/or <br /> abandoned condition of over nine percent of Decatur's housing <br /> stock. As a practical matter, I would recommend that the early <br /> "CHAS" efforts focus on the volume and condition of those "central <br /> city" neighborhoods that tend to hold the highest percentage of <br /> the vacancies. <br /> While I appreciate that the legislative and regulatory focus <br /> of the "CHAS" process requires careful consideration of <br /> affordability issues, the volume of Decatur's idle housing stock <br /> cannot be considered as an acceptable resource, if these units do <br /> not hold economic and functional integrity for the occupants <br /> intended. <br /> Through continuing code enforcement efforts and direct involvement <br /> with neighborhood groups, the local "CHAS strategists" will <br /> hopefully assist in understanding what segment of the vacant <br /> inventory can serve the needs of special populations and those <br /> low/moderate income households struggling with excessive housing <br /> cost burdens. <br />