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Affordable Housing in Walnut-Orange-Walsh: LIHTC Projects 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
The Walnut-Orange-Walsh neighborhood in Waterbury, Connecticut, contains 49 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) funded affordable housing units. As of 2022, the neighborhood's population was 3,278, with an estimated housing inventory of 1,256 units. LIHTC funded affordable housing comprises approximately 3.9% of the estimated housing units in the neighborhood.
The neighborhood experienced LIHTC-funded affordable housing development from 1988 to 1994. The initial project was completed in 1988 at 262 Walnut St., while the most recent project was finished in 1994 at 55 Catherine Ave. The 1980s saw the highest number of affordable housing project completions, with four projects finalized during this decade.
Demographic changes have occurred in the Walnut-Orange-Walsh neighborhood over the past decade. The population has remained relatively stable, ranging between 2,900 and 3,300 residents. Median income has shown an overall increase, rising from $20,807 in 2014 to $25,876 in 2022, with a peak of $30,879 in 2021.
Racial demographics in the neighborhood have also shifted. The Hispanic population decreased from 55% in 2016 to 43% in 2022, while the Black population increased from 30% to 43% during the same period. The White population has fluctuated, decreasing from 19% in 2020 to 10% in 2022.
The increase in median income may partially explain the absence of new LIHTC projects in the neighborhood since 1994. However, income levels remain below city and state averages, suggesting a potential ongoing need for affordable housing.
The Walnut-Orange-Walsh neighborhood's modest LIHTC-funded affordable housing presence, representing about 3.9% of the estimated housing inventory, resulted from development between 1988 and 1994. Despite some improvement in median income over the past decade, levels remain relatively low, indicating a potential continued need for affordable housing options. The neighborhood's racial composition has changed, with Hispanic and Black populations now constituting the largest groups. These demographic changes and economic factors warrant consideration in future affordable housing planning for the neighborhood.
