the city community services parks and recreation transportation housing

Housing
Ideals Identified:

• Clean up housing
• Senior housing
• More low income housing
• More middle income housing

Priorities: Projects: Time frames:

Priority #1 Housing inspection and code enforcement Short
Priority #2 Clean up existing housing Short
Priority #3 Retirement housing (handicapped/one floor, no steps) Long
Priority #4 Quality Developments Long
Priority #5 Annexation Medium
Priority #6 Increase rental property Medium

Who: What:
City government Lead, enforce, regulate
Neighborhoods Coalitions
Housing authority Subsidize, funding

Who: What:
County government Enforce, regulate, condemn
Realtors Provide information
Builders Comply with regulations
Property owners Comply with regulations
State government Funding, codes, regulations
HUDFHA Funding, codes, regulations
Banks Funding
Inspector Code enforcement
Health department Inspection
Property owners, landlords Comply with regulations

 

Two thirds of Philippi's housing stock are single family residential and 58% of all housing units is owner-occupied. The majority of housing units were built prior to 1970, and though most are in sound, well-maintained condition, the exceptions create controversy within the community. It is the desire of the residents that attended the public hearings that the city immediately implement a housing inspection program requiring certificates of occupancy to be issued whenever there is a change of ownership or when a rental unit becomes vacant. This will require that a position, probably part-time, be created with established guidelines and procedures.

Assisted housing for lower income persons is provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Rental Assistance Program. This program is directed by the Randolph County Housing Authority and provides rent subsidies for families to help them afford decent housing in the private market. In June of 1995, there were 108 Section 8 vouchers and 18 Section 8 certificates issued in Barbour County. Under this program, housing units must meet minimum standards of safety and sanitation. The residents of Philippi have differing views on the HM inspection standards, and there are many complaints voiced from the neighborhoods about the poor maintenance of the Section 8 units. An housing inspection program would address many of these concerns.

There is a desire and need for more housing convenient to downtown. Garden apartments located in and around Pike Street constructed to meet the special needs of the elderly and the handicapped would provide one floor units easily accessible to the conveniences services of the central business district.