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(Data
Source: 1990 and 2000 Census compiled into the TABLE
OF CONTENTS 1. POPULATION GROWTH TRENDS (TABLE 1) TABLE 1
Sources: 2.
Age Characteristic Lawndale’s
median age increased during 1990 thru 2000 from 28.7 to 29.3 years. However, this is still well below the Countywide
median age of 32.0, reflecting the greater proportion
of young children age 5-9 and young adults age 20-34 in Lawndale. During
the last ten years, Lawndale has maintained a consistent proportion
of residents between the ages of 25 and 44, with over 35% of the City’s population falling
in this age group in 2000. The City’s
age structure may represent a potential increase in the need for first-time
home ownership opportunities. In addition, since these age groups are
typically the ones in which people have young children, there may be
a need for affordable ownership as well as rental units that have three
or more bedrooms to accommodate families. The
proportion of those aged 45-54 in 1990 and 2000 has increased from 8.5 percent and 10.6 percent. This percentage should increase during each
Census, due to the baby boomers reaching retirement age. Some of these people may choose to remain
in Lawndale after retirement, and at that point, will be at an age where
they may need special services and supportive housing. 3.
Age Distribution TABLE
2
Source: 1990 and 2000
U.S. Census. The
racial and ethnic composition of a population affects housing needs
because of the unique household characteristics of different racial/ethnic
groups. For example, the average household size of Hispanic households
in Lawndale is 4.14 persons, compared to 3.41 for Asian households, 2.97 for Black households, and 2.91 for White households. With significant
growth in the City’s Hispanic population, this data suggests an increased
need for housing units with three or more bedrooms. Table II-3 shows the change in the racial/ethnic
group in the Los Angeles County population in 2000. The
City experienced a dramatic change in its ethnic composition during
the 1980s and 90s. Those who reported themselves
as White decreased from 77 percent to
46 percent of the population between
1980 and 1990. The 90s seemed to duplicate another large
decrease in the White population, 46 percent dropped to 21.9 percent.
The Hispanic population has grown 17.7 percent in just ten years. Increasing
from 34.4 percent
to 52.1 percent of the total population
in Lawndale. The African American population has increased over 60 percent. Even though this increase may seem high, the
actual count of the population is still considered to be a minority. The Asian population has decreased from 11.2 percent to 9.4 percent. The
median is the number exactly in the middle of a distribution of numbers.
That is, 50 percent of the numbers in the distribution are above the
median, and 50 percent of the numbers are below the median. In 1990, the Hispanic
category was added as a main, exclusively reported category. The large
decrease in those reporting themselves as "Other" in 1990 reflects this revised category.
Also, the U.S. Census has created new categories for individuals
to choose from when describing their race. For example, two or more races, is now considered
a category of their own.
Source: 1990 and 2000
U.S. Census. 6.
OCCUPATIONS HELD BY LAWNDALE RESIDENTS
Source: 2000 U.S. Census, DP-3 Data based on a sample. According
to the 2000 Census, there were 14,306 Lawndale residents in the labor
force, representing a labor force participation rate of approximately
64 percent of persons between the ages
of 16 and 64. Over twenty percent of the City’s labor force was employed
in managerial/professional jobs. Approximately
30 percent were
employed in sales and office positions, and 10 percent were employed in construction, extraction, maintenance
positions. These are among the higher paying jobs. Seventeen
percent of the labor force was employed in production, transportation,
and material moving. These occupations generally yield lower incomes
than managerial/professional jobs.
The
2000 Census information regarding Occupations/Labor Force will not be available
until Fall 2002.
Currently, they use sample data to generate these percentages.
7.
HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS The
average family size in the city of Lawndale consists of 3.8 persons.
As with most cities families represented the majority (67 percent) of Lawndale’s 9,227 households in 1990. Among
the 3,027 non-family
households, 2,003 were single-person households, including 447 elderly persons
living alone. Average household size in the City increased slightly
between 1980 and 1990 from 2.88 to 2.95, suggesting
that there may be a need for large-size units (i.e. those with three
or more bedrooms). The
federal government defines an overcrowded household as one with more
than one person per room, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and
porches. Overcrowding in households results from either a lack of affordable
housing (which forces more than one household to live together, or a
large-family household living in a too-small unit) and/or a lack of
available housing units of adequate size. According to the 1990 Census, 1,829 (almost 20 percent)
of the total households were overcrowded in Lawndale, representing a
significant increase over 1980, when 1,152 (14 percent of the occupied units) of the City’s households
were defined as overcrowded. Overcrowding among renter-households was
more prevalent than among owner-households with 1,493 (24 percent) of the City’s renter-households
living in overcrowded conditions, compared to 336 (11.6 percent)
of the City’s owner-households. Countywide, 19 percent
of all households are defined as overcrowded by the census, a rate comparable
to the City’s. Table
II-6 shows
data on overcrowding by the City’s four census tracts, compared with
median income, persons in poverty, and large households. The location
of these tracts is shown on Figure 2. Census
tract 6038 in 5h3 northeast
part of the City had the highest number of overcrowded households. In
addition, this census tract had the highest number of persons with incomes
below poverty level, indicating a lack of ability to pay for housing
of adequate size. Census tract 6040 in the southwest part of the City had the next highest number
of overcrowded households, as well as the lowest median income of all
the census tracts, and the highest number of large households. 9.
INDICATORS OF OVERCROWDING BY CENSUS TRACT (1990) TABLE
5
Source:
1990 U.S. Census The 2000 Census information regarding Overcrowding
in the households will not be available until Fall 2002. a. The poverty threshold as defined
by the 1990 Census varies depending on household size. The poverty threshold
for a family of four was $12,674.
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| Income Level |
No. of Households |
%
of Total |
| Less
than $10,000 $10,000-$14,999 $15,000-$24,999 $25,000-$34,999 $35,000-$49,999 $50,000-74,999 $75,000-$99,999 $100,000-$149,999 $150,000-$199,999 $200,000+ |
840 597 1.356 1,390 1,909 2,182 709 486 69 29 |
8.8 6.2 14.2 14.5 20.0 22.8 7.4 5.1 0.7 0.3
|
|
Total
|
9,567 |
100.0% |
SOURCE: 2000 U.S. Census Sample Tape File 3 (5% sample)
income distribution extrapolated for Summary Tape File 1 (100%) total
number of households.
Housing
Affordability and Overpayment
The
issue of housing affordability is becoming difficult to explain. According to California Association of Realtors,
as of May of 2002, in Los Angeles the median home price climbed 18.1 percent
to $274,830. The statewide median home price soared to $321,130. Lawndale is steadily racing to reach to the
Los Angeles median prices. The
city hit a high of $234,000, and moving
up by the day. As the prices
increases, the affordability index drops.
Last year the index was in the mid thirties (34%), but now we have plummeted into
the high twenties (27%). One of the major factors that allow the city
to follow in the large increases is location.
Lawndale is less than 5 miles away from the waters of Redondo Beach and Manhattan
Beach. The city is centralized
in an area that provides easy access to the 405 Freeway, which closely connects to 105 and 110 Freeway.
As
state previously, State and Federal standards specify that a household
overpays for its housing if it spends more than 30 percent of its gross income on housing. A household
that is spending more than it can afford for housing has less money
available for other necessities and emergency expenditures. Lower income
households overpaying for housing are more likely to be at risk of becoming
homeless than other households. Renter-households overpay for their
housing costs more often than owner-households. Because renter-households
tend to be lower income than homeowners, overpayment affects renter-households
more seriously. In addition, overpayment by owners is considered less
serious than overpayment by renters because they have more options than
renters, and are therefore less likely to become homeless. That is,
owners are building equity, and have the option of selling the home
and possibly obtaining less expensive housing, refinancing, or using
the equity in the home to obtain a loan.
According
to the 2000 Census,
there were 9,555 occupied
housing units in Lawndale; 3,177 (33.2%) were owner-households and 6,378 (66.8%) were renter-households.
SUMMARY
OF OVERPAYMENT
|
Overpaying |
Very Low |
Low |
Moderate |
Upper |
Total |
|
Renters Owners TOTAL |
649 122 771 |
852 72 771 |
1,192 180 1,372 |
202 393 595 |
2,895 767 3,662 |
Source:
1990 U.S. Census
The 2000 Census information regarding Overpayment
will not be available until Fall 2002.
The
1990 Census
reported 9,227 occupied
housing units. Of those units
2,894 (31%) were owner-occupied
and 6,333 (69%) were renter-occupied. Of the owner-households, 767 (26.5%) were spending more than 30 percent
of their income on housing. Of the renter-households, 2,895 (46%) were spending
more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Table II-8 shows
the income categories of these "overpaying" households.
According
to the Census, an estimated 771 very low-income Lawndale households were spending
more than 30 percent
of their income on housing. Eighty-four percent of those households
were renters, and represent nearly 23 percent of the total renter-households
in Lawndale. These statistics on overpayment among the renter population
indicated a need for more affordable rental housing in Lawndale, and/or
rent subsidies for low-income households. This extent of overpayment
may also contribute to the unit overcrowding previously described. That
is, adequately sized housing may be available, but households may not
be able to afford it and are instead squeezing more than one household
into a unit.
Among
the estimated 924 low-income
households that overpaid for housing, 852 were renters and 72 were owners. As shown in Table
II-8, housing
overpayment was far more extensive among renters than owners in the
very low, and moderate-income groups. In the upper-income group, owners
were more likely to overpay for housing.
Certain
segments of the population may have a more difficult time finding decent,
affordable housing due to their special circumstances or needs. These
"special needs" households include elderly persons, disabled
persons, large households, female-headed households, and the homeless.
SUMMARY
OF SPECIAL HOUSING NEEDS
| Special Needs Group |
Number
of |
Percent
of Total |
| Households with Head Age 65+ Disabled Persons Large Households Female-Headed Households /With Children
|
911
1,561
2277 1111 |
9.5%
14.2%(total pop.)
24%
11.6% |
Source:
2000 U.S. Census
As
some people age, their housing needs change. Special needs of many households
containing older adults over the age of 65 result from their lower, fixed incomes, physical
and developmental disabilities, or dependence needs.
According
to the 2000 Census,
910 of the
Lawndale’s households (9.5 percent of total households) are headed by elderly persons.
Of these, 426 are single-person households. Elderly persons who live alone
may have special housing needs due to a need for assistance with finances
and with activities of daily living.
The
2000 Census
also indicated that among the City’s 1788 elderly persons, 126 were age 85 and over.
These residents are more likely to be the "frail elderly"
and may require more housing assistance and supportive services than
other elderly.
Physical
and developmental disabilities can hinder access to housing units of
traditional design, and potentially limit the ability to earn an adequate
income. The 2000 Census
contains data on persons who have work disabilities, mobility, and/or
self-care limitations. According to the 2000 Census, there were 4,492 persons over the age of 21 (14.2 percent
of the total population) in Lawndale who are considered to have a disability.
As the City’s population continues to age, increases in the disabled
population can be anticipated.
Large
households are identified as a group with special housing needs based
on the limited availability of affordable, adequately sized housing
units. It is not uncommon for large households to have lower incomes.
To save on housing costs, many lower income large households resort
to residing in smaller units, frequently resulting in overcrowded living
conditions.
The
2000 Census
reported 2277 households
in Lawndale with five or more members, representing 24 percent
of the total households. This percentage is up 7 percent compared to the 1990 Census
information.
Single-parent
households require special consideration and assistance because of their
greater need for affordable and accessible day care, health care, and
other supportive services. Female headed households with children in
particular tend to have lower incomes than other types of households,
which limits their housing options and access to supportive services.
In 2000, the Census
reported 1,818 female-headed
households in Lawndale, 1111 of these households had children. Of the 1,818 female-headed
households, 23.2 percent were defined as living in poverty. These households need assistance with housing
subsidies, as well as accessible and affordable day care and other supportive
services.
Throughout
the country, homelessness has become an increasing problem. Factors
contributing to the rise in the number of homeless people include the
economic recession, a general lack of housing affordable to lower income
persons, reductions in public subsidies to the poor, and the de-institutionalization
of the mentally ill.
Currently,
we do not have a accurate count on the number of homeless that reside
in the City of Lawndale. Also,
it has been widely acknowledged that the methodology used in the Census
for estimating the number of homeless was ineffective in systematically
identifying and quantifying the numbers of homeless persons, which resulted
in a substantial undercount. This estimate does not include people who
have shelter in vacant buildings, shacks, or vehicles. There are also
some homeless that reside in the bushes adjacent the 405 Freeway on-
and off-ramps. However, the City does have several short-term housing and shelters,
such as The House of Yahweh, Dallas House, and the Herbert Benton House.
These shelters are not only available to the homeless, they assist
HIV/AIDS victims too.
Departments
