Agenda - 04-01-1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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One issue regarding manufactured housing is confusion around definitions and quality. Any manufactured housing built after 1976 must meet specific Federal guidelines regarding construction and safety standards: Traditional perceptions of mobile homes must change to meet the changing quality standards now required. Many manufactured homes are indistinguishable from site -built houses, and can provide quality affordable housing options in Orange County. Local development regulations should be sensitive to permitting manufactured housing as an option for developers and builders who are trying to provide affordable opportunities. Public Improvements. In southern Orange County, vacant land that is served by public utilities is very limited. With supply limited, the price of land with water and sewer service is too high for development of affordable housing. Subsidies for extension of services into less expensive land or for purchasing land with the service area will be needed for successful housing development activities in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. In northern Orange County, while land accessible to urban services is available, many existing residences lack adequate plumbing facilities. A 1987 survey of housing conditions countywide reported over 500 residential structures without indoor bathrooms. A countywide housing strategy must address the need for attention to water and sewer problems of individuals in rural settings without access to public water systems. Transportation. While the public transportation system in the Chapel Hill - Carrboro urban area is comprehensive, access to jobs and facilities outside the urban area is limited by lack of transportation. The homeless shelter, located in Chapel Hill, serves the entire county, yet no public transportation is available from Chapel Hill to northern Orange County for persons whose employment or families are located there. The battered women's shelter is located in Durham, without adequate inter -city transportation to give women access to their jobs, schools and other support systems in Orange County. Some human services transportation is provided to give low income persons access to health care. For these and other special needs groups, transportation will continue to be a barrier to solving their housing problems. In other ways, private and public transportation has been used as a solution to housing issues in southern Orange County. Large numbers of individuals commute to Chapel Hill from adjacent counties (Durham, Chatham, Alamance, Person) to work at UNC or Memorial Hospital, either 14