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Affordable Housing in University City: LIHTC Inventory and Demographic Shifts
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
University City, Missouri, a suburb west of St. Louis, has implemented affordable housing initiatives through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The city's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory comprises 375 total units, with 373 designated as low-income units. This represents approximately 2.84% of the city's estimated 13,216 housing units.
University City has 11 LIHTC-funded projects, contributing significantly to the city's affordable housing. The development of these projects spans from 1988 to 2004, demonstrating a 16-year commitment to affordable housing. The 1990s saw the most LIHTC project completions, including Parkview Gardens Rehabilitation I in 1996. Early 2000s developments include University Commons in 2002 and Parkview Place in 2004.
The LIHTC-funded projects offer diverse housing options, including 39 efficiencies, 145 one-bedroom units, 39 two-bedroom units, 64 three-bedroom units, and 16 four-bedroom units. This variety accommodates different household sizes and needs within the low-income community.
University City's population has slightly decreased from 35,049 in 2014 to 34,494 in 2022. However, the median income has increased from $82,452 in 2014 to $88,922 in 2022. This rise in median income may indicate a reduced need for additional affordable housing units in recent years.
The city's racial demographics have shown some changes. The white population increased from 52% in 2014 to 55% in 2022, while the Black population decreased from 36% to 31%. The Asian population grew from 3% to 7%, indicating increasing diversity.
University City's LIHTC-funded affordable housing represents a small but significant portion of the city's housing inventory. The city maintained a consistent approach to affordable housing development from the late 1980s to the mid-2000s. The absence of new LIHTC projects in the last decade may be attributed to rising median income and changing demographics. The existing affordable housing units provide various options for low-income residents, contributing to the city's housing accessibility efforts.
