HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Needs Assessment for Human Services and Housing 2014Dawn Couch, Project Manager
Lisa Grueter, AICP, Housing Policy Expert
Gary Simonson, Lead Analyst
Annie Saurwein, Analyst
2025 First Avenue, Suite 800
P (206) 324-8760
Karen Bergsvik, Human Services Manager, Community Services
Lisa Fabatz, Resident Services Coordinator, Renton Housing Authority
Authority
Terry Higashiyama, Administrator, Community Services
Miryam Laytner, Director of Development & Advancement, Neighborhood House
Shannon Matson, Vice-Chair, Renton Human Services
Kaelene Nobis, Resident Outreach Coordinator, Renton Housing Authority
Mark Santos-Johnson, Community Development Project Manager, Community & Economic Development
Linda Smith, Chair, Renton Human Services Advisory
Kris Sorensen, Associate Planner, Community & Economic Development
Chip Vincent, Administrator, Community & Economic Development
The City of Renton, along with its partners, conducted
human service and housing needs in the City of Renton.
The assessment provides an overall picture of community
need for housing and human services within the City and
broad values to guide the delivery of housing and
human services: equity and dignity.
status, race, religion, faith, or spirituality, sexual
Dignity refers to the experience of receiving housing
and human services. To treat someone with dignity
is to treat them as being of worth, in a way that is
including Economic Opportunity; Basic Needs for
Families; Health & Wellness; Available, Quality
Housing; and Neighborhood Opportunity:
Support for adults who face barriers to employment.
Improved access to food.
Day and night shelters for homeless families that
Increased services to help prevent homelessness to
help families stay in their homes.
income residents.
More mental health and substance abuse services.
More rental units for very low income households
low and moderate income households.
for youth.
The assessment was conducted between July and
and analysis were used to create an understanding
some cases used King County level data to provide
across the community. The two primary methods used
stakeholder outreach and engagement.
that will require the City and its partners to address.
Throughout the assessment process, community
stakeholders spoke of the huge challenge that the City
needs, addressing them will likely require:
improve the delivery of services, increase resources in
the community, and possibly help expand the capacity
of agencies to meet the growing needs.
services system and services in Renton.
and sustainable manner in Renton and across the
region, by using current partners and developing new
partnerships.
The Community Needs Assessment will be used in several
Strategic Plan, which will be done in the fall of 2014 and
2015. That plan will develop the steps that will need to
be taken, to get from the current state of human services
to what is desired in the future. The stakeholders that
were part of the needs assessment want to be engaged
It will help the City of Renton Human Services Advisory
The data in the Community Needs Assessment will
be used to help create the goals and policies for the
Comprehensive Plan, which will be completed in 2015.
Many of the needs cross over with other Elements of the
Comprehensive Plan, such as Economic Development,
City has a clear and consistent vision for housing and
human services that is in all the relevant elements, and
accomplish the goals.
The City of Renton, along with its partners, developed
priority human service and housing needs in the
City of Renton. The Needs Assessment represents
Services Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and
provides a basis for developing updated strategies
to address human service and housing needs for the
community of Renton.
To create a useful focus for policy making and
strategy building, the needs presented within are
between what currently exists in the City of Renton
stakeholders. By bringing focus to these pressing human
service and housing needs, Renton and its partners
outcomes for individuals and families.
The assessment was conducted between July and
November of 2013. The approach used mixed
Renton, and in some cases examined County-level data
within Renton outside of stakeholder reports of how
INDICATORS & MEASURES
For each of the needs presented in this document, one
Publicly available data. To enable the needs assessment
available and accessible data. The assessment team
reviewed basic demographic and community data
available from the U.S. Census Bureau as well as an array
of regional data sources. The full list of data variables is
presented in Appendix A. Future strategic planning and
human service and housing stakeholders.
Stakeholder outreach and engagement. The assessment
process included a targeted program of stakeholder
Support the development of a common understanding of community need.
pressing human service needs.
Renton.
housing needs.
meaningful to local stakeholders.
provider and resident focus groups, a visioning session
and housing providers, and a workshop of City
direct service to the residents of Renton (such as the
community are likely less well represented. For example,
of middle-income working adults, homeowners, and
employers.
This needs assessment describes community human
These categories include Economic Opportunity; Basic
Assessment process, community members, service
providers and other stakeholders provided a wealth
individuals in Renton and the barriers to opportunity
important values to foster as the community and its
leaders work together to meet human services and
housing needs. These two values are Equity and Dignity.
Equity
status, race, religion, faith, or spirituality, sexual
Dignity refers to the experience of receiving housing
and human services. To treat someone with dignity
is to treat them as being of worth, in a way that is
Most human services and housing programs aim to
increase the social and economic well-being of individuals
needs. In general, improving economic opportunity in a
community for those who face barriers to employment,
career advancement, and other forms of economic
opportunity can improve, prevent, or reduce needs
for social service and housing supports. In some cases,
families with otherwise adequate purchasing power will
have extraordinary needs that outstrip their resources.
force and, since the peak of the recession
in 2009, has had a lower unemployment
despite the locally available employment
are seeking employment.
Many unemployed adults need support
supports to those seeking employment
Compiling work history or references.
criminal history or credit problems.
Employment support service needs vary by class of
access to employment.
Exhibit 1 shows the unemployment rate for the City
of Renton and King County over the last 10 years. In
The number of persons who are persistently
gender, age, language ability, or neighborhood.
barriers to employment residents of Renton face.
These data are not published for the City of Renton,
though current service providers can provide anecdotal
ADDRESSING STRUCTURAL CAUSES
TO ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
of workers.
Many households with working adults do not earn
enough income to cover living expenses. This can be due
too low to support basic needs.
Many low-income working adults have extremely limited
that are available in Renton such as professional-
technical programs at Renton Technical College. These
barriers.
economic hardship who are unable to meet their most
basic needs, including adequate shelter and having
families, the needs are very urgent.
household expenses are also needed.
for improved access to quality food in Renton. Many
families do not have enough to eat and must make
There are a number of programs that provide food
can be improved to serve a wider range of individuals
and households as well as improve access to and the
meals to children on school days, but the children
have inadequate food on the days schools are closed.
Some programs are not able to accommodate
culturally or religiously appropriate foods.
For homeless individuals and families, there are
limited day resources to store, cook, and eat healthy
foods.
Many families need support to improve household
of social services that many families encounter.
Exhibit 2 shows the percent of households across
income categories for Renton (including King County and
A direct measure of need for improved access to quality
they do not have enough to eat, or that they have had
An indirect measure is the number of families living in
King County. Families of all types are represented in
homelessness are largely invisible from the public view.
Service providers report that homelessness is poorly
understood by the community and its leaders.
The basic need is adequate shelter. The service
responses to this need varies from emergency shelters
for families and individuals to more comprehensive
case management approaches designed to support
The desired future is that all families have safe, healthy
housing that they can maintain.
In Renton, services for those who are unsheltered –
in other words, individuals and families who have no
place to go during the day or night – is a priority human
showers, laundry, the ability to store food and personal
belongings, a mailing address, a place to receive phone
services to address the severe economic hardship many
access to shelters is also a need, including a central
Unsheltered and sheltered homeless counts.
students.
instability.
School enrollment turnover rate.
211 calls for shelter or emergency housing assistance from Renton residents.
to the scarcity of available, quality housing for many
families, housing insecurity leading to homelessness
report a great deal of factors that can contribute to loss
household.
211 calls related to housing
and supersedes many of the social and economic needs
addressed in this assessment. The assessment takes
human service needs. A dominant theme throughout
geographic, and personal obstacles to adequate health
care that many individuals and families face.
of overall health and well-being. In Renton, many low-
resources to pay for that care. Low-income families
insurance, which is largely provided through employers
Those who have income but do not qualify for Medicaid
especially vulnerable include new immigrants to the
United States, children, and seniors.
do not own a vehicle and do not live near public
transit routes. Renton is lacking points of health care
families in need.
needs for other children.
Lack of knowledge about services in the community.
cultural and language barriers.
those for whom cost is the main obstacle.
Indicators of access to health care include points of
health care service and the hours of availability. An
uninsured. Exhibit 3
health care.
to cover the costs of medical care through pregnancy and
for early childhood assessment and screening between
Medicaid eligibility and when children enter the public
school system. As a result, many children who need and
language, or learning delays are receiving none of
cost and intensive services are needed to remediate
issues at later ages.
report non-material obstacles such as a lack of culturally-
competent providers, language barriers, and familiarity
with available services.
A direct measure of the children who are receiving early
childhood screenings would be the number of 1 – 4 year
olds receiving annual medical assessments. For many,
exams is cost; therefore, the number of 1 – 4 year olds
not covered by health insurance can act as a proxy.
substance abuse services is a common challenge
States. Service providers report there is a great unmet
need for mental health services in Renton, though it is
unclear how many persons need, but do not have, access
to mental health services.
is all the more challenging because mental illness is
poorly understood within the community and amongst
its leaders. There is much work to be done in increasing
understanding about mental illness and service needs
Mental health is highly correlated with substance
abuse, and both are correlated with other social
problems, including child neglect, homelessness, and
underemployment. Those with mental health issues
services network. Providers and educators report that
mental illness is the cause of many other hardships that
housing in Renton for those with mental health and
substance abuse issues, as well as a greater overall
may be in need of mental health services or substance
abuse treatment, but are not currently receiving it.
to health care will be necessary to have a direct measure
of mental service needs. Other measures that can act as
indirect proxies of the rate of mental health or substance
Disturbance arrests
Substance abuse arrests
Suicide rates
City of Renton. Many families are living in sub-standard
housing that is outdated or not designed to meet
in order to keep their home, knowing the loss of a
The private housing market does not currently serve
housing at current market rents. For planning purposes,
housing needs as those earning less than 30 percent
of County median income. Using 30 percent of gross
month, an amount well below current market rents.
without children, families with children, and families
to get quality housing for households in this income
throughout the City.
Using countywide planning policies as a guide, low and
moderate income households represent households
into older housing is necessary to maintain quality
drives up rents it can displace low to moderate-income
households. Most new housing in Renton, including
moderate income households.
Other dimensions of housing need in this category
Larger units to accommodate large families.
forcing low and moderate income households to
costs and vice versa.
Persons per room as an indicator of overcrowding.
various value categories.
HOUSING NEED CATEGORIES
Very-low Income Housing Need.
Low Income Housing Need.
in this income range.
Moderate Income Housing Need.
households in this
income range.
To assess the degree to
housing in the region, the
analysis compares the
number of renter households
in each housing need category
to the number of units being
that category.
to lead socially and economically successful lives. In
neighborhoods, and as a result are geographically
unequally distributed. This results in uneven access and
of all forms of opportunity. Mobility barriers, such as lack
maintain employment.
Renton has uneven access to public transit, with
need to travel within Renton (instead of between
impacts mobility for all residents, but is especially
have access to a vehicle. The most vulnerable groups include low-income households who are unable to
are unable to drive.
Elderly residents and those with personal mobility
impairments are unable to walk to and from a bus
transit.
households without a vehicle.
Opportunity for mobility is a wide-ranging topic with
understand the geographic determinants of Mobility
Opportunity in King County, the Puget Sound Regional
The cost of the average
Transit cost. The cost of the average transit fare.
Access to transit. The percentage of the total area
Walkability. The percentage of workers who walk to work.
high mobility opportunity. Exhibit 4 on the next page
tracts into low opportunity and high opportunity areas.
safety of sidewalks and bike routes. A direct indicator for
the safety of bike and pedestrian routes would be miles
of improved sidewalk and bike routes.
Service providers note that there is a lack of free, high
and academic success. Youth development programs
can deter delinquent behavior such as gang involvement
and opportunity costs to the household (such as youth
employment and the childcare the youth provide to
among some members of the community.
Number of 13 – 19 year olds living in low-income
households.
programs.
ensure that all children arrive to Kindergarten ready to
licensed family child care programs in Renton (February
Early Achievers program. The children who have the
Some families lack knowledge of where quality childcare programs are.
waitlists.
Cost is a barrier for many low-income families.
Some families have cultural or religious preferences
not meet.
Parents can work atypical hours that are not
accommodated by standard childcare centers.
able to accommodate disabled or special needs
children.
Service providers report a shortage of quality early
licensed child care capacity in Renton only amounts to
Exhibit 5,
of slots to meet local demand.
and neighbors provide quality early learning environments
for young children and many day care providers are not
registered. Some indirect measures of whether need is
in Early Achievers can reveal the quality of childcare
service supply.
2. Variables and Data Sources
3. Renton and Sunset Area Demographic Tables
The Sunset Area (shown to the right) is an ethnically
diverse, low-income neighborhood in the City of Renton.
It includes the City’s largest public housing community,
priority. Since the late 1990s, the City has focused on
this area for targeted improvement and investment and
for coordinated redevelopment driven by a community
vision.
The City of Renton’s Community Needs Assessment for
human services and housing needs. This document
Sunset Area.
The Sunset Area is a small neighborhood located east of
development in the 1940s, with the building of more
a diverse, low-income community with lower housing
than much of Renton.
Renton is currently developing the Sunset Area
to catalyze private property development, create
improvements. The City believes the Sunset Area has
Publically Available Data. To enable the needs
assessment team reviewed basic demographic and
community data available from the U.S. Census Bureau
as well as an array of regional data sources. Much of
two Census Tracts most associated with the Sunset Area
boundaries. The associated census tracts comprise a
much larger area than the Sunset Area and themselves
are not homogenous. For these reasons, Sunset Area
of Renton Community Needs Assessment for Human
Services and Housing for the full list of data variables.
The Renton Housing Authority (RHA) and its partners
plan to conduct a community survey neighborhood
residents in the coming year as part of the City and RHA’s
Stakeholder outreach and engagement. The assessment
process included targeted program interviews, provider
and resident focus groups, a visioning session with
to the residents of Renton (such as the Community In
Schools Family Liaisons) as well as clients of Renton’s
the Sunset Area.
This needs assessment will help the City and the Renton
Housing Authority mobilize resources to respond to the
Sunset Area’s community needs, including applying for a
in the citywide Community Needs Assessment, with
discussion of the context and relevance of each need
of each need, please see the complete Community
Needs Assessment and associated appendices.
25 years old through 60 years old). However, the
average household income of Sunset Area households
the Sunset Area’s households and individuals. Exhibits
1, 2 and 3
Renton’s median household income is 19% below the
has a lower median household income, 43% lower than
Support for adults who face barriers to employment
unemployment rates in the Sunset Area than both Renton
these individuals face.
living wage jobs and career advancement are necessary
to ensure families have enough resources to meet basic
needs. As the neighborhood pursues redevelopment
neighborhood.
The Community Needs Assessment for Human Services
income, reveal the degree to which households have
resources to meet their basic needs. The Sunset Area
shown in Exhibit 3 on the following page), with 22% of
all Sunset Area households having annual incomes of less
basic needs on an annual household income of less than
for improved access to quality food in the Sunset Area,
the Sunset Area means many Sunset Area families in
accessing food.
demonstrate the degree to which homelessness is
anecdotal reports from educators and service providers
suggest a problem of many families “bouncing around”
and “cramming in” to the smaller housing units in the
area. Exhibit 4 shows the number and percentage of
Sunset Area Tracts. Future community assessments and
residence and the services they need.
Throughout the Community Needs Assessment,
term consequences and costs endured by
however, the higher rates of overcrowding, lower
incomes, and renters compared to Renton are
of losing housing. This need calls for support to
households to prevent loss of housing.
services-oriented approach to health and
needs. A dominant theme throughout the
obstacles that many individuals and families
face to adequate health care. There are many Sunset
due to an inability to pay for health services or mobility
challenges. The free and low-cost clinics that are available
constraints.
the Sunset Area, along with the higher unemployment
health insurance who face obstacles to accessing health
schools and other service providers report that there
hardship.
Service providers noted a gap in the availability of these
services to low-income families with young children in
high percentage of low-income residents, immigrants,
neglect.
median household income. However, even with the
low incomes of many Sunset Area households means
as presence of subsidized units provided through the
Renton Housing Authority and other service providers,
Area Median Income (AMI), the Sunset Area needs
including accessible units, larger units, and updated
Sunset Area. Service providers note that the Sunset
Exhibit 5 shows
a 100 unit family public housing complex in the center of
meet current building codes and a redesign to improve
community livability.
to lead socially and economically successful lives. In
neighborhoods, and as a result are geographically
unequally distributed.
priority human service and housing needs that, together
opportunity for Sunset Area community members
redevelopment.
other parts of the City. Service providers report many
bus vouchers towards a card-based system of payment
has limited the ability for service providers to support
the Sunset Area has poor pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure. The City has made some investments in
areas and service nodes.
Since the area has an especially high percentage of low-
community youth.
to the Sunset Area, the need far outstrips the available
slots. The high percentage of low-income and immigrant
families in the neighborhood suggests a need for low-
that can accommodate a wide variety of family needs.
Karen Bergsvik, Human Services Manager, Community Services
Lisa Fabatz, Resident Services Coordinator, Renton Housing Authority
Authority
Terry Higashiyama, Administrator, Community Services
Miryam Laytner, Director of Development & Advancement, Neighborhood House
Shannon Matson, Vice-Chair, Renton Human Services
Kaelene Nobis, Resident Outreach Coordinator, Renton Housing Authority
Mark Santos-Johnson, Community Development Project Manager, Community & Economic Development
Linda Smith, Chair, Renton Human Services Advisory
Kris Sorensen, Associate Planner, Community & Economic Development
Chip Vincent, Administrator, Community & Economic Development
Dawn Couch, Project Manager
Lisa Grueter, AICP, Housing Policy Expert
Gary Simonson, Lead Analyst
Annie Saurwein, Analyst
2025 First Avenue, Suite 800
P (206) 324-8760
June 2014 1
City of Renton
Community Needs Assessment for Human Services and Housing
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
The City of Renton is conducting a Community Needs Assessment for housing and human services to inform
its Comprehensive Plan that must be updated by 2015. As an interim step of the Community Needs
Assessment, the project team conducted a review and analysis of available quantitative data on the current
social, economic, neighborhood, health, and housing conditions in Renton. The Baseline Community
Conditions document describes a range of current conditions within the City of Renton and the Sunset Area, a
small neighborhood located East of I-405 in the northern part of Renton.
This document relies primarily on quantitative, secondary information and serves as a discussion resource to
help build a common understanding of conditions within the City, as well as to identify gaps in services and
potential indicators to track progress toward the desired future. The Community Needs Assessment is based
on the quantitative data presented here, additional information on current social and housing services, and a
qualitative assessment based on community feedback and input. This input received through interviews,
focus groups, stakeholder reviews, and other facilitated conversations about community needs and desires
will provide context and other information to support policy discussions. There are several key topics that are
not included in this document, including crime, mental health, drug addiction, youth-related services, and
others. However, most of these topics are addressed to some extent through the qualitative community
outreach effort.
The conditions report draws on publically available data from the following sources:
U.S. Census Bureau
Decennial Census
American Community Survey (5-year
estimates)
Esri projections based on Decennial Census
data
Federal Agencies
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
U.S. Office of Refugees
Washington State Agencies
Washington State Office of Financial
Management
The Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction
County and Regional Agencies
Puget Sound Regional Council
Public Health of Seattle/King County
Seattle/King County Coalition on
Homelessness
Other
Dupre and Scott
Zillow.com
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
About this document................................................................................................................................ 1
Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 2
POPULATION & COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS ....................................................................................... 4
Renton Population & Community Characteristics ............................................................................................ 4
Exhibit 1 City of Renton Population, 2010-2013 ......................................................................................................................................... 4
Exhibit 2 Sunset Area Population, 2010-2012............................................................................................................................................. 4
Exhibit 3 Age Distribution, 2010 ................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Exhibit 4 Renton and King County Broad Age Category Distributions, 2010 ............................................................................................... 5
Exhibit 5 Household Size in King County, Renton, and the Sunset Area ..................................................................................................... 6
Exhibit 6 Racial Composition, 2012............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Exhibit 7 Languages Spoken at Home in Renton, 2005-2009 5-year Average ............................................................................................. 7
Exhibit 8 Top Ten Countries of Origin for Refugee Arrivals to Washington State, Fiscal Year 2012 ............................................................ 8
............................................................................................ 9
HOUSEHOLD ECONOMICS ....................................................................................................................... 10
Household Income.................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Exhibit 10 Median Household Income, 2012 Estimate* ........................................................................................................................... 10
Exhibit 11 Household Income Segmentation, 2011 & 2012...................................................................................................................... 11
Exhibit 12 Percent of Families with Food Stamp/ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits, 2011 ....................................... 12
Income by Household Size ........................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Exhibit 13 Median Household Income by Size, 2011 ................................................................................................................................ 13
Homeless Population ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Exhibit 14 Unsheltered Homeless Counts, 2010 2013 ........................................................................................................................... 14
Exhibit 15 Homeless Students in Renton and Washington State, 2011 2012 School Year ..................................................................... 14
Employment & Labor Force Participation ....................................................................................................... 15
Exhibit 16 Labor Force Participation and Unemployment Rate for Civilians 16+ Years Old, 2007 2011 5-Year Average ....................... 15
Housing Cost Burden ....................................................................................................................................... 15
Exhibit 17 Percent of Renton Households Spending More than 30% of Income on Housing, 2007-2011 5-year Average* ...................... 16
NEIGHBORHOOD OPPORTUNITY ............................................................................................................. 17
Economic Health ............................................................................................................................................. 17
Exhibit 18 Map of Economic Health Index by Tract in Renton, 2012 ........................................................................................................ 18
Transportation/Mobility ................................................................................................................................. 19
Exhibit 19 Map of Mobility/Transportation Index by Tract in Renton, 2012 ............................................................................................ 20
Means of Transportation and Travel Time to Work........................................................................................ 21
Exhibit 20 Means of Transportation to Work, 2011-2013 3-year Average ............................................................................................... 21
Exhibit 21 Travel Time to Work, 2011 2013 3-year Average .................................................................................................................. 21
Education Opportunity.................................................................................................................................... 22
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 3
Exhibit 22 Percent of Renton School District Students Meeting Grade Level Reading and Math Standards, School Year 2012-13 .......... 22
Exhibit 23 Percent of Sunset Area School Students Meeting Grade Level Reading Standard, School Year 2012-13 ................................ 23
-11 ................................................................................................ 24
-12 ................................................ 24
HEALTH & CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................... 25
Exhibit 26 Five-Year Total Deaths per 100,000 of Top Five Causes of Death, 2007-2011 ......................................................................... 25
Exhibit 27 Five-Year Percent of Adults 18+ with Negative Health Risk Factors and Chronic Disease, 2006-2010 ..................................... 26
Exhibit 28 Five-Year Percent of Adults with Inadequate Access to Care Indicators, 2006-2010 ............................................................... 27
HOUSING INVENTORY & AFFORDABILITY ................................................................................................ 28
Exhibit 29 Overview Map of Renton, the Sunset Area, and the Potential Annexation Areas ................................................................... 29
Housing Units .................................................................................................................................................. 29
Exhibit 30 Estimate of Housing Units, 2013 .............................................................................................................................................. 30
Exhibit 31 Number of Housing Units, 2013 ............................................................................................................................................... 31
Exhibit 32 Existing Renton Housing Units by Year Built, 2013 .................................................................................................................. 32
Housing Attainability ....................................................................................................................................... 33
Affordability .................................................................................................................................................... 33
Exhibit 33 Housing Need Income Thresholds Based on Area Median Income .......................................................................................... 33
Estimating Households by Percent of Median Income ............................................................................................................................. 33
Exhibit 34 Household Estimates by Percentage Median Income, 2011 dollars ........................................................................................ 34
Affordability of Renter Occupied Housing .................................................................................................. 34
Exhibit 35 Renter Households by Housing Need Category, 2011 .............................................................................................................. 35
Exhibit 36 Renton Rental Unit Gap Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 36
Exhibit 37 Renton Housing Authority Subsidized Rental Units, 2013........................................................................................................ 37
Exhibit 38 King County Renting Households by Household Size and Income, 2010 .................................................................................. 38
Apartment Rents and Vacancy Rates .............................................................................................................. 38
Exhibit 39 Average Apartment Rents and Vacancy Rates in Renton, 2005-2012 ...................................................................................... 39
Exhibit 40 Comparison of Fair Market Rents and Current Market Prices ................................................................................................. 40
Exhibit 41 Renton Gross Rent by Bedroom ............................................................................................................................................... 40
Overcrowding .............................................................................................................................................. 41
Exhibit 42 Percentage of Rental Units that are Overcrowded, 2007-2011 5-year Average ...................................................................... 41
Owner Occupied Housing ............................................................................................................................... 41
Exhibit 43 Owner Tenure Household by Housing Need Category, 2012 ................................................................................................... 41
Exhibit 44 King County Owning Households by Household Size and Income, 2010 .................................................................................. 42
Exhibit 45 Renton Median Sales Prices, Jan 2005 2013 ......................................................................................................................... 43
Exhibit 46 Annual Income Needed to Purchase a Home at Current Median Selling Price, 2013 .............................................................. 44
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 4
POPULATION & COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS
who the City
serves and what the scale of need may be. This section looks at several important community characteristics
including population, age distribution, household size, racial and ethnic composition, and languages spoken
at home.
Renton Population & Community Characteristics
Exhibit 1
City of Renton Population, 2010-2013
Source: OFM Forecasting Division, 2013.
As of 2013, about 95,540 residents live in the City of Renton.
is
Exhibit 2
Sunset Area Population, 2010-2012
Source: Esri, 2012.
In 2012, there were an estimated 2,780 residents in the Sunset Area.
Based on past trends, the population of the Sunset Area could increase to 3,002 by 2017, an increase of
about 220 people. This is a compound annual growth rate of about 1.5% over the next five years.
Additional investment in the Sunset Area could increase this rate of growth.
Compound Annual
Growth Rate 1.2%
Compound Annual
Growth Rate 1.5%
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 5
Exhibit 3 presents the population age structure for Renton and the Sunset Area based on the 2010 Census,
the last universal assessment of population structure.
old (not shown in chart) was 674 (or 26.2% of the total population) and the senior population (ages 65 years
and over) was 280 (or 10.9% of the total population). In the Sunset Area, 67% of adults over 54 years old are
female, compared to the 33% that are male.
Exhibit 3
Age Distribution, 2010
Source: U.S. Census, 2010; Sunset Area figures estimated by Census Blocks, BERK 2013.
In 2010, population under 18 years old (not shown in chart) was 21,117 (or 23.2% of the total
population) and the senior population (ages 65 years and over) was 9,164 (or 10.1% of the population).
years old (not shown in chart) was 674 (or 26.2% of the
total population) and the senior population (ages 65 years and over) was 280 (or 10.9% of the total
population).
Exhibit 4 compares Renton to the County average using broader age categories.
In the Sunset Area, 67% of adults over 54 years old are female, compared to the 33% that are male.
Exhibit 4
Renton and King County Broad Age Category Distributions, 2010
Source: U.S. Census, 2010.
R is slightly younger than the County average, with a higher percentage of residents
under 20 years old and a lower percentage of residents between 20 64 years old and over 65 years old.
However, the difference is not substantial.
3,601
2,946
2,704
2,535
2,938
4,083
3,926
3,799
3,624
3,355
3,105
2,517
2,002
1,324
946
665
481
287
154
3,496
2,842
2,536
2,390
3,085
4,040
3,983
3,725
3,327
3,158
3,102
2,679
2,265
1,577
1,130
887
761
573
379
5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years
10 to 14 years
15 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years
35 to 39 years
40 to 44 years
45 to 49 years
50 to 54 years
55 to 59 years
60 to 64 years
65 to 69 years
70 to 74 years
75 to 79 years
80 to 84 years
85 to 89 years
90 years and over
Population
Renton Age Distribution, 2010
Males
44,992
Females
45,935
105
82
77
91
101
112
106
102
83
85
75
72
64
49
44
32
35
25
107
92
93
76
81
106
119
98
97
86
75
52
42
25
31
13
16
10
150 100 50 0 50 100 150
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years
10 to 14 years
15 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years
35 to 39 years
40 to 44 years
45 to 49 years
50 to 54 years
55 to 59 years
60 to 64 years
65 to 69 years
70 to 74 years
75 to 79 years
80 to 84 years
85 years and over
Population
Sunset Area Age Distribution, 2010
Males
1,219
Females
1,340
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 6
Exhibit 5
Household Size in King County, Renton, and the Sunset Area
Source: U.S. Census, 2010; Esri, 2012. Figures may exceed total due to rounding.
The Sunset Area has a notably higher percentage of 1-person households than Renton overall, but a
lower percentage of 2-4 person households. The Sunset Area also has a slightly higher percentage of 7+
person households than Renton in general.
Renton has a slightly greater proportion of households with 3 to 7 people. About 40% of Renton
residents live in households with more than 2 people, compared to 36% for the County overall.
Renton has a slightly higher percentage of households with 3-4 persons per household (29%) than the
County overall (28%), as well as a higher percentage of households with 5-7 people (10%) than the
County overall (8%).
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 7
Exhibit 6
Racial Composition, 2012
Source: U.S. Census, 2010; Esri, 2012.
*King County figure based on 2010 U.S. Census, Renton and Sunset Area based on 2012 estimates from the American
Community Survey
Renton is somewhat more diverse than the County overall, with 37% of its population being races other
than white compared to 31% for the County.
pulation is 10%, compared to 9% for the County overall (not shown).
(not shown).
The Sunset Area is substantially more diverse than Renton overall, with a much higher Hispanic
has a slightly higher Asian population than the Sunset Area.
Exhibit 7
Languages Spoken at Home in Renton, 2005-2009 5-year Average
Source: U.S. Census, 2010; Esri, 2012.
Approximately 32% of Renton residents do not speak English at home, with Asian & Pacific Languages
and Spanish being the most commonly spoken languages besides English.
Persons
Age 5+ years
% of
Total
Without
English
Proficiency
% of Group
Without English
Proficiency
English 52,331 68%--
Asian and Pacific Languages 10,758 14% 2,385 22%
Spanish 6,671 9% 235 4%
Other Indo-European Languages 4,703 6% 959 20%
Other Languages 2,130 3% 245 12%
Total 76,593 100% 3,824 5%
Language Spoken at Home
68%14%
9%
6%3%
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 8
Although 32% of Renton residents do not speak English at home, only 7.4% of the total population does
not have proficiency in English (not shown). Residents were considered not proficient in English if they
own
proficiency in English in the American Community Survey.
In 2012, the Renton School District had 6,985 students (49% of all students) who were considered
Transitional Bilingual, or who qualified for English Language Development services.
Renton School District tracks the home language of all students. For the current school year (2013
2014), the top 10 languages other than English spoken in descending order were:
1. Spanish
2. Vietnamese
3. Somali
4. Chinese Cantonese
5. Russian
6. Tagalog
7. Ukrainian
8. Cambodian
9. Punjabi
10. Rumanian
There are more than 80 languages represented in the Renton School District on any given day, but most
students who do not speak English at home speak one of the top five languages.
It is difficult to predict what languages future immigrants to Renton will speak. One indicator is the country of
origin for refugee arrivals to Washington State, presented in Exhibit 8. On average, refugees have less English
proficiency and greater social service needs than other types of immigrants. While not all refugee
populations will move into Renton, they provide insight into what families may be linguistically isolated in the
future.
Exhibit 8
Top Ten Countries of Origin for Refugee Arrivals to Washington State, Fiscal Year 2012
Source: U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, 2013.
Almost 90% of refugees that came to Washington State in 2012 came from one of these top ten
countries of origin.
The rate of individuals living with a disability is an indicator of human service needs. Exhibit 9 presents the
rate of self-reported disabilities among the adult population.
Country of Origin Number of Arrivals
Burma/Myanmar 481
Bhutan 424
Iraq 297
Somalia 215
Ukraine 116
Iran 107
Moldova 105
Eritrea 73
Russia 64
Democrative Republic of Congo 55
Other countries 228
Total Refugee Arrivals in Washington 2,165
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 9
Exhibit 9
Source: American Community Survey, 2008 2012 5-year estimates.
For the population 18 to 64 years, the proportion of the population with a specific type of disability is
relatively similar across all disability types. For older adults, ambulatory difficulties are much more
prevalent, as well as all other disability types except for vision difficulties.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 10
HOUSEHOLD ECONOMICS
conditions provides insight into the resources available to
individuals and families to meet their basic needs. More importantly, it helps us estimate what portion of the
population does not have the resources necessary to meet basic needs, as well as where assistance may be
most beneficial.
Household Income
Exhibit 10 compares median household income for King County, Renton, and the Sunset Area and Exhibit 11
shows the segmentation of household income for each of the three areas. The data reflect income for all
households regardless of size. Exhibit 12 shows the percentage of families receiving Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) (i.e. food stamp) benefits.
Exhibit 10
Median Household Income, 2012 Estimate*
Source: King County estimate based on most recent ACS 1 year estimate; Renton and Sunset estimate based on ESRI
estimates for 2012.
Renton is lower than the County the Sunset Area median household
income of $39,318 is lower than both .
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 11
Exhibit 11
Household Income Segmentation, 2011 & 2012
Source: King County estimates from American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-year average; Renton and Sunset Area estimates
from ESRI 2012. Figures may exceed total due to rounding.
Renton has a smaller proportion of households in the higher income categories than the County overall,
with 44% of households earning less than $50,000 per year (compared to 35% for the County) and 24%
earning more than $100,000 (compared to 34% for the County overall).
The Sunset Area has a greater proportion of households with incomes below $25,000 than Renton and
the County overall. Fourteen percent (14%) of Sunset Area households earn more than $100,000.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 12
Exhibit 12
Percent of Families with Food Stamp/
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits, 2011
Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-year estimates; BERK, 2013.
* The Sunset Tracts include all of Tracts 252 and 254, which the Sunset Area is within. However, the Sunset Tracts represent a much
larger area than the Sunset Area itself.
While Renton has a moderately higher percentage of residents receiving Food Stamp/SNAP benefits
(11%) compared to the County overall (8%), the weighted average of the Sunset Tracts (13%) are higher
than both King County and Renton.
More than half (54.6%) of Renton School District Students are eligible for Free or Reduced Meals. This is
almost 10 percentage points higher than the Washington State average (46.1%).
Income by Household Size
Household incomes can reveal the amount of resources available to cover household needs, but offers little
insight into household needs. Exhibit 13 presents the median household income by household size for both
King County and Renton. This data is slightly older than the 2012 estimates provided above, and is not
available for the Sunset Area.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 13
Exhibit 13
Median Household Income by Size, 2011
Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-year average.
The median household income for single person households is similar for King County and Renton. Half
the single person households have an annual income of less than $39,500.
median.
Households with 4 to 5 persons tend to have the highest household income, with households with more
than 5 persons having lower median household incomes. This suggests that large households (more than
5 persons) have less income per person and may be more likely to experience strain on household
finances.
Homeless Population
Estimating the total homeless population is difficult. In King County, a 2012 one-night analysis of
homelessness in King County found that 2,682 people were staying in shelters, 3,554 were in transitional
housing, and 2,594 were outside between the hours of 2 and 5 am on a January night. The total one night
homeless population was 8,830.
Unsheltered homeless counts illuminate the local gap in services for the homeless. Exhibit 14 shows
counts. The one-night unsheltered homeless counts in Renton show unsheltered homelessness in the City
ranging from 71-84 persons over the last four years. These figures are known to undercount the unsheltered
homeless, since not all areas are searched and many homeless persons do not want to be seen. There are
likely individuals and families that are improvising with camping, sleeping in their cars, rotating through
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 14
Exhibit 14
Unsheltered Homeless Counts, 2010 2013
Source: Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, 2013.
The homelessness data in the chart above was collected during one-night-counts in January of each year.
For all the areas listed, the one- night homeless counts have remained relatively stable. However, the
unsheltered homeless are only a small portion of the homeless population and significantly
underrepresent the entire homeless population. According to the Seattle/King County Coalition on
Homelessness, the one-
In addition to the one-night-count numbers, Washington State school districts collect information on
homeless students, defined by lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The McKinney-
Vento Homeless Act of 1987 requires school districts to provide transportation to and from school for
homeless students so that their access to school is not disrupted by becoming homeless. Exhibit 15 presents
the number of McKinney-Vento qualified students in Renton School District and Washington State for the
2011 2012 school year.
Exhibit 15
Homeless Students in Renton and Washington State, 2011 2012 School Year
Source: Office Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2013.
In the 2011 12 school year, the Renton School District identified 341 students who met the legislative
definition of homeless. This includes students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence such as children who are staying with others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or are
living in temporary quarters such as a hotel, shelter, camp ground or vehicle.
Unsheltered Homeless Count 2010 2011 2012 2013 2010 2011 2012 2013
Men 9 13 15 22 919 860 882 897
Women 3 3 2 2 159 191 174 205
Gender Unknown 70 54 56 59 1,664 1,357 1,531 1,615
Minor (under 18) 2 1 - - 17 34 7 19
Total 84 71 73 83 2,759 2,442 2,594 2,736
Benches 1 0 0 2 42 21 23 16
Parking Garages 8 0 0 3 19 23 5 28
Cars/Trucks 27 39 55 37 891 767 791 878
Structures 10 8 3 11 316 249 348 353
Under Roadways 10 10 4 8 191 196 163 225
Doorways 5 4 3 2 136 131 154 163
City Parks 7 0 2 0 114 25 30 23
Brushes/undergrowth 3 1 2 2 129 89 77 88
Bus Stops 4 0 0 3 28 42 24 40
Alleys 0 0 0 16 21 14 48
Walking around 5 4 3 8 331 261 300 305
Other 4 5 1 7 546 617 665 569
Total 84 71 73 83 2,759 2,442 2,594 2,736
RENTON TOTAL Selected Areas
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 15
The students identified as homeless often represent entire homeless families, including parents and
children who are not school age. Therefore, the count is only a small proportion of total homeless
persons.
that is living with a friend, relative, or other person
due to economic hardship or loss of housing.
Employment & Labor Force Participation
Employment and labor force participation are important economic indicators of self-sufficiency and
household resources. Exhibit 16 shows the percentage of civilians over 16 years old who are in the labor
force, as well as the percentage of the labor force that are unemployed for Renton and King County.
Exhibit 16
Labor Force Participation and Unemployment Rate for Civilians 16+ Years Old, 2007 2011 5-Year
Average
Source: American Community Survey, 2007 2011 5-year average.
While Renton has a higher percentage of residents over 16 years old in the civilian labor force than the
County average, it also has a notably higher unemployment rate (8.4%) compared to the County (6.9%).
Housing Cost Burden
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines housing cost-burdened households
as households that spend 30% or more of their income on housing costs. Given how much cost-burdened
households spend on housing, these households may have difficulty affording necessities such as food,
clothing, transportation, and medical care. Exhibit 17 shows the percentage of cost-burdened households in
Renton by occupancy tenure for all income categories, as well as for households earning under $35,000 per
year. Since the median household income for King County was nearly $69,000 in 2011 (based on ACS
estimates), the second group serves as an approximation for households that earn 50% or less of the Area
Median Income (AMI).
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 16
Exhibit 17
Percent of Renton Households Spending More than 30% of Income on Housing, 2007-2011 5-year
Average*
Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-year average.
* Counts for cost-burdened households include 209 households earning zero or negative income. It is uncertain what percentage of these
households are actually cost-burdened and what percentage are using savings or have no housing costs.
A vast majority of households (82%) earning under $35,000 are spending more than 30% of their income
on housing, including nearly 87% of renter households and 74% of owner-occupied households.
A smaller, but still substantial, percentage (43%) of all households are spending more than 30% of their
income on housing, including nearly 45% of renters and 41% of owners.
The percentage of cost-burdened households in Renton is similar to King County overall, where 83% of
households earning under $35,000 are spending more than 30% of their income on housing and 40% of
all households are spending 30% of their income on housing.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 17
NEIGHBORHOOD OPPORTUNITY
This section presents data and measures on the economic, transportation, and educational opportunities
associated with Renton and the Sunset Area. Assessing opportunities in communities is an important
dimension of understanding overall needs. Areas with more economic, educational, mobility, and health
opportunities provide better support for individual and family success.
This first part of this section assesses economic and transportation/mobility opportunities using the Puget
PSRC) opportunity indicator categories. PSRC, in partnership with the Kirwan
Institute, developed a series of indicators that represent several major categories of opportunity, including
economic health and transportation/mobility (discussed below). Every U.S. Census Tract in King County has
been assigned a rating. Ratings go from 1 (lowest opportunity rating) to 5 (highest opportunity rating) for
each of the major categories in the County. This approach
allows helps identify disparities or gaps in opportunity across the County.
The remainder of the section provides a review of education as a key component of neighborhood
opportunity.
Economic Health
through an index based on:
Access to living wage jobs. The percentage of regional jobs within 15 minutes of travel time by
automobile and 30 minutes travel time by public transit and that pay a living wage.
Job growth trends. The difference in number of jobs between 2000 and 2010.
Unemployment rate. The percentage of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Exhibit 18 shows the Economic Health rating distribution for Renton (23 tracts either fully or partially within
City boundaries), and the two tracts most associated with the Sunset Area (tracts 252 and 254). As the
distribution of indicators across the County serves as the benchmark for the rating system, there is an even
distribution of 20% for each of the ratings at the County level.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 18
Exhibit 18
Map of Economic Health Index by Census Tract in Renton, 2012
Source: PSRC, 2012; BERK, 2013.
*Renton tabulation geography includes 23 tracts either fully or partially within Renton city limits.
for each rating), indicating that there is a
city limits. However, Renton does have a slightly lower percentage of Census tracts that received a rating
Both Census tracts (252 and 254) associated with the Sunset Area
exactly the medium opportunity range for Economic Health (these tracts represent a much larger area
than the Sunset Area itself).
As indicated by the map, tracts in (or partially in) the western and northern portions of the City appear to
have relatively high economic health ratings, while tracts in (or partially in) the eastern and southeastern
portions of the City rate relatively low.
Areas with less employment opportunity and economic vitality include areas along the Cedar River and
the heavily residential area along 116th Avenue SE.
PSRC Rating Sunset Tracts:
252 & 254 Renton*
1 - Low Opp.0% 17%
2 0% 22%
3 100% 22%
4 0% 26%
5 - High Opp.0% 13%
Total # of Tracts 2 23
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 19
Transportation/Mobility
Mobility and affordable transportation options are critical for households to sustain employment and access
groceries, health care, and other basic services. Better transportation and mobility options for suburban
areas can ease the housing affordability gap for some populations. PSRC measures neighborhood
Transportation/Mobility opportunity based on four indicators:
Transportation cost. The cost of the average commute to work, based on the distance traveled by a cost
$0.50 per mile.
Access to transit. The percentage of total area within ¼ mile of an express bus stop.
Transit cost. The cost of an average transit fare.
Walkability. The percentage of commuters who walk to work.
Exhibit 19 provides a comparison of the Transportation/Mobility rating distribution for Renton (23 tracts
either fully or partially within City boundaries), and the tracts associated with the Sunset Area (tracts 252 and
254.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 20
Exhibit 19
Map of Mobility/Transportation Index by Census Tract in Renton, 2012
Source: PSRC, 2012; BERK, 2013.
*Renton tabulation geography includes 23 tracts either fully or partially within Renton city limits.
is lower than the County overall, indicating that
transportation options are limited and mobility is poor across much of the City. Nearly 70% of tracts rate
The primary exception is the area West of I-405, in the City Center area, which rates highly, as well as a
few tracts in the southern and eastern portions of the City which rate relatively high. The Cedar River
Valley, Highlands, and East Plateau areas all have much more limited transportation and mobility
opportunity.
The tracts associated with the Sunset Area rate as also indicating poor performance in this
category.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 21
Means of Transportation and Travel Time to Work
Exhibit 20 shows the means of transportation for workers over 16 years old in Renton and King County,
while Exhibit 21 provides information on travel time to work for workers over 16 years who do not work
at home. These indicators provide a sense of how Renton compares to the County overall in terms of
convenience of and preference for using alternative modes of transportation (excluding car, truck, or
van) and commute burden.
Exhibit 20
Means of Transportation to Work, 2011-2013 3-year Average
Source: American Community Survey, 2011 2013 3-year average.
Exhibit 21
Travel Time to Work, 2011 2013 3-year Average
Source: American Community Survey, 2011 2013 3-year average.
Renton has a substantially higher percentage (86.0%) of workers over 16 years old who travel to work via
car, truck, or van compared to the County overall (76.4%). It has a lower percentage of workers who use
public transportation (7.6% vs. 10.9% for the County overall) and a far lower percentage of workers who
walk or bicycle to work. This indicates that the convenience of and preference for using alternative
modes of transportation is lower in Renton than the County overall.
Travel time to work for workers 16 and older not working at home in Renton is relatively similar to the
County overall, although the mean travel time is slightly higher for Renton (27.8 vs. 26.4 minutes). There
are a higher percentage of workers in Renton who have a commute of at least 30 minutes (45.6% vs.
41.0%) and of at least 60 minutes (7.4% vs. 6.8%). This indicates that Renton workers have a slightly
larger overall commute burden compared to the County average.
Renton King County
Total Workers 16 and Older 46,353 989,159
Car, Truck, or Van 86.0% 76.4%
Public transportation 7.6% 10.9%
Walked 1.3% 4.4%
Bicycle 0.2% 1.5%
Taxicab, motorcycle, or other 0.8% 1.1%
Worked at home 4.0% 5.8%
Renton King County
Total Workers 16 and Older
Not Working at Home 44,493 931,885
Less than 10 minutes 7.4% 9.1%
10 - 19 minutes 22.9% 26.5%
20 - 29 minutes 24.2% 23.4%
30 - 44 minutes 29.6% 25.6%
45 - 59 minutes 8.6% 8.6%
60 minutes or more 7.4% 6.8%
Mean Travel Time to Work
(in minutes)27.8 26.4
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 22
Education Opportunity
Access to quality educational opportunities is a significant part of overall opportunity. To
assess educational opportunities for children and youth, the analysis uses indicators developed by the Road
Map Project, a regional effort aimed at improving student achievement including grade-level reading and
graduation rates.
Grade level reading is an important indicator of student progress. The Road Map project uses the percent of
students meeting the reading standard by the end of 3rd grade as a performance indicator, due to its high
predictive value for high school graduation and attainment of post-secondary credentials.
Exhibit 22
Percent of Renton School District Students Meeting Grade Level Reading and Math Standards,
School Year 2012-13
Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington State Report Card, 2013.
The percentage of Renton students meeting the statewide reading standard is about the same for the
state overall.
In math, Renton students trend slightly better than the state overall in 3rd through 5th grade . The trend
ends in grades 6-8, overall rates for meeting the math standard.
READING
MATH
73%72%73%71%69%66%
74%73%73%71%66%65%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Third Grade Fourth
Grade
Fifth Grade Sixth Grade Seventh
Grade
Eighth Grade
Washington State
Renton School District
65%63%63%59%64%
53%
71%64%65%
50%
57%52%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Third Grade Fourth
Grade
Fifth Grade Sixth Grade Seventh
Grade
Eighth Grade
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 23
Exhibit 23
Percent of Sunset Area School Students Meeting Grade Level Reading Standard,
School Year 2012-13
Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington State Report Card, 2013.
School catchment areas cross through neighborhoods, making it difficult to assess the educational
opportunity for neighborhood-level geographies such as the Sunset Area. There are two elementary
schools serving the Sunset Area: Kennydale and Highlands. Kennydale Elementary School feeds into
McKnight Middle School and Highlands Elementary School feeds into Dimmitt Middle School.
At the 3rd 5th grade levels, Kennydale consistently performs better than the Renton School District in
the percentage of students meeting grade-level reading standard. However, Highlands performs
consistently worse than the School District average, especially at the Fourth and Fifth grade levels.
Both McKnight and Dimmitt Middle Schools serve Sunset Area students. On grade-level reading,
McKnight Middle School performs consistently better than the School District while Dimmitt Middle
School performs worse in Sixth and Seventh Grade, but more similarly in Eighth Grade.
74%
73%
73%
80%
79%
80%
65%
62%
71%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade
Renton School District
Kennydale Elementary
Highlands Elementary
71%
66%
65%
83%
71%
70%
64%
58%
63%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Sixth Grade
Seventh Grade
Eighth Grade
Renton School DistrictMcKnight Middle School
Dimmitt Middle School
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 24
Exhibit 24
-11
Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2013.
Exhibit 24 high
programs are not shown). Sunset Area students attend either Hazen High School (coming from McKnight
Middle School) or Renton High School (coming from Dimmitt Middle School).
The overall Renton School District graduation rate is 79%, with 5% of students continuing after their peer
cohort graduates, and 16% of students dropping out some time during high school.
The graduation rates for the traditional high schools in Renton are between 83% and 90%, however
alternative high schools in the District have lower graduation rates.
Exhibit 25 presents a comparison of the graduation rates of students who are white and students who are
races other than white (students of another racial category). While the overall graduation rate for Renton is
79%, the rate for white students is higher at 84% and the rate for students who are races other than white is
lower at 76%.
Exhibit 25
Racial Comparison of Renton High School Graduation Rates, School Year 2011-12
Source: Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2013.
In the Renton School District, almost one fifth (19%) of students who are races other than white drop out
of high school. It is unknown if students who leave Renton high schools go on to receive their diploma or
secondary school credential at all.
There is a gap in graduation rates of 8 percentage points between white and students who are races
other than white, suggesting a disparity in educational opportunity.
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June 2014 25
HEALTH & CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Exhibit 26
Five-Year Total Deaths per 100,000 of Top Five Causes of Death, 2007-2011
Source: Public Health of Seattle & King County, King County City Health Profile for Renton/Fairwood, December 2012.
The top five causes of death in King County and Renton/Fairwood are, in descending order, cancer,
heart disease, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD), and accidents and external causes.
Renton/Fairwood has a proportionally higher incidence of cancer, stroke, and CLRD, while King
County has a higher incidence of heart disease and accidents and external causes.
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Exhibit 27
Five-Year Percent of Adults 18+ with Negative Health Risk Factors and Chronic Disease, 2006-2010
Source: Public Health of Seattle & King County, King County City Health Profile for Renton/Fairwood, December 2012.
a disease. These risk factors are important, as awareness of them can encourage people to make healthy
choices about their activities, habits, and diets. They are also, generally, chronic conditions that should
be monitored by a healthcare professional.
Renton/Fairwood has a higher incidence rate than King County for seven of the eight health risk factors
listed above. The only indicator that Renton/Fairwood has a lower incidence of than King County is
excessive alcohol.
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
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June 2014 27
Exhibit 28
Five-Year Percent of Adults with Inadequate Access to Care Indicators, 2006-2010
Source: Public Health of Seattle & King County, King County City Health Profile for Renton/Fairwood, December 2012.
Renton/Fairwood are not receiving specific preventative care or face a barrier to accessing care.
Proportionally, people in Renton/Fairwood are more likely than people in King County overall to receive
a pap test or flu shot, however they are less likely to have a dental visit, mammogram, pneumonia
vaccination, and personal doctor.
About half of residents in King County and Renton/Fairwood did not receive a flu shot during the last
year.
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June 2014 28
HOUSING INVENTORY & AFFORDABILITY
The Growth Management Act requires each jurisdiction to conduct a current housing inventory to assess its
housing stock in terms of current and future housing needs.
King
ctions to plan for and promote a
range of affordable, accessible, and healthy housing choices for current and future residents. In King County,
there is currently an unmet need for housing that is affordable for households earning less than 80 percent of
the Area Median Income.
This analysis assesses the housing supply of three areas. Exhibit 29 provides an overview map of Renton, the
Sunset Area, and the Potential Annexation Areas:
City of Renton. All housing within the City of Renton. All Renton figures include the Sunset Area.
Sunset Area. The Sunset Area includes 0.54 square miles. Some information is not available for the
Sunset Area due to its limited geographic scope and smaller number of people.
Potential Annexation Areas (PAA). The potential annexation areas include areas of unincorporated King
County that may or may not be annexed into the City of Renton at a later time.
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June 2014 29
Exhibit 29
Overview Map of Renton, the Sunset Area, and the Potential Annexation Areas
Source: City of Renton, 2013; BERK, 2013.
Housing Units
The housing inventory changes daily as new units are built and older units are torn down. The Washington
State Office of Financial Management estimates current housing units for all Washington jurisdictions over
time.
Exhibit 30 presents the proportion of housing units by unit type. The types include:
One unit,
Two or more units, and
Mobile homes and special units. Special units include permanent residents living in travel trailers,
RVs, boats, sheds, tents, and others.
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June 2014 30
Exhibit 30
Estimate of Housing Units, 2013
HOUSING UNIT ESTIMATES 2013
HOUSING UNIT ESTIMATES 2010 2013
Source: Office of Financial Management Forecasting Division, April 1, 2013.
The majority of housing units in both Renton and King County are single family units (one unit). The
proportion is slightly higher for King County with 58% of all housing units being single family compared to
53% in Renton.
Renton has added about 1,876 housing units between 2010 and 2013, resulting in a total of 40,806 units.
This represents a compound annual growth rate of 1.2% a year, more than twice the growth rate of King
County as a whole.
Most additional housing units in Renton were Two or More units, similar to King County. Single Family
Unit growth has been limited in both Renton and King County between 2010 and 2013, with an average
annual growth of .8% and .3% respectively. The low rate of new housing growth can be somewhat
explained by the recession.
enables summaries
at smaller geographic areas. Data sources and methods differ from the Office of Financial Management
Forecasting Division and are not directly comparable.Exhibit 31 presents the housing counts for Renton, the
Sunset Area, and the PAA.
2010 2011 2012 2013
Change 2010 -
2013
Compound
Annual Growth
Rate
Renton Total 38,930 40,005 40,404 40,806 1,876 1.2%
One Unit 20,883 21,029 21,252 21,580 697 0.8%
Two or more 17,094 18,009 18,184 18,257 1,163 1.7%
Mobile Homes and Specials 953 967 968 969 16 0.4%
King County Total 851,261 857,349 861,946 869,470 18,209 0.5%
One Unit 494,230 496,204 498,121 500,591 6,361 0.3%
Two or more 338,645 342,852 345,550 350,612 11,967 0.9%
Mobile Homes and Specials 18,386 18,293 18,275 18,267 (119) -0.2%
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Exhibit 31
Number of Housing Units, 2013
Source: .
The Sunset Area has a relatively greater proportion of its housing in multi-family stock, reflecting the
number of apartment units in the area.
The Potential Annexation Areas are the reverse, and are mostly dominated by single-family housing.
Age of housing is a factor in the quality of housing and how much housing costs to maintain. Older homes
typically have less efficient furnaces, insulation, windows, and appliances which lead to higher operating
costs compared to newer housing construction. Exhibit 32 presents the number of units by year built for the
City of Renton.
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June 2014 32
Exhibit 32
Existing Renton Housing Units by Year Built, 2013
Source: ffice, 2013; BERK, 2013. Housing Unit types are defined based on the ownership/taxing status of the
underlying land.
There is a broad range in housing age in Renton, starting with 1900.
Prior to the beginning of the current economic downturn, Renton saw a significant expansion of its
housing market with 27.7% of its housing stock built after 2000.
In addition to the units listed above, the Office of Financial Management estimates 969 mobile home and
special dwellings in the City of Renton (April 1, 2013 estimate). The average age of mobile home units is
unknown, though many are substandard with inadequate and failing systems.
Under normal circumstances, a new residential unit can be expected to have an effective, useful life of 40-50
years before it becomes functionally obsolete. The useful lifespan can be expanded indefinitely with
continued maintenance and re-investment. About 19% of housing in Renton was built before 1959, making it
over 50 years old. The vast majority of this older housing is single-units or duplexes. In addition, a significant
portion of housing built in the 1940s, some of which is still owned by the Renton Housing Authority, was built
quickly under extraordinary circumstances for the war defense industry. This housing was intended as
temporary housing for war defense workers, who were expected to return to their original communities after
the war. Much of this housing is still in use today, and likely is approaching functional obsolesce. Further
analysis is needed to estimate the useful lifespan of the current housing stock.
Year Built Total Percent
1900 - 1909 310 0.8%
1910 - 1919 237 0.6%
1920 - 1929 458 1.2%
1930 - 1939 345 0.9%
1940 - 1949 2,114 5.3%
1950 - 1959 3,671 9.3%
1960 - 1969 6,371 16.1%
1970 - 1979 3,548 9.0%
1980 - 1989 6,903 17.4%
1990 - 1999 5,498 13.9%
2000 - 2009 9,267 23.4%
2010 & Later 888 2.2%
259
235
429
312
2,051
3,281
3,663
1,753
1,830
2,104
4,946
697
2
-
583
571
995
1,615
1,696
51
63
386
2,125
1,224
4,078
1,779
2,625
- 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000
Single Family Codos Apartments
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Housing Attainability
A contributing factor of whether housing is attainable for a household is whether the househo
wide Planning Polices require each jurisdiction to assess
the affordability of its housing inventory and to plan for meeting local needs for affordable housing as well as
accommodating a share of the countywide need for affordable housing.
Affordability
The Countywide Planning Policies provide guidelines for determining housing affordability using Area Median
Income (AMI) to establish housing market segments ranging from Very-Low Income Housing Needs to
Moderate Housing Income Needs. Area Median Income is the midpoint of all household income, so that half
the households earn more than the median income and half the households earn less than the median
Exhibit 33 presents the Area Median Income estimates for King County, using three different data sources.
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) AMI of $86,700 relates to a family of four,
which is different than the true median which would be based on all households of every household size in a
community. The median household income estimate for King County reported by the American Community
Survey (ACS) is $70,767
affordability, this analysis uses the American Community Survey (5 year estimate) for King County.
The Countywide Planning Polices require jurisdictions to analyze housing affordability using 30%, 50%, and
80% ratios to the HUD published Area Median Income. Exhibit 33 also presents the upper income bounds of
each Housing Need category.
Exhibit 33
Housing Need Income Thresholds Based on Area Median Income
Source: Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2013; American Community Survey, 2011 1-year estimate.
Estimating Households by Percent of Median Income
To estimate the demand for affordable housing, the analysis estimates the number of households that belong
to each of the Housing Need categories. The American Community Survey (ACS) provides information on the
number of households by income in $5,000 to $10,000 income ranges, but not the number of households
according to ratios of Area Median Income (AMI). Using the available household income data, this analysis
groups households according to affordability income categories (Exhibit 33). In cases where the income
category falls between the income ranges reported by the ACS, we assume that households are evenly
$20,000 to $24,999 income range, we assume there are 1,000 households with income between $20,000 to
$21,000,
estimate the number of households at or below 30% of median income, the methods includes all households
below $20,000 plus the 1,000 households assumed to earn between $20,000 and $21,000.
2011 area median income of $70,567, Exhibit 34 presents the estimated number of
households in each income category for King County, City of Renton, and the Sunset Area. In the most recent
County Wide Planning Polices, King County estimates that 12% of households in King County have incomes at
Source: HUD AMI ACS
Upper Bounds of Income Category
King County
(2013 Dollars)
King County
(2011 Dollars)
Area Median Income $86,700 $70,567
Moderate Income Housing Need (80% of AMI) $69,360 $56,454
Low Income Housing Need (50% of AMI) $43,350 $35,284
Very-Low Income Housing Need (30% of AMI) $26,010 $21,170
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
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June 2014 34
30% or below AMI. This analysis, using ACS 2011 5-year estimates (the best available estimates with least
margin of error) estimates approximately 13% of all households having income at 30% or below AMI.
Exhibit 34
Household Estimates by Percentage Median Income, 2011 dollars
Source: King County figures based on American Community Survey 2007 2011 5-year average; Renton and Sunset Area estimates from Esri;
BERK, 2013. Figures may not add to total due to rounding.
Very-low Income Housing Need. Households with incomes 30% of AMI or less have an estimated annual
income up to $21,000. This represents approximately 104,908 households in King County with very
limited resources to spend on housing. As a result, this is the housing need category most unmet by
market forces and for which jurisdictions must employ policy and planning tools to ensure housing is
attainable for these households. Countywide Planning Policies suggest tha
housing supply should be affordable to these households.
Low Income Housing Need. Households with incomes between 30 and 50 percent of AMI have incomes
that range from $21,000 to $35,000. Countywide Planning policies suggest
housing supply be attainable to households in this income range.
Moderate Income Housing Need. Households with incomes between 50 and 80 percent of AMI have
annual incomes between $35,000 and $56,000, representing 124,325 households in King County. County
Wide Planning Polices suggest olds in
this income range.
Renton has slightly greater proportions than King County of its households in the lower income housing
need categories. The difference is even greater for the Sunset Area.
Relative to King County, both Renton and the Sunset Area have smaller proportions of households
earning
Affordability of Renter Occupied Housing
The most fundamental categories of housing supply and demand are rental housing versus owner-occupied
housing. The type of occupancy may be reflective of the housing type, but not always. There are increasingly
more attached units available for purchase such as condominiums and townhomes, as well as single-family
detached housing that is renter-occupied. In general, attached housing, such as apartments, is less expensive
partly owing to the lower cost of land per unit and thus serves a greater proportion of lower-income
households. To improve understanding of housing attainability for households with lower incomes, we
examine the income distribution of households who rent compared to the supply of available rental housing.
Exhibit 35 presents the estimated percent (and count) of renter households in King County and Renton
according to the Housing Need category. The exhibit draws on self-reported rents that households pay and
accounts for subsidies or other housing benefits used by the current renting population. As a result, the rents
Ratio to
King County AMI
$70,567
Low High
Estimated
HHs Percent
Estimated
HHs Percent
Estimated
HHs Percent
Under 30% $0 $21,000 104,908 13% 5,763 15% 328 29%
30 - 50% $21,000 $35,000 83,664 11% 5,070 14% 178 16%
50 - 80% $35,000 $56,000 124,325 16% 7,167 19% 228 20%
80 - 100% $56,000 $71,000 82,397 10% 4,423 12% 124 11%
100 - 120% $71,000 $85,000 64,872 8% 3,100 8% 69 6%
120% or Over $85,000 $1,000,001 329,904 42% 11,666 31% 214 19%
Total 790,070 100% 37,225 100% 1,144 100%
King County City of Renton Sunset Area
Rounded (1,000s)
Income Ranges
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June 2014 35
described in Exhibit 35 are not reflective of current market prices. For example, if the household occupies a
subsidized housing unit, the respondent would report the rent they pay not the full market value of the unit.
Exhibit 35
Renter Households by Housing Need Category, 2011
Source: American Community Survey, 2007 2011 5-year estimates.
In 2011, there were an estimated 319,385 households renting in King County and 15,721 households
renting in Renton. The distribution of renting households across income categories is similar between
Renton and King County, with renter households represented in all housing need categories.
In Renton, about 27% of renting households have incomes at or above area median income, which is
similar to King County.
In Renton, about 21% of renting households earn 30% of AMI or less. This represents approximately
3,318 households with very limited income for housing costs.
Whereas Exhibit 35 presents the number of households according to Housing Need category, Exhibit 36
compares the number of renter households by housing need category to the number of units being rented at
rents affordable to each category. Exhibit 36 compares renters (people) with housing rents (unit costs) and
does not speak to the housing burden of any particular household or group. Very low income households
may be renting at prices much more than they can afford, and median and upper income households may be
paying a small proportion of their monthly income on rent.
Low High
Estimated
HHs Percent
Estimated
HHs Percent
Under 30% $0 $21,000 77,996 24% 3,318 21%
30 - 50% $21,000 $35,000 53,460 17% 2,625 17%
50 - 80% $35,000 $56,000 65,160 20% 3,380 22%
80 - 100% $56,000 $71,000 36,100 11% 2,146 14%
100 - 120% $71,000 $85,000 23,446 7% 1,348 9%
120% or Over $85,000 $1,000,001 63,223 20% 2,904 18%
Total 319,385 100% 15,721 100%
King County City of Renton
Rounded (1,000s)
Income Ranges
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June 2014 36
Exhibit 36
Renton Rental Unit Gap Analysis
*Estimated monthly housing budget based on 30% of monthly gross income.
Source: American Community Survey, 2007 2011 5-year estimates; BERK, 2013.
In March 2011, the average market rent for an apartment was $983 (Dupre & Scott, 2012). This is well above
the self-reported rents presented in Exhibit 36.The self-reported rents reflect what households pay, including
any discounts or subsidies. For example, Renton Housing Authority, along with rent vouchers ported in from
other public housing authorities, subsidizes approximately 1,700 units of housing in Renton (see Exhibit 37).
These subsidized units likely account for a large portion of the households that report paying less than $525
per month in rent and some portion of the households that pay less than $875 per month in rent. There are
also other housing subsidies, at much smaller scales, offered by other organizations. Accounting for all the
non-market factors that may reduce the rent a household pays, the gap analysis demonstrates:
There are approximately 3,318 renting households in Renton with incomes under 30% of AMI. There are
also about 1,181 households paying rents that would be affordable to the upper bounds of this income
range ($21,000 annual income). As a result, there is a gap in housing units affordable to this Housing
Need category of 2,137 units (though, based on income alone, the gap is likely higher, as most
households in the Under 30% AMI housing need category do not have annual incomes close to $21,000).
Renton has more units with rents affordable to households with annual incomes of $21,000 to $35,000
than there are households earning those annual incomes. It is likely that many households in the very
low-income category (less than $21,000 annual income) are renting in the $525- $875 monthly rent
range are spending more than
30% of their income on rent.
The upper bound of this market segment is renting below the average market rent of $983 per month.
Housing quality issues may partly explain the lower rents in this group of units.
About 18 5,000 and above (above AMI).
There are only 668
suggesting that many of these households are paying less than 30% of their income on rents. This
population represents a market segment that might be suitable for entry-level homeownership housing.
Ratio to KC AMI Estimated Gap
$70,567 Low High Low High Count Percent Units over/(under)
Under 30% $0 $21,000 $0 $525 3,318 21% 1,181 (2,137)
30 - 50% $21,000 $35,000 $525 $875 2,625 17% 3,796 1,170
50 - 80% $35,000 $56,000 $875 $1,400 3,380 22% 7,691 4,311
80 - 100% $56,000 $71,000 $1,400 $1,775 2,146 14% 1,776 (370)
100 - 120% $71,000 $85,000 $1,775 $2,125 1,348 9% 314 (1,034)
120% or Over $85,000 $2,125 $0 2,904 18% 668 (2,236)
Total 15,721 15,426
Monthly Housing
Income Ranges Budget*Estimated Renter HHs
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
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June 2014 37
Exhibit 37
Renton Housing Authority Subsidized Rental Units, 2013
Source: Renton Housing Authority, 2013.
Rents vary according to unit size, and household size relative to income is an indicator of the housing needs
of a community. Data on the number of households in specific income brackets by household size are not
available for the City of Renton or the Sunset Area. However, in 2010 HUD developed a special tabulation of
households by income category, household size, and housing tenure. These data are available at the county
income numbers are not comparable.
Exhibit 38 presents the number of households by household size in specific income categories for King
County (2010 data).
The data demonstrate the dominance of 1 person households in King County, which represent more than
half of all income categories under $34,999 a year.
Large households (5 or more persons) are represented across all income categories.
Number
of Units Subsidy Type
Elderly Public Housing
Hillcrest Terrace 60 Public Housing
Evergreen Terrace 50 Public Housing
Senior Project Based
Houser Terrace 104 Local program
Cedar River Terrace 72 Project-based Section 8
Golden Pines Apartments 53 Project-based Section 8
Family
Cedar Park Apartments 244 Local program
Sunset Terrace 100 PublicHousing
Cole Manor 28 Public Housing
Chantelle 17 Local Program
Rolling Hills Townhomes 15 Local Program
Highland House 15 Local Program
YWCA Vision House 15 Project-based Section 8
Brickshire 12 Local Program
Glennwood Townhomes 8 Local Program
Liberty Square 92 Tax credit
Vouchers
Section 8 allocated to RHA 331 Tenant-based Section 8
Section 8 from other PHAs 475 Tenant-based Section 8
VASH 22 Veterans
TOTAL 1,713
Affordable Housing
Properties
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June 2014 38
Exhibit 38
King County Renting Households by Household Size and Income, 2010
Source: HUD Economic and Market Analysis Division, Special Tabulations of 2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Survey Data.
Apartment Rents and Vacancy Rates
The best available data on current market rents is the apartment rents survey conducted by Dupree and
Scott. Dupre and Scott conduct on-going surveys of apartments in the Puget Sound Region.Exhibit 39
presents the average rent and market vacancies for Renton from 2005 to 2012, the most current available
estimate. Market vacancy figures do not include units undergoing renovation or lease up.
Total 1-person 2-persons 3-persons 4-persons 5+ persons
Less than $10,000 33,670 23,215 5,205 2,870 1,305 1,075
$10,000 to $14,999 20,735 12,830 4,450 1,655 1,155 645
$15,000 to $24,999 38,655 21,230 7,735 4,395 2,795 2,500
$25,000 to $34,999 39,090 21,590 8,650 3,815 2,565 2,465
$35,000 to $49,999 52,115 23,705 15,425 6,285 3,930 2,765
$50,000 to $74,999 58,885 21,110 21,175 8,520 4,335 3,755
$75,000 to $99,999 33,355 9,580 13,275 5,275 2,960 2,265
$100,000 to $149,999 24,895 5,605 10,520 4,365 2,765 1,640
$150,000 to $199,999 6,580 925 2,985 1,145 710 815
$200,000 or more 5,455 1,235 1,930 915 840 535
Total by Size 313,435 141,025 91,350 39,240 23,360 18,460
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
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June 2014 39
Exhibit 39
Average Apartment Rents and Vacancy Rates in Renton, 2005-2012
Source: Dupre and Scott, 2012; BERK, 2013. All observations were for September of each respective year.
Average rents dropped following in 2009 at 8.3% to a low of $953 in 2010.
Since 2009, apartment vacancy rates have continued to drop ending at 5.5% in 2012, with a corollary
increase in average rents to $1,083. A 5% market vacancy is considered healthy, with slightly higher
vacancy rates expected in more suburban markets. If vacancies continue to remain at around 5%, or drop
below 5%, average rents will likely increase.
Exhibit 40 presents a comparison of the current market p
published fair market rents for King County. It demonstrates that in reference to the County, the rental
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 40
Exhibit 40
Comparison of Fair Market Rents and Current Market Prices
Source: HUD, 2013; Dupre & Scott, 2013.
Based on this comparison of HUD Fair Market rents and current market prices in Renton (according to
slightly higher for studios and 1 bedroom rentals, almost the same for
2 bedroom rentals, and substantially lower for 3 bedroom rentals.
Exhibit 41
Renton Gross Rent by Bedroom
Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-year estimates.
Of the housing units occupied by renter households, it is estimated that 6,537 (42%) are 2 bedroom
units. The American Community Survey (ACS) estimates that 4,271 of these 2-bedroom rental units (65%)
cost more than $1,000 per month.
The ACS estimates that 32% of housing units occupied by renter households are 1 bedroom, with 1,978
(40%) of these units costing between $750 - $999 per month, and 1,346 (27%) costing more than $1,000
per month.
No Bedroom
1
bedroom
2
bedrooms
3+
bedrooms Total
Category
%
Less than $200 22 84 25 33 164 1%
$200 to $299 62 257 72 30 421 3%
$300 to $499 14 248 112 87 461 3%
$500 to $749 236 995 190 231 1,652 11%
$750 to $999 164 1,978 1,817 352 4,311 27%
$1,000 or more 61 1,346 4,271 2,739 8,417 54%
No cash rent 8 50 50 187 295 2%
Total 567 4,958 6,537 3,659 15,721
Percent of Total 4% 32% 42% 23%
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 41
Overcrowding
HUD defines an overcrowded housing unit as one where there is an average of more than 1 person living per
room. The table below shows the percentage of rental units that are overcrowded for the Sunset Census
Tracts, Renton, and King County.
Exhibit 42
Percentage of Rental Units that are Overcrowded, 2007-2011 5-year Average
Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2011 5-year average.
* The Sunset Tracts include all of Tracts 252 and 254, which the Sunset Area is within. However, the Sunset Tracts represent a much
larger area than the Sunset Area itself.
Renton has a slightly higher percentage of rental units that are overcrowded (5.7%) than the County
overall (4.7%). The Sunset Census Tracts have almost twice the rate of overcrowding than the County
overall, indicating that overcrowding may be a significant issue in this portion of the City.
Owner Occupied Housing
Home ownership brings greater neighborhood stability and has historically been a significant driver of
personal and household wealth for individuals and
housing needs is to ensure there are opportunities for home ownership for moderate-income levels and first
time homebuyers. The exhibits below assess the opportunity in -occupied housing market
based on housing need category. Exhibit 43 shows the distribution of households living in owner occupied
housing in Renton and King County by housing need category.
Exhibit 43
Owner Tenure Household by Housing Need Category, 2012
Source: American Community Survey, 2007 2011 5 year estimates.
Both King County and Renton have households who own their housing across all housing need
categories.
King County Renton Sunset Tracts*
Occupants per room
0.50 or less 567,433 25,211 4,179
0.51 to 1.00 202,917 9,514 1,287
1.01 to 1.50 13,651 1,041 331
1.51 to 2.00 5,118 189 30
2.01 or more 951 70 21
Number of Overcrowded Units (> 1) 19,720 1,300 382
Percent of Units that are Overcrowded (>1) 4.7% 5.7% 10.1%
Low High
Estimated
HHs Percent
Estimated
HHs Percent
Under 30% $0 $21,000 26,912 6% 1,212 6%
30 - 50% $21,000 $35,000 30,204 6% 1,616 8%
50 - 80% $35,000 $56,000 59,165 13% 3,123 15%
80 - 100% $56,000 $71,000 46,297 10% 2,573 13%
100 - 120% $71,000 $85,000 41,426 9% 2,320 11%
120% or Over $85,000 $1,000,001 266,682 57% 9,460 47%
Total 470,685 100% 20,304 100%
King County City of Renton
Rounded (1,000s)
Income Ranges
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 42
Renton has a slightly higher proportion of owner-occupied housing in the middle-income categories (50%
of AMI to 120% of AMI).
Renton has a slightly lower proportion of households with incomes over 120% of AMI living in owner-
occupied housing.
To illustrate the types of housing that are needed at various income levels, Exhibit 44 presents the number of
households living in owner-occupied housing by housing size and income category in 2010.
Exhibit 44
King County Owning Households by Household Size and Income, 2010
Source: Source: HUD Economic and Market Analysis Division, Special Tabulations of 2010 ACS 5-Year Survey Data
More than half of households who live in owner-occupied housing with incomes less than $34,999 are 1-
person households.
Most households living in owner occupied housing with more than 2 persons have annual incomes of
more than $50,000.
Exhibit 45 provides median sales prices in Renton over the last nine years by housing type, and Exhibit 46
estimates the income needed to purchase a home, as well as the percentage of households that meet the
income thresholds.
TOTAL 1-person 2-persons 3-persons 4-persons 5+ persons
Less than $10,000 9,430 6,360 1,860 535 435 245
$10,000 to $14,999 7,410 5,265 1,200 385 340 220
$15,000 to $24,999 18,395 11,355 4,605 1,425 740 270
$25,000 to $34,999 23,770 11,885 7,495 1,845 1,510 1,025
$35,000 to $49,999 42,340 17,790 15,155 4,285 3,230 1,880
$50,000 to $74,999 79,445 23,570 30,555 11,720 8,310 5,290
$75,000 to $99,999 76,185 14,610 29,375 13,815 11,890 6,490
$100,000 to $149,999 109,400 11,445 40,725 22,815 23,365 11,045
$150,000 to $199,999 49,745 2,825 18,325 11,345 11,935 5,310
$200,000 or more 52,415 3,805 19,500 10,920 12,370 5,820
Total by Size 468,535 108,910 168,795 79,090 74,125 37,595
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 43
Exhibit 45
Renton Median Sales Prices, Jan 2005 2013
Source: Zillow.com Real Estate Market Reports (http://www.zillow.com/local-info/)
* Some condo data is suppressed due to a low number of sales.
Home prices in Renton have trended downward in recent years due to the economic recession, and
despite a recent uptick are still notably lower than their peak in 2007 and 2008.
In Renton, single family units have a median sales price of $330,900, much higher than the median sales
price of condominiums at $149,800. The vast majority of housing sales in Renton are single family units.
Housing prices peaked in 2007 2008, with a high median sales price of $402,300 in December of 2007,
followed by a drop in prices through the beginning of 2013. Apartment rents have been rising since 2010,
housing prices are expected to begin to rise as well as the economy recovers from the recession and
mortgage interest rates remain low.
Exhibit 46 presents an assessment of the attainability of housing at current median sales prices using
standard assumptions, including:
A down payment of 20% of the sale price
Interest rate of 5.5%
30 year fixed rate mortgage
Taxes at 10.9%
Insurance at $3.50 per $1,000 value
Housing cost burden not to exceed 30% of gross income
CITY OF RENTON | COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING
APPENDIX A BASELINE COMMUNITY CONDITIONS
June 2014 44
Exhibit 46
Annual Income Needed to Purchase a Home at Current Median Selling Price, 2013
Source: Zillow.com, 2013; ACS, 2011; BERK, 2013
The analysis suggests that an annual income of at least $75,620 is required to purchase a single family
home at the current median selling price. There are an estimated 13,587 households in Renton with
incomes greater than $75
sales at the median price or less) would be affordable to about 37% of Renton households.
Current condominium prices present a more affordable housing ownership opportunity. Our analysis
estimates that households with incomes of $35,000 would be able to afford a condominium at current
median prices, making condominium ownership affordable for a much higher percentage of the
population (71%) than single family home ownership.
Single Family Condominiums
Monthly Mortgage Monthly Mortgage
Median Selling Price $330,900 Median Selling Price $149,800
Down Payment (20%) $66,180 Down Payment (20%) $29,960
Mortgage Amount $264,720 Mortgage Amount $119,840
Interest Rate 5.50% Interest Rate 5.50%
Payments over 30 years 360 Payments over 30 years 360
Monthly Mortgage Payment $1,496 Monthly Mortgage Payment $680
Annual Housing Expenses Annual Housing Expenses
Mortgage Payments $17,954 Mortgage Payments $8,165
Taxes (10.9%) $3,620 Taxes (10.9%) $1,639
Insurance ($3.50 per $1000) $1,112 Insurance ($3.50 per $1000) $503
Annual $22,686 Annual $10,307
Monthly $1,891 Monthly $859
Monthly Income Needed $6,302 Monthly Income Needed $2,863
Annual Income Needed $75,620 Annual Income Needed $34,358
Households Households
Number of households with Number of households with
with income > $75,000 13,587 with income >$35,000 26,355
Total households 37,225 Total households 37,225
Estimate of households that 37% Estimate of households that 71%
can afford median home price can afford median condo price
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