SBCT Final EIS - Govsupport.us

Chapter 3 ⎯ Affected EnvironmentHousingThere is no housing at the PCMS. Family housing and barracks for personnel training at the PCMSare located at FTC.In 2000, approximately 21,041 housing units were documented in the three-county ROI. The vacancyrate varied from 10 percent in Otero County, to 19 percent in Las Animas County, and 33 percent inHuerfano County. The high vacancy rate in Huerfano County is attributable to the high number ofunits having seasonal, recreational, and occasional use. The proportion of owner-occupied housingunits was about 70 percent in all counties. Of these housing units, between 75 and 80 percent weresingle-family units. Few structures contain 10 or more units. Mobile homes comprise between 8 and15 percent of the housing units. The housing stock is relatively old; the median year built of the unitsis oldest in Las Animas County (1953) and newest (1967) in Huerfano County. The proportion ofunits lacking complete plumbing and kitchen facilities (a surrogate measure for quality) is low inOtero County, but rises to 4 percent in Las Animas County and 5 percent in Huerfano County. Medianrent values are $351 per month in Huerfano County, $316 per month in Las Animas County, and$301 per month in Otero County. Median home values are approximately $80,000 in HuerfanoCounty, $86,000 in Las Animas County, and $68,000 in Otero County.Residential construction activity is cyclical and highly responsive to economic conditions. The numberof housing units authorized for construction in the ROI varied between 1985 and 2005 (Departmentof Housing and Urban Development 2006). Building activity remained relatively constant between1985 and 1993, and then rose rapidly to peak in 1999. This was followed by an equally steepdecline in building activity through 2005.SchoolsThe ROI contains 14 school districts, with a total combined student population of more than 8,000 in2005 (State of Colorado 2006a). The student/teacher ratio varies among school districts from a highof 18.5:1 (Branson School District in Las Animas County) to a low of 9:1 (Aguilar School District,also in Las Animas County).Environmental JusticeThe populations of the census tracts surrounding the PCMS have a slightly lower percentage of minoritiesthan Las Animas County and the ROI (U.S. Census Bureau 2005). For the counties in theROI, the Black population comprises less than 1 percent. The Hispanic or Latino share of the totalpopulation ranges from 35.3 percent in Huerfano County to 37.9 percent in Otero County and41.7 percent in Las Animas County.None of the census tracts surrounding the PCMS meets the 20 percent definition of a poverty area(U.S. Census Bureau 2006c). The poverty rate in these areas was about the same as those for LasAnimas County and the ROI; however, the poverty rates in these three areas combined are abouttwice the state level.Protection of ChildrenNo children live on the PCMS, and the PCMS is secured to prevent trespassing. There are few residencesimmediately adjacent to the PCMS.February 2008 3–166 2/25th SBCT Final EIS