Orange County NC Website
N <br />December 20, 2010 <br />Dr. Tara Fikes <br />Housing and Community Development <br />Orange County <br />PO Box 8181 <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Dear Tara: <br />This letter is in response to your email asking about the need for HOME funds at the <br />affordable rental project in the Winmore development known as The Landings at <br />Winmore. As you know Community Home Trust is not the developer of The Landings. When <br />we applied for the HOME funds in 2007,1 did not fully understand what the Home Trust's role <br />would be in this development. However, I was convinced that notwithstanding our role, the <br />Landings was a much needed rental project for the Chapel Hill /Carrboro area. I also believed <br />BOARD OF the development proposal enabled our community to leverage a modest amount of HOME <br />TRUSTEES funds per unit to create fifty -eight affordable apartments in an upscale neighborhood. In short, <br />Mary Bratsch I viewed this as a unique opportunity that hopefully would warrant an allocation of HOME <br />President funds. <br />Michael Hansen <br />The developer of The Landings, Dean Edwards, has told me there were project costs incurred <br />Vice President <br />that were loaned to the project by Crosland LLC as the Managing Member of the The Landings <br />Mary Jean Seyda <br />during construction. Mr. Edwards informs me that these costs, some of which are outlined <br />Treasurer <br />below, were not funded by the Bank of America construction loan. As you can see, the costs <br />Lisa Inman well exceed the $300,000 of HOME funds that were approved for this development. <br />Sccrebiry <br />John Cooper <br />It is my understanding that the $300,000 of HOME funds are needed to repay funds advanced by <br />Crosland for this development. The costs provided to the Landings by Crosland include: <br />Jacquelyn Gist <br />Jonathan Weiler A second question has been the length of the affordability period, which is typically 99 years for <br />Executive Director any projects that include funding from Orange County. The developer has raised questions <br />Robert Dowling about the practicality of a 99 -year affordability period in the event that Community Home Trust <br />is unable to purchase the property. As you know, Community Home Trust has a Right of First <br />Refusal for The Landings. Although our intention is to exercise this right and maintain these <br />units as affordable rentals in perpetuity, market conditions and our own financial strength will <br />determine if we are able to exercise this right and purchase the buildings. However, in any <br />case, the developer informs me that the senior financing for the project provided by the NC <br />P.O. Box 307, Carrboro, NC 27510 1 919 - 967 -1545 <br />Land Option Costs <br />$20,000.00 <br />Eric Hallman <br />Bank of America Closing Costs <br />$66,300.00 <br />Pam Hemminger <br />Pre- development Costs <br />$1,526.49 <br />Architect Fees <br />$238,939.97 <br />Alan Lee <br />Survey & Engineering Fees <br />$147,711.70 <br />Gene Pease <br />Appraisal <br />$3,000.00 <br />Soils Investigation <br />$3,625.00 <br />Bruce Runberg <br />Jim Tucker <br />As you can see, these costs total about <br />$480,000. <br />Jonathan Weiler A second question has been the length of the affordability period, which is typically 99 years for <br />Executive Director any projects that include funding from Orange County. The developer has raised questions <br />Robert Dowling about the practicality of a 99 -year affordability period in the event that Community Home Trust <br />is unable to purchase the property. As you know, Community Home Trust has a Right of First <br />Refusal for The Landings. Although our intention is to exercise this right and maintain these <br />units as affordable rentals in perpetuity, market conditions and our own financial strength will <br />determine if we are able to exercise this right and purchase the buildings. However, in any <br />case, the developer informs me that the senior financing for the project provided by the NC <br />P.O. Box 307, Carrboro, NC 27510 1 919 - 967 -1545 <br />