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K <br />KNOLLS NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION <br />PROPERTY DONATION REQUEST <br />REPORT <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Pine Knolls Neighborhood is a community in Chapel <br />Hill which has traditionally been a stable, predominantly <br />black, middle class, owner occupied neighborhood. However, in <br />recent years, this neighborhood has experienced a shift in <br />demographics. Today, this area is primarily renter - occupied. <br />As long -time citizens age or relocate, investors driven <br />by the student population housing needs have purchased <br />property in the area which has resulted in the reduction of <br />affordable homeownership opportunities. Also, the residents <br />of Pine Knolls believe that the presence of illegal drug <br />activities is also contributing to the deterioration of the <br />neighborhood. Thus, the Knolls Neighborhood Development <br />Association was formed to help "revitalize" the community and <br />preserve the neighborhood's character. <br />Knolls Neighborhood Development Association (KNDA), to <br />our knowledge, has been in existence for about a year. They <br />have received assistance In community organizing and <br />developing from various sources including County human <br />service providers as well as the UNC -CH School of Social <br />Work. As result of their efforts over the past months, they <br />have held health education workshops in the Community Center, <br />sponsored a Neighborhood Clean -Up Day and petitioned the Town <br />of Chapel Hill for better street lighting - to name a few of <br />their activities. To continue their efforts to revitalize the <br />area, KNDA is asking that Orange County donate three lots it <br />lots owns in the Pine Knolls community to Habitat for <br />Humanity for the development of houses which will be sold to <br />low income families. <br />PROPERTY DONATION REQUEST <br />Orange County has acquired three lots in the Knolls <br />Community through tax foreclosures. Two of the lots are on <br />Wentworth Street (Tax Map Reference 7.100.C.10 and Tax Map <br />Reference 7.100.C.10A) and the third is a small lot on <br />Edwards Street (Tax Map Reference 7.91.H.7). A tax map <br />denoting the location of the lots is enclosed as Attachment <br />1. From preliminary observation and discussions with Town <br />planners it appears that the lots would be buildable, <br />although, the size of each home will probably vary greatly. <br />