Minutes 10-08-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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only way affordable rental housing is going to work is if it is owned, co-owned or co-developed by one of the local governments. Commissioner Dorosin said manufactured housing has not been considered a reasonable choice in the past. He said there have been a lot of improvements in this, and it remains the most affordable privately owned housing opportunity for most people. He said this should be looked at and possibly incentivized, particularly in the unincorporated areas. Commissioner Dorosin said the County has done a good job with affordable housing but there needs to be a broader perspective given the diverse community. Chair Jacobs asked about the Eno Haven Apartments. Tara Fikes said Eno Haven is a tax credit project in Hillsborough with 72 units for the elderly and disabled. She said this project was provided a $1 million loan from the housing program. She said this is the first elderly tax credit project in Hillsborough. Commissioner Pelissier said she comes at the affordable rental housing issue from the perspective of the Partnership to End Homelessness. She said affordable rentals are a much more important need than home ownership for this group. She said all these different groups are looking at this, and it would be a great topic for the AOG meeting. She noted that the Board does not have jurisdiction in all the municipalities, but partnerships can be made to open doors. Tara Fikes said there has been a mayor's committee on rental housing in Chapel Hill. Commissioner Price said it is time for action instead of more talking. She said this topic is old, and it should be recognized that mobile home parks are often considered as prime areas for development. She said these people are often driven out because their homes are not valued. She said people would be better off if home ownership were a focus. Commissioner Gordon said a variety of possibilities are being discussed. She said she does not think manufactured and mobile homes should the first thing pursued. She noted that these structures are not safe in extreme weather and rapid climate change. She said affordable housing is often put in areas where the prior housing was not safe. She said that mobile homes also depreciate in value as compared to stick built homes. She said it would be better to talk about affordable rentals, as this is a bigger need. Commissioner McKee said he would really like to see the AHAB focus on discussions with Chapel Hill regarding adjustments to their unit requirements. He agreed with Commissioner Dorosin regarding the disconnect between needs and available units. He said the AHAB needs to develop strategies with the community to explain the needs. He said he lived in a mobile home for the first 14 years that he lived on his own. He said no home is safe in a tornado or a flood, but a mobile home is more affordable than a stick built home. He said his experience was that cost and maintenance were comparable to his current brick house. He said mobile homes provide options for people just getting started or people limited by income or family size, and this must be considered. He said the stigma needs to be addressed. Chair Jacobs said when Orange County did the bond in 2001, the discussion was about providing housing from single room occupancy to family housing. He said he is opposed to saying no to smaller units; however these should not be located in high end developments. He said the notion of a range of housing options is still important. He said the AHAB once did a study of mobile homes in the County. He said several of the Commissioners have discussed the need for land banking and a strategy for keeping manufactured housing communities. Chair Jacobs said he had asked for a map of the manufactured housing in the county and this still has not been received. He said at least four of the Board members have expressed clear interest in manufactured housing as a key component of affordable housing. He said that this might not be right for joint projects, but it could be a start.