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Oran a Coun North Carolina - AIFCH - 2007 <br />g tY~ <br />5. Reward lenders engaged in serving the LMI market with community lending products. <br />11.4 Real Estate Issues <br />The current scope of service did not include sales and real estate testing. However, racial <br />patterns since 1997 show an ongoing pattern of racial and ethnic steering in the Orange County <br />markets. The maps in Appendix 3 show the minority concentrations in specific census tracts that <br />are consistent with a pattern of racial and ethnic steering. <br />Recommendations: <br />Initiate a task force with members of the real estate industry, advocacy groups and local fair <br />housing organizations to review current fair housing training for real estate professionals <br />and to develop and initiate educational programs addressing racial and ethnic steering and <br />disparate treatment issues. <br />2. Provide education in English and Spanish on real estate steering and disparate treatment <br />issues as they relate to the real estate industry. Since White buyers are as likely to be <br />steered away from some areas of the County and towards others, ensure educational efforts <br />are community-wide and not just to the non-White members of the Orange County <br />community. <br />11.5 Affordable Rental Housing <br />One of the most significant concerns was the increasing cost of housing in the County, although <br />government/private programs were doing a good job of helping individuals achieve affordable, <br />safe and decent housing. <br />The increase in demand for affordable rental housing is a major issue. Negative attitudes and <br />community hostility toward affordable housing are a critical barrier to increasing affordable rental <br />stock. Finding ways to address these attitudes is covered in the earlier recommendations. <br />In addition, local communities must work with HUD, the state, and the public housing authorities <br />to increase efforts to provide housing to low-income residents. <br />Recommendations: <br />1. Develop resources to facilitate implementation of the mobility counseling provisions of the <br />plan. <br />2. Assist in the recruitment of landlords, developers and others to increase the number of <br />housing providers participating in the MHA's Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. <br />41 <br />