Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Public Works Director Wilbert McAdoo said that is correct and they will lose one set of shelves. <br />Based on the weight of the books, there are restrictions. One set of shelves will be lost down the middle of <br />the children's section. It has been reallocated to the hallway and other areas of the library. <br />SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS <br />6-b. Status of Women Report 2002 - Housina Affordability for Women in Oranae Count <br />The Board received a presentation on the 2002 Status of Women Report on Affordable Housing <br />in Orange County, and provided feedback or comments to staff. <br />Milan Pham from the Department of Human Rights and Relations introduced Bonnie Gates, <br />immediate past chair of the Commission for Women. Ms. Gates is also on the Affordable Housing Advisory <br />Board. The current chair was ill and not able to attend. <br />Bonnie Gates presented the Status of Women Report 2002 on Housing Affordability for Women in <br />Orange County. She highlighted some of the findings of the report. She also circulated a fact sheet. A full <br />copy of the report can be obtained from the Department of Human Rights and Relations. She gave the <br />following facts: <br />- affordable housing is a primary barrier to economic equality for Orange County women <br />- there are nearly 3,000 female heads of households <br />- of those 3,000, 76% earn at or below median family income and 25°~ earn below federal <br />poverty levels <br />- 14.8% of households in Orange County live in poverty and women head half of those <br />households <br />- the median family income for Orange County in 2000 was $59,874 <br />- women on the average, earned only $31,328 in 2000 <br />- in order to afford rent for aone-bedroom apartment in Orange County at market value, a <br />woman must make at least 50°~ of the area median income, meaning she must make <br />approximately $30,000 <br />- Orange County has the highest average price in the Triangle as well as the highest rate of <br />annual increase <br />- There are many efforts to increase home ownership and to improve access to affordable <br />housing for Orange County citizens <br />There are several recommendations from the report. Since Orange County has already taken <br />steps through an affordable housing band and the advisory board to create mare money to increase the <br />affordable housing stock, she addressed the information and public image portion of affordable housing. <br />She said that residents are not aware of all the programs Orange County has to offer for people seeking <br />affordable housing. The Commission far Women recommends that steps be taken to increase public <br />awareness of available assistance via print, audio, and broadcast media. Also, public perception of <br />affordable housing is by and large negative. There is an equation of affordable housing with cheap housing <br />and decrease in property values. The Commission for Women recommends a public ad campaign-advising <br />residents of the benefits of affordable housing for individuals in need as well as the community at large. <br />The Commission for Women is dedicated to improving affordable housing in Orange County and is happy to <br />assist. <br />In closing, she said that they would like to commend the Board of County Commissioners on the <br />passage of the affordable housing bond package and continued support of the Commission for Women and <br />the Department of Human Rights and Relations. <br />Commissioner Gordan asked about the graph on page 15 -comparison of incomes of full-time <br />year-round workers by gender. Bonnie Gates said that in Orange County women make less than men, in <br />Carrbaro it is fairly equal, in Chapel Hill men make more, and in Hillsborough men make more. On the <br />average, women are only making approximately 75°l0 of what men make and this is a barrier in obtaining <br />affordable housing. <br />Milan Pham said that this due in large part to the inflated salaries of male-tenured professors at <br />UNC. <br />