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Alex ZatTron said that it makes sense to include the 18 acres in the small area plan. He stated that Chapel Hill should take the ball and run with it and we can provide assistance and input. Alice Gordon said that seeing details of the agreement and plan would be helpful in getting started with this. There are financial implications that are part of it. John Hert•era asked if the County and Chapel Hill provide assistance for se«~~er connections. Barry Jacobs stated that the County provides a subsidy for hookups to the Rogers Road waterline. John Herrera stated that a subsidy for sewer connections «-~ould be good for the residents of the Rogers Road area. Mark Kleinschmidt stated that Chapel Hill provides assistance for sewer hookups. 11~IECHANISI~I TO REACH THE GOAL Alex Zaffron stated that use of low-income tax credit programs have not been used since the Carolina Spring complex jointly between Carrboro and the County. Now that we have agencies in place to manage and research how to put projects forward, we can focus on that as one of the key tools that we use. Jacquelyn Gist asked about federal government changes that would impact both the low income tax credit program and CDBG monies. Tara Fikes stated that there has been discussion about eliminating the CDBG program and that most housing programs are vulnerable. Mark Chilton said that low-income housing tax credit projects are the most difficult and competitive federal housing programs out there. It is great if you can get it, but it is a very competitive process. He stated that Club Nova is in part a low income tax credit project. The N.C. Finance Agency makes it almost impossible to have it funded unless you have done this type of project before. Orange Community Housing and Land Ti-~zst did a project of this type recently. It does not have to be a new construction project to use the low -income tax credit program. There are many places where developers have taken poor housing stock and used tax credit money to renovate apartments. There are several opportunities along N.C.54 and 15-j f} 1 to apply that technique. Alex Zaffron said the competitive nature of the program is why Carrboro and Orange County had to work out a mechanism to ameliorate the impact fee costs that were built in. There are useful applications for it and have been underutilized. Mark Chilton stated that a number of discussions had been held recently about the partnership to end homelessness. The concept is to take a neu-~ and different approach tots-~ard dealing t~-~ith the homelessness problem. Begin by providing housing first, and then provide supporting services. Part of the concept is to look at point and time surveys to determine ho~~ many chronically disabled people and homeless for a year or more. There are 70 in Orange County in that situation - without a home for more than ayear -without any prospect for being self-supporting. The proposal is we make a commitment as a community to build/acquire 70 units for these people. It is not about finding a job. We need to create 70 new deeply subsidized affordable rental units in our community, providing 100% capital subsidy. It would take al~out $7 million dollars in order to meet that goal.