Orange County NC Website
ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: September 2, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. ~ - ~ <br />SUBJECT: Renaming of the Housing and Community Development Department <br />DEPARTMENT: Housing/Community Dev. PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Organization Chart Tara L. Fikes, 245-2490 <br />PURPOSE: To provide the opportunity for the Board to consider renaming the Housing and <br />Community Development Department. <br />BACKGROUND: In March 2010, the Human Rights and Relations Department was combined <br />with the Housing and Community Development Department. The resulting Housing and <br />Community Development configuration is shown in the attached organizational chart for the <br />department. It should be noted that there are now four divisions within the department: <br />Housing; Human Rights; Community Development; and Homelessness Initiatives. <br />Since the department consolidation, the Human Relations Commission and. department staff <br />have discussed possible department names and both groups have agreed; or< a ~~ new <br />department name -Housing, Human Rights, and Community Development (HHRCD). It is <br />thought that this new name incorporates and acknowledges the addition of the Orange County <br />Civil Rights Ordinance enforcement function in the department. Additionally, at the suggestion <br />of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development fair housing officials, a new civil rights. <br />complaint phone number has been established to help the public reach department staff <br />concerning civil rights violations. That phone number is 919-245-2487 and there are efforts <br />currently underway to inform the public of the new phone number for that purpose. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. <br />RECOMMENDATON(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the <br />recommendation of the Human Relations Commission and department staff to rename the <br />Housing and Community Development Department to the Housing, Human Rights, and <br />Community Development Department. <br />