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16 <br />purchase the duplexes. The financing from the Catholic Church is expiring soon and they need to pay <br />back the money. This puts Empowerment in a difficult position because they are going to have to sell <br />this property or find $50,000 somewhere. If this project is not approved, then this property will have to <br />go on the market and will probably not be affordable housing. He pointed out that the primary reason <br />that OPC's application was not more thorough was that he showed them this property on a Thursday, <br />and the applications were due on the following Monday. He pointed out that the client population that <br />OPC is trying to serve with this development is people who live on social security disability income. He <br />asked the County Commissioners to consider adopting the Manager's recommendation as well as <br />funding for OPC's project. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked about the loan deadline and Mark Chilton said June 1St. They <br />have told the church that it would probably be a month later than this and he has not heard back from <br />them. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that he is supportive in general but they meet again on June 3~d <br />and he would not mind having this on the agenda at that time. He needs to think about this. <br />Commissioner Carey said that he is generally supportive also, but it would be a bad <br />precedent to act on this tonight. He said that OPC should revise their application and get it to the staff <br />as soon as possible. <br />Chair Brown said that the other applications have very specific components and she would <br />have to see the preliminary contracts for this project. She asked for Commissioner Halkiotis to rescind <br />his motion or make a substitute motion because she could not support it. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about the $50,000 and why the proposal is for $260,000. Mark <br />Chilton said that he has more than one loan associated with this property. <br />John Link suggested moving forward with the projects for Habitat for Humanity and <br />Empowerment and then have the others come back on June 3`d <br />Chair Brown said that she would like to talk about Empowerment because it is contingent on <br />a rezoning request from the Town. She said that this is not a good idea because in the past this has <br />been used as leverage on the towns and the County to ,approve it because it is contingent on money that <br />has already been received by the County. This puts the Board in an awkward position. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis rescinded his motion. Commissioner Carey said that he supports all <br />three, but he has not heard anything on Weaver Community Housing Association (WCHA). <br />Chair Brown said that the project from WCHA is contingent, or a big supporting piece of the <br />application is, that the project will be associated with the Inter-Faith Council to support housing for <br />women and children. However, there is no documentation on this. There needs to be a presumed <br />contract or a letter of intent. She does not support this without proof and she does not think it meets the <br />criteria. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he would also like more information about WCHA and how <br />it could work. He would like to approve the other two (Empowerment, Inc. and Habitat for Humanity <br />projects). <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to <br />approve the proposals for Empowerment, Inc. and Habitat for Humanity projects, and to receive <br />additional information regarding Weaver Community Housing Association (WCHA) and allow the OPC <br />Foundation more time to complete their application. <br />Commissioner Carey withdrew his second for the original motion. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about procedures and suggested giving people who already <br />applied a limited. amount of time to complete their applications. John Link agreed and read from the <br />abstract as follows: "This, however, should not be interpreted as an absolute since final funding <br />decisions are made at the discretion of the BOCC." The Board can ask for additional information and <br />extend the time limit on applications. <br />Commissioner Gordon wants to add to the motion to allow the other two to complete their <br />applications and WCHA to provide additional information. Commissioner Brown pointed out that OPC is <br />apart of the motion. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said that the Board should review the applications in the future. <br />Commissioner Jacobs called for the question on the revised motion. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />