The City of New Philadelphia, Ohio, is an historic small city in Appalachian Ohio, with an industrial and service sectors that reflect greater diversity than the steels mills of decades past. It has a population of 17,056, and is the county seat for Tuscarawas County. It has received community development block grants (CDBG) and Community Home Improvement Program (CHIP) or HOME grants from federal sources through the Ohio Department of Development. The CDBG grant is about $90,000 per year and the CHIP or HOME grant is $250,000 per year ($500,000 per two-year cycle). To fulfill our requirements under these grants, and to further the mission of providing decent housing to all, the city established a fair housing committee to conduct an analysis of impediments to fair housing, and write this report.

According to the 2000 census, about 3% of New Philadelphia residents belong to a racial minority. 165 (1%) are African-American, 84 (1/2 of 1%) are Asian, 40 are Native American, Alaskan Natives, or Pacific Islanders. The census reported 227 Hispanics, constituting 1.3% of the population. Our perception suggests this is an undercount. In the last decade, Tuscarawas, Holmes, Stark and Wayne Counties experienced a significant Hispanic immigration, led by recruitment at area chicken processing plants. One plant, Case Farms in Winesburg, maintained an employment of 525. At the end of the last decade, it reduced its work force to 168. The Hispanic workforce diversified to other area plants, and Hispanic immigration has continued. Recent Hispanic immigrants have been predominately Guatemalan. Most of the Guatemalans are native Mayans, speaking Mayan languages of K'iche', Q'anjob'al, Awakateko, Mam and others. Most speak Spanish as a second language. Some are learning English with local volunteer tutors. Our local Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County met with census officials in 1999. The Census Bureau reported using a Spanish-speaking census taker but no local Hispanics reported such contact. We received no report of any census activities in Mayan languages. The 2000 Census reported that of the 227 Hispanics in New Philadelphia, 92 were Mexican, 29 were Puerto Rican, 2 were Cuban, and 104 had other Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. We estimate that at least another 100 were missed by the census.

About 4,400 New Philadelphia residents are under the age of 20, and about 2,700 are over 65. New Philadelphia has 4,660 family households, of which 2,054 have children under 18. 2,678 New Philadelphians live in non-family households. The census reported a total of 7,338 occupied housing units, and 458 vacant housing units, of which 23 are seasonal, recreational or for occasional use. We believe the census report of vacant housing units is overstated. We believe a significant portion of these households are actually occupied, but the occupants were not registered with the census, perhaps because of language differences, or incomplete census taking.

The census reported a homeowner vacancy rate of 1.6%, and a rental vacancy rate of 6.8%. Social service providers have reported some homeless individuals in New Philadelphia. Harbor House provides emergency shelter for families and children suffering from domestic violence or substance abuse. The Salvation Army in Dover has also provided temporary motel accommodations. Some new arrivals, and evicted tenants, are occasionally homeless.

The median rent in New Philadelphia was $431. 81 units reported a monthly rent of less than $200 (3% of the population). 829 households had a monthly rent greater than $500. Only 68 households had a monthly rent in excess of $750 per month.

The Census reports that in the 15 months before the census, 132 new housing units were constructed in New Philadelphia, about 1.7% of the housing stock. However, during that time the Building Inspector issued permits for 74 units (46 single homes in 1999, 6 duplexes in 1999, and estimating one fourth of the 63 permitted units in 2000). In the last 10 years, all new building permits have been for single family homes or duplexes. The last building permit for a triplex was issued in 1988. A summary of building permits from 1980 through 2002 is attached.

On disability status, the census reported 1,661 adults between 21 and 64 with disabilities, of which about half are employed. An additional 142 children have disabilities. An additional 1,197 senior citizens have disabilities (out of a total senior population of 2,728).

The census reported that of the 15,849 New Philadelphians over the age of five, 9,265 (58.5%) had the same residence in 1995. Of the remaining 6,468 who had a different home in 1995, 4,593 of those came from Tuscarawas County. Only 576 had come from outside the State of Ohio, and only 116 (according to the census) came from outside the United States. 322 New Philadelphians were born outside the United States (about 2%), and the census reports that 151 of those are naturalized U.S. Citizens. The census reported 171 non-naturalized immigrants, which the committee believes is an understatement of our immigrant population. 232 New Philadelphians, according to the census, speak English less than very well, again an under count.

Of the 13,582 New Philadelphians age 16 and over, 8,658 (64%) are in the labor force. The 2000 census made an unemployment report of 2.3%, 317 New Philadelphians. The average commuting time to work was 18 minutes. The median family income is $42,896, $18,745 per capita. The median earnings for full time year round male employees was $32,157. For full time year round female employees, the median income was $20,363. The census reported 356 New Philadelphia families living in poverty, 7.7%. 170 families living in poverty had children under the age of 5, a 20% poverty rate for this sub group. 1,700 New Philadelphians live in poverty households, a 10% rate.

The Fair Housing Committee began at the request of the New Philadelphia Building Inspector for the formation of the Fair Housing Committee. Representatives of the following organizations participated:

1.Hispanic Ministries of Tuscarawas County

2.Tuscarawas County Board of Realtors

3.City Council of New Philadelphia

4.National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

5.Southeastern Ohio Legal Services

6.Tuscarawas County Metropolitan Housing Authority

Mayor Ron Brodzinski, the Building Inspector, a representative of a local bank and title company also participated. A list of the participants is attached.

The committee met on October 30, November 13, December 18 (2002), January 2 and 16, and February 13 (2003). We solicited information from the constituent organizations, the local schools, the local courts, the Landlord Association, and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. We followed the manual, Analyze Your Community's Needs and Develop a Plan from the Ohio Department of Development, Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (updated September, 2002).

We also prepared a questionnaire with eight simple questions to solicit input. The questionnaire was distributed by mail to 20 tenants who had applied to Southeastern Ohio Legal Services for landlord-tenant representation, and translated in Spanish for distribution to the Hispanic community. The questionnaire was also posted on the City's webpage. Only three responses were received. One response from a service provider reported the reluctance of some landlords to rent to Hispanics, usually on grounds that they did not want to rent to a household of single men. Another response reported a shortage of low income housing.

We received an anecdotal report of neighborhood opposition to a group home. The primary opponent, however, decided to leave the area.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission reported that in the last five years, complaints from the City of New Philadelphia were received only in calendar years 2000 and 2002. Four of the five complaints related to family status discrimination. One was settled through successful conciliation. Three other family status charges related to this same landlord-tenant relationship. One of the three was settled, and all three charges were closed.

The final charge was made by a black couple alleging harassment and intimidation by neighbors. In 1988, the complainants were Haitian-American citizens who purchased a home in the south side, an area that was unaccustomed to minority residents. They felt unwelcomed by some neighbors. When teenagers conducted repeated acts of harassment, the complainants came to believe that one of the parents participated. Even after prosecution, the offenders and parents did not apologize. The Civil Rights Commission did not issue any finding of discrimination, and the complainants eventually withdrew the charge. Teenagers involved in the incident were prosecuted in Juvenile Court and admitted charges against them. One of their fathers was prosecuted for tampering with evidence at the scene, and pled no contest. The January 27, 2003, letter from the Ohio Civil Rights Commission is attached, together with articles from the local newspaper on the intimidation cases.

The committee also received anecdotal reports of rental discrimination against Hispanics and one bi-racial couple. The City Building Inspector, the designated fair housing officer, received one complaint in the last five years, and referred it to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

The Committee scheduled a public hearing on this analysis for March 13, 2003, 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.

The committee consulted with title personnel who reported that the only restrictive covenants in New Philadelphia deeds relate to lot usage. The committee remains unaware of any covenants making unlawful restrictions on the basis of race, family status, or other protected classes. New Philadelphia does not currently monitor data from lenders, brokers, or realtors about mortgage loans or purchases. Further, the city does not investigate market practices on racial steering or redlining.

The committee's experience reflects that local real estate companies accept listings regardless of the value of the home. The committee remains unaware of any realtor that attempts to limit a practice to any geographic area or type of real estate. Realtors tend to be eager to receive business of any type or location within the county.

Committee members investigated area advertising, and found no advertisements that used photographs for which racial or ethnic backgrounds could be determined. There is no local media in any language other than English, and language barriers remain a problem for those who are not fluent in English.

None of the advertisements for newly constructed units advertise that they are "barrier free." There is no new construction of rental housing in units any greater than a duplex. The local newspaper does use a non-discrimination disclaimer in its advertising section, and reports familiarity with fair housing law requirements for advertising. While the City of New Philadelphia does not monitor newspaper advertising for compliance with fair housing laws, the newspaper reports that it monitors incoming ads itself, and those ads are also monitored regularly by area realtors.

Existing rentals do not have facilities for children, and the committee is unaware of any plans for construction of such facilities. Public facilities are available, and New Philadelphia prides itself on the quality of its Tuscora Park, its numerous sporting fields, and its newly constructed skate park.

The Fair Housing Committee did not detect any reports of age restrictions for insurance policies, nor any redlining of insurance policies.

S.E.I., a non-profit corporation that works with adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities, owns three homes in New Philadelphia that are rented to persons with MR/DD. These homes were purchased in part with Capital Housing Allocation funds from the state to promote and provide supported living opportunities for persons with MR/DD.

The local mental health crisis provider, Cornerstone Support Services, does not own housing, but assists persons with mental illness in finding housing opportunities by working with private landlords.

Families using wheel chairs will still find housing that is not accessible. The Society for Equal Access Independent Living Center (S.E.A.), reports that finding accessible housing for persons with disabilities is a continuing problem. S.E.A. independent living skills trainers assist clients with housing adaptations. S.E.A. has a referral list of contractors who will work at a reduced rate to make modifications.

Transportation is a problem for persons with disabilities and immigrants. The Tuscarawas County Department of job and Family Services has used grant money to hire a transportation coordinator for county-wide services.

New Philadelphia does not have a regular program to collect summary data on rental practices.

The Fair Housing Committee considered the lack of available space for new construction in New Philadelphia. Almost all new construction is occurring in single family home subdivisions. Few parcels are available for construction in the central part of the city. Habitat for Humanity began construction of two homes in 2002 and plans to start a third in 2003. Habitat used an abandoned railway for the lots.

The only publicly subsidized low income housing project in New Philadelphia is restricted to senior citizens. The Tuscarawas County Metropolitan Housing Authority offers a Section 8 subsidy program. The program has a waiting list requiring a wait of six to eight months for eligible families. Such subsidies are not available for non-citizen immigrants.

The Fair Housing Committee identified the following principal impediments to fair housing choice in New Philadelphia:

1.There is a shortage of low income housing, and the available low income housing has disproportionate substandard quality.

2.There is a reluctance on the part of some local landlords to rent to Hispanics and families with children.

3.A recent home purchase by a black family provoked white teenagers, with passive support of at least one of their parents, to engage in vandalism against the family.

The Fair Housing Committee has undertaken, or proposes, the following actions:

1.Continuation of the CHIP Program to provide subsidies for improvements.

2.Dissemination of information about the rights and responsibilities of tenants in Spanish.

3.Dissemination of information about fair housing rights and responsibilities through the city's webpage, and the collection of complaints through the webpage.

4.Dissemination of fair housing information through organizations from the minority and disability community, including the NAACP, Hispanic Ministries, the Society for Equal Access, and Southeastern Ohio Legal Services.

5.We agreed that the city needed to publicize the legal protections available to families with children.

6.The City will continue to reach out to victims of ethnic and racial intimidation, investigate such crimes and prosecute offenders. This City wants persons of all races and ethnicities to find City services equally available and to feel welcomed by the City's administration.

The City of New Philadelphia exemplifies the state of housing in Appalachian Ohio. We have a predominately older housing stock, with some new construction primarily for affluent families. The most important housing need in the community is for improved quality and affordability in the low income market.

A housing map of the City of New Philadelphia shows that the relatively small minority population is dispersed throughout the city, without any particular concentration by neighborhood. Some resistance on racial lines occurs for Hispanics, and for one African-American family on the south side. Some families have encountered adverse treatment on account of family status, and made administrative complaints.

Through this report, the city reaffirms its commitment to accomplish fair housing, and continue its programs to assist in home improvements, collecting complaints, and distributing information about the rights and responsibilities of all parties in the consumer housing market.

Members of the Impediments Committee

Demographics Information and Census data profiles for 2002

Construction report 1990-2002

Homes Build in New Philadelphia 1980-2002

Board of Zoning Appeals

Planning Commission

Questionnaire, English and Spanish

Know Your Rental Rights, English and Spanish

Articles from Times Reporter about racial intimidation prosecutions

A map of New Philadelphia's development zone and racial dispersion is also prepared as part of this analysis. It is available for public inspection at 1234 Commercial Ave., SE, New Philadelphia, Ohio.