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C. A motion was made to approve the minutes from October 24, 2017 [White, Xavier]. The <br />motion carried. <br />D. Ms. Tara May stated that she would upload the approved minutes to the website. <br />N. HHRCD /County Updates <br />A. Ms. Bonnie Hammersley, Orange County Manager, shared that the Fair Housing <br />Assistance Program (FHAP agency) housed in the Housing, Human Rights, and <br />Community Development Department, was under assessment from July 1, 2016 through <br />June 30, 2017. She stated that some weaknesses were cited in the assessment that resulted <br />in a 90 -day performance improvement plan. Ms. Hammersley stated that there were no <br />nefarious acts, but that HUD was not pleased with response times, misallocation of funds <br />that needed to be reconciled. She continued that she met with the HUD representatives on <br />November 91', and told them some of the corrective actions she would put in place. She <br />stated that in 2010 the Human Rights and Relations Agency was moved into Housing due <br />to the height of the recession and was an effort to reduce some of the administrative costs <br />by having one department director overseeing it. Ms. Hammersley announced that she <br />would be recommending to the BOCC on December 4, 2017 that the Human Rights and <br />Relations division become an independent department and move from the Housing and <br />Community Development Department. She stated that this move is important because it <br />will allow the Housing and Community Development Director to focus on their core <br />function and will allow the Human Rights and Relations Director to do the same. She <br />stated that the FHAP agency is relatively small and averages only about seven cases a <br />year, and that HUD asked if Orange County was interested in continuing to have a FHAP <br />and she ensured them that she and the BOCC are. She explained that the alternative <br />would be for the State Human Relations Commission to take over Orange County and <br />investigate any Fair Housing complaints that originate here. She stated that since she <br />believes that the BOCC wants to continue to have a local FHAP, it is also important to <br />elevate the profile of it by creating its own department and working through the <br />Performance Improvement Plan. She mentioned that the HUD representatives were <br />highly supportive of her recommendation to create a new department for Human Rights <br />and Relations, particularly because it would eliminate the financial mix -up errors made <br />by using money from the incorrect accounts. She announced that the director of the <br />Department of Human Rights and Relations would be Ms. Annette Moore, who also <br />served as the Interim Director for Housing Human Rights and Community Development <br />( HHRCD). Ms. Hammersley explained that since the caseload for the agency is relatively <br />small, Ms. Moore would continue to also serve as Staff Attorney part time in addition to <br />her directorship. In order to avoid a conflict of interest, another Staff Attorney in the <br />County Attorney's Office will be the attorney for the FHAP. <br />1. Dr. Stroman asked if Ms. Sherrill Hampton and Ms. May would continue coming <br />to the Human Relations Commission (HRC) Meetings. <br />a. Ms. Hammersley stated that Ms. Hampton would be the Housing and <br />Community Development director and will not continue on with the HRC, <br />but that Ms. May will continue since her position will be moving under the <br />new department. <br />B. Ms. Hammersley continued that Ms. May and Ms. Marlyn Valeiko, as the Civil Rights <br />Specialist and Limited English Proficiency Specialist, respectively, would both be <br />2 <br />