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18 agreement with Empowerment, Inc. On March 17th, staff discussed options with residents and 1 continued with efforts to identify other housing options. 2 3 Staff also is continuing to conduct due diligence on the Millhouse Road site. As staff identifies 4 additional options and strategies, the Board will continue to receive updates. 5 6 Sherrill Hampton, Housing Director, reviewed the updates since the February meeting, 7 and is asking the BOCC for parameters for a contract as to how to move forward. She said the 8 additional handout is the proposed strategy for the two mobile home parks slated for closure: 9 Lakewood in Chapel Hill, and Homestead in Orange County. 10 Sherrill Hampton said there are nine spots in the Homestead Mobile Home Park, and 11 seven are occupied. She said of the seven, employees of the park occupy two; and two have 12 already found other arrangements, moving in with family. She said these families are afraid of 13 retaliation, and will not speak with County staff. She said that leaves three families remaining. 14 She said she hopes the two families that have moved will return and work with the County. She 15 said the Department is working with the database from the Planning and Tax Assessors office, 16 and has been trying to get in touch with current park owners to identify available spots. She 17 said she would like to hear from other park owners if there are available spots in the County. 18 Sherrill Hampton said she is thankful that all departments are working together to create 19 strategies, as well as the schools. She said this is a fluid process, and appreciates BOCC 20 support throughout. She said the team is building the airplane while flying it. She said two 21 options are being brought tonight for consideration, as the Homestead residents are being 22 relocated. She said these residents are under a serious time crunch, and the owner is not 23 responsive. She said these families have to move by 3/31/18, and are very anxious. She said 24 the families did not select option 1, which was expected based, on the last year’s survey. 25 Sherrill Hampton said staff are working with option 2, and prefer a recommendation for 26 this approach if possible, since it is asset creation by ownership. She said there is an 27 immediate need for services. She said the handout shows parameters for working with 28 Empowerment. She said the Department would like to enter into an agreement for relocation 29 services, and Empowerment has the capacity and experience to do this quickly. She said it is 30 important to not put residents in a situation with a large cost burden, and she would like to ask 31 for flexibility for the County Manager to be able to make decisions as other situations arise. She 32 said a lease-purchase opportunity is shown, with a sliding scale for those residents in a 33 purchase situation through Empowerment. 34 Commissioner Price asked if clarification could be provided as to whether there are three 35 or five families. 36 Sherrill Hampton said staff has budgeted for 5 families, but two are currently afraid to 37 talk with the County. She said she hopes this will change, and, as such, have planned for all 38 five. 39 Commissioner Price asked if five families are approved, and two do not return, could the 40 remaining funds be used for other families. 41 Sherrill Hampton said that the estimate is a “not to exceed” amount, and the Housing 42 Department would need to go back to the County Manager for approval if other families need 43 the assistance. She said she would ask that these particular funds be left open specifically for 44 the Homestead Park residents for 6 months to a year, in order to allow time to build trust and 45 rapport. 46 Chair Dorosin confirmed that seven families are being displaced from the Homestead 47 Park. 48 Sherrill Hampton said she thinks there are five families being displaced, as the two 49 remaining families are affiliated with the park owners, who also refuse to speak with County 50 staff. She said the park owner has not said what will be done with the site. 51