Community Collaborative
Highlighting Key Findings: Community & Economic Development Indicators
Community & Economic Development
Job growth finally increased in 2005 and is projected to continue to
expand. While Washtenaw Countys unemployment rates are lower than
state and national levels, the percent of unemployed people in our
county increased from 2000 to 2005 (2.4% to 4.2%). The discrepancy
between the increase in new jobs available and the increase in
unemployed people raises the question as to whether residents are able
to access the new jobs, either because of lack of training or
transportation.
Affordable housing (housing that costs no more that 30% of gross
income) has decreased. In 2004, almost half (49%) of
renter-occupied households paid 30% or more of their
household income in rent, as did 30% of owner-occupied households.
Indicator data shows that the affordability of housing is a
key issue. Correspondingly, more residents (especially leaders) identified
affordable housing and jobs paying a living wage as major
issues than any other issue.
In 2000, the disparity in poverty rates for communities within our
county ranged from 4.0% to 25.8%. Overall, county level poverty rates
are decreasing slightly. Similarly, median household income
ranges from $28,610 in the City of Ypsilanti to $86,797 in Ann Arbor
Township. Washtenaw Countys rate of poverty for children is
half the national rate. Data on childrens free and reduced cost lunches,
often used as a proxy for children in poverty, ranges from 4%
to 56%. The numbers of eligible students in Willow Run is nearly double
state levels, with Ypsilanti close behind. Less than a third
of community residents and leaders viewed hunger as a major issue, while
35% of residents and 51% of community leaders viewed poverty
as a major issue. In this case peoples perceptions do not match what the
indicator data shows.
Existing indicator data does not yet present a clear trend on the
issue of homelessness. The three groups of survey respondents clearly do
not agree on the severity of homelessness in this county,
ranging from 37% of residents (telephone) to 75% of residents (written)
viewing this as a major issue.
Transportation and public transit services was identified as a major
issue by almost half of all groups. Ridership increased on Ann
Arbor Transportation Authority buses, but there is no data
about residents who need transit services but are unable to obtain
them.
Overall, violent and nonviolent crime rates have remained fairly
stable. Domestic violence victim rates have dropped by a quarter from
2000 to 2003 while confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect
rose slightly in 2004. Reliable data on elder abuse and neglect is not
currently available. The area of most concern is the
disparity in juvenile arrest rates. In 2003 African-American juveniles
were 3.5 times (double the 2000 rates) more likely to be
arrested than Caucasian juveniles.
