OC Housing Authority minutes 091615

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the presentation should be when Audrey Spencer-Horsley gives her report. Diane Beechem feels that there is a patchwork of providers because the County is not providing funding. Jean Bolduc stated that there seems to be no Housing Consortium, no plan that states who does what. Diane Beechem stated that identifying need is easy, but it is difficult to identify where Affordable Housing should be and for whom. Jean Bolduc stated that there needs to be a policy decision. Mark Marcoplos said it would be great to present information to the Commissioners and describe to them a different way of looking at affordable housing. Tammy Jacobs stated that she feels it is the OCHA Board's charge to collect information and present it to the Commissioners. Jean Bolduc agreed and said that she supports putting good options out to Commissioners about affordable housing. Audrey Spencer-Horsley stated that she was generally proud of the turnout and the remarks at the meeting. She noted that different representatives from organizations' boards and other community members came out and spoke of the need for and support of affordable housing as part of the proposed 2016 Bond. She said everybody was on message and presented different dimensions of the issue and it generally worked well together. She also credited the OCHA Board for their initial participation at the prior Commissioner's meeting following the preliminary vote on how Bond funding would just be for school capital needs. Audrey Summarized the remarks of the BOCC at the end of their meeting and communicated that Commissioner Rich requested that the County Manager look at an option of affordable housing included in the Bond and what could then be placed in the CIP instead. She also mentioned that Commissioner Jacobs asked that a plan be coordinated with the community and be brought back by the fall with recommendations on how money would be expended. Audrey said in thinking about the amount to request for affordable housing consideration should be given to the fact that the Bond is for several years and should not be a small number given the need and lack of other significant resources. Audrey stated that should the Board approve affordable housing as part of the Bond Referendum, the message still needs to continue out in the community because approval is still required by the voters. The goal is for affordable housing to be recognized as a highly important basic need; and that schools and affordable housing can work and be funded together and not against each other. Audrey Spencer-Horsley stated that October 6, 2015 will be the next opportunity to go before the BOCC and is a good opportunity to thank them for allowing more time to hear from the community. Jean Bolduc concurred and noting that the Commissioners don't hear thank you enough and that we should let them know that the OCHA Board are willing to research and help in anyway.