Orange County NC Website
this will involve Wake, Durham and Orange Counties but more counties will be added later on. <br />She said that the Triangle Family campaign won the 2003 Goodman Award for outstanding <br />regional partnership. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to create understanding and <br />appreciation of the Triangle and its individual communities among residents, prospective <br />residents, and visitors. The campaign began with a public service campaign. There is also a <br />website: www.familyofcommunities.com. The success will be measured by follow-up scientific <br />public opinion palls. Flags will be presented to all three initial counties. She presented the <br />County Commissioners with the Orange County flag. <br />b. Orange County Housing Bond Program <br />The Board received a bi-annual report on the 1997 Housing Bond Program. <br />Martha Hoylemen, Chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Board, introduced other <br />members. She said that the details of the report were sent to the County Commissioners in a <br />memo dated October 27t". In July 2003, the advisory board requested submission of the first <br />semi-annual project reports from all 1997 bond award recipients. The recipients were asked to <br />provide baseline information, bond award information, project timeline, the description of project <br />changes, a marketing plan, and fiduciary information. Six sponsors responded to the request - <br />EmPOWERment, Habitat for Humanity, Orange Community Hauling and Land Trust, OPC <br />Foundation, Chapel Hill Department of Housing, and Residential Services. The sponsors <br />reported on the status of eight projects, with bond awards ranging from $75,000 to $460,000. In <br />the initial round of funding in January 2000, three projects were awarded a total of $690,000. <br />She gave details on each round of the project awards. The advisory board, along with the <br />Housing and Community Development office, will be proposing an updated housing bond policy <br />that includes land banking far the County Commissioners' consideration. After the policy has <br />been adopted, the advisory board intends to recommend that the uncommitted 1997 funds be <br />added to the land-banking fund established from the 2001 housing bonds. There is presently <br />$260,000 in 2001 housing band funds reserved for land banking. The addition of the 1997 <br />uncommitted funds would bring the total available to $612,500. The next semi-annual report will <br />be reported in March 2004 and they will give a report on the 2001 bond projects and the <br />progress of the 1997 projects. <br />Commissioner Jacobs thanked the advisory board. He made reference to Richmond <br />Hills and said that same of the documentation says that it is in Efland and some says that it is in <br />Mebane. He said that it should be consistent in all documentation. He said that there were <br />some questions in the band process in 2001 about why there should be another housing bond <br />when the money from 1997 had not been spent yet. He said that it was gratifying to see the <br />good projects that were funded. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that Richmond Hills was definitely in Efland. <br />Chair Brown thanked the advisory board for collecting data on affordable housing. <br />She admires the work of the advisory board. <br />Commissioner Gordon asked about land banking and if the advisory board had plans <br />for how to spend the money. She said that they have not talked about it yet. They are talking <br />about going through another request for proposal process, similar to what they did for the other <br />band money. <br />7. PUBLIC HEARINGS <br />None <br />8. ITEMS FOR DECISION--CONSENT AGENDA <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Halkiotis, seconded by Commissioner Jacobs to <br />approve those items on the consent agenda as stated below: <br />