austin habitat for humanity - university of texas at austin...2010/12/04 · homes that are priced...

Austin Habitat for Humanity: Selecting a Site for Home Repair Program, 2011

Amy Knop-Narbutis

LBJ School of Public Affairs

University of Texas at Austin

December 4, 2010

CRP 386: Intro to Geographic Information Systems

Amy Knop-Narbutis – AHFH: Selecting a Site for Home Repair – CRP 386, Fall 2010

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Many low-income residents in Austin find it difficult to pay for home repair, especially after spending their limited incomes on mortgages, property taxes, and meeting basic needs. For this reason, Austin Habitat for Humanity works with low-income homeowners to help them repair and maintain their homes. Given funding constraints and evidence of need, where should Austin Habitat for Humanity target its home repair program in 2011? In order to figure out where the home repair program should focus its efforts, I started by ranking zip codes in Austin by poverty and housing needs. I found several zip codes, 78702, 78721 and 78742, which demonstrated high need based on 2000 Census data. However, since the new construction site is located closest to the zip code 78723, I focused on this zip code for the next stage of my project. I created eight maps depicting the relative need of block groups in Austin based on poverty and housing indicators. Then I created a suitability analysis map which showed that the block group in the southeast corner of 78723 is most in need of home repair. I mapped this area of 78723 to show market values of houses in 2008. My final step was to drive through the neighborhood ranking homes based on their state of exterior repair. I found several houses in the neighborhood between Russett Hill Drive and Tannehill Drive by Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard where Austin Habitat for Humanity could target its home repair program in 2011. I recommend that Austin Habitat for Humanity select its future home repair site from the southeast corner of 78723. I also recommend that they seek a GIS volunteer to update these maps with 2010 Census data, once that data is released. More current Census data may reveal new findings. Fortunately, it will be easy to update these maps using the templates and methodology I have already created.


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INTRODUCTION The importance of affordable housing A house can be a blessing or a curse for its owners. A house can provide numerous benefits like shelter, a stable environment for raising a family, and a financial investment. On the other hand, a poor quality house can cause health problems (like lead or asbestos poisoning), become a financial burden, or induce stress in a family dealing with overcrowding or disrepair (Mueller and Tighe 2007, 383). In their article “Making the Case for Affordable Housing,” authors Elizabeth Mueller and Rosie Tighe argue that affordable housing is good for the entire community (372). They perform a literature review of studies that link poor housing conditions with poor educational performance among children (378). There are also clear links between poor housing conditions and health problems. For example, lead paint and cockroach infestations can endanger the health of children (382). Despite the negative impact that poor quality housing has the educational performance and health of children, many citizens adopt a not-in-my-backyard attitude toward building new affordable housing. Affordable housing is not a state priority in Texas (Mueller 2007, 3). Low income homeowners in major cities in Texas spend more than 30% of their income on mortgages, taxes and insurance. Many homeowners are elderly persons who could fall into debt due to health crises and lose their homes (9). The following graph shows that low-income households in Texas face high housing costs. Graph 1.1

(Source: Mueller 2007, 9). For all these reasons and more, the work that Austin Habitat for Humanity performs to build and maintain affordable housing for low-income individuals is a service to the entire community.


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Poverty in Austin The City of Austin’s population was about 750,000 in 2008. The population will continue to grow in the future and neighborhoods such as Central East Austin will become more densely populated (COA 2009, 9). This population growth will put pressure on the housing supply (BBC 2009, Summary 12). In 2007, 18% of Austin’s population lived below the poverty line, including 25% of children under the age of 5 (COA 2009, 9). A common measure of poverty is median family income (MFI). Income levels are classified as low or high based on their relationship to MFI. For example, extremely low income is considered 0-30% of MFI. In 2007, the MFI in Austin was $63,116 (BBC 2009, II 14). That means exactly one half of families earned more than $63,116, and one half earned less. The following map from BBC Consulting shows the geographic income distribution in Austin in 2000 and 2008 of households earning less than $25,000, which is considered extremely low income. Extremely low income houses are concentrated in Central and East Austin and around the University of Texas at Austin (15). Another measure of poverty is how many families receive public assistance. According to the U.S. Census, public assistance is a cash welfare payment in the form of aid to families with dependent children (AFDC), temporary assistance to needy families (TANF), general, or emergency assistance. Affordable housing in Austin BBC Consulting from Denver, Colorado performed a housing analysis for the City of Austin in 2009. They found that in 1998, the median value of a single family home in Austin was $129,000. In 2008, the median value was $240,000. Housing costs in Austin have risen 85% in the past 10 years (BBC 2009, Executive Summary 8). Price increases are beneficial to people selling their houses, but homeowners that face higher property taxes struggle to cover costs (BBC 2009, IV 2). Unfortunately, the BBC Consulting analysis does not include current 2010 house prices, or discuss the effects of the subprime mortgage crisis. High house prices in Austin mean that homeownership is not affordable for many families. Some analysts estimate that almost half of the homeless in Austin are homeless because they cannot find affordable housing (COA 2009, 10). A house is considered “affordable” if no more than 30% of monthly income is needed to cover rent, mortgage, and utilities. A household is considered “cost burdened” if they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs (BBC 2009, V 4). In order for families making less than $75,000 a year to afford houses, Austin needs more homes that are priced under the 30% cost burden: less than $240,000 (COA 2009, 10). Many cities meet the demand for housing within this price range by providing attached housing (condos, townhouses, etc.) but Austin has a limited amount of this type of housing (BBC 2009, Summary 10).


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High home prices have caused residents of major Texas cities to move out from the city into rural areas. It is important to have affordable housing options within the city to prevent residents from moving far from their jobs. Increased commuter activity leads to overburdened, congested roads and long commuting times (BBC 2009, II 26). In addition to rising home prices, rising property taxes have placed a burden on low income families. As previously defined, a “cost burdened” household spends more than 30% of its monthly income on housing costs. In Austin, 40% of cost burdened households do not have a mortgage payment, which means they are spending more than 30% of their income on property taxes and insurance alone (Mueller 2007, 10). Rapidly increasing home values are raising property taxes in many neighborhoods, which makes housing unaffordable for their current homeowners. For example, in the neighborhood of Holly, one property appraisal increased from $77,000 in 2003 to $158,000 in 2008. This meant that the property tax rose from $700 to $3,100 in just five years, even though tax rates had decreased overall (BBC 2009, Summary 11). Is it easy to see how such tax increases can make a home that was once affordable become an unsustainable investment. Unaffordable housing costs can lead to foreclosure. From 2002-2006, the foreclose rate as a share of all mortgages was 3.1%. The rate has surely increased since the housing crisis (BBC 2009, IV 33). Foreclosures are geographically concentrated in low income and minority neighborhoods with high rate loans (Mueller 2007, 10). Home repair in Austin The American Housing Survey found that the average maintenance cost for homeowners in the U.S. is $2,051 per year, or 3.5% of household income (Gyourko and Tracy 2006, 3). Increased housing costs mean that many families have less money to spend on repairing their homes. As owners are unable to maintain their homes, their home value declines and their house may become uninhabitable. It is costly for cities to rehabilitate these clients (Mueller 2007, 10). BBC Consulting’s phone and online surveys of Austin homeowners and renters found that many owners emphasized the importance of home repair for existing housing, especially low-income housing. The following graph expresses the need for home repair among low income homeowners:


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Graph 1.2

(Source: BBC 2009, III 9). Most owners needed repairs such as painting, windows, doors, roofing and flooring. The following table displays repairs that people said they needed: Table 1.1

(Source: BBC 2009, III 10). Some said that the repairs they needed were so significant that the state of disrepair affected their health and safety (BBC 2009, II 37). When asked why they did not fix the problem, most owners said they could not afford to make repairs (38). In Austin, homes priced under $175,000 have significant repair needs, but are too valuable to qualify for rehab loans (BBC 2009, VI 5).


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Locating home repair needs in Austin In Austin about 46% of households own their house (BBC 2009, IV 2). Most homeowners live outside of central Austin toward the periphery of the city limits. BBC Consulting suggests that one way to finding housing in need of repair is to overlay areas of high poverty with areas with old housing stock. Austin contains a large proportion (21%) of old housing units built before 1970 (BBC 2009, IV 9). Low-income households may not be able to invest money in maintaining their homes. Low-income residents and older housing are concentrated around the university and along I-35. BBC Consulting explains that the area along I-35 is probably in greater need, because students living near the university can depend on student loans or their parents to pay for housing (BBC 2009, IV 9). As previously explained, many non-student houses in Austin are too expensive to qualify for rehab loans (VI 5). In addition to analyzing the location of low-income households and old housing stock, there are other potential indicators of home repair need. One is the proportion of female headed households. Single female householders are the most likely to live in poverty than other household types. The following chart shows that nearly one third of this population lives in poverty in Austin; and nearly 38% of those with children live in poverty (BBC 2009, II 16). Table 1.1

(Source: BBC 2009, II 16). Another indicator of need is age. Older homeowners tend to under-maintain their homes, which decreases their home equity estimations. Many do not cash out on their home equity. The American Housing Survey shows that in the U.S. homeowners over 75 years old spend about $270 less per year on routine maintenance and $1,100 less per year on home improvement compared to younger homeowners (Davidoff 2004, 1). Although Austin Habitat for Humanity cannot discriminate based on age or sex, it will still be useful to examine these factors as indicators of poverty and need.


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PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESEARCH QUESTION For the aforementioned reasons, the work that Austin Habitat for Humanity performs to build and maintain affordable housing for low-income individuals is a service to the entire community. In 2011, Austin Habitat for Humanity (AHFH) will build new houses in Sendero Hills, on a tract of land designated for affordable housing. At the same time, they plan to launch a home repair program that will target a small area (one street or one block) in the same neighborhood. Grant funding for the home repair program is dependent on doing home repair in the same area as the new construction for the sake of efficiency. AHFH already has an idea of which neighborhood they would like to do home repair in, but they need to demonstrate that there is a need for home repair in that neighborhood. They must also select the best street or block to target. They would like to use GIS to locate a street of potential clients and to justify their site selection. On the site is selected, they can do $10,000-$15,000 worth of exterior repair work on each home. The region they have in mind is in the 78723 zip code, between Loyola Lane and MLK Blvd and to the west of US-183. For future knowledge, they would also like to know which other zip codes in Austin are in need of housing services. My core research question is:

• Given grant funding constraints and evidence of need, where should Austin Habitat for Humanity Austin target its home repair program in 2011?


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METHODOLOGY To answer my research question, I performed the following analysis: (1) Rank zip codes in Austin by need Although AHFH has already selected 78723 as its desired zip code, they are interested in identifying other zip codes with housing needs for future projects. I created a few descriptive maps displaying poverty and housing indicators for all zip codes in Austin. This will help AHFH decide where to search for land and target areas in the future. I selected a few housing and poverty indicators to display in descriptive maps: (a) Median family income (b) Median home value (c) Owner-occupied housing units (d) Public assistance Then I created a suitability analysis map which synthesized how many criteria each zip code met. (2) Rank block groups in 78723 by need The bulk of my project involves analyzing the 78723 zip code to find the area of greatest need. I analyzed 78723 at the block group level, which is the smallest level of data available from the 2000 Census SF3 database. AHFH designated criteria they would like to use to find potential home repair clients and to measure need. Given these criteria, I produced 9 analytical maps. To do so, I took the following steps: (a) Download data: My data sources included the City of Austin GIS Data Sets (COA), ESRI Tigerline Data Sets, Capitol Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), and 2000 Census Data. The COA GIS Data Sets for streets, arterials and zip codes are available online at ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html. The CAPCOG geospatial data for city limits and parcel values is available at http://www.capcog.org/information-clearinghouse/geospatial-data/. Finally, 2000 U.S. Census data is available through the American FactFinder http://factfinder.census.gov/. I used data from SF 1 (demographics) and SF 3 (poverty and housing indicators) at the block level. One data limitation I anticipated was the use of Census data. The only available Census data is from 2000, which is out-of-date at this point. However, once 2010 Census data is released, my findings could easily be updated using the models I have created.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html�

http://www.capcog.org/information-clearinghouse/geospatial-data/�


http://factfinder.census.gov/�


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(b) Prepare data: I defined and projected data to NAD 1983 Texas State Plane Central (feet). I joined tables with Census data to shapefiles of block groups and zip codes. I created new shapefiles (for example, I selected Austin from city limits, 78723 from zip codes, and I-35 from arterials). Then I clipped shapefiles to Austin city limits.

(c) Analyze data: I set thresholds for poverty and housing criteria in the form of “yes/no” questions. To decide how to set thresholds I asked AHFH what their criteria were for selecting clients. I used their criteria to set the thresholds for MFI, home value, proportion of owner-occupation, house age, and the amount of time the homeowner has lived in his house. I classified the other data (public assistance, female-headed households, and age of homeowner) using two classes and the quantile classification to break the block groups into two equal sized groups. Then I rounded the threshold to the nearest multiple of 5% for ease of communication.

Poverty indicators: (1) Do households make less than 60% of Median Family Income?

Threshold for selecting clients set by AHFH as 60% of MFI. The Austin-Round Rock MSA’s MFI in 1999 was $59,426. 60% of this amount is $35,655 (Source: www.HUDuser.org).

(2) Do more than 5% of households receive public assistance? (3) Are at least 10% of homeowners female heads-of-household?

AHFH cannot discriminate based on sex; this is just an indicator of need. (4) Are at least 10% of homeowners 65 or older?

AHFH cannot discriminate based on age; this is just an indicator of need.

Housing indicators: (5) Is the median home value less than $100,000?

AHFH normally works with a $200,000 threshold, but since these are 1999 home values I decreased it to $100,000.

(6) Are at least 50% of housing units owner-occupied? (7) Did the owner move in before 1990?

The Home Repair program works with homeowners who moved in at least 5 years ago. This threshold means homeowners moved in 20 years ago, on average.

(8) Was the house built before 1980? The Home Repair program works with houses at least 15 years old. This threshold means homes would be 30 years old today, on average.

I created 8 individual maps that display the answers to the above questions for each block group in 78723. Then I created a synthesis map that indicates which block groups meet the most criteria (I symbolized each yes or no answer as 1 or 0 and summed the results in an Excel table, then joined the table to my block groups shapefile). I used a manual classification method based on the above thresholds. I ranked block groups as low, median and high need. I also created several tables in Excel to display this information for each block group.

http://www.huduser.org/�


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(d) Geocoding: I geocoded the addresses of existing AHFH properties and placed them on a descriptive map. I created an address locator, matched addresses, and rematched missing addresses. There were about 300 address to geocode for the new construction program, and 50 addresses for the home repair program. (3) Select an ideal street or block for the Home Repair Program The last part of my project involved finding a specific street. This is difficult because my data is at the block group level, not the street level. To get street-level data, I used parcel level data available from CAPCOG to compare individual house values. I also drove through potential neighborhoods with an AHFH Home Repair representative to collect visual observations about the state of exterior home repair and rank them on a 1-4 scale. I then entered these ratings into the attribute table of the map and classified them based on their need for repair. I highlighted a recommended neighborhood for home repair based on these findings.


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FINDINGS Series 1. Introduction: Reference Maps, Graphs and Tables Graph 1.1 Existing Owners with Very Low Incomes Face High Costs Page 3 Graph 1.2 Do You Need Repairs Made to Your House/Apartment? Page 6 Table 1.1 What Repairs/Improvements Do You Most Need to Make? Page 6 Table 1.2 Poverty by Family Type, City of Austin, 2007 Page 7 Series 2. Maps of Austin Map 2.1 Past and Present AHFH Projects Page 13 Map 2.2 Austin: Select Criteria by Zip Code Page 14 Map 2.3 Austin: Ranking Zip Codes by Need Page 15 Table 2.1 Austin: Ranking Zip Codes by Need Page 28 Series 3. Maps of 78723 Map 3.1 Median Family Income by Block Group Page 16 Map 3.2 Public Assistance by Block Group Page 17 Map 3.3 Female-Headed Households by Block Group Page 18 Map 3.4 Age of Homeowner by Block Group Page 19 Map 3.5 Median Home Value by Block Group Page 20 Map 3.6 Owner-Occupied Housing by Block Group Page 21 Map 3.7 Year Owner Moved In by Block Group Page 22 Map 3.8 Year House Built by Block Group Page 23 Map 3.9 Ranking Block Groups by Need Page 24 Table 3.1 Ranking Block Groups by Need Page 31

Series 4. Maps of Parcels

Map 4.1 House Ratings: Market Value Page 25 Map 4.2 House Ratings: Need for Exterior Repair Page 26

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£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

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Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 4, 2010Sources: Austin Habitat for Humanity 2010, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: The underlying parcel data may be inconsistent and/or spatially inaccurate.

PAST AND PRESENT AHFH PROJECTS

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

´

Map 2.1 Amy Knop-Narbutis – AHFH: Selecting a Site for Home Repair – CRP 386, Fall 2010

13

Geocoded Properties

$1 Past and Current Construction Sites

$1 Past and Current Home Repair Sites

78723

$1 Construction Site 2011

$1 Proposed Home Repair Site 2011

0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

0 5 10Miles

§̈¦I-35

£¤290

§̈¦I-35

£¤290

§̈¦I-35

£¤290

Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.1999 MFI from HUD.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)

Caveats: Census data is only current as of 1999.

AUSTIN: SELECT CRITERIA BY ZIP CODE

Median Family Income

§̈¦I-35

£¤290

Owner-Occupied Housing

Public Assistance Median Home Value

´0 5 10

Miles

!Austin

Are at least 50% of houses owner-occupied?

Yes

No

Do more than 5% of households receive public assistance?

Yes

No

Is the median home value less than $100,000?

Yes

No

Do households make less than 60% of Median Family Income?

Yes

No

78723

78721

78702

78742

78723

7872178702

78742

78723

7872178702

78742

78723

78721

78702

78742


14

§̈¦I-35

£¤290

MLK

AIR

PO

RT

78744

78724

78745

78759

7875

3

78748

78749

78731

78758

78704

7874

6

78735

78741

78754

78726

78617

78723

78727

78739

78750

7870

3

7871

9

7875

7

78702

78717

7872

5

7872

1

78752

78747

7875

1

78736

7870

1

78653

78730

78732

78729

78705

78756

78660

78722

78742

78733

78613

78728

78734

78712

78652

78737

78738

Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council f Governments. Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 203 (Feet)Caveats: Census data is only current as of 1999.

AUSTIN: RANKING ZIP CODES BY NEED

City of Austin

´

!Austin

Which zip codes withinAustin are most in need?

Low Need (0-1 Criteria Met)

Medium Need (2 Criteria Met)

High Need (3-4 Criteria Met)

78723

78723

78721

78721 78721

78702

78702 78702

0 105Miles

State of Texas

Criteria: Families earn less than 60% of MFIMedian home value is less than $100,000At least 5% of households receive public

assistanceAt least 50% of households are owner- occupied


15

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Do households make less than

60% of Median Family Income?

78723

Yes

No

Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: Census data is only current as of 1999.

0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´ 60% of Median Family Income is $35,655 (Source: HUD 1999)


16

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Do more than 5% of households

receive public assistance?

78723

Yes

No

´Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: Census data is only current as of 1999. .

0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

Public assistance or welfare payments include cash public assistance payments low-income people

receive, such as aid to families with dependent children (AFDC, ADC), temporary assistance to

needy families (TANF), general assistance, and emergency assistance. (Source: Census)


17

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Are at least 10% of homeownersfemale heads-of-household?

78723

Yes

NoAuthor: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: Austin Habitat for Humanity cannot discriminate based on sex. The percent of female-headed households is intended only as an indicator of poverty.

0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´


18

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Are at least 10% of home owners 65 or older?

78723

Yes

NoAuthor: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: Census data is only current as of 1999.

0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

AGE OF HOMEOWNER BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´


19

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Is the median home value less than $100,000?

78723

Yes


0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

MEDIAN HOME VALUE BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´


20

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Are at least 50% of houses owner-occupied?

78723

Yes


0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´


21

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Did the owner move in before 1990? (median)

78723

Yes


0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

YEAR OWNER MOVED IN BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´


22

§̈¦I-35

£¤290§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

Was the house built

before 1980? (median)

78723

Yes


0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

YEAR HOUSE BUILT BY BLOCK GROUP

City of Austin

Zip Code 78723

0 5 10Miles

´


23

Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Census 2000, ESRI, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: Census data is only current as of 1999.

0 5,000 10,0002,500Feet

RANKING BLOCK GROUPS BY NEED

Zip Code 78723

´

Which block group is most

in need of home repair?

Proposed block group

High need (7 criteria met)

Medium need (4-6 criteria met)

Low need (2-3 criteria met)

Family income is less than 60% of MFIMedian home value is less than $100,000At least 5% of households receive public

assistanceAt least 50% of households are owner- occupiedAt least 10% of homeowners are female

At least 10% of homeowners are over 65 Houses were built before 1980 Homeowner moved in before 1990

Criteria:

§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

$1

New Con site 20112108.1

2701.3

2107.2

2107.4

2112.3

2113.2

2113.12112.4

2106.1

2106.22106.3

2104.2

2104.12105.2

2105.1

303.2

2109.1

303.3

2108.2

2107.1$1

Suggested site forHome Repair


24

51ST

HIL

L

SPR

ING

DAL

E

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

BRO

ADH

ILL

BUN

DY

HIL

L

NORTHDALE

TAN

NEH

ILL

CAR

SO

NH

ILL

TOW

ER

OLD

FOR

T H

ILL R

US

SET

HIL

L

KRU

EGER

WA

LD

EN

HIL

LDAL

E

HU

TCH

INS

ON

EAST

DA

LE

RAYBURN

BENTSEN

BASSWOOD

RU

SK

SIN

GLE

SH

OT

NO

RW

OO

D H

ILL

BL

UE

ST

EIN

BLV

D

MEDFORD

HOWDEN

SEABROOK

WALWORTH

SC

OT

TSD

AL

E

HILLSPRING

CONNALLY

BUNDY CREST

Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Capital Area Council of Governments 2008, ESRI, City of Austin.Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: The underlying parcel data may be inconsistent and/or spatially inaccurate.

HOUSE RATINGS: MARKET VALUE

Zip Code 78723

Block Group Most in Need

´

§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

0 500 1,000Feet

Low value housing targeted for on-the-ground analysis of exterior repair needs

YO

RK


25

What is the 2008 market

value of each house?

Block group in need

$0 - $50,000

$50,000 - $100,000

$100,000 - $150,000

$150,000 - $200,000

$200,000 - $5,000,0000 500 1,000250

Feet

HIL

L

NORTHDALE

RU

SSE

T H

ILL

HIL

LDA

LE

TAN

NEH

ILL

EAST

DA

LE

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

BENTSEN

OLD

FOR

T H

ILL

KRU

EGER

Author: Amy Knop-Narbutis, December 2, 2010Sources: Austin Habitat for Humanity 2010, City of Austin, Capital Area Council of Governments, TCAD 2008. Datum / Projection: NAD 1983 / State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (Feet)Caveats: The underlying parcel data may be inconsistent and/or spatially inaccurate.

HOUSE RATINGS: NEED FOR EXTERIOR REPAIR

Zip Code 78723

Block Group Most in Need

´

§̈¦I-35

£¤183

£¤290

MLK BLVD

LOYOLA LN

0 500Feet

neighborhood rated

Does this house need exterior repair?

0 = not rated

1 = no repair needed

2 = needs paint, superficial repairs

3 = needs significant repairs

4 = severe structural damage

YOR

K


26


27

ANALYSIS Series 1. Introduction: Reference Maps, Graphs and Tables The implications of the graphs and tables in Series 1 were already discussed in the introduction. In general, this 2008 data demonstrates an uneven income distribution in Austin and a lack of affordable housing. It also depicts high need in Central East Austin neighborhoods along I-35, where low-income households which have difficulty maintaining their homes and managing repair costs. This data also shows that female householders are more likely to live in poverty and older homeowners are more likely to have home repair needs. Series 2. Maps of Austin Map 2.1 Past and Present AHFH Projects This is a descriptive map which shows the locations of past and present AHFH projects. Locations are shown for the zip code 78723 and the City of Austin. There are already several construction and home repair sites within 78723. Austin-wide, most projects are concentrated east of I-35 and south of MLK Blvd. Some construction sites appear to be outside the city limits, but this could be the result of geocoding error. The 2011 construction site and proposed site for home repair are also indicated on this map for reference. Map 2.2 Austin: Select Criteria by Zip Code This map displays whether zip codes within Austin meet each of four criteria: (1) Do households make less than 60% of Median Family Income? (2) Are at least 50% of houses owner-occupied? (3) Do more than 5% of households receive public assistance? (4) Is the median home value less than $100,000? The zip codes that meet the most criteria are 78721, 78702 and 78742. These zip codes are labeled on the map, along with 78723, which meets fewer criteria, but must be the 2011 home repair site due to its proximity to the new construction project. These maps only show averages within zip codes: there may be block groups with relatively higher or lower needs within each zip code. Series 3 maps demonstrate that block groups in the southeast corner of 78723, which borders 78721, also have high need. In general, these maps show that most families earning less than 60% of MFI and receiving public assistance live east of I-35 and south of MLK Blvd. Most owner-occupied housing is located outside of central Austin. Median home values tend to be lower on the east side of I-35 and south of US-290.


28

Table 2.1 shows which zip codes meet which criteria, ranked by need:

Zip Code

<$100,000 home value

<60% MFI

>50% owner-

occupied >5% public assistance

Total criteria

met

78721 1 1 1 1 4 78702 1 1 0 1 3 78742 1 1 1 0 3 78719 1 0 1 0 2 78724 1 0 1 0 2 78725 1 0 1 0 2 78741 1 1 0 0 2 78744 1 0 1 0 2 78745 1 0 1 0 2 78752 1 1 0 0 2 78703 0 0 1 0 1 78717 0 0 1 0 1 78723 1 0 0 0 1 78726 0 0 1 0 1 78727 0 0 1 0 1 78729 0 0 1 0 1 78730 0 0 1 0 1 78731 0 0 1 0 1 78732 0 0 1 0 1 78733 0 0 1 0 1 78734 0 0 1 0 1 78735 0 0 1 0 1 78736 0 0 1 0 1 78737 0 0 1 0 1 78738 0 0 1 0 1 78739 0 0 1 0 1 78746 0 0 1 0 1 78747 0 0 1 0 1 78748 0 0 1 0 1 78749 0 0 1 0 1 78750 0 0 1 0 1 78753 1 0 0 0 1 78754 0 0 1 0 1 78757 0 0 1 0 1 78758 1 0 0 0 1 78701 0 0 0 0 0 78704 0 0 0 0 0 78705 0 0 0 0 0 78722 0 0 0 0 0 78728 0 0 0 0 0 78751 0 0 0 0 0 78756 0 0 0 0 0 78759 0 0 0 0 0

0 = no, criteria not met 1 = yes, criteria met


29

Map 2.3 Austin: Ranking Zip Codes by Need This map takes the total number of criteria met (see table on previous page) and ranks zip codes by need. The zip codes 78721, 78702 and 78742 were designated “high need” because they met the majority of criteria. These zip codes are located south of MLK Blvd, and centered around Airport Blvd. Other zip codes were designated medium need if they met two out of four criteria. This map shows that most zip codes in need are concentrated in Southeast Austin, east of I-35 and south of US-290. Series 3. Maps of 78723 The first four maps in this section display poverty indicators. The next four criteria are related to housing. Map 3.1 Median Family Income by Block Group This map shows which block groups in 78723 have families that earn, on average, less than 60% of median family income (which is one of AHFH’s criteria for selecting clients). According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the median family income in the Austin-Round Rock MSA in 1999 was $59,426. 60% of this income is $35,655. The inset map of the City of Austin displays the same criteria on a larger scale. There seems to be no pattern for which block groups meet this threshold within 78723. At the level of Austin, more low-income households are concentrated along I-35 and in Southeast Austin. Map 3.2 Public Assistance by Block Group According to the Census, public assistance is a cash welfare payment in the form of aid to families with dependent children (AFDC), temporary assistance to needy families (TANF), general, or emergency assistance. This map displays where at least 5% of households receive public assistance. Most block groups in the southeast corner of 78723 meet this criterion. At the level of Austin, few block groups meet this threshold. Map 3.3 Female-Headed Households by Block Group This map shows block groups where at least 10% of homeowners are female heads-of-household. This is an indicator of poverty because female-headed households are more likely to live in poverty. However, this is not one of AHFH’s criteria for selecting clients, and they do not discriminate based on sex. This is merely an indicator of need. A cluster of block groups in the middle of 78723 meet this criterion. In Austin, block groups with a high number of female heads-of-household are scattered. There is a significant number in West Austin, but this area has fewer low-income households overall.


30

Map 3.4 Age of Homeowner by Block Group Homeowners over 65 years of age may have fixed incomes and limited physical capacity which makes it difficult for them to maintain their home. However, this is not one of AHFH’s criteria for selecting clients, and they do not discriminate based on age. This is merely an indicator of need. This map shows block groups where at least 10% of homeowners are over 65 years of age. Many block groups on eastern side of 78723 meet this criterion. In Austin, there are a large number of block groups south of MLK and East of I-35 with elderly homeowners. There is also a cluster of block groups in West Austin, in the same area that had a high number of female heads-of-household, which suggests that some of these households may be owned and occupied by elderly women or widows. Map 3.5 Median Home Value by Block Group AHFH’s Home Repair program works with houses worth less than $200,000. Since this map is based on 1999 home values, I lowered the threshold to $100,000. This map shows that a majority of houses in 78723 were worth less than $100,000. At the level of Austin, most low value houses were located around I-35, and on the East Side. Map 3.6 Owner-Occupied Housing by Block Group AHFH only repairs owner-occupied houses. This map shows where at least 50% of houses are owner-occupied. In 78723, about half of block groups meet this criterion. In Austin, most owner-occupied housing appears to be located around the periphery, not in Central Austin (where there are likely to be more rental properties). Map 3.7 Year Owner Moved In by Block Group AHFH serves families that moved into their houses at least 5 years ago. This map shows which block groups have a median owner move-in date of 1990, which means today families would have lived in their home for at least 20 years. More block groups in the southeast corner of 78723 meet this threshold. There is a large number of block groups in East Austin that also meet this criterion. Map 3.8 Year House Built by Block Group The final housing criterion is the year the house was built. AHFH repairs homes that are at least 15 years old. This map shows which block groups have houses with a median build date of 1980. Today, these houses would be at least 30 years old. The map of Austin shows that most old housing is centered around Central Austin, and newer houses are built on the peripheries of Austin. In 78723, most houses are old.


31

Map 3.9 Ranking Block Groups By Need Table 3.1 ranks block groups in 78723 by need:

(Source: 2000 Census). Using the total number of criteria met, I created a suitability analysis map which ranks block groups by need. “High need” block groups that meet most of the criteria are 2108.1, 2107.2 and 2107.3, which are labeled on the map. They are located in the southeast corner of 78723, in close proximity to the new construction site in Sendero Hills. Most other block groups are medium need, which means they meet 4-6 criteria. Among the high need block groups, 2108.1 meets all criteria except having 10% female-headed households. 2107.2 and 2107.3 meet all criteria except earning less than 60% of MFI. The MFI threshold is an important threshold set by AHFH for selecting clients. The female-headed household criterion is merely an indicator of need, and cannot be used to select clients due to discrimination. It is therefore more important that block groups meet the MFI criterion than the female-headed household criterion. For this reason, I decided 2108.1 would be the best block group to examine at the parcel level. It is also closer to the new construction site.

Census Tract . Block Group

>10% female

heads-of-household

>50% owner-

occupied

>5% public

assistance

<$100,000 home value

<60% MFI

moved in

before 1990

built before 1980

homeowner >65 years

old

Total criteria

met 2108.1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 2107.2 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 7 2107.3 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 7 2104.2 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 6 2106.2 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 6 2112.3 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 6 2113.1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 6 2106.3 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 5 2107.1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 5 2107.4 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 5 2109.1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 5 303.3 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 4

2106.1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 4 2112.4 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 4 2113.2 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 4 2104.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 3 2105.1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 3 303.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2

2105.2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 2108.2 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2

0 = no, criteria not met

1 = yes, criteria met


32

Series 4. Maps of Parcels

Map 4.1 House Ratings: Market Value Based on the aforementioned suitability analysis, I found that the block group 2108.1 had the highest need. This map zooms into the block group and examines the market value of houses. Most houses are located on the south end of the block group 2108.1, between Springdale, US-183, E 51st St, and MLK Blvd. I used 2008 market values from TCAD, which is available at the CAPCOG website. The highest concentration of houses worth less than $100,000 in 2008 was in the neighborhood between Russett Hill Dr and Tannehill Dr, a predominantly African-American neighborhood. Therefore, I selected this neighborhood for an on-the-ground analysis of home repair needs. Map 4.2 House Ratings: Need for Exterior Repair A representative from AHFH’s Home Repair program accompanied me on a drive-through of the neighborhood between Russett Hill Dr and Tannehill Dr. Jesse Porter, the manager of the A Brush With Kindness/Home Repair Program, ranked each house in this neighborhood on a scale from 1 to 4, where 1 meant there was no need for home repair, and 4 meant there was severe structural damage. None of the houses earned a score of 4, but seven earned a score of 3, which meant there was a significant need for repairs. These houses needed new gutters, windows, bricks, or siding; but were still in livable condition. In general, the neighborhood was very well maintained. This may be because the 2000 Census data is out-dated, or because the neighborhood residents take pride in maintaining their homes. This is an example of a house on York Hill Dr that received a rating of 3. At the time of our drive-through, the house needed replacement windows and was a good candidate for a home repair project.

(Source: Google Maps street-level view)


33

CONCLUSION Based on my criteria, I found the zip codes most in need in Austin were 78721, 78702 and 78742. These are zip codes AHFH may choose to focus on in the future. Map 2.1 shows that they have already completed projects in this area. However, it should be noted that this is 2000 Census data which may not accurately reflect current trends. Additionally, these maps only show averages within zip codes: there may be neighborhoods with relatively higher or lower needs within each zip code. Although 78721, 78702 and 78742 are high need zip codes, AHFH must initiate its next home repair project in 78723 due to its proximity to their new construction project in Sendero Hills. The block groups most in need within 78723 are 2108.1, 2107.2 and 2107.3. They are located in the southeast corner of 78723, in close proximity to the new construction site in Sendero Hills. I decided that 2108.1 would be the best block group for AHFH to focus on because it is closest to the new construction site and meets all criteria except having 10% female-headed households. The other two block groups did not meet the critical threshold of earning less than 60% of MFI, which is a criterion AHFH uses to select clients. Female-headed households is not a criterion they use to select clients. I found that within the block group 2108.1, there were many low value homes concentrated in the neighborhood between Russett Hill Dr and Tannehill Dr. Although the 2008 market values I used are recent, they may not reflect the effects of the housing crisis, and they are not directly comparable with the 2000 Census data I used in previous steps. Nonetheless, I selected this neighborhood for an on-the-ground analysis of home repair needs. There were a handful of houses with a significant need for repairs. These houses needed new gutters, windows, bricks or siding, but were still in livable condition. In general, the neighborhood was very well maintained. This may be because the 2000 Census data is now out-dated, or because the neighborhood residents take pride in maintaining their homes. In conclusion, I recommend that AHFH choose a future home repair site from the southeast corner of 78723. I also recommend that AHFH seek a GIS volunteer to update these maps with 2010 Census data, once that data is released. More current Census data may reveal new findings. Fortunately, it will be easy to update these maps using the templates and methodology I have already created.


34

REFERENCES BBC Research and Consulting (2009). “Comprehensive Housing Market Study.” City of Austin. March 3, 2009. City of Austin (COA) (2009). “FY 2009-14 Consolidated Plan: Executive Summary.”

Available online at: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/housing/conplan_09-14.htm Davidoff, Thomas (2004). “Maintenance and the Home Equity of the Elderly.” Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics Paper No. 03-288. February 25, 2004. Available online at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3m59r3tv Gyourko, Joseph and Joseph Tracy (2006). “Using Home Maintenance and Repairs to Smooth Variable Earnings.” The Review of Economics and Statistics Vol. 88, No. 4 (November 2006): 736-747. Mueller, Elizabeth (2007). “Connecting the Dots: Planning for Affordable Housing in Texas Cities.” Powerpoint at City Forum, February 16, 2007. University of Texas at Austin. Mueller, Elizabeth J. and J. Rosie Tighe (2007). “Making the Case for Affordable Housing: Connecting Housing with Health and Education Outcomes. Journal of Planning Literature 21 (2007): 371.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/housing/conplan_09-14.htm�

http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3m59r3tv�


35

APPENDIX


36

APPENDIX Step-by-step Methodology

(1) Download data a. Sources and caveats

i. AHFH (Austin Habitat for Humanity) – emailed 1. Addresses of past and present projects

ii. CAPCOG (Capital Area Council of Governments) – website http://www.capcog.org/information-clearinghouse/geospatial-data/

1. City limits shapefile a. August 2010. This file was created for 9-1-1

purposes and does not include limited purpose areas of the City of Austin.

2. Parcels 2008 shapefile a. 2008. CAPCOG collected the parcel data from

multiple sources. The underlying parcel data may be inconsistent and/or spatially inaccurate.

iii. COA (City of Austin) – website ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html This data has been produced by the City of Austin for the sole prupose of aiding regional planning and is not warranted for any other use. No warranty is made by the City regarding its accuracy or completeness.

1. County boundary shapefile a. 12/15/1999.

2. Zipcodes shapefile a. 01/13/2010.

3. Major/minor arterials shapefile a. 07/06/2009.

4. Street centerlines shapefile a. 11/02/2010.

iv. ESRI – website http://www.esri.com/data/download/census2000-tigerline/index.html

1. Census block group shapefiles a. 2000.

2. Census block group demographic (SF1) data table a. Data is current as of 1999 only.

v. Census (American FactFinder Decennial Census) – website http://factfinder.census.gov/

1. Census block group poverty and housing (SF3) data table a. Manually select all block groups in Austin, tract by

tract; repeat process for Austin zip codes (787). b. Select all relevant housing and poverty indicators. c. Produce online table. d. Download table to Excel.


ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html�

http://www.esri.com/data/download/census2000-tigerline/index.html�

http://www.esri.com/data/download/census2000-tigerline/index.html�

http://factfinder.census.gov/�


37

e. Separate comprehensive Excel table into smaller Excel tables by type of indicator (Example: MFI, age of householder, home value).

f. Data is current as of 1999 only. vi. TXSCD (Texas State Data Center and Office of the State

Demographer). http://txsdc.utsa.edu/txdata/shapefiles/state_shape2009.php

1. State of Texas shapefile. a. 2000.

vii. Metadata: All shapefiles were already defined and projected as NAD 1983 State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (feet), except for the ESRI and TXCSD shapefiles.

b. Rename data i. AHFH

1. Home Repair Projects.xls homerepair.xls 2. New Con Projects.xls newcon.xls

ii. CAPCOG 1. Capcog_city_limits.shp city_limits.shp 2. Travis.shp travis_parcels.shp

iii. COA 1. Counties.shp county_boundary.shp 2. Zipcodes.shp zipcode.shp 3. CENART.shp arterials.shp 4. STREETS.shp streets.shp

iv. ESRI 1. Tgr48453grp00.shp blockgroup.shp 2. Tgr48000sf1grp.xls blockgroup_SF1.xls

v. Census 1. Dt_dec_2000_sf3_u_data.xls blockgroup_SF3.xls

vi. TXSDC 1. tl_2009_48_state00.shp texas.shp

(2) Prepare data

a. Define shapefiles. i. blockgroup.shp and texas.shp as NAD 1983 State Plane Texas

Central FIP 4203 (feet). b. Project shapefiles.

i. blockgroup.shp and texas.shp to NAD 1983 State Plane Texas Central FIP 4203 (feet).

c. Create new shapefiles. i. Select item from existing shapefile, export to new shapefile.

1. Select Austin from city_limits.shp to create Austin_city_limits.shp

2. Select 78723 from zipcode.shp to create 78723_zipcode.shp.

http://txsdc.utsa.edu/txdata/shapefiles/state_shape2009.php�


38

3. Select by street names MLK BLVD, LOYOLA LN, and AIRPORT to create individual shapefiles.

4. Select by Attributes = HWY from arterials.shp to create major_arterials.shp

a. From this, select and create i35.shp d. Clip shapefiles

i. Clip census_blocks.shp and zipcode.shp to Austin_city_limits.shp e. Join tables to shapefiles.

i. Demographic data table (SF1) to ESRI block group shapefile by STFID.

ii. Housing and poverty data table (SF3) to ESRI block group shapefile based on fields GEO_ID2 and STFID.

1. First, prepare SF3 tables for joining. Delete all unnecessary data columns to keep it under the field limit. Make the first row of column names descriptive and remove spaces (Example: “femaleHH_owneroccupied”). Delete the second row of headings. Make the sheet name descriptive (example: “MFI$”). Change the cell formatting to Number with 0 decimal places.

f. Collect home repair ratings in the field. i. Edit attribute table of travis_parcels.shp

1. Add new field named “RepairRate” set to single integer; add “Comments” set to text, 100 characters.

ii. Drive through specific streets and record repair ratings on blank map with outlines of parcels and street names.

1. Ratings suggested by AHFH: 0 = not rated; 1 = no repair needed; 2 = needs paint, superficial repairs; 3 = needs significant repairs (windows, doors, siding, trim, gutters, cracks, but still livable); 4 = severe structural damage (roof, foundation, needs tear-down).

iii. Enter ratings and comments into attribute table using Editor tool. 1. Note: I found it easiest to record my ratings by preparing a

blank map with parcel outlines and street names. I printed the map and brought it into the field, where I recorded ratings directly on the parcel itself. Then I went back to ArcGIS and used the select tool to highlight parcels from map one-by-one, view selected item in the attribute table, and enter the repair rating. This way I did not have to create a numbering system for my parcels or record information in a separate table in the field, which would have been unwieldy given the rapid nature of our drive-through.


39

(3) Analyze data a. Classify zip code criteria.

i. Classify manually into 2 classes by threshold. 1. Median home value: $100,000 2. MFI: $35,655. 3. Owner-occupied housing: 50% of houses.

a. Normalize owner-occupied housing by total housing.

4. Public assistance: 5% of households. a. Normalize householders receiving public assistance

by total number of householders. ii. Make zip code suitability analysis map.

1. Make Excel table indicating how many criteria each zip code meets.

a. Headings: GEO_ID2, block group number, four criteria, total criteria met.

b. Cells: 0 if criteria not met, 1 if criteria met. Sum horizontally to find total criteria met.

2. Join Excel table to zipcode.shp based on ZipCodeZI and STFID.

3. Classify manually into 3 classes at breaking points 1 and 2. b. Geocode AHFH addresses.

i. Create address locator “HomeRepairLocator.” ii. Use address locator to geocode homerepair.xls and newcon.xls.

iii. Match addresses that are unmatched. 1. Move errors to correct field, then match.

c. Classify block group criteria i. Classify manually into 2 classes by threshold.

1. Median home value: $100,000 2. MFI: $35,655. 3. Owner-occupied housing: 50% of houses.

a. Normalize owner-occupied housing by total housing.

4. Year built: 1980. 5. Year moved in: 1990. 6. Age of householder: 10% homeowners over 65 years old.

a. Normalize homeowners over 65 by total number of homeowners.

7. Public assistance: 5% of households. a. Normalize householders receiving public assistance

by total number of householders. 8. Female-headed households: 10% of homeowners.

a. Normalize female-headed households by total number of owner-occupied households.

ii. Make block group suitability analysis map.


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1. Make Excel table indicating how many criteria each block group meets.

a. Headings: GEO_ID2, block group number, eight criteria, total criteria met.

b. Cells: 0 if criteria not met, 1 if criteria met. Sum horizontally to find total criteria met.

2. Join Excel table to blockgroup.shp based on STFID and GEO_ID2.

3. Classify manually into 3 classes at breaking points 3 and 6. d. Classify parcel level data

i. TCAD home values 1. Classify manually into 5 classes, at breaking points

$50,000; $100,000; $150,000; and $200,000. ii. Home repair ratings

1. Classify manually into 5 classes, at breaking points 1, 2, 3,

(4) Design a. Make design template

i. Add common map elements 1. Title 2. North arrow 3. Author and date 4. Projection and datum 5. Caveats 6. Use guides to set space for main map, inset map, legend.

b. Insert main map and inset map. c. Symbolize.

i. For binary classifications, teal means criteria met, gray means criteria not met. For rankings, gray is low need, light teal is medium need, and dark teal is high need.

d. Add legend and scale bar. e. Labeling

i. Streets were labeled by name. All block group level maps indicate MLK and Loyola Lane because AHFH suggested that these were useful streets for demarcating location in relation to the new construction site.

ii. Highways were labeled by road sign. Austin-level maps indicate I-35 for orientation. Block group level maps indicate I-35, US-290, US-183, and MLK Blvd which surround the zip code 78723.

iii. Block groups and zip codes were labeled by number in the suitability analysis maps.

iv. I outlined selected zip code 78723, the selected block group, and/or the selected neighborhood on each map.

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