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3 <br />The Chairman of the KNDA petitioned the Chair of the <br />BOCC regarding the donation of these lots to Habitat for <br />Humanity. In response to this request, the BOCC Chair <br />requested that KNDA present a specific proposal outlining <br />plans for developing the property. Simultaneously, County <br />staff began investigating the possibility of this property <br />donation. County staff discussed this proposal with Habitat <br />for Humanity officials to assess the feasibility of this <br />request. The County Attorney was also consulted to determine <br />the legal process the County could use to make this property <br />donation. A letter from the County Attorney is attached <br />which outlines the process the Board of Commissioners may use <br />to transfer this property to Habitat. (Attachment 2) <br />In summary, the County Attorney recommends transferring <br />this property to the Orange County Housing Authority and then <br />having the Housing Authority transfer the property to Habitat <br />for Humanity. This could easily be done since the Board of <br />the Housing Authority is the Board of County Commissioners. <br />This recommendation was made due to the absence of express <br />statutory authority for counties to make such a property <br />donation. However, statues are clear that housing authorities <br />have authorization to make such property donations. <br />This information was conveyed to Habitat for Humanity <br />via John Hartwell, a member of Habitat's Board. In response <br />to this information, Hartwell and Howard Watson, President of <br />Knolls Neighborhood Development Association has asked that <br />the property be transferred to the Housing Authority at this <br />time, until a development plan has been designed for each <br />lot. Specifically, the Housing Authority would retain this <br />property until the following conditions are met: a potential <br />low- income homebuyer has been selected, sufficient funds have <br />been raised to begin construction, and a pool of volunteer <br />labor is available. Should the Board of Commissioners decide <br />to proceed in this manner, County staff is proposing the <br />following course of action. <br />ACTION PLAN <br />1. Adopt a Board resolution authorizing the transfer of <br />this property to the Orange County Housing Authority. <br />2. Convene a meeting of the Housing Authority Board of <br />Commissioners either during or prior to a regular Orange <br />County Board of Commissioners meeting to accept the <br />property transfer. <br />