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Jerry Passmore introduced Transportation Manager Al Terry. He said that this is an annual application for funds for capital and for the administration of the overall operation. This is open for public comment. The funds requested for administrative total $184, 620 with a 15% match. The capital funds requested total $276,100, with a 10% match. This will entail the acquisition of three lift-equipped vehicles. The administrative funds will help offer over 110,000 trips each year in bus service. There was no public comment. A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Chair Jacobs to close the public hearing and approve the grant application, adoption of a resolution authorizing the applicant to enter into an agreement with North Carolina Department of Transportation, authorizing the County Attorney to complete the necessary certifications and assurances, and authorizing the Chair to sign. VOTE: UNANIMOUS b. Orange County Consolidated Housing Plan Update The Board received comments from the public regarding the housing and non-housing needs to be included in the Annual Update of the 2005-2009 Consolidated Housing Plan for Housing and Community Development Programs in Orange County and proposed uses of 2007-2008 HOME funds. Housing and Community Development Director Tara Fikes said that this is a plan that was developed in May 2005 and was approved this same year by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The document details the housing needs of low-income and moderate-income families as well as special population groups, and also contains strategies and plans for addressing the needs. She outlined the three goals included in the 2005-2009 Consolidated Housing Plan. The first goal is providing decent and affordable housing for lower-income households. The second goal is to help with special needs populations. The third goal relates to the efforts to promote neighborhood and economic development, and particularly to promote revitalization in selected Chapel Hill neighborhoods and economic development in general throughout the County. The public hearing is also to receive comments regarding the proposed use of approximately $661,756 in HOME funds that the County expects to receive this year. Eligible projects include acquisition, new construction, housing rehabilitation, and rental assistance. PUBLIC COMMENT: Mary Jean Sada is a resident of Chapel Hill, a board member of the Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, and a staff member of CASA (a non-profit housing developer in Raleigh). CASA develops apartments for citizens with incomes from $0 to $15,000, specifically those who are homeless or have disabilities. CASA will also be requesting funds of about $232,000 to purchase a property in Chapel Hill with ten one-bedroom units to house citizens that might be coming from the shelter or who might have disabilities. She said that the Land Trust Board and staff just had its annual planning retreat and they focused on the growth of the Land Trust. There are 132 units that it manages and there have been 170 new units approved that will be coming online over the next two years. The discussion was focused on developing a plan to be able to have the infrastructure at the agency to be able to be ready for this kind of growth. Robert Dowling , Executive Director of Orange Community Housing and Land Trust, said that he is requesting $150,000 from HOME funds in Orange County. He said that the land trust deals with 132 homeowners, and he learned yesterday that one homeowner had lost his job, and was advised that the best thing that he could do would be to walk away from his house and let it go into foreclosure. For the land trust to resell this house, it would cost $55,000. There is no money allocated for this house. He might amend the request for $150,000 and add another