4A Public Hearing 2014 1006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WORKING DRAFT FOR HCD REVIEW NEEDS ASSESSMENT 3-23 SAN LEANDRO HOUSING ELEMENT senior population declined. In 2010, the percentage of residents over 65 in the city was only 24 percent higher than the county average. Nonetheless, San Leandro still has a higher percentage of seniors than any other city in the county except Piedmont. About one in seven San Leandro residents is over 65. Table 3-12 highlights the income characteristics of San Leandro’s seniors, along with those of Alameda County’s seniors. The 2007-2011 American Community Survey (ACS) Census reported that 42 percent of San Leandro’s seniors had incomes of $30,000 or less, compared to 36.8 percent countywide. Another 22 percent had incomes of $30,000-49,000, compared to 17.8 percent countywide. Only 12.4 percent of San Leandro’s seniors had incomes of $100,000 or more, compared to 20 percent countywide. Table 3-12: Income Characteristics of Seniors in San Leandro and Alameda County, 2007-2011 Number of Householders (2007-2011) Income under $30,000 $30,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000 to $99,999 More than $100,000 Total San Leandro 2,602 1,361 930 536 771 6,200 % of all seniors 42.0% 22.0% 15.0% 8.6% 12.4% 100.0% Alameda County 35,220 17,060 15,332 9,048 19,147 95,807 % of all seniors 36.8% 17.8% 16.0% 9.4% 20.0% 100.0% Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2011. ABAG, 2014 Based on ACS data, about 70 percent of San Leandro’s senior renters spent more than 30 percent of their annual incomes on housing. Senior homeowners fared more favorably, with only 24 percent spending more than 30 percent of their annual incomes on their housing costs. One-third (33.4%) of San Leandro’s senior homeowners still had a mortgage on their homes; two-thirds (66.6%) had paid their mortgages off completely. Many of the city’s senior households find it difficult to make monthly mortgage or rent payments on fixed or limited incomes. Others may find the day-to-day costs of home maintenance and improvements to be prohibitively expensive, or may be cost-burdened by property taxes and utility costs. In 2000, nearly 3,400 of the city’s 12,700 senior residents lived alone. By 2012, that number was about the same, but the total number of seniors in the city was smaller, meaning that single seniors are now a larger percentage of the total senior population. The ACS indicated that 50 percent of San Leandro’s senior households consist of one person living alone. The statistics suggest a possible demand for shared housing programs in the city, creating a potential source of income for lower-income senior homeowners as well as a housing resource for lower- income senior renters.