Orange County NC Website
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8 <br />Orange County had 16 reported cases of HIV disease and eight cases of AIDS in 2004. This is <br />a marked increase in the number of AIDS and HIV cases in Orange County. While prevention, <br />medical and support services are available to people with HIV(AIDS, there is also a greater <br />need for permanent supportive housing <br />Lead-Based Paint Hazards <br />Lead poisoning is one of the worst environmental threats to children in the United States. While <br />anyone exposed to high concentrations of lead can become poisoned, the effects are most pro- <br />nounced among young children. <br />There are as many as 12,058 occupied housing units in Orange County contain lead-based <br />paint.. Of these units with lead-based paint, 6,001 are owner-occupied and 6,057 are occupied <br />by renters. Up to 5,276 houses may have deteriorated lead-based paint. According to the 2000 <br />Census, there are 16,540 households with annual incomes below $30,000. Applying the as- <br />sumption that as much as 35% of these low-income households contain lead-based paint haz- <br />ards results in an estimated 5,789 low-income households with lead-based paint hazards in Or- <br />ange County. <br />Barriers to Affordable Housing <br />As with other types of development, Orange County's supply of affordable housing is dictated by <br />a variety of factors, the most significant being project profitability, availability of land and infra- <br />structure, and government regulation, including the Orange County Educational Impact Fee. To <br />address the Educational Impact Fee, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted an <br />impact fee reimbursement policy, which provides funds to nonprofit housing developers con- <br />structing rental and owner-occupied housing to enable them to pay the fee without passing the <br />cost to the prospective renters or homebuyers. <br />Impediments to Fair Housing <br />Based on the county's analysis of impediments affecting the furtherance of fair housing, appro- <br />priate strategies have been designed and implemented to eliminate or reduce the impact of <br />those barriers. The following recommendations included in the "Fair Housing Plan" promote fair <br />housing within Orange County: <br />• Increase the educational opportunities and provide training relating to Fair Housing through <br />workshops, forums and presentations <br />• Target specific protected groups for fair housing information <br />• Continue to consult with local lending institutions regarding their Community Reinvestment <br />Act activities. <br />• Involve the local housing coalition, ABODE <br />• Provide training to housing providers and consumers about their obligations and rights un <br />Homeless Assessment <br />On December 15, 2003, a total of 50 persons were found sleeping outside in Orange Gounty, In <br />addition, there were 12 families with 42 individuals as well as 144 homeless individuals sleeping <br />Ill <br />