Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Commissioner porosin said he has real concerns about the section 8 program's <br /> continuing viability in a high wealth community. He asked if the landlords are not taking <br /> vouchers due to perceived stereotypes about the people who use them, or if it seems to be a <br /> problem of cost now that the economy is back up. He said he is concerned that this is an <br /> issue of money. <br /> Jean Bolduc said the money is a difficult challenge, but both of these issues are <br /> factors. She said the board has increased the payment standard from 100 percent to 110 <br /> percent of fair market rent. This means the value of all of the vouchers goes up, but the <br /> number of families served will decrease. She said there will be a greater pool of available <br /> housing. She said the larger view is that section 8 is only one program, and it is not the silver <br /> bullet to make housing affordable in this community. She said there is a whole menu of <br /> options to address the problem that exists. <br /> Commissioner porosin agreed, and he said that is an excellent point. He wonders if <br /> section 8 is not as useful in this community, given the economic realities, as other menu <br /> options. He clarified that the overall pool of money has not changed, so this is why the <br /> increase in the value of each voucher means that the number served will decrease. <br /> Jean Bolduc said that is correct. <br /> Commissioner porosin asked about the situation with the Gateway Apartments in <br /> Hillsborough. <br /> Jean Bolduc said that apartment complex is a project base section 8, versus a tenant <br /> based section 8. She said these project base section 8 programs are run directly from HUD, <br /> and her staff has no management in those vouchers. <br /> James Davis said one of the issues landlords may in not accepting vouchers is that the <br /> department does have a high standard from the inspection process. He said landlords know <br /> that they can rent apartments to low income residents without vouchers and not have to meet <br /> the quality standards that have to be met with a voucher. <br /> Commissioner porosin said the County ought to be a resource for working closely with <br /> other groups. He said there needs to be synergy in these efforts. <br /> Commissioner Burroughs asked about the status of the waiting list. <br /> James Davis said there are about 1300 residents on the waiting list. He said there is <br /> an average wait time of 5 to 8 years. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs referred to his previous discussion of section 8 childcare <br /> subsidies from the County. He asked if more affordable housing opportunities could be <br /> offered to more people if there was enough money to bump the 110 percent up to 120 percent. <br /> Jean Bolduc said HUD would probably not allow that additional subsidy, as it would be <br /> counted as income to those individuals. She said of the housing department's ideas is to take <br /> some of the unrestricted funds from the sale of land to use for an incentive program for <br /> landlords. This would provide a sign on bonus, and would pay for publicity to up the profile of <br /> the program. <br /> She said the County could also fund security deposits for residents coming into the <br /> program. <br /> James Davis said this is permitted, and the Department of Social Services has been <br /> doing this for people not already receiving subsidies from the towns. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs said he hopes there can be some strategizing about how to <br /> reduce the waiting list through judicious application of County funds, if the Board of <br /> Commissioners can make them available. <br /> He noted that the reduction of section 8 has been a concern of Congressman Price for <br /> awhile, and he offered to have the Board communicate department information to the <br /> Congressman. <br />