By DENNIS WYATT
The Bulletin
A staggering 20.2 percent of Manteca’s households spend more than 50 percent of their monthly income on housing costs including utilities.
Under federal Housing and Urban Development standards anything above 50 percent reflects a “severe cost burden” whether it is for owners or renters. One out of every four renters falls into that category in Manteca.
Housing stock and income data are part of the housing element update to the city’s general plan being reviewed during a public hearing Tuesday at 7 p.m. during the Manteca Planning Commission meeting. The commission meets at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St.
And while Manteca’s percentage of households dealing with a “severe cost burden” is high it is slightly lower than in California overall at 21.8 percent and San Joaquin as a whole at 22.4 percent.
HUD economists consider any household paying more than 30 percent of its income on housing expenses to have a “cost burden” and essentially to be in a situation that is less than ideal for being affordable. It is estimated 74.8 percent of all households in Manteca fall in that category as opposed to 72.1 percent in San Joaquin County and 69.6 percent in California. In terms of renters, 80.1 percent of them in Manteca fall in to that category.
There is less multiple family housing in Manteca today based on percentage of all dwellings than there was in 2011.
That doesn’t bode well for affordable housing given multi-family housing — duplexes and apartments — cost less per month to occupy than single family homes. They are also filled almost exclusively with renters save an owner who may live in one unit of a duplex or triplex.
The document shows that between 2011 and 2014, 887 single family detached homes were built accounting for 81.1 percent of all new construction. Traditional single family homes now account for 76.9 percent of Manteca’s housing stock as opposed to 76.7 percent in 2011.
The county overall has 72.6 percent of its housing stock in single family homes while California has 58.1 percent.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
