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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~j <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: Apri120, 1999 <br />SUBJECT: Resolution of Support -Senate Bi11708 <br />DEPARTMENT: Housing/Community Development <br />PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1~ <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Resolution <br />Senate Bi11708. <br />Affordable Housing Initiatives <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Tara L. Fikes <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2490 <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: <br />To adopt a Resolution of Support for Senate Bi11708 entitled "Affordable Housing". <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Senator Fountain Odom has introduced Senate Bill 708 which will extend legislative authority to <br />enable counties with populations in excess of 500,000 to use general revenue dollars to support <br />affordable housing. More specifically, the bill amends current statutes to allow counties to engage <br />in, appropriate, and expend funds for new residential housing construction. These powers are <br />granted to cities, redevelopment commissions, and housing authorities, but not counties directly. <br />However, the statutes provide that any Board of County Commissioners may exercise directly those <br />powers granted by law to county redevelopment commissions and those powers granted to county <br />housing authorities. There is an Orange County Housing Authority; thus, most housing activities in <br />the County are undertaken according to the powers granted to housing authorities. A copy of the <br />bill is attached to this agenda abstract. <br />At the April 6, 1999 meeting, Myles Presler asked the Orange County Board of Commissioners to <br />approve the inclusion of Orange County in this legislation. <br />Staff conducted a critical analysis of the three main components of the proposed bill. The following <br />information is provided for the board's further deliberation regarding the proposed resolution: <br />I. Add a section to Article 18 of Chapter 153A which would authorize the County to engage in and <br />appropriate and expend funds for residential construction, new or rehabilitated; acquire real <br />property; convey property by private sale to any public or private entity that provides affordable <br />housing to persons of low or moderate income. <br />Staff Response: This power is already granted to the County under Chapter 157 (Housing <br />Authorities} of the General Statutes. <br />