Agenda - 02-19-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 1 • Median Income has fallen below where it was 30 years ago; top 1%'s income has more than 2 tripled. 3 • Orange County has remarkable levels of poverty compared to the rest of the world. Poverty in 4 Orange County and N.C. is invisible and political parties are oblivious to the poverty. 5 • In Orange County — federal census data 23% of residents live in poverty; 21% of kids- are in 6 poverty — out of this 42% are children of color; and 41% are Latino. 7 • 12,000 of us receive food assistance; and our median income is $56,000 — higher than the 8 norm; poverty rate though is higher in Orange County. Figures distorted due to UNC students 9 who show up as low income but not impoverished. 10 • Racial disparity in Orange County's poverty numbers; 13% of white, and 42% black live in 11 poverty. Racial wealth disparity is worse than income disparity and Orange County is one of 12 the worst. 13 • Higher percentage living in poverty since the recession and since 2008. Even though Orange 14 County is better than most of the state, the worst income disparity in N.C. is in Orange County. 15 • Economic inequality — two studies —found out of 818 counties — Orange County has greater 16 income equality than 98% of the rest of these counties; Orange County — 5th highest income 17 inequality — even if these numbers are off the numbers are still revealing and stark. 18 • For Board of County Commissioners — high wealth, high poverty, high income disparity = need 19 for affordable housing. 20 • Mr. Nichol made the following recommendations to the BOCC for a Legislative agenda 21 o They should vocalize opposition to existing and proposed state policies that would make 22 our counties and our state's low income residents poorer. (i.e. don't cut unemployment 23 benefits) 24 o Assess any proposed state policy by asking what will be its impact on the bottom third of 25 Orange County's residents 26 27 C rnrnissiiii neolr )iiscussiiii n Fits 28 29 Orange County Challenges to Affordable Housing Development 30 a. The cost of affordable housing development is prohibitive because of rules related to land use 31 (where we can or cannot build; restrictions on allowed lot size in urban and rural areas etc.) 32 b. Because there are limitations on where utilities can be located that impacts where housing can 33 be built. 34 c. Orange County is legally prohibited from having rent controlled apartments. 35 d. There's a problem with defining affordable housing because it is generally focused solely on 36 affordability and doesn't take into consideration the need for better housing conditions for 37 some. 38 39 People Need Increased Wages - If you have decent wages it would significantly diminish our 40 county's need for affordable housing. 41 42 Making Progress Addressing Poverty and Engaging Those Most Affected- Although the 43 Commissioners are committed to services, not only are they not making much progress decreasing 44 poverty those who are most affected don't come to Commission meetings. It was suggested that 45 Commissioners need to: 46 a. Think outside of the box. 47 b. Go out into communities and talk with people because residents don't know the 48 commissioners. 49 c. Make an honest assessment of what has been done to address the needs of those living in 50 poverty and their impacts. Affordable housing serves a target audience — but fails to reach the