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Affordable Housing in Centralia, Illinois: LIHTC's Impact on a Declining Population
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Centralia, Illinois, has a notable presence of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing. The city's LIHTC inventory includes 154 total units, with 109 designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 17,061 and an estimated housing inventory of 6,537 units, the LIHTC-funded affordable housing covers approximately 2.36% of the city's estimated housing stock.
Centralia has received $5,852,134 in project tax credits for affordable housing through the LIHTC program. With approximately 4 projects, this translates to an average federal funding of $1,463,033 per project and $37,999 per unit. The city holds 0.72% of the total state LIHTC funding, indicating a significant allocation for a city of its size.
The LIHTC-funded affordable housing in Centralia spans from 1989 to 2009, representing two decades of affordable housing development. The first project, Village Apts Of Centralia, was completed in 1989, while the most recent, The Villas At Heritage Woods, was finished in 2009. The 2000s saw the most activity, with three out of four projects completed during this decade.
The LIHTC-funded units in Centralia are diverse, consisting of 37 one-bedroom, 73 two-bedroom, and 44 three-bedroom units. This distribution suggests a focus on accommodating various family sizes and household compositions.
Over the past decade, Centralia's population has shown a gradual decline, decreasing from 18,495 in 2017 to 17,061 in 2022. Despite this population decrease, the median income has risen from $43,901 in 2017 to $50,107 in 2022, indicating an improving economic situation for some residents.
The racial composition of Centralia has remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease in the white population from 80% in 2017 to 78% in 2022. The Black population has maintained at around 12%, while the Hispanic population has held steady at 4%. This stability in racial demographics suggests that the existing LIHTC projects continue to serve a diverse community.
Centralia's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory, while modest in comparison to the total estimated housing stock, represents a significant investment in addressing low-income housing needs. The city has received substantial federal funding for these projects, which have been developed over two decades. The diversity in unit sizes suggests an effort to accommodate various household types. While the population has slightly decreased, rising median incomes and stable racial demographics indicate that the existing LIHTC projects continue to play a role in supporting the community's housing needs.
