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10 <br />CITIZEN PARTICIPATION <br />On January 29, 2003, the Chapel Hill Town Council held public hearings to receive <br />citizen comments about how 2003-2004 Community Development, HOME and Capital <br />Fund (Comprehensive Grant) funds could be spent. On March 26, 2003, the Chapel Hill <br />Town Council held a second public hearing to receive citizen comments on proposed <br />Community Development, HOME and Capital Fund grants. The Orange County Board <br />of Commissioners held a public hearing on February 4, 2003 to receive citizen <br />comments regarding housing needs in the community and the possible expenditure plan <br />for 2003-2004 HOME Program funding. <br />All comments received at the public hearings and applications submitted for funding are <br />summarized below. <br />Summary of Comments and Community Development Requests <br />The citizen comments and requests for funding received at the January 29, and March <br />26, 2003 public hearings held by the Chapel Hill Town Council are summarized below. <br />Note that all agencies that requested funding were required to submit an application. <br />Affordable Housing Requests <br />Activities eligible for Community Development funding must meet one of three National <br />Objectives: <br />• Benefit low- and moderate-income persons; or <br />• Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight; or <br />• Treat urgent needs posing an immediate threat to public health and <br />welfare. <br />Examples of eligible activities include acquisition and/or renovation of property, second <br />mortgage assistance, and site development. <br />The following agencies submitted applications for affordable housing activities. <br />1. Affordable Rentals <br />Affordable Rentals requested $90,000 of Community Development funds to purchase <br />and renovate a house on McMasters Street for rent to a very low-income household <br />(earning between 30% and 50% of the area median income). The organization also <br />applied fora $22,500 loan from Harrington Bank for this project. <br />At the public hearing on March 26, Alex Asburn stated that the house on McMasters <br />Street that was mentioned in the application might no longer be on the market. He <br />stated that if funds were awarded, Affordable Rentals would consider acquiring a <br />different property. He also stated that the organization recently purchased 316 <br />