HOUSING and RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
Existing Conditions
Community input.
The existing housing stock in Summers County varies widely, as in so many other areas of West Virginia, from high end, well-built homes to mobile homes several decades old and from older homes which have fallen into disrepair to more recently constructed multi-unit complexes. Housing and residential matters are further complicated by the presence of certain home based businesses which are a vital part to the Summers County economy. The demographics of the county demonstrate that there is an older than average population, in recent years, technology based businesses and outdoor recreational opportunities have brought younger, educated work-force to the region. Future housing considerations must be tailored to accommodate both ends of this spectrum.
During the course of community meetings, two over-arching goals emerged regarding housing in the county. First, there is a need for improved housing stock, specifically a need to increase the quality and quantity of houses available for traditionally middle-class families. Second, there is a strong desire to maintain the character of the community and to restore and improve the older or historic structures.
Residents also identified several other community goals to be considered when addressing housing in Summers County. Residents appreciate that Summers County is rural, un-crowded and un-developed and expressed a strong desire to preserve this characteristic. However, residents also acknowledge that there are many attributes to rural living which may make appropriate development of rural areas attractive. Residents recognize that many of the existing residential properties in the county are blighted and dilapidated, an issue which needs to be addressed. Residents identified a lack of infrastructure in many areas of the county as one of the many challenges to rural development. The low cost of living must be balanced with the noted need to increase the overall tax-base. There is also a strong desire to increase the potential job market so that residents can work closer to home. This is particularly a problem because the high rate of poverty in Summers County often means that low-income people who might otherwise work, cannot afford vehicles to get to out-of-area jobs.
ii. Statistics1
Summers County has an average of only 36 people per square mile, compared to a national average of 79.6 people per square mile, making this area particularly rural. The population in Summers County is growing very, very slowly, if at all. Based on the 2000 Census information, there are approximately 7,331 housing units2 in Summers County (estimated to be 7,544 by 2009). The Census indicates that 5,530 are occupied as a primary residence and it is presumed that the remaining units are second homes or vacation rentals. At nearly 80%, Summers County has a higher average homeownership rate than the national average of 66.2%. Of the 5,530 occupied units, 4,376 (approximately 80%) are owner-occupied and 1,154 are renter-occupied. The average Summers County resident travels 33 minutes to work. Nearly 73% of the housing units in Summers County are single unit structures, 19% are mobile homes3, and 8% are multi-unit structures. An estimated 40% of the housing units in Summers County were constructed prior to the 1960s. Over 2% of the housing units lack plumbing facilities. More than 18% of the owner occupied unites are considered cost-burdened and 33% of the renter-occupied units are cost-burdened.4 Nearly 90% of the housing units in Summers County have a value of less than $100,000; the median value of owner occupied units in 2000 was $56,100 while the median value of houses in West Virginia for the same time period was $72,800 and the median value of an owner-occupied house for the entire US was just under $120,000 in 2000. Finally, 69% of the housing units in Summers County are not subject to a mortgage.
iii. Anticipated needs.
Though the statistics indicate that the rate of population growth is very slow, current events indicate an increase in the number of visitors and new residents to the area. Community leaders anticipate an increase in visitor use in the next few years due to events like the re-location of the National Boy Scout Camp, The Summit, to neighboring Fayette County and the increase in visitor use of the nearby Greenbrier Hotel due to the Professional Golf Association tour. Furthermore, though the population itself may not be growing, the demographics seem to be changing. As many residents age and pass away, younger people are moving to the area to work at one of the many technology based businesses and the industries which support them. There is a noticeable increase in the number of vehicles on the roads in Summers County in the past few years as outdoor recreational opportunities become more prevalent. Future area housing development must take these changes into consideration as the county grows and changes.
2. Goals, Objectives and Recommendations
The following goals, objectives and recommendations will enhance the existing housing stock, address blighted or deteriorating homes or neighborhoods, strengthen existing residential neighborhoods, improve the quality of new homes, and maintain the overall quality of life unique to Summers County.
Goal: Enhance the existing housing stock.
Objective: Prevent deterioration and improve existing homes/structures.
Recommendations:
Local government should encourage the re-use and renovation of older existing homes through financial or tax incentives.
Local government should adopt and implement land use planning tools such as zoning ordinances which would encourage the re-use or renovation of existing homes and structures.
Local government should adopt and implement land use planning tools which promote the adaptive re-use of existing homes for residential purposes as well as other purposes (i.e. commercial, business, etc.). An emphasis should be placed on re-uses of property which will not have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
Goal: Address blighted or deteriorating homes or neighborhoods.
Objective: Identify dilapidated structures.
Recommendations:
Establish and adopt standards, such as a building code, for determining whether a structure is dilapidated.
Identify, locate and map structures in the city and county which are considered dilapidated including the specific condition of the property and the property owner(s).
Identify and map areas in the city and county which have high concentrations of dilapidated structures.
Prioritize these areas or structures.
Objective: Fund the repair or demolition of dilapidated structures.
Recommendations:
Identify funding sources to assist in the process of identifying and repairing or demolishing dilapidated structures, including, but not limited to, state and/or federal and/or private funding sources. Funds may be available from various grant sources on the local, state and federal levels, including, but not limited to, Small Cities Block Grants and similar grant programs.
The City and County should consider establishing funds for home repairs or renovations. A program could be established to provide low or no-interest rate loans, weatherization funding, and grant opportunities for home owners or tenants.
Encourage a private capital investment group to identify dilapidated structures, purchase the property, remove or repair the structure, and re-sell properties.
Local government should encourage the re-use and renovation of older existing homes through land use planning, financial or tax incentives.
In situations in which renovation is not appropriate, local government should utilize tax incentives or other financial incentives to encourage the demolition and removal of dilapidated structures.
Objective: Building codes and standards should be adopted and enforced in both the county and the municipality.
Recommendations:
Local government should adopt and implement standard a building code.
Local governments should encourage, through ordinances including building code(s), zoning or performance standards and/or financial incentives, a minimum standard for residential structures, especially low-income rental facilities.
Goal: Strengthen existing residential neighborhoods.
Objective: Promote desired qualities of existing communities and mitigate the un-desired qualities.
Recommendations:
Encourage community-based groups or associations dedicated to community improvement and involvement.
Encourage and facilitate resident pride and participation in community decisions and planning process, especially participation by residents in the operation and management of public housing.
Local government should encourage the re-use and renovation of older existing homes through financial or tax incentives and land use planning tools such as zoning ordinances or performance based standards.
Local government should encourage in-fill development of new homes in already developed areas, meaning new residences should be constructed on existing vacant lots in already developed areas. Residences or other structures should be constructed to blend-in and compliment the existing community conditions with regards to historic genre, size, and footprint.
Objective: Ensure that decent and affordable housing is available for all public housing tenants.
Recommendations:
The local governments should consider ways to address the management of rental properties throughout the County.
Adopt and enforce building codes.
Local governments should encourage, through ordinances or financial incentives, a minimum building standard for low-income rental facilities.
Hold property managers accountable for failure to maintain property in compliance with minimum building standards.
Encourage and facilitate resident pride and participation in the operation and management of public housing.
Development of low-income rental units should be encouraged in areas within walking distance of community services such as job opportunities, grocery stores, public transportation, schools, and police and fire departments.
Businesses should be encouraged in existing population centers to provide local employment for residents of Summers County, which would reduce the average commute time for residents and to enable low-income employees the opportunity to work without the financial burden of car ownership.
Local government should consider ways to address the management of rental properties throughout the County.
Objective: Improve the quality of seasonal homes and vacation/recreational rental units.
Recommendations:
A study should be conducted to identify the types of tourists which visit this area, the services requires by the tourists and the economic impact of tourism and identify the area qualities which attract the tourist. The study may identify which aspects of the community attract the most desired type of tourism.
The local governments and agencies should identify and assess existing seasonal homes, recreational rental units and seasonal communities for compatibility with the surrounding communities, and whether the units or seasonal communities are likely to enhance desired community characteristics.
Local government should encourage, through financial incentives and land use planning tools, the type of seasonal or vacation units or communities most likely to attract desired tourism and which most enhance the qualities of the area which attract positive tourism.
The local governments should also conduct a study to determine if additional seasonal homes or recreational rental units are needed to accommodate the area’s current or anticipated tourism industry and consider ways to assist or construct appropriate tourism facilities.
The local governments should develop and maintain areas appropriate for camping.
Local government should consider a program to assist in promoting seasonal rental units. One recommendation would be to fund an advertising campaign designed to attract tourists to the area.
Goal: Improve the quality of new homes.
Objective: Adopt and enforce building standards.
Recommendations:
Local governments should adopt and implement standard a building code.
Local governments should encourage, through ordinances including building code(s), zoning or performance standards and/or financial incentives, a minimum standard for residential structures, especially low-income rental facilities.
The County and City should work with the school system and other educational programs to include vocation programs designed to use existing structures in need of repair as a means of teaching building and construction skills.
Objective: Encourage new housing in various price ranges and communities.
Recommendations:
Local government should encourage in-fill development of new homes in already developed areas, meaning new residences should be constructed on existing vacant lots in already developed areas. Residences or other structures should be constructed to blend-in and compliment the existing community conditions with regards to historic genre, size, and footprint.
New homes should be constructed in areas with access to necessary infrastructure, including sewer, water and electrical, in place.
Building codes and standards should be adopted and enforced in both the county and the municipality.
The County should encourage, through financial incentives and land use planning tools, the development of high-quality rental properties.
The construction of new, quality single-family houses, on small lots should be encouraged in appropriate areas for residential development.
The county and city should work with private or non-profit agencies to produce a quality housing stock in Summers County.
Goal: Maintain the overall quality of life unique to Summers County.
Objective: Identify areas in the county suitable for residential.
Recommendations:
Identify the attributes of the county which make certain areas appealing.
The county and city governments should consult with developers and consultants to determine the best areas for future development.
Criteria to consider when identifying areas for future development should include, but not be limited to, availability of public services such as sewer and water, residential densities, affect of development existing conditions such as roads, impact on environmentally sensitive areas, natural resources, open space, historic sites, or designated scenic areas.
Objective: Attract residents and visitors to the area.
Recommendations:
Summers County and Hinton should solicit and recruit individuals and businesses with the ability to work from any location, including home, and who wish to live in a rural community with ties to historic areas and outdoor recreational opportunities.
Businesses should be encouraged in existing population centers to provide local employment for residents of Summers County, which would reduce the average commute time for residents and to enable low-income employees the opportunity to work without the financial burden of car ownership.
To accommodate for the aging population and to attract retirees, the local governments should encourage and support or develop senior living complex(es) and/or assisted living housing with access to local facilities and infrastructure and with amenities such as single and shared (couples) units, gardening, exercise and fitness areas, green space, and entertainment rooms.
Objective: Encourage appropriate development.
Recommendations:
Adopt and enforce land use planning ordinances.
Developments incorporating mixed-uses (residential, business-professional, restaurants, and recreational) should be encouraged through zoning or other land use ordinances and financial incentives.
A real estate prospectus should be introduced in the form of a brochure to solicit developers’ interest in the developable residential areas of the County. The prospectus should be based on the recommendations of this plan.
Residential growth and housing development should be encouraged around existing population centers (cities, towns, etc.) to avoid encroachment or sprawl on rural, scenic, or outdoor recreational areas and to encourage development in areas with existing infrastructure.
The county and city should adopt zoning and subdivision regulations designed to promote affordable housing options and orderly development through increased designs and permitting flexibility.
Development within existing historical areas must blend with the existing historical character.
1 US Census Bureau, Profile of Selected Housing Characteristics, 2000
2 For the purposes of this document, a housing unit is defined by the US Census Bureau, “A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall.” http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/meta/long_HSG010206.htm
3 Based on the Census information, it is not possible to tell whether the percentage of mobile homes are included in the statistic referencing the one unit structures or whether this is a separate calculation.
4 US Department of Housing and Urban Development determines that housing is “cost-burdened” if the household expenses (including utilities) exceeds more than 30% of the household income.
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