U.S. Department of Commerce
and U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development Joint Release IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, JUNE 24, 1996 Public Information Office CB96-H.02 301-457-3030 301-457-4067 (TDD) Ed Montfort 301-763-8551 CENSUS BUREAU AND HUD RELEASE INFORMATION ON HOUSING QUALITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS IN THE BUFFALO, NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA Approximately 36 percent of the householders in the Buffalo, New York Metropolitan Area rated their neighborhoods a perfect "10," and about the same proportion said their home was the best place to live. These findings are included in the report, American Housing Survey for the Buffalo, New York Metropolitan Area in 1994, H170/94-44, released today by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of the householders living in the Buffalo, New York metropolitan neighborhoods, 8 percent reported problems with crime, a similar proportion reported traffic problems, and 4 percent experienced problems with litter or housing deterioration. The following are additional facts about the Buffalo, New York Metropolitan Area: - The area had 503,200 housing units in 1994, of which 458,800 were occupied (67 percent by owners and 33 percent by renters). - Single-family homes, at 64 percent of all occupied units, represented the predominant housing type in the area. - The median age of homes in Buffalo city was 71 years, compared with 38 years for the remaining area. - Homes in the area had a median of 2.8 bedrooms. - Of owner-occupied housing units in the area, 19 percent had central air conditioning, 92 percent had clothes dryers, 55 percent had dishwashers, and 24 percent had garbage disposals. - Occupied homes in the area had a median of 2.2 persons per unit and a median of 5.7 rooms per unit. - Of all area owner-occupied units, approximately 84 percent had a porch, deck, or patio; about the same proportion had a garage or carport; and 32 percent had a usable fireplace. - During the two years prior to the survey, 16 percent of the owner-occupied units had some or all of the roof replaced and 10 percent had kitchens remodeled or added. - Eighteen percent of the owners and less than 1 percent of the renters had monthly housing costs that were $1,000 or more. - The 1993 median household income for area homeowners was $39,400, compared with $17,700 for renters. - Renters had median monthly housing costs that represented 29 percent of their current income, compared with 21 percent for owners. Monthly housing costs include mortgage payments or contract rent, utilities, fuels, insurance, real estate taxes (for owners), and other housing-related expenditures. - Median value of homeowners' residences in 1994 was $85,400, up 14 percent from a 1994 constant dollar figure of $74,600 for 1988. - Seventy-five percent of the 11,000 owner-occupied homes built during the last four years cost $100,000 or more; 39 percent of the owners of new homes used savings or cash-on-hand for their down payment. Data in the report are shown separately for units with African American and Hispanic householders. Since data in the report are from a survey, they are subject to sampling variability.-X-Editor's note: media representatives may obtain copies of the report from the Census Bureau's Public Information Office by telephone: 301-457-2794; fax: 301-457-3670; or e-mail: pio@census.gov. Non-media orders should be directed to the Census Bureau's Customer Services Office on 301-763-INFO(4636); fax: 301-457-3842.
