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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Downtown West, a neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri, contains a substantial inventory of LIHTC funded affordable housing. The area encompasses 498 total units in LIHTC funded projects, with 343 designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 6,232 and an estimated 2,388 housing units, LIHTC funded affordable housing comprises approximately 20.9% of the neighborhood's estimated housing inventory. This percentage indicates that LIHTC funded projects significantly contribute to affordable housing options in Downtown West.
The LIHTC program has invested $2,344,858 in tax credits for affordable housing projects in Downtown West. This equates to an average federal funding of approximately $4,708 per unit across all LIHTC funded projects in the neighborhood. LIHTC funded affordable housing has been present in Downtown West for over two decades, with the first project, Artloft, completed in 1996, and the most recent known completion being the Leather Trades Building in 2011.
The 2000s witnessed the most affordable housing development activity, with projects such as Old Frenchtown II (2004), Majestic Stove Lofts (2007), and 1818 Washington Apts (2009) being completed. The housing stock in LIHTC funded projects predominantly consists of one-bedroom units (340), followed by two-bedroom units (95), and a small number of three-bedroom units (9).
Over the past decade, Downtown West has experienced significant population growth, increasing from 4,429 in 2013 to 6,232 in 2022. This growth coincides with a period of relative stability in LIHTC project development, suggesting that the existing affordable housing stock has been supporting a growing population.
The median income in the neighborhood has shown some fluctuation but has generally increased from $47,319 in 2013 to $58,866 in 2022. This upward trend in median income, coupled with the stable LIHTC housing stock, may indicate a growing need for affordable housing options to maintain economic diversity in the neighborhood.
Racial demographics in Downtown West have evolved over the past decade. The Black population has remained stable at 43% from 2013 to 2022, while the White population has decreased from 50% to 43%. There has been a notable increase in the Asian population, from 3% to 8%, and the Hispanic population has remained relatively stable around 3-5%. These shifts in racial composition highlight the importance of maintaining diverse and affordable housing options to support a changing demographic landscape.
Downtown West's LIHTC funded affordable housing inventory plays a crucial role in the neighborhood's housing ecosystem, covering about 20.9% of the estimated housing stock. The area has seen consistent investment in affordable housing over two decades, with a focus on one and two-bedroom units. While the population has grown significantly and median income has increased, the racial composition has become more diverse. These demographic shifts underscore the ongoing importance of affordable housing initiatives like LIHTC in maintaining an inclusive and economically diverse community in Downtown West.