Orange County NC Website
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16 <br /> <br />outreach programs are also very helpful, and Orange County has a gap in this area. She said <br />many people previously deemed “unhouseable” now have housing. <br />Commissioner Burroughs asked Corey Root if she could comment on the impact of <br />losing affordable housing stock from things like flooding. <br />Corey Root said a lot of people are housed in Camelot, so she does not envy the Board <br />of County Commissioners having to decide whether to continue housing programming on land <br />that is known to flood. She said the HUD programs are scattered site funding, and they also try <br />to partner with housing developers. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos asked if there were any identifiable climate refugees from <br />Hurricanes Matthew or Florence. <br />Corey Root said she did not think there was coordination in place to participate with <br />Matthew. She said FEMA and HUD are working together and learning from other natural <br />disasters. <br />Chair Dorosin asked if there are specific priorities going forward. <br />Corey Root said she is seeking fully funded rapid re-housing, street outreach, and <br />accessible housing focused shelter. <br />Chair Dorosin asked if funding is the biggest impediment to achieving these goals. <br />Corey Root said yes, but there are other indicators as well such as where to house a <br />program, who will staff it, etc. She said the Partnership to End Homelessness does not do any <br />direct service. <br />Commissioner Price asked if residents are coming from particular areas/situations. <br />Corey Root said the database asks for the zip code, and most are from Orange County <br />and Durham. She said many residents are sent out of the County for services. <br />Commissioner Price said she wanted to know what is causing the homelessness in <br />Orange County, beyond those who are perpetually homeless. <br />Corey Root said it is a mix of three things that people are lacking: income, services, and <br />affordable housing. <br />Commissioner Price said if the numbers were to increase it is likely due to gentrification, <br />lack of employment, etc., and she would like to see data collected about the causes of <br />homelessness in Orange County. <br />Corey Root said there has been great success in housing those who have been <br />chronically homeless. <br /> <br />b. Update on Orange County’s Website Redesign <br />The Board previewed the newly revised Orange County Government Internet website. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />For the past year, a team of staff has been working to review and improve the County’s official <br />website page. The process began in fall 2017 with the solicitation of proposals from website <br />vendors. Several firms responded, including the company that had been hosting and providing <br />design services for the website. A team of 15 staff members from various departments reviewed <br />four proposals and ultimately chose a new vendor, CivicPlus. <br /> <br />CivicPlus is based in Manhattan, Kansas, and provides design and hosting services to more <br />than one thousand local government clients in the United States, including the Town of <br />Carrboro and many counties in North Carolina. The new website will offer more functionality <br />and improved design and navigation for residents as well as a more robust tool kit for staff to <br />maintain the site. Residents will be able to register with the site and create personalized <br />notifications so they will be made aware whenever new or revised information is posted to the <br />website. <br />