2. HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Assuring the availability of adequate housing for all social and economic sectors of the City's present and future population is an important goal for El Segundo. To achieve this goal requires an assessment of the housing needs of the community and region. This section discusses the demographic, socio-economic, and housing characteristics of the City of El Segundo in an effort to determine the specific housing needs of the City and its residents. The Needs Assessment section of the Housing Element will serve to identify the nature and extent of unmet housing needs in the City.

A. POPULATION

1. Population Growth Trends

The City saw a 1.2 percent average annual decrease in its population growth during the 1970's, resulting in a population decrease of 12 percent from 1970 to 1980. In contrast, the 1990 Census reported that El Segundo’s population was 15,223 persons, marking a population increase of nearly 11 percent in the span of ten years since the 1980 census. This growth rate was noticeably less than the 17 percent for Los Angeles County as a whole. Cities surrounding El Segundo, such as Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, experienced growth patterns similar to El Segundo, with decreases in population in the 1970's and modest increases in the 1980's.

As of January 1998, the State Department of Finance estimated that the City's population numbered approximately 16,424, an increase of about 8 percent in the eight years since the Census. This rate of growth is just slightly below that for Los Angeles County as a whole or that of most of El Segundo’s neighboring communities as shown on Table 2 and Figure 2.

Table 2

Population Growth Trends

Jurisdiction	1990	1998	Change 1990-1998
El Segundo	15,223	16,424	7.9%
Hawthorne	71,349	78,573	10.1%
Hermosa Beach	18,219	19,098	4.8%
Inglewood	109,602	118,484	8.1%
Manhattan Beach	32,063	34,898	8.8%
Redondo Beach	60,167	65,755	9.3%
Los Angeles County	8,863,164	9,603,291	8.4%

Figure 2

Population Change 1990 - 1998

Sources: 1990 U.S. Census

California State Department of Finance,

Pop. & Hsg. Estimates as of January 1, 1998

2. Age Characteristics

Age distribution is an important factor in determining market housing demand. Traditional assumptions are that the young adult population (20 to 34 years old) tend to favor apartments, low to moderate cost condominiums, and smaller single family units. The adult population (35 to 65 years old) provides the major market for moderate to high end apartments, condominiums, and single family homes. This age group tends to have higher incomes and larger household sizes. The senior population (65 years and older) tends to generate demand for low to moderate cost apartments and condominiums, group quarters, and mobile homes. Table 3 shows the age distribution of the population of the City of El Segundo in 1980 and 1990, and the proportionate age distribution of all Los Angeles County residents in 1990.

Table 3

Age Distribution

Age Group	1980		1990
	Persons	% of Total	Persons	% of Total	L.A. County % of Total
Under 5 years	652	4.7%	850	5.6%	8.3%
5-9	617	4.5%	796	5.2%	7.3%
10-14	918	6.7%	746	4.9%	6.6%
15-19	1,217	8.9%	769	5.1%	7.2%
20-24	1,400	10.2%	1,097	7.2%	9.1%
25-34	2,698	19.6%	3,682	24.2%	19.8%
35-44	1,847	13.4%	2,747	18.0%	15.1%
45-54	1,912	13.9%	1,824	12.0%	9.5%
55-64	1,382	10.0%	1,249	8.2%	7.3%
65-74	707	5.1%	906	6.0%	5.7%
75+	402	2.9%	557	3.7%	4.0%
Total	13,752	100.0%	15,223	100.0%	100.0%
Median Age	32.6 yrs		33.1 yrs		30.7 yrs

Source: 1980 and 1990 U.S. Census

As shown in Table 3, the 1990 median age in El Segundo of 33.1 years is higher than the County-wide median of 30.7 years. The City witnessed significant proportional and numeric growth during the 1980s in its young adult (age 25-34 years) and mid-adult populations (age 35-44). This working age population has likely been attracted to the City based on the tremendous growth in the local employment base, particularly in the aerospace industry, and in the City’s comparatively affordable housing relative to other coastal communities in the South Bay. These characteristics, as an employment center with relatively modest cost housing, have resulted in stable neighborhoods and a tightening of the housing market in El Segundo. El Segundo is a predominantly renter-occupied community according to the 1990 Census, with 60 percent of all households occupied by renters. In conjunction with the growth in the young and mid-adult populations, this may indicate a potential need for increased first-time homebuyer opportunities in the City.

In the younger age groups, growth has not been as pronounced, or has declined. There was less than a 1 percent increase in the City’s early school age population (age 0-9 years), and there was an actual numeric decline in population for ages 10 to 24.

More recent information provided by the El Segundo School District is shown in Table 4. This data indicates that from 1990 to 1996 there was an increase in enrollment for all grades, with the most pronounced increase in kindergarten and the smallest increase in tenth grade. Overall, there has been about a 15 percent increase in enrollment, indicating steady growth in the school age population. Of the total enrolled students, approximately 10 percent are permit students, who live outside the district but go there because their parents work in the City. About 40% of these permit students are in high school.

Table 4

School Enrollment by Grade - El Segundo Unified School District

Grade	1990	1992	1994	1996	Change 1990-1996	% Change
K	131	152	214	225	94	71.8%
1	150	146	151	202	52	34.7%
2	139	159	160	193	54	38.8%
3	122	164	159	165	43	35.2%
4	139	158	159	167	28	20.1%
5	147	140	156	166	19	12.9%
6	132	166	165	192	60	45.5%
7	153	173	180	222	69	45.1%
8	148	151	188	191	43	29.1%
9	181	195	213	223	42	23.2%
10	211	181	216	224	13	6.2%
11	163	178	185	210	47	28.8%
12	180	181	178	201	21	11.7%
Total	3,986	4,136	4,318	4,577	591	14.8%

Source: El Segundo Unified School District, 1999.

El Segundo has about the same proportion of seniors (9.7 percent age 65 and older) as the County as a whole (9.7 percent). Between 1980 and 1990, the City experienced only a slight proportional increase in seniors, who in 1980 represented 8.0 percent of the total population. This increase, although slight, will likely continue to grow, and may indicate a need for expanded housing programs such as senior shared housing, senior housing repair assistance, and assisted supportive housing.

3. Race and Ethnicity

The racial and ethnic composition of a community effects housing needs due to the unique household characteristics of different groups. Table 5 shows the changes in the racial/ethnic composition of El Segundo between 1980 and 1990.

There were several dramatic shifts in the years between 1980 and 1990. The most notable of these changes were proportionate increases in the Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Black populations, although these ethnic groups still comprise less than 15 percent of the City’s total population. El Segundo’s ethnic composition continues to be predominately White at 84.5 percent of the population. However, this represents a decrease from 1980 when the White population comprised 88.8 percent of the total.

More recent data from the El Segundo Unified School District indicates that during the 1998-99 school year 73.5 percent of all enrolled students in kindergarten through secondary grades were White, 14.4 percent were Hispanic, 9.5 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2.6 percent were Black. These ethnic characteristics of the student population indicate that the White population has decreased since 1990, while other ethnic groups have increased.

Table 5

Racial and Ethnic Change

from 1980 to 1990

Race/Ethnicity	1980		1990		Change
	Persons	% of Total	Persons	% of Total	Absolute Change	Percent Change
White	12,208	88.8%	12,987	84.8%	779	+6.4%
Hispanic	1,082	7.9%	1,382	9.0%	300	+27.7%
Asian/Pacific Islander.	244	1.8%	733	4.8%	489	+200.4%
Black	49	0.4%	133	0.9%	84	+171.4%
American Indian	90	0.7%	59	0.4%	‑31	‑34.4%
Other	79	0.6%	19	0.1%	‑60	‑75.9%
Total	13,752	100%	15,313	100%	1,561	+ 11.4%

Source: 1980 and 1990 U.S. Census

El Segundo’s ethnic make-up does not reflect the racial diversification that is occurring elsewhere in Los Angeles County. A greater proportion of the City's residents are White compared to 41 percent of the County, while persons from the Hispanic and Black groups comprise a smaller proportion of the City's population than they do County-wide (37.3 percent Hispanic, 10.4 Asian, and 10.7 Black). The distribution of the remaining racial or ethnic groups is similar to the County-wide distribution.

Because of the predominance of one racial group in El Segundo, successful housing policies and programs must be sensitive to the different needs and preferences of other cultural groups. Household size, household composition, income levels and preferences in tenure are among the factors which must be considered.

4. Employment

According to the 1990 Census, and as shown on Table 6, there were 9,665 El Segundo residents in the labor force, representing a labor force participation rate of 76.3 percent of persons between the ages of 16 and 64. Most of the City's residents are employed in managerial and professional specialty occupations (42.7 percent) or in technical, sales, and administrative support capacities (32.2 percent). The unemployment rate reported in the 1990 Census was 3.4 percent, compared to the County-wide unemployment rate of 8 percent. The City’s unemployment has continued to fall well below the County, with the 1998 annual average documented at 3.0 percent compared to 6.5 percent in the County. In April of 1999, El Segundo had an unemployment rate of 2.7 percent, compared to 6.0 percent for the County.

Table 6

Jobs Held by El Segundo Residents

Job Category	Number	Percent
Managerial/Professional	3,936	42.7%
Sales, Technical, Admin (Support)	2,970	32.2%
Service Occupations	788	8.6%
Precision Production, Craft & Repair	892	9.7%
Operators, Fabricators, & Laborers	543	5.9%
Farming, Forestry, & Fishing	85	0.9%
Total Employed Persons Total Persons in Labor Force (16 years & over)	9,214 9,665	95.3% 100.0%

Source: 1990 U.S. Census

In 1998, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) prepared growth projections for each jurisdiction in the region for population, households, and employment through the year 2020. The employment projections for the City of El Segundo were as follows:

Year 1994 2000 2010 2015 2020

# Jobs 55,106 66,490 80,405 87,024 95,256

A general measure of the balance of a community's employment opportunities with the needs of its residents is through a "jobs-housing balance" test. A balanced community would have a match between employment and housing opportunities so that most of the residents could also work in the community. Comparing the number of jobs in El Segundo in 1994 (55,106) to the number of housing units in that same year (7,254) indicates a high job-housing ratio of 7.59. This is reflective of the large employment base in El Segundo. Large employers include the Chevron Refinery as well as major aerospace corporations such as the Aerospace Corporation, Boeing Corporation and Raytheon.

El Segundo is a jobs-rich community, and the SCAG projections indicate that it will continue to be, with an estimated increase of almost 29,000 jobs projected from 2000 to 2020. The City’s large employment base relative to the small number of housing units, and the projected job increases for the City, indicate that there may be a need for additional housing in the community.

B. HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS

Information on household characteristics is an important indicator of housing needs in a community. Income and affordability are best measured at the household level, as are the special needs of certain groups, such as large-family households or female-headed households. For example, if a city has a substantial number of young family households whose incomes compared with local housing costs preclude the option of buying a home, that city may wish to initiate a homebuyer assistance program.

1. Household Composition and Size

The Bureau of the Census defines a "household" as all persons who occupy a housing unit, which may include single persons living alone, families related through marriage or blood, or unrelated persons sharing living quarters. Persons living in retirement or convalescent homes, dormitories, or other group living situations are not considered households. The characteristics of the households in a city are important indicators of the type of housing needed in that community.

Table 7 below describes the household characteristics for El Segundo. According to the 1990 Census, there were 6,773 households in the City of El Segundo, about 56 percent of which were family households. This proportion is less than that of Los Angeles County as a whole, where 68 percent of all households consisted of families. Single-person households represent the second largest household group in the City, comprising about 31 percent of all households (2,125). The remaining 879 households fall into the unrelated non-family household category, which consist of unrelated persons living together. About 13 percent of El Segundo’s households belonged to this category according to the 1990 Census.

Table 7

Household Characteristics

Household Type	1980		1990
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Total Population	13,752	100.0%	15,223	100.0%
In Group Quarters	60	0.43%	97	0.63%
Total Households Average Household Size Families Single Households Unrelated Non-Family Households	5,985 2.29 3,535 1,988 462	100.0% 59.0% 33.2% 7.0%	6 ,773 2.25 3,769 2,125 879	100.0% 56.0% 31.4% 13.0%

Source: 1980 and 1990 U.S. Census

Household size is an important indicator of a source of population growth. A city's average household size will increase over time if there is a trend towards larger families. In communities where the population is aging, the average household size will often decline.

Between 1980 and 1990, the average household size in El Segundo decreased slightly from 2.29 to 2.25 persons per household. The California State Department of Finance estimates household size in El Segundo at approximately 2.37 persons as of January 1, 1998. This figure is significantly less than the estimates for the City and County of Los Angeles (2.93 and 3.06 persons per household in 1998 respectively), and is fairly comparable with the relatively small average household sizes of all of El Segundo’s coastal neighbors. Average household size in nearby cities is shown in Table 8.

Table 8

Average Household Sizes

For the City of El Segundo and Neighboring Communities -- 1998 Estimates

City	Persons Per Household
El Segundo	2.37
Hawthorne	2.84
Hermosa Beach	2.06
Inglewood	3.20
Manhattan Beach	2.42
Redondo Beach	2.39

Source: California Department of Finance, January 1998

2. Overcrowding

The federal government defines an overcrowded household as one with more than one person per room, excluding bathrooms, kitchens, hallways, and porches. Overcrowding in households results from either a lack of affordable housing (which forces more than one household to live together) and/or a lack of available housing units of adequate size.

According to the 1990 Census, there were a total of 261 households (3.8 percent) in El Segundo that were living in overcrowded conditions, compared to 19 percent Countywide. Overcrowding among renter-households was more prevalent than among owner-households. Of the total 261 overcrowded households, about 204 were renter-households. In contrast, of the total overcrowded households, only 57 were owner-households. The Census indicates that 66 percent of the households in El Segundo have less than .50 persons per room, therefore, overcrowding does not appear to be a primary issue for the City.

3. Household Income and Income Distribution

Income is a major factor in evaluating the affordability of housing in a community. According to the 1990 Census the median household income in El Segundo was $46,352, which is well above the County-wide median household income of $34,965. In comparison with its neighbors, the median household income in El Segundo was higher than that of Hawthorne and Inglewood; somewhat lower than Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach; and significantly lower than that of Manhattan Beach. Figure 3 shows the City's median household income in comparison to neighboring cities as well as to the Los Angeles County average.

Figure 3

Household Income Characteristics

For El Segundo and Neighboring Communities - 1990

Source: 1990 U.S. Census

The State Department of Housing and Community Development has developed the following income categories based on the Median Family Income (MFI) of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) established by the U.S. Department of housing and Urban Development:

· Very Low Income: 50 percent or less of the area MFI;

· Low Income: between 51 and 80 percent of the area MFI;

· Moderate Income: between 81 and 120 percent of the area MFI;

· Upper Income: greater than 120 percent of the area MFI.

The 1989 MFI for the Los Angeles-Long Beach MSA ($38,000) was used to interpolate the City's income distribution from the census according to the above categories. The income distribution of the City of El Segundo is presented in Table 9. Table 10 breaks the income distribution of the City's residents down into the income categories designated by HUD.

Table 9

Income Distribution - 1990

Income Level	No. of Households	% of Total	Cumulative Percentage
< $5,000	129	1.9%	1.9%
$5,000 - $9,999	230	3.4%	5.3%
$10,000 - $14,999	295	4.3%	9.6%
$15,000 - $24,999	680	9.9%	19.5%
$25,000 - $34,999	975	14.3%	33.8%
$35,000 - $49,999	1,408	20.6%	54.4%
$50,000 - $74,999	1,722	25.2%	79.6%
$75,000 - $99,999	788	11.5%	91.1%
$100,000 - $149,000	499	7.3%	98.4%
$150,000 +	109	1.6%	100.0%
Total	6,835	100.0%	100.0%

Source: 1990 U.S. Census

Table 10

HUD Income Groups - 1990

Income Group	No. of Households	% of Total
Very Low Income (0-50% of County Median) Low Income (51-80% of County Median) Moderate Income (81-120% of County Median) Upper Income (+120% of County Median)	926 935 2,429 2,545	13.5% 13.7% 35.5% 37.2%
Total	6,835	100.0%

Source: 1990 U.S. Census

As shown, the 1990 Census documents about 27 percent of the City’s households as earning very low or low incomes. The City is predominately a moderate and upper income community with about 73 percent of its households earning incomes in these ranges.

4. Housing Affordability and Overpayment

State and Federal standards specify that a household overpays for its housing costs if it pays 30 percent or more of its gross income on housing. According to the 1990 Census, there were 6,773 occupied housing units in El Segundo. Of these occupied units, 2,736 (40.4 percent) were owner-occupied, and 4,037 (59.6 percent) were occupied by renters. Table 11 summarizes housing overpayment statistics by tenure for the City of El Segundo.

Table 11

Summary of Housing Overpayment

Overpaying Households	<$20,000	$20,000 to $34,999	$35,000 to $49,999	$50,000 or More	Total
Renters Owners	552 101	616 98	235 114	58 468	1,461 781
Total	653	714	349	526	2,242

Source: 1990 U.S. Census

According to the Census, 2,242 El Segundo households (33 percent of the City’s total households), were spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing. Of these households, 1,461 (65 percent) were renters, constituting slightly more than one-third of the total renter households in the City. The majority of these overpaying renter households earned less than $35,000, with 37% earning less than $20,000. This may indicate a need for more affordable rental housing in El Segundo, and/or rent subsidies for very low income households.

In households with incomes of $50,000 or more, the majority of households overpaying were owner households. While the extent of owner households overpaying for housing is not as great as that for renter households, there still may be a need for assistance to low and very low income homeowners. In particular, seniors tend to have limited and fixed incomes, as well as physical limitations which may hinder their abilities to adequately maintain their properties.

5. Special Needs Groups

Certain segments of the population may have particular difficulties in finding decent, affordable housing due to their special needs. These special needs groups, as defined by State housing element law, include the elderly, disabled persons, large households, female-headed households, farmworkers, and the homeless. In addition, military households are a group with special housing needs in El Segundo. Table 12 summarizes the numbers of households/persons in each of these special needs groups in the City of El Segundo.

Table 12

Special Needs Groups

Special Need Group	No. Of Persons/Households	% Total Population/Households
Elderly Households (age 65+) Elderly Living Alone	1,120 454	16.5% 6.7%
Disabled Persons (Age 16+)	1,251	9.9%^1
Large Households (5 or more members)	385	5.7%
Female-Headed Households With Children (< 18 years old)	575 325	8.5% 4.8%
Farmworkers	85	.56%
Military Personnel (in labor force)	130	.85%
Homeless persons	7 - 10	.04%

Source: 1990 U.S. Census, El Segundo Police Department (Homeless persons)

¹Percent of population 16 years and over.

Elderly Persons

The special needs of many elderly households result from their lower, fixed incomes, physical disabilities, and dependence needs. The population over 65 years of age has four main concerns:

· Income: People over 65 are usually retired and living on a fixed income;

· Health Care: Because they have a higher rate of illness and dependency, health care and supportive housing are important;

· Transportation: Many seniors use public transit, however a significant number of seniors have disabilities and require alternative transportation;

· Housing: Many seniors live alone and many of them are renters.

These characteristics indicate a need for smaller, lower cost housing units with easy access to public transit and health care facilities.

The Census shows that roughly 16.5 percent of the City's households were headed by elderly persons age 65 and above. Of these approximately 1,120 households, 454 consisted of elderly persons living alone. Members of this subpopulation of the elderly may have special needs for assistance with finances, household maintenance, and other routine activities. This is particularly true of persons age 75 and older who are more likely to be the "frail elderly." The City currently provides services for seniors through its Senior In-Home Care and Home Delivered Meals programs, which are supported with CDBG and City General funds. The City has approved $300,000 in funding for the 2000/2001 FY for the development of architectural plans for a new Community Center in Recreation Park, in the center of the City’s residential area. The Center will allow the existing senior services to be consolidated and expanded into the existing Joslyn Center, as the offices currently located within the Joslyn Center will be relocated to the new Community Center.

The 1990 Census indicates that there were at least 57 persons age 65 and over living at the poverty level. This indicates that there may be a need for additional affordable senior housing. In 1984, the City developed Park Vista, a 97-unit senior housing project for seniors capable of independent living. Rents are restricted to levels of affordable to very low-income households, and occupancy is limited to El Segundo residents with incomes which fall below moderate income levels. Discussions with management at Park Vista indicate there is a need for an assisted care facility in the City as a continuum for residents needing to move into a more supportive housing environment.

Disabled Persons

Physical and mental disabilities can hinder access to traditionally designed housing units as well as potentially limit the ability to earn adequate income. As shown in Table 13, the 1990 Census indicates that approximately 10.0 percent of El Segundo's population age 16 years and older, has some form of work or mobility/self-care disability.

Although no current comparisons of disability with income, household size, or race/ethnicity are available, it is reasonable to assume that a substantial portion of disabled persons would be within federal Section 8 income limits, especially those households not in the labor force. Furthermore, most lower income disabled persons are likely to require housing assistance. Their housing need is further compounded by design and location requirements which can often be costly. For example, special needs of households with wheelchair-bound or semi-ambulatory individuals may require ramps, holding bars, special bathroom designs, wider doorways, lower cabinets, elevators, and other interior and exterior design features.

Housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities can be addressed through the provision of affordable, barrier-free housing. Rehabilitation assistance can be targeted toward disabled renters and homeowners for unit modification to improve accessibility. Accessible housing can also be provided through senior housing development.

Table 13

Disability Status of Non-institutional Persons

Age and Disability Status	Number	Percent
Persons 16-64 Years Old With Work Disability only With Mobility/Self-care Limitations only With both Work and Mobility/Self-care Limitations	11,070 513 174 87	88.2% 4.6% 1.6% .78%
Persons 65 Years and Over With Work Disability only With Mobility/Self-care Limitations only With both Work and Mobility/Self-care Limitations	1,475 198 97 182	11.7% 13.4% 6.6% 12.3%
Total Persons, 16 Years and Over With Work Disability only With Mobility/Self-care Limitations only With both Work and Mobility/Self-care Limitations	12,545 711 271 269	100% 5.7% 2.2% 2.1%