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12 <br /> The condition of the owner occupied housing stock is fairly sound. However, rental housing units <br /> range from fair to poor. Many of the higher quality rental housing units are located in the urban <br /> centers and close to the universities.The lower quality rental housing units are located in the rural <br /> areas. Improved code enforcement is needed to address these housing deficiencies. <br /> There is also a lack of "accessible" housing units in the County that serve the needs of the <br /> physically disabled. Not including elderly housing units, it appears that there is a need for at least <br /> 150 new housing units that are accessible to persons with physical disabilities. Presently, there <br /> are 84 accessible housing units for the disabled in LIHTC Projects. <br /> There is a continuing need for "affordable" and "accessible" housing in Orange County. The <br /> existing housing is sound and there appears to be an adequate supply of market-rate housing.The <br /> County has a growing population, and new construction and rehabilitation work is increasing <br /> again as evidenced by the number of building and renovation permits issued throughout the <br /> County. Real estate values continue to rise, which benefits property owners and most <br /> homeowners. However, these rising real estate values negatively impact very low-, low-, and <br /> moderate-income households who are increasingly cost-overburdened in their homes by 30 to 50 <br /> percent or greater; additionally, this hurts those who cannot find affordable housing and are <br /> having to increasingly seek housing outside of the County or live in substandard conditions not by <br /> choice, but necessity. <br /> Housing values (both rental and real estate) have increased with the rise in the number of <br /> households to the area. This increase has been especially burdensome on low- and moderate- <br /> income renter households.A decrease in the quality and the quantity of affordable rental housing <br /> has placed many of the very low-income households at imminent risk of becoming homeless. <br /> It is estimated that there are approximately 1,600 owner and renter occupied housing units that <br /> are suitable for rehabilitation work in Orange County. However,the cost of rehabilitation exceeds <br /> the income and assets of many low- and moderate-income persons. Therefore, many of these <br /> housing units will remain vacant and or in substandard, deteriorating conditions since the <br /> financial resources are not available to rehabilitate the housing units.There is a need for increased <br /> local, state, federal, and private funds to provide financial assistance to lower income families to <br /> rehabilitate properties for more affordable housing. <br /> In addition, 20,899 housing units (40.5%) were built before 1980, and therefore have a potential <br /> to be a lead-based paint hazard. For Orange County, it is estimated that 15%of low or moderate <br /> income families living in owner-occupied units are at risk of lead-based paint hazards and that <br /> 25% of low or moderate income families living in rental units are at risk of lead-based paint <br /> hazards. <br /> There is a dire lack of affordable housing for the very-low income in Orange County. <br /> Unfortunately, there are no new funding sources for permanent housing that replaces Public <br /> Housing to meet the housing needs of the very-low income. The County should encourage and <br /> support private and non-profit development entities to build more LIHTC high quality affordable <br /> Annual Action Plan 3 <br /> OMB Control No:2506-0117(exp.07/31/2015) <br />