Minutes 02-05-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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a. 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 2010-2015 Consolidated Housing Plan for Housing and Community Development Programs in Orange County and proposed uses of 2013-2014 HOME funds. Housing and Community Development Director, Tara Fikes said their last plan was completed in May of 2010 and they did identify three goals in Orange County. One of those goals was to provide decent and affordable housing for lower income households through the following efforts: 1) Assisting low income home owners living in sub-standard housing, 2) providing rental units for low income residents, 3) assisting people who lack indoor plumbing, 4) helping low income renters become home owners, and 5) help extremely low income renters find affordable housing. She said that the second goal was to assist the homeless in finding housing as well as services to maintain housing, and the third goal was to assist in provision housing and services for the special needs population. She asked for any additional comments regarding needs in the community. Tara Fikes said that the second purpose of this meeting was to hear comments about the proposed usage of the HOME investment partnership dollars. She said this program allows activities such as property acquisition, new construction, housing rehabilitation and rental assistance. She said they are unsure about final fund allocations for this year, but they are proceeding with the plan under the assumption that they will receive at least the same funds as last year, which equaled $383,485. She said there has also been program investment and some projects that no longer require funding, leaving another $180,000 available as well. Chair Jacobs said affordable housing was a topic of conversation at the Board retreat last week and there will be a joint dinner meeting with Affordable Housing Advisory Board on March 12. Commissioner Dorosin asked if there was there anything in this plan substantively different from last year's plan and he asked for clarification of how much of last years' money was allocated to the low income rental units. Tara Fikes said that the plan is the same as it was last year and it is a five year plan that remains in place until 2015. With regard to the rental units, she said, $50,000 was provided for rental assistance in support of the homeless outreach program. She said they also allocated $37,000 for housing rehabilitation funding for complexes in Chapel Hill (Elliot Woods and Chase Park), and $90,000 to EMPOWERMENT for purchase of rental apartments to rent to low income people. Commissioner Dorosin asked if the latest copy of the CDBG, showing impediments to fair housing, could be provided, and Tara Fikes said yes. PUBLIC COMMENT: Susan Levy, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, gave a brief overview of 2012. She said there were twelve creative partnerships formed to build twelve new homes this past year. She said that eleven of those homes were in the Phoenix Place subdivision in Historic Rogers Road and one of those homes was in the Fairview Community. She noted that families who purchase from Habitat are local people who work and provide services within the community. She said that most of the families served, lived in overcrowded apartments, paid over 30% of their income for rent, and had high utility cost and lack of repair service. She