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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 13, 2006 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. $~ (' <br />SUBJECT: Housing Bond Program <br />DEPARTMENT: Housing/Community Dev. PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Location Map Tara L. Fikes, 919-245-2490 <br />Site Map <br />Letter to Habitat for Humanity <br />PURPOSE: To consider awarding housing bond funds in the amount of $116,250 to Habitat for <br />Humanity to purchase land in the Highland Woods subdivision in the Northern Fairview <br />community in Hillsborough and authorize the Manager in consultation with the County Attorney <br />to enter into a Development Agreement detailing the provisions of the award. <br />BACKGROUND: In June 2004 the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved a <br />revision to the Affordable Housing Band Policy that incorporated a Land Banking Program that <br />provides the opportunity for local organizations to utilize bond money to purchase land that <br />becomes available in the community prior to the establishment of a firm development plan. A <br />total of $612,500 ($352,500 in FY 1997 Housing Bond funds and $260,000 in FY 2001 Housing <br />Band funds) was allocated for this program. <br />An application far Land Banking funds was received on April 13, 2006 from Habitat for Humanity <br />requesting $116,250 to purchase ten lots in the Highland Woods subdivision on Tuliptree Road <br />in the Northern Fairview community of Chapel Hill. The property is currently vacant. Attached <br />to this abstract are two maps highlighting the location of the property. Habitat has plans to <br />construct a total of 10 single-family dwellings an this property for families earning up to 60% of <br />area median income by December 31, 2008. <br />This property is currently outside of the Hillsborough Town limits, but Habitat and the current <br />owner have requested voluntary annexation by the Town of Hillsborough. The Town of <br />Hillsborough, after annexation, has committed to extending the sanitary water and sewer to <br />these lots using a combination of HOME Program funds and its own funds. Additionally, this <br />proposed project was discussed during a joint meeting with the Town of Hillsborough earlier this <br />calendar year. During that meeting, interest was expressed in Habitat pursuing the purchase of <br />the undeveloped triangle between Tulip Tree Road and Locust Road that could potentially <br />become "open space" in the neighborhood. This interest was conveyed to Habitat officials by <br />letter from Chair Jacobs in late March 2006. A copy of the letter is attached to this abstract. At <br />this time Habitat is currently considering this request. <br />As required by the Orange County Housing Bond Policy, the Project Review and Selection <br />(PRS) Committee held apre-application conference with staff from Habitat to discuss the <br />