Chapter 9 – Housing

Data on housing come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Censuses and from the Marianas Hous-ing Authority.  Trends in housing also include the 1995 CNMI Census which was conducted completely in-ternally.  Housing data are also collected in labor force and other surveys.

The CNMI had about 21,000 housing units in the 2010 census, about 16,000 (about 3 out of every 4) be-ing occupied.  About 4,500 (about 1 in 4 of the occupied units) were owner-occupied, and about 12,000 were rented.  The average unit had 3.3 people, about 4.2 for owner-occupied units, and about 2.9 for renter units.  All three islands had similar distributions.

While the number of units increased between 2000 and 2010, the percentage being vacant increased more rapidly.  In 2000, about 20 percent of the units were vacant, but that increased to about 23 percent in 2010.  The percent vacant increased on Saipan and Rota, but decreased on Tinian.  The average size of population in units decreased from 3.7 to 3.3, with owner-occupied units decreasing from 4.9 to 4.2 and rental units from 3.0 to 2.9, so little change for rentals.

The percentage of single family, unattached unites decreased over the decades, from 85 percent in 1980 to about half in 2000, and then to 43 percent in 2010.  The percentage of housing units that were in building of 20 or more apartments increased from less than 1 percent in 1980 to 9 percent in 2010.  In 2010, about 42 percent of Saipan’s units were unattached single-family units, compared to 67 percent on Rota and 57 percent on Tinian.  The numbers of multi-family units increased for all three islands between 1990 and 2010.

The largest number of units were built during the 1990s, with about equal numbers built in the 1980s and 2000s, about half as many as during the 1990s.  About 3 in every 4 householders moved into their units during the 2000s.

The percentage of units with concrete walls increased from about 66 percent in 1980 to 83 percent in 2010, and units rebuilt after typhoons under FEMA and other funding were more likely to be stronger.  The per-centage with wood walls decreased from 14 percent to 8 percent and the percentage with metal walls de-creased from 20 percent to 8 percent.  The percentage of units with concrete roofs increased from 48 per-cent to 56 percent between 1980 and 2010, while the percent with metal roofs decreased from about 50 percent to 36 percent.  Almost all of the units had concrete foundations.

The median number of rooms in 2010 was 3.3, with a slightly higher number – 3.7 – on Rota.  The number of rooms increased from 2000, from 2.9 to 3.3, and on Saipan and Tinian, from 2.7 to 3.3.  However, in 1990 and 1995 the average unit had more than 4 rooms, so increased population saw decreasing numbers of rooms.  The percentage of one-room units was 22 percent in 2000 before decreasing to 10 percent in 2010.  About 14 percent of the units in 2010, down from about 29 percent in 2010, had more than 1.5 people per room, a sign of crowding.  In 2010, about 1 in 4 units had exactly one bedroom, slightly less than those with two bedrooms, but more than those with 3 or more bedrooms.

In 2010, 14 percent of the units did not have complete plumbing facilities (hot and cold running water, toi-let, and tub or shower), with Rota at 7 percent but Tinian at 17 percent.  These numbers are high because many people don’t feel hot water is needed, and heating water is very expensive.  The percentage without complete plumbing decreased from 17 percent in 2000.

About 27 percent of the units did not have complete kitchen facilities (sink, stove, and refrigerator), 26 percent on Saipan, 33 percent on Rota and 32 percent on Tinian.  The percent without complete kitchen facilities actually increased from 25 percent in 2000, with all of the increase on Saipan – both Rota and Tinian saw decreases from about 36 percent in 2000.

And 27 percent of the units did not have air conditioning, 25 percent on Saipan, 44 percent on Rota and 38 percent on Tinian.  The cost of electricity makes air conditioning prohibitively expensive for many households.  The percent without air conditioning decreased from the 32 percent in 2000, with all islands seeing decreases.

The percentage of units using a public system only for source of water increased from 63 percent in 1990 to 79 percent in 2010, while the percent using the public system as well as catchments decreased from 26 percent in 1990 to 19 percent in 2010.  Because of frequent droughts and water shortages, many housing units continue to have water catchments to supplement the public system.  The percentage having catch-ments only decreased from about 3 percent in 1990 to less than 1 percent in 2010.  Almost all units on Ro-ta and Tinian were attached to the public system only.

About 53 percent of the units in 2010 were attached to a public sewer, compared to about 40 percent re-ported to use a septic tank.  However, the large majority of the units on Rota and Tinian continued to use septic tanks for disposal.  

For communications, about 8 percent of the units in 2010 were without telephone service, about 30 per-cent without a radio, and 43 percent without a computer, and about 10 percent without some access to the internet (although that access may not have been in the home.)  The percentage without phone service de-creased from 39 percent in 2000, but the percentage without a battery-powered radio increased from 14 percent.

The average value of owner-occupied structures in Saipan was $124,000 in 2010 dollars.  The value was slightly higher on Saipan, and slightly lower on Rota and Tinian.  About 28 percent of the owner-occupied units had a mortgage.  The monthly owner costs for those with a mortgage was about $1,000 compared to about $250 for those without a mortgage.

The average rent paid was $324 in 2010 dollars.  The rent was about $328 on Saipan, compared to $297 on Rota and $261 on Tinian.