Agenda - 05-05-2009 - 7a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Inter-Faith Council of Orange County -Project Homestart In January 1994 the BOCC adopted a resolution establishing a Family Support and Shelter Task Force to review and make recommendations for a shelter for homeless women and children. On February 6, 1995 the BOCC received a report from the Task Force identifying possible sites for a transition housing project with a service description that included "be operated as a collaborative project between the Inter-Faith Council (IFC) and the Orange-Durham Coalition for Battered Women". Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the NC Housing Finance Agency, the County capital investment program and private donations were cited as sources of funding for project development. On-going cooperation of an array of community public and private non-profit agencies was cited as necessary to provide the operational funding for sustained delivery of a comprehensive array of human services. The BOCC required the IFC and Coalition for Battered Women to present a plan for generating revenues for the project and a site plan for the proposed development. IFC and the Coalition were awarded a $1.3 million dollar Supportive Housing grant from HUD for the construction of the transitional housing. In June 1995 the BOCC received a project plan from IFC and the Coalition and approved a lease agreement with the IFC for Project Homestart on Homestead Road in Chapel Hill. The lease became effective July 1, 1995 with a 25-year term. Section 8 is shown below: "IFC shall not assign, sublet, or license the lease premises without the prior written consent of County, which shall not unreasonably withheld. County consents to a sublease to the Orange-Durham Coalition for Battered Women, Inc. of that portion of the leased premises and the Project to be used by the Orange-Durham Coalition for Battered Women, Inc. who are victims of domestic violence. In the event IFC requests and County approves assignment, subletting or licensing of the leased premises, IFC will ensure that its tenant is subject to the same terms and conditions which are reflected in this lease. " In the spring of 1997 IFC began construction of three (3) 3600 sq. ft. transitional housing units; each unit to be occupied by five families. IFC was to operate two units for homeless families and the Coalition was scheduled to operate the third unit for families who were homeless as a result of domestic violence. IFC began operating two of the transitional housing units on July 1, 1998. The Coalition did not begin operation of the third transitional housing unit in July 1998 as planned. On May 14, 1999 the IFC informed the County Manager that the Coalition had not fulfilled the terms of the sublease agreement between IFC and the Coalition for the operation of the third unit for two reasons: (1) The Coalition was unable to commit to the required level of staffing for site supervision and safety, and (2) The Coalition was unable to verify the availability of their required local match (25%) to receive the HUD grant funds for unit operations.