Low Income Houses in Victorville, California
A report by the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) indicates that more than half, 52 percent, of Victorville residents earn less than $49,999 annually, making it difficult for these families to find decent, affordable housing. HACSB addresses housing needs in the county by working with local government and community agencies to build, manage and acquire low-income housing, also known as affordable housing. HACSB currently owns or manages more than 10,000 housing units; 929 of these were in Victorville, as of October 2010.
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Eligibility
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To be eligible for HACSB low-income public housing in Victorville, applicants must be considered a "family." A family is defined as either a single person; two or more persons sharing a residence and income who have a history as a family unit; or two or more elderly or disabled persons or an elderly or near elderly person with a live-in aid. The head of the family household must be at least 18 and meet citizenship requirements. Applicants with certain criminal convictions are ineligible. Finally, the family's total gross income must fall within annual limits, starting with a single person earning $36,400. A table with income requirements is listed in the Resources section.
Programs
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Three HACSB programs are available to help low-income individuals and families in Victorville: a voucher program, a public housing program and housing authority properties. The voucher program subsidizes rent through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The public housing program houses low-income families and is also subsidized through HUD. The county's housing authority has acquired or developed 1,191 low-income residential and four commercial housing units.
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Characteristics of Tenants
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The majority of residents living in Victorville's affordable housing are children, seniors and persons with disabilities. Of those in affordable housing in Victorville as of 2010, 18 percent were disabled, and 54 percent --- over half --- were children aged 10-18. Additionally, 6 percent of those living in affordable housing in Victorville were seniors 62 or older. The higher percentage of children living in affordable housing in Victorville reflects the greater number of family tenants.
Need
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A resident of Victorville applying to HACSB in 2011 for affordable housing would have to wait up to 10 years for a unit; 50,000 people are on the waiting list for an opening. It is hard to argue with the need for additional low-income housing in Victorville, based on these figures. The problem is worsened by a county's 14 percent rate of unemployment.
Comparison: Surrounding Cities
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Victorville is the largest city in the San Bernardino County, with 32,470 households and 108,259 residents as of October 2010. Three percent of Victorville households live in affordable housing. The county's other major cities, Hesperia, Barstow, Apple Valley and Adelanto, have similar percentages that range from 1 to 4 percent.
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References
Resources
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