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Guarantor Program was successful because there was a low percentage of defaults. They <br />also implemented financial counseling. The request is for $61,735 to be transferred from the <br />Safety Net Contingency Fund. <br />Commissioner Carey asked how long this will last and Nancy Coston said that it should <br />last until June 30tH <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked if there was any use for or effort to provide firewood. Nancy <br />Coston said that there was not an organized effort. Some of the non-profits do same of this. <br />Commissioner Jacobs would be interested in seeing who organizes firewood distribution since <br />there will be an excess amount of it since the ice storm. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis would also like a report back on firewood and who is organizing <br />the distribution of it to needy families. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to <br />accept the report and appropriate $61,73b from the Social Safety Net Reserve Fund to Social <br />Services to meet emergency needs. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />b. Southern Park Conceptual Plan <br />The Board was to consider adoption of the Southern Park Conceptual Plan. <br />DEFERRED <br />Commissioner Halkiotis left the meeting at 10:00 p.m. <br />c. Housing Bond Policv -Land Banking Policv Approval <br />The Board considered approving a Land Banking Policy for incorporation into the County <br />Affordable Housing Bond Policy. <br />Housing and Community Development Director Tara Fikes summarized the information in the <br />agenda. The Affordable Housing Advisory Board developed the Land Banking Policy and <br />distributed it to the local non-profits and posted it on the County's website for public comment. A <br />summary of the public comment is in the agenda along with the Land Banking Policy. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that she does not understand haw this fits in with the housing <br />policy. She made reference to page five, #2, and eligible applicants. She listed several instances <br />where the two policies did not match up. She said that a lot of it could be cleared up if the Orange <br />County Housing Bond Policy was black lined with how the Land Banking Policy would fit in. She <br />asked if you had to build an eligible project in the future to get the land banking Haw. <br />Tara Fikes said that the way that the two policies can be incorporated is that if the Land <br />Banking Policy were approved, it would be an eligible activity in the Housing Bond program. She <br />said that the staff could try and make the two fit together better. She said that land banking is <br />quite different from other opportunities. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to page five, #2 again, and said that specific <br />instructions should be given "by the Board of Commissioners far land banking project proposals." <br />The other question is whether construction would be required to start within three years or five <br />years. <br />Allen Rosen, Chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board, said that the feeling of the <br />advisory board is that the purchaser of the property should be able to begin construction within <br />three years. <br />Commissioner Jacobs made reference to the three-year limit and said that there might need to <br />be a way to get an extra year if a crisis arose. Allen Rosen pointed out where this is addressed in <br />the policy. Commissioner Jacobs suggested the following language: "See the Guidelines for <br />Project Completion and Requirements respectively for instances where exceptions may be <br />sought." <br />