Agenda - 04-07-2015 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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9 1 VOTE: UNANIMOUS 2 3 c. 2015 - 2019 Consolidated Plan/HOME Program 4 The Board considered opening the public hearing to receive comments from the public 5 regarding the housing and non-housing needs to be included in the 2015-2019 Consolidated 6 Plan for Housing and Community Development Programs in Orange County and proposed uses 7 of the 2015-2016 HOME funds, and closing the public hearing. 8 Audrey Spencer-Horsley said the purpose tonight is to receive public comments, which 9 initiates a community input process for the five year consolidated plan that is required by the 10 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for funds received by the Orange 11 County Consortium and Chapel Hill CDBG funds. She said the plan covers housing and non- 12 housing needs to be included in the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community 13 Development Programs in Orange County and proposed uses of the 2015-2016 HOME funds. 14 She said there will be other opportunities for community input, and prior to submission of the 15 plan to HUD, there will be on-line surveys and stakeholder meetings. 16 She said staff has received a final number for the amount of funding that will be 17 received this year. She said this amount is $311,832, which is $40,000 less than 2014. She 18 said applications for funding were due by February 20th, and these applications have been 19 forwarded to the consortium for review. 20 Commissioner Dorosin asked why the public hearing is being held now when the 21 application deadline has already passed. He said the purpose is to find out how the community 22 feels the home program money should be spent, but the applications have already been 23 submitted to receive the money. He does not understand the timeline. 24 Audrey Spencer-Horsley said the timeline is not ideal. She said the goal would usually 25 be to complete this process prior to receiving applications. She said these HOME funds will 26 represent the annual action plan, which is required for each of the five years. She said this is 27 the first year in the five year process, and there are four more years of opportunity. She said 28 the consolidated plan also looks for other funding resources for addressing affordable housing. 29 Commissioner Dorosin said if the deadline for applications is set outside of our control 30 then next year, he would suggest that the public hearing be held two months prior. 31 Audrey Spencer-Horsley said this should be possible next year. She said this year's 32 process will give them a guide for next year. 33 Commissioner Price questioned whether this timeline is due to the Board of County 34 Commissioners schedule or HUD. 35 Audrey Spencer-Horsley said next year's schedule will be more in alignment with the 36 Board's expectations, and it will allow more time to get ahead of the curve. 37 Chair McKee asked if a reason was given for the $40,000 reduction of funds. 38 Audrey Spencer-Horsley said the funding was reduced at the federal level, and the 39 County's cut was proportional to this. 40 41 PUBLIC COMMENT 42 Brian Curran is the secretary of the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of 43 Orange County. He said HOME funding continues to be a critical factor in Habitat's building 44 efforts. He said these funds have been used to leverage millions of dollars in private funding 45 for the majority of the 250 homes that Habitat has built in Orange County. He said HOME 46 funding is part of the reason that 50 people now call Phoenix Place home. He said the addition 47 of Habitat homes has resulted in crime rate reductions and a rise in the rates of home 48 ownership. He said Habitat is requesting $270,000 in funding for 11 new homes for 49 homebuyers who earn between 30 and 65 percent of area median income. He said these 50 funds will be used as second mortgages for Habitat home buyers and will have long term