Orange County NC Website
other hand, the Housing Authority could use the land it owns for affordable housing purposes. <br />The County could convey its interest in land to the Housing Authority. <br />Chair Carey asked if the Housing Authority would have authority through the statutes <br />that is less limiting. Geof Gledhill said that housing authorities have different powers than <br />counties. He also said that conflict of interest is not the right legal term. He said that the ARAB <br />thinks that the Housing Authority should be a board separate from the County Cammissianers <br />so that there is independence. <br />Artie Franklin said that one of the main benefits is for the County to hold the property <br />until anon-profit has the capacity to do something with it dawn the road. He said that using the <br />Housing Authority would provide the County with a tool to reserve affordability for the future. <br />Commissioner Jacobs asked why it was being called Housing Authority Board of <br />Commissioners. Jabrina Robinson said that this was the default language in the statute. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said not to use this language. He asked Geof Gledhill to write aone- <br />page explanation about what the Board of County Commissioners' authority is or is not on this <br />issue. He is very concerned about the mobile home parks and where people are going to go if <br />those get developed. He would like to have a safety net where there can be affordable housing. <br />Chair Carey suggested a revision of the by-laws and to include an adoption of principles <br />related to the long-term affordability goal and something about where this activity should occur. <br />He asked the AHAB to work on this and get something back as soon as possible. <br />Jabrina Robinson said that they had originally thought of having the new appointed <br />Housing Authority to write the by-laws and Chair Carey said that he would like the current Board <br />of County Commissioners to adopt the changes and the AHAB to write them. <br />III. Mobile Home Concerns including the <br />Daniel Boone Village Revitalization Project <br />Martha Hoyleman said that the last time there was a meeting in a working session <br />between the AHAB and the Board of County Cammissianers, one of the follow up items was to <br />look at the issue of what happens when residents are displaced due to the mobile home parks <br />being said out from under the residents. This has happened with the Boone Campground and <br />trailer park. The AHAB partnered with the Town of Hillsborough to see what the Town would do <br />about this situation. The Town of Hillsborough worked with UNC and a group of students to <br />work with the residents at the campground and trailer park to see what could be done to help <br />them out. The summary and conclusions that the students reached are in the agenda packet. <br />The first thing the students did was put together a questionnaire for the residents to learn more <br />about the specific situation. Secondly, it was good to have an agency be an advocate for <br />displaced residents. There are a lot of options, but some of them are long-term. She said that <br />the residents said that they were afraid to go to County services because their children might be <br />taken away, they might lose some assistance, etc. Another non-profit, or a church would be <br />more helpful, according to the residents. During the course of the study, the campground was <br />closed with very little notice and the residents dispersed. A couple of days ago, the <br />Hillsborough Planning Board and the Hillsborough Tawn Board had a work session with the <br />developer to look at the plans and to discuss the questions and concerns about this project. <br />She made reference to the copies of the book that she distributed to the County <br />Commissioners, which was written by Adam Rust, who is involved in the Community <br />Reinvestment Association of North Carolina. The book addresses manufactured housing, or <br />mobile homes, the pros and cans, etc. <br />Tara Fikes said that this book talks about not only the challenges of the closing of mobile <br />home parks but also the opportunities and things that have been done in other states to try and <br />help those affected by the closing of a mobile home park. <br />